Reinforced Composite Rim
A composite rim including a reinforcing assembly is provided. The composite rim includes a first sidewall portion, a second sidewall portion, a radially outer portion and a reinforcing assembly. The radially outer portion includes a radially outwardly-facing tire-engaging surface. The reinforcing assembly is disposed proximate the tire-engaging surface and includes a reinforcer and a containment member for containing the reinforcer. The reinforcer has an axis extending circumferentially about the composite rim and is configured to reinforce the composite rim in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis of the reinforcer.
1 . A composite rim comprising:
a first sidewall portion;
a second sidewall portion;
a radially outer portion that includes a radially outwardly-facing tire-engaging surface; and
a reinforcing assembly disposed proximate the radially outwardly-facing tire-engaging surface, the reinforcing assembly including:
a reinforcer having an axis extending circumferentially about the composite rim, and
a containment member for containing the reinforcer,
the reinforcing assembly configured to reinforce the composite rim in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis of the reinforcer.
2 . The composite rim of claim 1 wherein the reinforcer comprises a bundle of fibers, the containment member containing the bundle.
3 . The composite rim of claim 2 wherein the containment member includes a thread woven about the bundle.
4 . The composite rim of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of fiber-reinforced sheets, the thread stitched through the fiber-reinforced sheets for mechanically coupling the fiber-reinforced sheets and the bundle.
5 . The composite rim of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of fiber-reinforced cover sheets shaped to form a pocket for receiving the bundle, the fiber-reinforced cover sheets stitched to enclose the bundle within the pocket.
6 . The composite rim of claim 5 wherein the fiber-reinforced cover sheets are stitched to the fiber-reinforced sheets.
7 . The composite rim of claim 3 wherein the thread is woven to extend generally perpendicular to the axis of the reinforcer.
8 . A composite rim comprising:
first sidewall means;
second sidewall means;
a radially outer portion that includes radially-outwardly-facing tire-engaging means; and
a reinforcing assembly disposed proximate the radially-outwardly-facing tire-engaging means, the reinforcing assembly including:
reinforcer means having an axis extending circumferentially about the composite rim, and
containment means for containing the reinforcer means,
the reinforcing assembly configured to reinforce the composite rim in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis of the reinforcer means.