A wheel assembly includes a hub assembly having first connecting units; spokes selectively and pivotally connected to the first connecting units of the hub assembly; at least one holding member on a peripheral surface of the hub assembly and capable of selectively securing the spokes; and a rim composed of frames and removably connected to the spokes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is related to a wheel assembly, and more particular to a bicycle wheel which is assembled by parts and capable of taking apart to be portable.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, the concept of environmental protection is progressively promoted in our lives. For example, the public is enthusiastically advised to use a bicycle instead of a car for transportation, because the bicycle works without any energy and occupies small space. The largest benefit of the bike is zero-emission, which helps to reduce the pollution to the air and to prevent the earth from global warming.

However, according to the design purpose of bikes, the bike is classified into on-road (in the city), off-road (on the mountain), racing . . . etc., to meet the riders' needs. Actually, the bike is still too bulky to be carried around by users, even though there is a mechanism to fold the bike frame. This is because the wheels take a lot of space and are usually the largest component of a bike when carried.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a sectioned wheel assembly which is capable of being disassembled into parts in order to reduce the wheel size.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned purpose, the wheel assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a hub assembly having first connecting units; spokes selectively and pivotally connected to the first connecting units of the hub assembly; at least one holding member on peripheral surface of the hub assembly and capable of selectively securing the spokes; and a rim composed of frames and removably connected to the spokes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

First Embodiment

With reference toFIG. 1, a first wheel assembly1constructed in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes two first hubs10, first spokes20and first frames301. It is noted that the two first hubs10may be formed into one by methods well known in the art.

With reference toFIG. 2, each of the first hubs10includes a first sleeve101, a first ring102movably, rotatable to be precise, mounted around an outer peripheral surface of the first sleeve101and a first disk103securely formed on an outer surface of the first sleeve101. The first sleeve101has a centrally defined hole to receive a bearing11and an axel12(as shown inFIG. 1). With the provision of another bearing (not shown) between the first sleeve101and the first ring102, the first ring102is able to be smoothly rotated relative to the first sleeve101. Because the rotatable movement of the first ring102relative to the first sleeve101is conventional in the art, detailed description thereof is omitted for brevity. The first ring102has a plurality of blocking elements1021securely formed on the peripheral outer surface thereof and each blocking element1021has two parallel legs10212with a distance therebetween to accommodate a portion of the first disk103and a protrusion10211vertically extending outward from the two legs10212of the blocking element1021and in a direction along with a circumferential edge of the first disk103. The protrusion10211further has a first bump102111formed on a side thereof. The first disk103has first perforations1031defined to penetrate the first disk103. The two legs10212of each of the blocking elements1021is formed as an “n” shape so that the first disk103is able to move through a space defined by the two legs10212of the blocking element1021.

Referring back toFIG. 1, each of the first spokes20is used to support the first frames301. A distal end of each of the first spokes20is formed with a hook, such that after each hook extends into a corresponding first perforation1031in the first disk103, every first spoke20is securely connected to the first disk103.

Even though the first spokes20are securely connected to the first disk103due to the provision of the two legs10212as well as the first bumps102111, spinning the first ring102may force the first spokes20to pass over the limitation set forth by the first bump102111. After the first spokes20are free from the limitation of the blocking elements1021, each first spoke20is re-orientable as the hook of each of the first spokes20still remains in the corresponding first perforation1031. Under such a situation, the user may divide the first spokes20into categories, preferably two as shown inFIG. 10, to reduce space once storage is necessary.

In the first preferred embodiment, the material for the first spokes20is selected from a group consisting of steel, aluminum and carbon.

Referring back toFIG. 1, each of the first frames301has a cushion302such as rubber affixed on a side face thereof and holes3011defined in a side face thereof to correspond to and receive therein the other distal ends of the first spokes20.

In the first preferred embodiment, the cushion302is a solid resilient structure or an inflatable hollow structure. Furthermore the surface of the cushion302has grooves (not shown) to provide friction.

In the first preferred embodiment, the distal end of each of the first spokes20and the inner wall of each of the holes3011are threaded (not shown), such that the first spokes20are able to be threaded into the corresponding holes3011.

With reference toFIG. 3A-3C, each of the holes3011is able to be replaced by a connector3012that is partially embedded in the frame301. The connector3012is somewhat like a quick release coupling3012having a housing30121, a passage30122defined in the housing30121for receiving the first spoke20, a block assembly30123formed on an inner wall defining the passage30122of the housing30121, paddles30124deformably formed on the inner wall of the housing30121and next to the block assembly30123and a sliding element30125slidably movable inside the passage30122so as to selectively connect to the paddles30124. The block assembly30123is resilient to tightly hold the first spoke20once a distal end of the first spoke20is inserted into the passage30122. If the first spokes20are to be removed for the purpose of storage, the user may push he sliding element30125inward the passage30122. After the sliding element30125is pushed deep inside the passage30122, the paddle30124is then forced by the movement of the sliding element30125to deform. It is noted that when the paddle30124is deformed, the deformation of the paddle30124will then force the block assembly30123to deform in a direction directed to the inner sidewall defining the passage30122. While the block assembly30123is deformed, the tight-fit relationship of the block assembly30123with an outer periphery of the first spoke20is then released. Consequently, the other distal end of the first spoke20is able to be pulled out of the passage30122for storage purpose.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 4, two mated notches3013are individually defined on both distal ends of each of the first frames301, such that the first frames301are connected together through the connection of the notches3013mated with each other and without conflicting the cushions302, because one distal end of the cushion302is extending to correspond to a distal end of the first frame301and another distal end of the cushion302is extending to another distal end of the first frame301without covering the notch3013. The connection where two notches3013mated together further defines therethrough a channel3014to receive therein the distal end of one first spoke20to prevent the connected first frames301from being separated. The material of the first frame301is selected from a group consisting of aluminum alloy and steel.

With reference toFIG. 5, the first wheel assembly1is assembled after the first spokes20are correspondingly and securely inserted into the holes3011of the first frames30and the notches3013of the first frames30are mated with each other to construct a rim.

With reference toFIG. 6, to disassemble the first spokes20from the rim, it is necessary to first rotate the first ring102to enable the first spoke20to pass over the first bump102111so as to define a pivotal path for each of the first spokes20, and then the first spokes20become pivotable.

With reference toFIGS. 7-9, after the first spokes20are away from the blocking elements1021and the distal ends of all the first spokes20are also away from connection with the first frames301, the first spokes20are able to be re-oriented to the same direction to reduce the original occupied space of the first wheel assembly1.

With reference toFIG. 10, which shows another application that the first spokes20are able to be re-oriented in another direction for portability.

In the first preferred embodiment, each of the first spokes20is constructed by a telescopic structure (not shown) which provides an adjustable ability to the length of each of the first spokes20capable of being shorten into smaller size.

Second Embodiment

With reference toFIGS. 11-12B, a wheel assembly2constructed in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes two second hubs40, second spokes50and second frames (not shown).

It is to be noted that the two second hubs40may be formed as one hub assembly via a method known in the art. As a result of this, the following explanation is only for explanatory purpose and should not be construed as a limitation to the scope sought for protection. Each of the second hubs40includes a second sleeve401, a second ring402movably, rotatably to be precise, mounted around an outer peripheral surface of the second sleeve401. The second sleeve401has a centrally defined hole (not numbered) to receive a bearing41and an axel42(as shown inFIG. 11). With the provision of another bearing (not shown) between the second sleeve401and the second ring402, the second ring402is able to be smoothly rotated relative to the second sleeve401. Due to the rotatable movement of the second ring402relative to the second sleeve401is conventional in the art, detailed description thereof is omitted for brevity. The second ring402has cutouts4021defined on a round edge of the second ring402, where each of the cutouts4021is constructed into a letter “L”. The second ring402further has second bumps40211respectively formed on an inner surface defining the L-shaped cutout4021showing inFIG. 12B.

The second hub40further includes a second disk403provided around a circumferential edge of the second sleeve401and having a centrally defined hole to expose the bearing41and the axel42. The second disk403has second perforations4031defined to penetrate the second disk403.

The second spokes50, the same structure with the first spoke20described in the first preferred embodiment of the invention, has a hook formed on a distal end thereof, such that after each hook extends into a corresponding second perforation4031in the second disk403, every second spoke50is pivotally connected to the second disk403.

Due to the second frames are the same structure as the first frame301and the same connection to the spokes described in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof is omitted for brevity.

Same as the aforementioned first preferred embodiment, the second spokes50have two modes provided by rotating the second ring402. In the first mode, each of the second spokes50is un-pivotal while each of the L-shaped cutouts4021is moved to receive therein each of the second spokes50. In the second mode, each of the second spokes50is pivotable while each of the L-shaped cutouts4021is moved to receive therein each of the second spokes50in the L-shaped cutouts4021, such that each of the second spokes50is able to be re-oriented along the cutouts4021to depart from the second ring402.

It is noted that the bumped L-shape lock contour4021onFIGS. 12A and 12Bof the second ring402is designed to enforce the secured holding of the spokes when the wheel is moving forward and when the tangential force on the spoke is higher. The arrowhead on theFIG. 12Aindicate the direction of the ground force on the rim which, in turn, push the spoke against the lock for self-secured locking In addition, the bump40211provides sufficient holding force to secure the spoke when the bike is rotating backward at a much slower speed whilst facilitates the spoke to get out of the lock for folding purpose.

In the second preferred embodiment, the distal end of each of the second spokes50are able to be threaded (not shown) to be screwed into the corresponding threaded holes of the second frame (not shown).

In the second preferred embodiment, the material for each of the second spokes50is selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum and carbon.

In conclusion, the aforementioned preferred embodiments of the present invention provides the wheel assemblies1,2whose spokes20,50are pivotally connected to the hub10,40, and the frames301are removably connected to the spokes20,50, such that the wheel assemblies1,2are capable of being divided into parts to reduce the space occupied to be carried around by users.

Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention are able to, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.