Spoked bicycle wheel and spoke attachment element for such a wheel

Abstract

A spoke tension adjustment tool has a longitudinally elongated body with a central longitudinal cavity configured to house an end portion of a spoke. The housing has a longitudinal slit that allows the end portion of the spoke to enter the longitudinal cavity. The longitudinally elongated body has a grip portion and a shaped end portion configured to couple with a stem of a spoke attachment element. The shaped end portion is smaller than the grip portion and smaller than the diameter of a rim spoke attachment hole in which the stem is inserted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tool for adjusting the tension of a spoke of a bicycle spoked wheel, comprising an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis (Y) and having a central longitudinal cavity configured to house an end portion of the spoke and a longitudinal through slit configured to allow the housing of said end portion of the spoke in said longitudinal cavity, wherein said elongated body comprises a grip portion and a shaped end portion extending along said longitudinal axis (Y) and configured to couple with a stem of a spoke attachment element,
 wherein said shaped end portion has an outer bulk, defined on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the elongated body, that is smaller than that of said grip portion and smaller than the diameter of a spoke attachment hole provided in a rim of the wheel and in which said stem is inserted.   
     
     
         2 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said shaped end portion comprises a plurality of maneuvering appendages which project from the grip portion parallel to the longitudinal axis (Y) and configured to be inserted in longitudinal grooves formed in the stem of the spoke attachment element. 
     
     
         3 . The tool according to  claim 2 , wherein each maneuvering appendage has opposite side thrust surfaces configured to thrust longitudinal ribs formed in the stem of the spoke attachment element between a pair of longitudinal grooves. 
     
     
         4 . The tool according to  claim 2 , comprising four maneuvering appendages. 
     
     
         5 . The tool according to  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of maneuvering appendages have a substantially identical circumferential extension. 
     
     
         6 . The tool according to  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of maneuvering appendages have a longitudinal extension comprised between about 2 and 4 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped end portion comprises a toothed inner surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (Y). 
     
     
         8 . The tool according to  claim 7 , wherein the toothed inner surface has a curved profile. 
     
     
         9 . The tool according to  claim 7 , wherein the toothed inner surface comprises six teeth and six valleys. 
     
     
         10 . The tool according to  claim 7 , wherein the toothed inner surface has a longitudinal extension comprises between about 2 mm and 4 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped end portion comprises a toothed outer surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (Y). 
     
     
         12 . The tool according to  claim 11 , wherein the toothed outer surface has a curved profile. 
     
     
         13 . The tool according to  claim 11 , wherein the toothed outer comprises six teeth and six valleys. 
     
     
         14 . The tool according to  claim 11 , wherein the toothed outer surface has a longitudinal extension comprises between about 2 mm and 4 mm.