Composite Carbon Fiber Bicycle Crank and Its Method of manufacture
A method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank includes providing a hollow carbon fiber body, with the body including a first opening at one end and the second opening at the other end, mounting a first connecting member and a second connecting member in the first opening and the second opening of the body respectively, wrapping carbon fiber yarn made up of carbon yarn around the assembly of the body and the first and second connecting members, wrapping carbon fiber polymer, and performing hot embossing.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bicycle crank and its method of manufacture, in particular, to a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank which copies the principle of how tendon connecting muscle with a bone and its method of manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to build a lighter bicycle, compound steel and aluminum alloy have been utilized in place of metal for the manufacture of the bicycle cranks.
Referring to
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The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank includes providing a hollow carbon fiber body, with the body including a first opening at one end and the second opening at the other end, mounting a first connecting member and a second connecting member in the first opening and the second opening of the body respectively, wrapping carbon fiber yarn around the assembly of the body and the first and second connecting members, wrapping carbon fiber polymer, and performing hot embossing.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a method of manufacture for forming a robust and light weighted bicycle crank.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bicycle crank which is aesthetically pleasing.
Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For the present disclosure to be easily understood and readily practiced, the present disclosure will now be described for the purpose of illustration not limitation, in conjunction with the following figures, wherein;
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The first connecting member 20 and the second connecting member 30 are made of metal. The first connecting member 20 includes a locking rib 21 and a plurality of protrusions 22 extending radially from the periphery thereof The locking rib 21 prevents the first connecting member 20 from moving with respect to the body 10. The protrusions 22 of the first connecting member 20 are arranged circumferentially and symmetrically, and a passage 23 is defined between the protrusions 22. The second connecting member 30 includes a locking rib 31 and a plurality protrusions 32 extending radially from the periphery thereof. The locking rib 31 prevents the second connecting member 30 from moving with respect to the body 10.
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Therefore, in one aspect of the composite carbon fiber bicycle crank and its method of manufacture, the hollow carbon fiber body 10 and composite materials such as the carbon fiber yarn 40 and the carbon fiber polymer 50 help provide a light-weight structure. In another aspect of the present invention, the carbon fiber yarn 40 is wrapped on the first and second grooves 12,14 of the body 10, the first connecting member 20 and second connecting member 30, and the carbon fiber polymer 50 is wrapped over thereafter so as to a provide a strong construction of the bicycle crank. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the bicycle crank can also include a five fastening fingers 60 attached thereto. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the first and second grooves 12, 14 of the body 10 receiving the carbon fiber yarn 30 are intercrossed, accordingly, the carbon fiber yarn 30 is diagonally disposed on the body 10 and the first connecting member 20 and the second connecting member 30 are not susceptible to detach from the body 10. It is yet another aspect of the present invention, the bicycle crank requires no troublesome work to make it aesthetically pleasing.
While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of invention and the scope of invention is only limited by the scope of accompanying claims.
Claims
1. A method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank comprising:
- providing a hollow carbon fiber body, with the body including a first opening at one end and the second opening at the other end, mounting a first connecting member and a second connecting member in the first opening and the second opening of the body respectively, wrapping carbon fiber yarn around the assembly of the body and the first and second connecting members, wrapping carbon fiber polymer, and conducting hot embossing.
2. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 1 includes mounting a five fastening fingers to the assembly of the body and the connecting members.
3. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body includes a first groove and a second groove recessed into the outer wall thereof, with the first groove and the second groove being intercrossed, and with the first groove and the second groove extending from the first opening to the second opening.
4. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 2 wherein the body includes a first groove and a second groove recessed into the outer wall thereof, with the first groove and the second groove being intercrossed, and with the first groove and the second groove extending from the first opening to the second opening.
5. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof the second connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof, wherein the locking rib of the first connecting member prevents the first connecting member from moving with respect to the body, the locking rib of the second connecting member prevents the second connecting member from moving with respect to the body.
6. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof the second connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof, wherein the locking rib of the first connecting member prevents the first connecting member from moving with respect to the body, the locking rib of the second connecting member prevents the second connecting member from moving with respect to the body.
7. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first connecting member includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof, the second connecting member includes a plurality protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof, the protrusions of the first connecting member are arranged circumferentially and symmetrically, with a passage being defined between the protrusions, the carbon fiber yarn being arranged at 0 degree, with the carbon fiber yarn being wrapped around the first and second grooves, the protrusions and the passage of the first connecting member and the protrusions of the second connecting member.
8. The method of manufacture of forming a composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first connecting member includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof the second connecting member includes a plurality protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof the protrusions of the first connecting member are arranged circumferentially and symmetrically, with a passage being defined between the protrusions, the carbon fiber yarn is arranged at 0 degree, with the carbon fiber yarn being wrapped around the first and second grooves, the protrusions and the passage of the first connecting member and the protrusions of the second connecting member.
9. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank comprising:
- a hollow carbon fiber body, with the body including a first opening at one end and the second opening at the other end;
- a first connecting member disposed in the first opening and a second connecting member disposed in the second opening;
- carbon fiber yarn is disposed on the outer wall of the body and the first and second connecting members around the periphery thereof, carbon fiber polymer is disposed over the said carbon fiber yarn.
10. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 9 includes a five fastening fingers connected to the body at one end;
11. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 9 wherein the body includes a first groove and a second groove recessed into the outer surface thereof, with the first and second grooves being intercrossed, and with the groove extending from the first opening to the second opening.
12. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 10 wherein the body includes a first groove and a second groove recessed into the outer surface thereof, with the first and second grooves being intercrossed, and with the groove extending from the first opening to the second opening.
13. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof, the second connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof, wherein the locking rib of the first connecting member prevents the first connecting member from moving with respect to the body, the locking rib of the second connecting member prevents the second connecting member from moving with respect to the body.
14. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof, the second connecting member includes a locking rib extending radially from the periphery thereof, wherein the locking rib of the first connecting member prevents the first connecting member from moving with respect to the body, the locking rib of the second connecting member prevents the second connecting member from moving with respect to the body.
15. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first connecting member includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof; the second connecting member includes a plurality protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof, the protrusions of the first connecting member are arranged circumferentially and symmetrically, with a passage being defined between the protrusions, the carbon fiber yarn is arranged at 0 degree, with the carbon fiber yarn being wrapped around the first and second grooves, the protrusions and the passage of the first connecting member and the protrusions of the second connecting member.
16. A composite carbon fiber bicycle crank as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first connecting member includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof, the second connecting member includes a plurality protrusions extending radially from the periphery thereof, the protrusions of the first connecting member are arranged circumferentially and symmetrically, with a passage being defined between the protrusions, the carbon fiber yarn is arranged at 0 degree, with the carbon fiber yarn being wrapped around the first and second grooves, the protrusions and the passage of the first connecting member and the protrusions of the second connecting member.
Type: Application
Filed: May 4, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 6, 2008
Inventor: Carlos Tsai (Taichung)
Application Number: 11/744,261
International Classification: B21D 53/88 (20060101);