Spoke nipples, wheels including such nipples, and wrenches for such nipples

Abstract

Nipples, for example, useful in joining a spoke to the rim of a bicycle wheel, are provided. Such nipples include an enlarged head, and an elongated shank joined to and extending from the enlarged head and having an outer peripheral surface; and a passageway including an inlet defined by the elongated shank. The passageway is at least partially defined by an interior surface of the elongated shank and by a threaded surface. The outer peripheral surface of the elongated shank includes at least one spline, preferably a plurality of splines, each of which extends generally longitudinally. The inclusion of such spline or splines has been found to allow the nipple to be turned so as to effectively tighten the spoke to the rim with a reduced risk of damaging the nipple. Apparatus useful for turning such nipples and spoked wheels including such nipples are also within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A nipple comprising: 
       an enlarged head;  
       an elongated shank joined to and extending from said enlarged head, having an outer peripheral surface and defining an inlet;  
       a passageway including said inlet and being at least partially defined by an interior surface of said elongated shank and a threaded surface; and  
       said outer peripheral surface including a plurality of splines, said splines being spaced apart and generally extending longitudinally.  
     
     
       2. The nipple of  claim 1  wherein said outer peripheral surface includes about 6 of said spaced apart splines. 
     
     
       3. The nipple of  claim 1  which is made of a material having a density less than the density of brass. 
     
     
       4. The nipple of  claim 1  which is made of a material selected from the group consisting of metals and polymeric materials. 
     
     
       5. The nipple of  claim 1  which is made of aluminum. 
     
     
       6. The nipple of  claim 1  wherein said elongated shank has a longitudinal axis, and at least some of said plurality of splines have a width generally parallel to said longitudinal axis and a depth generally transverse to said longitudinal axis, and said width is larger than said depth. 
     
     
       7. The nipple of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said splines extend over only a portion of the length of said outer peripheral surface. 
     
     
       8. The nipple of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of spaced apart splines are sized to facilitate rotating said nipple relative to the spoke of a wheel, the end of which spoke is passes through said inlet. 
     
     
       9. The nipple of  claim 8  wherein the threaded surface of said passageway is configured to engage an externally threaded surface of a spoke, the end of which spoke is passed through said inlet in said passageway to engage said threaded surface. 
     
     
       10. The nipple of  claim 1  wherein said threaded surface is an interior surface of said enlarged head. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus for rotating a spoke nipple for a cycle having an outer peripheral surface including a plurality of splines extending generally longitudinally, said apparatus comprising: 
       a base member including a first side, a substantially opposing second side and a peripheral wall between said first and second sides;  
       a slot located in said base member and passing through said first and second sides, said slot including an inlet in said peripheral wall and having a slot width that is sufficiently large to allow a spoke of said cycle through and extending to an enlarged portion which is spaced apart from said inlet; and  
       said enlarged portion being larger than said slot width and being configured to engage a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the nipple including at least one of the plurality of spaced apart splines so that when said enlarged portion is so engaged the nipple rotates in response to said base member being rotated.  
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11  which further comprises an additional slot spaced apart from said slot and structured similarly to said slot. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said slot is longer than said additional slot. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13  which is configured so that additional leverage is available when the nipple is engaged to said additional slot relative to the leverage available when the nipple is engaged to said slot. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said first and second sides and said peripheral wall define four substantially equally spaced apart lobes; said enlarged portion of said slot being substantially centrally located relative to said spaced apart lobes, said additional slot being located in one of said spaced apart lobes; and said base element further includes a through hole spaced apart from said peripheral wall, extending through said first and second sides and located in another one of said spaced apart lobes. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said base element further includes a through hole spaced apart from said slot and said peripheral wall and extending through said first and second sides. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the maximum transverse dimension of said base member is in the range of about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said first and second sides and said peripheral wall define four substantially equally spaced apart lobes. 
     
     
       19. A wheel comprising: 
       a rim spaced apart from and surrounding a wheel hub;  
       a plurality of spokes extending from the wheel hub, each of which is joined to said rim;  
       a plurality of nipples each of which is positioned to join one of said spokes to said rim, each of said nipples comprising:  
       an enlarged head, said head being relatively flat and having a smooth surface;  
       an elongated shank joined to and extending from said enlarged head, having an outer peripheral surface and defining an inlet;  
       a passageway including said inlet and being at least partially defined by an interior surface of said elongated shank and a threaded surface; and  
       said outer peripheral surface including a plurality of splines which extend generally longitudinally.  
     
     
       20. A spoke nipple for use in joining a spoke to a wheel comprising: 
       a head portion, said head portion being relatively flat and having a smooth surface; and  
       an elongated shaft in connection with and extending away from said head portion along a longitudinal axis and being configured to pass through a spoke nipple hole in the wheel, said elongated shaft having an outer surface and a generally hollow inner surface, said inner surface being at least partially internally threaded for engagement with a spoke;  
       wherein said outer surface includes a plurality of equally spaced apart splines each of which have a length, a width and a generally flat upper surface which generally define a rectangular shape, said splines having a greater length than width and generally extending along said longitudinal axis; and  
       wherein said head portion has a generally circular cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis which is larger in diameter than said spoke nipple hole.  
     
     
       21. A spoke nipple comprising: 
       
         an elongated member having a shank portion and an enlarged head portion adapted to be secured to a rim of a wheel;  
       
       
         a hollow space defined by the elongated member and adapted to receive a spoke of the wheel; and  
       
       
         an outer surface located on the elongated member and having a plurality of splines extending substantially longitudinally on the shank portion.  
       
     
     
       22. The spoke nipple of  claim 21  wherein the elongated member has a length of less than or equal to about  1  inch.  
     
     
       23. The spoke nipple of  claim 21  wherein the elongated member has a diameter of less than or equal to about  0 . 4  inch.  
     
     
       24. The spoke nipple of  claim 21  wherein the elongated member includes an enlarged head portion.  
     
     
       25. A spoke nipple comprising an elongated member having a proximal head end, a distal shank end and an axis extending between the proximal head end and the distal shank end; 
       
         at least one engagement surface located on the elongated member and structured and positioned to engage a spoke, the spoke nipple further comprising:  
       
       
         a plurality of splines located on the elongated member extending substantially longitudinally on the shank end.  
       
     
     
       26. The spoke nipple of  claim 25  wherein the at least one engagement surface is a threaded surface.  
     
     
       27. The spoke nipple of  claim 25  wherein the at least one engagement surface is positioned to apply a force to the spoke in a direction that is substantially parallel to the axis.  
     
     
       28. A wheel comprising: 
       
         a rim spaced apart from and surrounding a wheel hub;  
       
       
         a plurality of spokes extending from the wheel hub, each of which is joined to said rim;  
       
       
         a plurality of spoke nipples each of which is positioned to join one of said spokes to said rim, each of said spoke nipples comprising:  
       
       
         an elongated member having an enlarged proximal head end, a distal shank end and an axis extending between the proximal head end and the distal shank end, at least one engagement surface located on the elongated member and structured and positioned to engage a spoke and a plurality of splines located on and extending substantially longitudinally along the shank end of the elongated member.  
       
     
     
       29. A method of connecting a spoke to a rim, comprising: 
       
         the step of using a nipple including an elongated member having a head end and a shank end having a plurality of longitudinally extending splines to couple a spoke to the nipple and a rim to the nipple by engaging the splines with a tool to aid in tightening the connection.  
       
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , wherein the elongated member includes an outer peripheral surface having said plurality of splines extending substantially longitudinally and a hollow space adapted to receive the spoke; 
       
         said coupling including joining the elongated member to the rim, placing the spoke in the hollow space and engaging the plurality of splines with a wrench; and  
       
       
         rotating the wrench relative to the spoke until the spoke is tightened to the desired amount.  
       
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nipple includes a proximal end, a distal end, an axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and at least one engagement surface between the proximal end and the distal end positioned to engage the spoke.