Patent ID: 6276046
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: B22D,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of molding a one-piece bicycle frame comprising the steps of:a) providing a mold having a mold cavity for a bicycle frame including a front tube portion, a seat tube portion and a sprocket tube portion, the mold including a vacuum path communicating with the mold cavity, at least one cooling pipeline and a molten metal flow way communicating with the mold cavity;b) providing a reservoir with molten metal therein, the reservoir communicating with the molten metal flow way;c) drawing a vacuum within the mold cavity through the vacuum path;d) filling the mold cavity with molten metal under pressure through the molten metal flow way such that the molten metal fills the mold cavity, including the front tube portion, the seat tube portion and the sprocket tube portion;e) cooling the molten metal in the mold cavity via the at least one cooling pipeline to solidify the molten metal such that the bicycle frame is integrally formed with a front tube, a seat tube and a sprocket tube;f) removing the solidified metal bicycle frame from the mold;g) air cooling the metal bicycle frame; and,h) machining interior surfaces of the front tube, the seat tube and the sprocket tube.