BIG FLATS, N.Y. (BRAIN) — Stan's NoTubes has been granted a fifth patent for its tubeless rim design and announced that Velocity will license the technology for use on one of its rim models.
According to Stan's, the new patent (#9,649,878) builds on its original Bead Socket Technology design first patented in 2004. The new patent provides additional details about the interior rim shape and sidewall height.
The company said it had reached "an amicable agreement with Velocity."
Velocity will produce its Blunt rim model as a licensed Stan's BST product. Changes will be made to other Velocity rims to avoid confusion with Stan's protected design. Velocity's A23, A23OC, Aileron, Cliffhanger and Quill rims will be altered to fall outside the scope of Stan's intellectual property, as a running design change for those continuing models.
Velocity general manager Matt Ruiter said, "Velocity is pleased to feature Stan's Bead Socket Technology on our Blunt SS model rims, providing superior strength, weight and tubeless performance to traditional rim designs."
Stan's NoTubes president Mike Bush said, "Stan's rim designs have had a clear influence on the development of tubeless technology. Obviously, we need to protect investments in time and money that helped create our rims, but we also want to see tubeless development continue to improve. Tubeless technology has made bikes faster, more reliable and better handling for everyone, and we think more tubeless in the world is a good thing. We don't want to jeopardize the ongoing development of the tubeless technology, and we look forward to creating positive partnerships with anyone currently using or looking to license our proven designs."
