US4902458A — Method of molding composite bicycle frames

Claim 1

Independent Claim 442 words

A method of making a generally hollow bicycle frame component connecting at least two of a steering support means for supporting a fork assembly, a seat support means for supporting a seat assembly, a pedal support means for supporting a pedal assembly, and a wheel support means for supporting a wheel assembly, said method comprising: forming a tube section comprising at least one elongated strip of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin and two junction sections each comprising at least one patch of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin, said junction patches and said tube strip each being separate pieces of said resin impregnated fibrous material such that said sections are separate from each other; placing at least a portion of a corresponding one of two of said support means in each of said junction sections; placing said separate sections adjacent to each other with one of said junction sections adjacent to each end of said tube section, said junction sections each having a connection part and said tube section having an end part at each end thereof arranged to be overlapped with the connection part of a corresponding one of said junction sections when said junction sections are adjacent to each end of said tube section; transversely overlapping each end part of said tube section with the connection part of said corresponding junction section to form a generally hollow shell extending longitudinally between said two corresponding support means and having two pairs of overlapped parts one pair between said tube section and each of said junction sections, the synthetic resin of at least one part of each of said pairs being substantially uncured and said generally hollow shell having an interior cavity for receiving a pressing means for causing compression of said uncured parts of said shell against a molding means; placing said pressing means in said interior cavity of said shell and said uncured parts of said shell adjacent to a molding means; activating said pressing means to compress said overlapped parts together and said uncured parts of said shell against said molding means; and, curing said uncured parts of said shell while under said compression to cause said two pairs of overlapped parts to form two corresponding pressure molded junctures integrally uniting said elongated tube strip and said junction patches to provide a unitary wall of substantially continuous resin impregnated fibrous material, said unitary wall forming a generally hollow bicycle frame component which alone structurally connects said two corresponding support means and has a generally hollow tubular portion corresponding to said tube section integrally connected to a pair of generally hollow junctions corresponding to said junction sections.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 442 words

A method of making a generally hollow bicycle frame component connecting at least two of a steering support means for supporting a fork assembly, a seat support means for supporting a seat assembly, a pedal support means for supporting a pedal assembly, and a wheel support means for supporting a wheel assembly, said method comprising: forming a tube section comprising at least one elongated strip of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin and two junction sections each comprising at least one patch of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin, said junction patches and said tube strip each being separate pieces of said resin impregnated fibrous material such that said sections are separate from each other; placing at least a portion of a corresponding one of two of said support means in each of said junction sections; placing said separate sections adjacent to each other with one of said junction sections adjacent to each end of said tube section, said junction sections each having a connection part and said tube section having an end part at each end thereof arranged to be overlapped with the connection part of a corresponding one of said junction sections when said junction sections are adjacent to each end of said tube section; transversely overlapping each end part of said tube section with the connection part of said corresponding junction section to form a generally hollow shell extending longitudinally between said two corresponding support means and having two pairs of overlapped parts one pair between said tube section and each of said junction sections, the synthetic resin of at least one part of each of said pairs being substantially uncured and said generally hollow shell having an interior cavity for receiving a pressing means for causing compression of said uncured parts of said shell against a molding means; placing said pressing means in said interior cavity of said shell and said uncured parts of said shell adjacent to a molding means; activating said pressing means to compress said overlapped parts together and said uncured parts of said shell against said molding means; and, curing said uncured parts of said shell while under said compression to cause said two pairs of overlapped parts to form two corresponding pressure molded junctures integrally uniting said elongated tube strip and said junction patches to provide a unitary wall of substantially continuous resin impregnated fibrous material, said unitary wall forming a generally hollow bicycle frame component which alone structurally connects said two corresponding support means and has a generally hollow tubular portion corresponding to said tube section integrally connected to a pair of generally hollow junctions corresponding to said junction sections.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 1 in which said pressing means comprises at least one bladder having an inlet extension routed to the outside of the molding means through a passageway passing through said molding means and communicating with the interior of said shell, and said activating step includes inflating said at least one bladder with a pressurized fluid.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 2 in which said passageway includes an axial portion of an inserted metal sleeve and a transverse aperture through the wall of said sleeve communicating with the interior of said shell.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 2 which further comprises the steps of deflating said at least one bladder, and removing said deflated bladder from said cured bicycle frame component through said passageway.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 2 in which said hollow tubular portion is a seat tube portion containing a seat post sleeve, and said passageway is substantially aligned with said seat tube portion and comprises at least a portion of the axial passage of said seat post sleeve.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method of claim 5 in which one of said hollow junctions is a bottom bracket junction and said bicycle frame component further includes a generally hollow down tube portion, and in which said at least one bladder is routed through said down tube portion, said bottom bracket junction and said seat tube portion to the outside of said mold through said passageway.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method of claim 2 in which said hollow tubular portion is a top tube portion and said hollow junction is a head junction, and in which the inlet extension of said at least one bladder is routed from said top tube portion to the outside of said frame through said passageway which communicates with the interior of said shell through said head junction.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 7 in which said head junction contains a head tube sleeve having a transverse aperture such that said aperture and an axial portion of said sleeve form part of said passageway for routing said bladder inlet extension.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 68 words

The method of claim 2 in which said hollow tubular portion is a down tube portion and one of said hollow junctions is a bottom bracket junction, and in which the inlet extension of said at least one bladder is routed from said down tube portion to the outside of said frame through said passageway which communicates with the interior of said shell through said bottom bracket junction.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 9 in which said bottom bracket junction contains a bottom bracket sleeve having a transverse aperture such that said aperture and an axial portion of said sleeve form part of said passageway for routing said bladder inlet extension.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 2 in which said passageway is substantially aligned with said seat tube portion.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 90 words

The method of claim 2 in which said activating step further includes connecting said bladder inlet extension to means for connecting said at least one bladder to a source of said pressurized fluid, said connecting means comprising a hollow connector member having an internal passageway for communicating with an open end of said bladder inlet extension and means for clamping the open end of said bladder extension to said hollow connector member to place the interior of said bladder inlet extension in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein opposite longitudinal edges of said tube strip are overlapped while uncured and then are compressed and cured to form an elongated pressure molded juncture which is parallel to a symmetrical plane of said frame component.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 66 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said tube section comprises at least two elongated strips of fibrous material impregnated with an uncured synthetic resin and arranged in opposing relation to form two pairs of overlapped edges, and wherein said overlapped edges are compressed together and cured to form two pressure molded junctures in opposing relation and parallel to a symmetrical plane of said frame component.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein the resin of at least one of said sections is precured by a substantial amount before said parts are transversely overlapped.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein the resin of each of said sections is substantially uncured when said parts are transversely overlapped.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said pressing means comprises an expandable foam which fills at least part of the interior cavity of said shell and expands during said activating step.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said synthetic resin is heat-curable and said curing step comprises heating said shell while under compression by said pressing means to form said generally hollow frame component.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 111 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said shell comprises first, second and third longitudinally extending and generally hollow tubular portions joined to each other by three generally hollow common junctions and a plurality of pairs of said overlapped parts, one between each end of each of said tubular portions and a corresponding one of said common junctions connecting two of said tubular portions, and wherein the activation of said pressing means and the curing of said shell cause said pairs of overlapped edges to form corresponding pressure molded junctures which integrally unite said generally hollow tubular portions and said generally hollow common junctions to form said generally hollow frame component.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 62 words

A method according to claim 19 wherein the synthetic resin of each of said sections is substantially uncured when said parts are overlapped; wherein said method further comprises the step of placing said uncured shell and said pressing means in said molding means; and wherein activation of said pressing means compresses said uncured shell against an inside surface of said molding means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method according to claim 20 in which said pressing means comprises at least one bladder having an inlet extension routed to the outside of the molding means through a passageway passing through said molding means and communicating with the interior of said shell, and said activating step includes inflating said at least one bladder with a pressurized fluid.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 177 words

A method according to claim 21 wherein a first one of said hollow tubular portions forms a seat tube portion of a bicycle frame; wherein a first one of said common junctions forms a seat junction and contains a seat post sleeve, and said passageway is substantially aligned with said seat tube portion and includes an axial portion of said seat post sleeve; wherein a second one of said hollow junctions forms a bottom bracket junction and a second one of said tubular portions forms a generally hollow down tube portion of said bicycle frame; wherein a third one of said tubular portions forms a generally hollow top tube portion and a third one of said hollow junctions forms a head junction of said bicycle frame integrally uniting said top tube portion and said down tube portion; and wherein said at least one bladder is routed through said top tube portion; said head junction, said down tube portion, said bottom bracket junction and said seat tube portion to the outside of said molding means through said passageway.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 56 words

A method according to claim 20 wherein one or more of said generally hollow tubular portions are individually formed by layering said resin-impregnated fibrous material around a mandrel means, and then said individually formed generally hollow tubular portions are joined together by said generally hollow common junctions to form at least part of said uncured shell.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 80 words

A method according to claim 20 wherein at least one of said tubular portions comprises first and second strips of said resin-impregnated fibrous material arranged to form opposite halves of said tubular portion, and wherein the transverse widths of said strips are sufficient to form two pressure molded junctures each extending longitudinally in opposing relation to the other and integrally uniting corresponding overlapped edges of said opposite halves of said tubular portion upon said compression and curing of said shell.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 109 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein each of said shell sections comprises first and second pieces of said fibrous material impregnated with an uncured synthetic resin and arranged to form opposite halves of the shell section, wherein opposite edges of said pieces are overlapped to form two pairs of overlapping edges with each pair extending longitudinally in opposing relation to the other pair, wherein the transverse width of said pieces are sufficient to form two longitudinally extending pressure molded junctures, and wherein each of said junctures integrally unites the corresponding overlapped edges of said opposite halves of each shell section upon said compression and curing of said shell.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 58 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein the synthetic resin of said junction patches is substantially uncured when said pressing means is activated and said compression and curing steps cause said at least a portion of each of said two corresponding support means to be embedded in the portions of said unitary wall forming said generally hollow junctions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-02-19	1993-08-21	1994-02-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-02-19	1997-08-21	1998-02-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-02-19	2001-08-21	2002-02-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of molding composite bicycle frames

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