Patent ID: 8246119

Claim:
A wheel, comprising: a peripheral rim; a central hub with a central axle and an outer flange; a plurality of spokes extending between said peripheral rim and said central hub, a connecting element connected to at least one of said spokes; a bracing element connected to said connecting element; wherein said spokes have a first portion connected to said peripheral rim and a second portion opposed to said first portion and connected to said central hub and a span portion between said peripheral rim and said central hub; wherein said spoke has a tensile axis of applied tensile load along said span portion and lateral geometry that projects generally laterally from said tensile axis; wherein said spoke has a length greater than its cross sectional width and a longitudinal axis along its length; wherein said bracing element includes at least a portion of at least one of said rim and hub; wherein said connecting element includes a pre-formed first portion and a second portion and wherein said pre-formed first portion is integrally joined to said second portion at a joining interface; wherein said integral joinder of said first portion and said second portion of said connecting element serves to at least one of retain and engage said spoke to said connecting element; wherein said integral joinder of said first portion and said second portion of said connecting element serves to provide a tensile engagement to limit relative movement between said spoke and said connecting element in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and Wherein said tensile engagement includes a mechanical overlie engagement between said lateral geometry and said connecting element to limit relative movement between said spoke to said connecting element in a direction generally along said tensile axis.