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EP0404017A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for producting a bicycle frame made of fiber-reinforced plastics

Assignee: Nippon Steel Corp
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Filing: 1990-06-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-06-18
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Abstract

Abstract A process for producing a bicycle frame of a fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) is provided, which comprises the steps of: forming parts of a bicycle frame such as an upper pipe (1), a lower pipe (2), a vertical pipe (3), a chain stay (5) and a rear fork (4), or a combination thereof, with an FRP; arranging the bicycle frame parts in a structure of the bicycle frame; forming, with an FRP, lug portions onto the arranged bicycle frame parts at a required position whereat the bicycle frame parts are to be connected and fixed to each other; and curing all of the lug portions at one time, to thereby simultaneously accomplish an assembling of the bicycle frame. Also provided is a process for forming a lug portion of a FRP bicycle frame, comprising the steps of: providing a female mold (31,31') with a cavity having a shape of a final lug portion; disposing a flexible sheet (32,32') on a surface of the cavity; arranging frame parts in a structure of a bicycle frame.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenji Nippon Steel Cor. R.& D Lab. I. Kubomura
  • 👤 Hironori Nippon Steel Cor. R.& D Lab. I. Maikuma
  • 👤 Nobuyuki Nippon Steel Cor. R.& D Lab. I. Tsuji
  • 👤 Hiromi Nippon Steel Cor. R.& D Lab. I. Kimura
  • 👤 Toshikazu C/O Nippon Steel Corporation Takeda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 03:50
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C70/00; B29C70/68; B29C70/86; B29C44/00; B29C44/02; B29C44/12; B29C44/1228; B29C65/00; B29C65/70; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/13; B29C66/131; B29C66/1312; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/52; B29C66/522; B29C66/5223; B29C66/5224; B29C66/52241; B29C66/5225; B29C66/5229; B29C66/52298; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/721; B29C66/7214; B29C66/72141; B29C70/84; B29C70/845; B29D; B29D12/00; B62; B62K; B62K19/00; B62K19/02; B62K19/16; B29C66/71; B29C66/7212; B29C66/727; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7394; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3091

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 86 words
A process for producing a bicycle frame of a fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), comprising the steps of: forming parts of a bicycle frame by an FRP; arranging said bicycle frame parts in a structure of the bicycle frame; forming, with an FRP, lug portions onto the arranged bicycle frame parts at a required position whereat said bicycle frame parts are to be connected and fixed to each other; and curing all said lug portions at one time to, thereby simultaneously accomplish an assembling of the bicycle frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 86 words
A process for producing a bicycle frame of a fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), comprising the steps of: forming parts of a bicycle frame by an FRP; arranging said bicycle frame parts in a structure of the bicycle frame; forming, with an FRP, lug portions onto the arranged bicycle frame parts at a required position whereat said bicycle frame parts are to be connected and fixed to each other; and curing all said lug portions at one time to, thereby simultaneously accomplish an assembling of the bicycle frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein a lug portion among said lug portions is formed by providing a foam or resin body around predetermined bicycle frame parts among said bicycle frame parts at said lug portion, and laminating a prepreg of resin-impregnated fibers on said foam or resin body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 60 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein a lug portion among said lug portions is formed by first bonding predetermined bicycle frame parts among said bicycle frame parts with a first prepreg of resin-­impregnated fibers, providing a foam or resin body around said bonding first prepreg, and laminating a second prepreg of resin-impregnated fibers on said foam or resin body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
A process according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said bicycle frame parts made of a prepreg include a metal member at the lug portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 149 words
A process for forming a lug portion of an FRP bicycle frame, comprising the steps of: providing a female mold with a cavity having a shape of a final lug portion; disposing a flexible sheet on a surface of the cavity; arranging frame parts in a structure of a bicycle frame; arranging the female mold at a lug portion of said arranged bicycle frame parts; supplying and foaming a foaming material in the female mold at said lug portion; removing the female mold to leave an assembly of the frame parts with a foamed body; removing the flexible sheet from the female mold; laminating a foaming sheet and then a prepreg of resin-impregnated continuous fibers onto the foamed body; arranging the female mold over the laminated prepreg; and heating to cure the resin while foaming the foaming sheet to thereby form the lug portion of the FRP bicycle frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 149 words
A process for forming a lug portion of an FRP bicycle frame, comprising the steps of: providing a female mold with a cavity having a shape of a final lug portion; disposing a flexible sheet on a surface of the cavity; arranging frame parts in a structure of a bicycle frame; arranging the female mold at a lug portion of said arranged bicycle frame parts; supplying and foaming a foaming material in the female mold at said lug portion; removing the female mold to leave an assembly of the frame parts with a foamed body; removing the flexible sheet from the female mold; laminating a foaming sheet and then a prepreg of resin-impregnated continuous fibers onto the foamed body; arranging the female mold over the laminated prepreg; and heating to cure the resin while foaming the foaming sheet to thereby form the lug portion of the FRP bicycle frame.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4437257A Cited
US4474635A Cited
WO1983001763A1 Cited
WO1989004789A1 Cited

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