Non-uniform steerer tube or fork leg
A non-uniform steerer tube. The non-uniform steerer tubes includes an axis-symmetric outer surface and a non axis-symmetric inner surface. The axis-symmetric outer surface and the non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween. The wall thickness varying along an axial length of the non-uniform steerer tube.
1. A non-uniform steerer tube comprising:
an axis-symmetric outer surface; and
a non axis-symmetric inner surface, said axis-symmetric outer surface and said non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween, said wall thickness varying along an axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube; wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change unwanted frequencies occurring in said non-uniform steerer tube during use of said non-uniform steerer tube.
2. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface has a uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
3. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 2 wherein said uniform diameter length of said axis-symmetric outer surface is different at various locations along said axial length of non-uniform steerer tube.
4. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
5. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at multiple locations along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
6. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 5 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has said non-uniform diameter length along said entire axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
7. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a uniform diameter length at, at least, one location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
8. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non-uniform steerer tube has a round outer profile but non-round inner profile at, at least, some location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
9. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 5 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a shape selected from the group consisting of: oval-shaped, egg-shaped, elliptically-shaped, rectangularly-shaped and some combination of said shapes.
10. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube which are subjected to greater stress during use than other locations of said non-uniform steerer tube.
11. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 10 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at both a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube and a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube.
12. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 10 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube selected from the group consisting of: a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a middle portion of said non-uniform steerer tube.
13. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change said unwanted frequencies selected from the group consisting of: fore and aft vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, a combination of fore and aft and side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies.
14. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface of said non-uniform steerer tube remains circular along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube such that no visual differences are detectable between a conventional steerer tube and said non-uniform steerer tube.
15. A non-uniform steerer tube comprising:
an axis-symmetric outer surface; and
a non axis-symmetric inner surface, said axis-symmetric outer surface and said non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween, said wall thickness varying along an axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube, wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change said unwanted frequencies selected from the group consisting of: fore and aft vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, a combination of fore and aft and side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies.
16. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface has a uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
17. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 16 wherein said uniform diameter length of said axis-symmetric outer surface is different at various locations along said axial length of non-uniform steerer tube.
18. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
19. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at multiple locations along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
20. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 19 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has said non-uniform diameter length along said entire axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
21. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a uniform diameter length at, at least, one location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
22. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non-uniform steerer tube has a round outer profile but non-round inner profile at, at least, some location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube.
23. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 19 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a shape selected from the group consisting of: oval-shaped, egg-shaped, elliptically-shaped, rectangularly-shaped and some combination of said shapes.
24. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube which are subjected to greater stress during use than other locations of said non-uniform steerer tube.
25. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 24 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at both a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube and a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube.
26. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 24 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube selected from the group consisting of: a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a middle portion of said non-uniform steerer tube.
27. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change unwanted frequencies occurring in said non-uniform steerer tube during use of said non-uniform steerer tube.
28. The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface of said non-uniform steerer tube remains circular along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube such that no visual differences are detectable between a conventional steerer tube and said non-uniform steerer tube.