Tubeless rim assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum wheel rim assembly, comprising a wheel rim, spokes, spoke caps, a center hub and a sealing unit, wherein one end of the spoke is mounted on the center hub, and the other end is mounted on the wheel rim through the spoke caps, the wheel rim comprises an inner side facing the tire and an outer side facing the center hub, the sealing unit comprises a lining belt, a tightening belt and a sealing belt, the lining belt is sleeved on the wheel rim and the lining belt is attached to the inner side of the wheel rim, the sealing belt is sleeved on the wheel rim and the sealing belt is attached to the lining belt, the sealing belt is fixed to the inner side of the wheel rim through the tightening belt to seal the wheel rim, and a valve core is mounted on the wheel rim. The spokes of the present invention can protect the wheel rim and prevent its deformation, and at the same time, a simple and reliable sealing unit is adopted to ensure the vacuum performance of the wheel rim.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a wheel rim assembly, in particular to a vacuum wheel rim assembly for a motorcycle wheel. Background Art

[0002] At present, most motorcycle wheels use cast spoke-type vacuum tire motorcycle wheels. Due to technical problems, this type of wheel is heavy, bulky, and has poor impact resistance. It has almost no shock absorption and buffering capabilities and is extremely low in comfort. During use, in many cases, a slight impact or force can cause the wheel rim to crack, or the entire spoke wheel set to be damaged and fail, causing major traffic accidents. Some motorcycle wheels also use strip caps and rim sealing methods. This type of product is heavy, difficult to process, easy to damage when assembled, and has high costs. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to overcome the above defects, the present invention provides a vacuum rim assembly, in which a sealing belt and a tightening belt are used to ensure that the rim with spokes still maintains a good sealing effect, so that the rim assembly has both strong impact resistance and shock resistance and excellent vacuum performance.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0005] A vacuum wheel rim assembly comprises a wheel rim, spokes, spoke nipples, a center hub and a sealing unit, wherein one end of the spoke is mounted on the center hub, and the other end is mounted on the wheel rim via the spoke nipples, the wheel rim comprises an inner side surface facing the tire and an outer side surface facing the center hub, the sealing unit comprises a lining belt, a tightening belt and a sealing belt, the lining belt is sleeved on the wheel rim and adheres to the inner side surface of the wheel rim, the sealing belt is sleeved on the wheel rim and adheres to the lining belt, the sealing belt is fixed to the inner side surface of the wheel rim via the tightening belt to seal the wheel rim, and a valve core is mounted on the wheel rim.

[0006] Preferably, the wheel rim has a plurality of mounting holes evenly distributed along its circumference, the inner side surface of the wheel rim forms a circle of mounting grooves along its circumference, a circle of first clamping grooves are provided on the inner side surfaces on both sides of the mounting grooves, and the plurality of mounting holes are located in the mounting grooves.

[0007] Preferably, the lining belt, tightening belt and sealing belt are all in annular structure, the lining belt is tightly mounted on the rim and the lower surface of the lining belt fits in the mounting groove, the sealing belt is tightly mounted on the rim and the lower surface of the sealing belt fits in the upper surface of the lining belt, and the two sides of the sealing belt are each mounted on a tightening belt.

[0008] Preferably, both sides of the sealing belt extend downward along its axial direction to form a circle of raised portions, and the upper surfaces of the two raised portions are provided with a circle of second grooves along their circumference. During installation, the raised portions on both sides of the sealing belt are just placed in the first grooves of the wheel rim, and the tightening belt is clamped in the second grooves of the sealing belt.

[0009] Preferably, the lining belt and the sealing belt are both made of flexible materials, and each of the lining belt and the sealing belt is provided with a through hole for installing the valve core.

[0010] Preferably, a groove is provided on the spoke cap, a retaining ring is installed in the groove, the retaining ring is installed on the outer side of the rim and the outer diameter of the retaining ring is greater than the outer diameter of the spoke cap.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0012] 1) The sealing unit in the present invention can completely seal the connection between the spoke and the rim. The tire, the rim and the sealing unit form a sealed space. When the tire is filled with air pressure, the sealing belt will firmly adhere to the inner side of the rim, achieving a very good sealing effect. When the rim rotates, even if there is a problem of centrifugal force, the tightening belt will still ensure that the sealing belt and the rim are always in a firmly attached state, maintaining a good sealing effect. If the sealing belt is only connected to the rim through its own structure, the sealing belt will gradually separate from the rim due to the centrifugal force during the rotation of the rim, thereby reducing its sealing effect. The sealing unit in the present invention is light in weight, easy to install, and has a low processing cost, and has broad application prospects.

[0013] 2) The present invention retains the traditional spoke structure. The spokes are elastic elements that can absorb vibrations and impact forces of a certain intensity. Therefore, when the rim is subjected to force, the rim can be better protected and prevented from deformation. At the same time, a simple and reliable sealing unit is adopted to ensure the vacuum performance of the rim. The rim assembly with spokes adopts multiple (4n) spokes, and the weight can be reduced by 15-50% compared with the spoke ratio of other complex casting wheels. The external impact force can be decomposed into multiple points (4n), which is about 80% lower than the force strength of the integrally cast spoke plate wheel. Therefore, the rim assembly can withstand about six times the impact strength of the traditional spoke plate wheel.

[0014] 3) Compared with the currently used spoke nipple sealed vacuum rim, the present invention has a lighter rim and spoke nipple, and the sealing unit is more convenient, safer and low-cost in terms of processing, installation and later maintenance. The weight can be reduced by 12%-15% compared with the existing spoke rims of the same specifications, the accessory process can save about 20% of the working hours, and the rim cost can save 25%-35% of the cost. Therefore, the present invention has strong practicality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 sectional view of

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0018] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0019] Figure 5 It is a front view of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Cross-sectional view at the middle edge CC;

[0021] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The enlarged view of point D in the middle;

[0022] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure without the sealing unit;

[0023] Fig. 9 An exploded view of the present invention;

[0024] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spoke nipple in the present invention;

[0025] In the figure: 10-wheel rim, 11-inner side, 12-outer side, 13-mounting groove, 14-first clamping groove, 15-mounting hole, 20-sealing unit, 21-lining belt, 22-tightening belt, 23-sealing belt, 24-protrusion, 25-second clamping groove, 26-through hole, 30-spoke, 40-spoke nipple, 41-stop ring, 50-middle hub, 51-valve core. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein, for example. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any of their variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0028] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "above", "on the upper surface of", "above", etc. may be used here to describe the spatial positional relationship between a device or feature and other devices or features as shown in the figure. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation described in the figure. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" will be positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below". The device can also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptions used here are interpreted accordingly.

[0029] Example: Figure 1-10 As shown, a vacuum wheel rim assembly includes a wheel rim 10, spokes 30, spoke caps 40, a center hub 50 and a sealing unit 20, wherein one end of the spoke 30 is mounted on the center hub 50, and the other end is mounted on the wheel rim 10 through the spoke caps 40, the wheel rim 10 includes an inner side surface 11 facing the tire and an outer side surface 12 facing the center hub 50, the sealing unit 20 includes a lining band 21, a tightening band 22 and a sealing band 23, the lining band 21 is sleeved on the wheel rim 10 and the lining band is attached to the inner side surface 11 of the wheel rim, the sealing band 23 is sleeved on the wheel rim and the sealing band 23 is attached to the lining band 21, the sealing band 23 is fixed to the inner side surface 11 of the wheel rim through the tightening band 22 to seal the wheel rim, and a valve core 51 is installed on the wheel rim 10.

[0030] Among them, the middle hub 50 is located at the center of the rim 10 and the two are fixed together by a number of spokes 30. Specifically, one end of the spoke 30 is an elbow, which is installed on the middle hub 50 through the elbow, and the other end is fixed in the rim through a spoke cap 40. In order to better describe the structure of the rim assembly, the side of the rim 10 facing the middle hub 50 is defined as the outer side 12, and the side opposite to it is defined as the inner side 11. The true roundness of the entire rim assembly is ensured by adjusting the spoke cap 40, and the plane runout is made to meet the standard. Then, the lining belt 21 is sleeved on the inner side 11 of the rim, and then the sealing belt 23 is sleeved on the lining belt 21 and the tightening belt 22 is sleeved on both sides of the sealing belt. The sealing belt is clamped on the inner side of the rim, and the valve core 51 is installed at the valve position of the rim. Finally, the tubeless tire is installed on the inner side of the rim.

[0031] The sealing unit in the present invention can completely seal the connection between the spoke and the rim. The tire, the rim and the sealing unit form a sealed space. When the tire is filled with air pressure, the sealing belt 23 will firmly adhere to the inner side of the rim, achieving a very good sealing effect. When the rim rotates, even if there is a problem of centrifugal force, the tightening belt will still ensure that the sealing belt and the rim are always in a firmly attached state, maintaining a good sealing effect. If the sealing belt is only connected to the rim through its own structure, the sealing belt will gradually separate from the rim due to the centrifugal force during the rotation of the rim, thereby reducing its sealing effect. The present invention retains the traditional spoke structure, and the spoke is an elastic element that can absorb a certain intensity of vibration and impact force, so it can better protect the rim and prevent it from deformation when the rim is stressed. At the same time, a simple and reliable sealing unit is used to ensure the vacuum performance of the rim.

[0032] like Figure 4 , 8 As shown in Figure 9, the wheel rim 10 is evenly provided with a plurality of mounting holes 15 along its circumference, the inner side surface 11 of the wheel rim is formed with a circle of mounting grooves 13 along its circumference, and a circle of first clamping grooves 14 are provided on the inner side surface 11 on both sides of the mounting grooves 13, and the plurality of mounting holes 15 are located in the mounting grooves 13. The mounting holes 15 are used to install the spokes 30 and the spoke nipples 40, the mounting grooves 13 are used to install the lining belt 21 and the sealing belt, and the first clamping grooves 14 are used to fix the sealing belt 23.

[0033] like Figure 1 , 3-4 and 7-9, the lining belt 21, the tightening belt 22 and the sealing belt 23 are all in annular structure. The lining belt 21 is tightly mounted on the wheel rim 10 and the lower surface of the lining belt 21 fits in the mounting groove 13. The sealing belt 23 is tightly mounted on the wheel rim 10 and the lower surface of the sealing belt 23 fits in the upper surface of the lining belt 21. The two sides of the sealing belt 23 are each mounted on a tightening belt 22.

[0034] Both sides of the sealing belt 23 extend downward along its axial direction to form a circle of protrusions 24, and the upper surfaces of the two protrusions 24 are provided with a circle of second grooves 25 along their circumference. During installation, the protrusions 24 on both sides of the sealing belt are just placed in the first grooves 14 of the wheel rim, and the tightening belt 22 is clamped in the second grooves 25 of the sealing belt 23.

[0035] During installation, the lining belt 21 is first sleeved on the installation groove 13 of the wheel rim, and then the sealing belt 23 is sleeved on the lining belt 21 of the installation groove 13, the sealing belt is fitted to the lining belt 21, and the protrusions 24 on both sides of the sealing belt 23 are just inserted into the first groove 14 of the wheel rim, and finally the tightening belt 22 is tightly sleeved in the second groove 25 of the sealing belt, and the lining belt 21 is located between the wheel rim and the sealing belt 23 to protect the sealing belt 23 from direct impact of the spokes and spoke caps, thereby extending the service life of the sealing belt; on the one hand, the sealing belt plays a sealing role through the direct combination force between its protrusion 24 and the first groove 14, and more importantly, the sealing belt is clamped to the first groove of the wheel rim by the tightening belts 22 on both sides. The existence of the first groove and the second groove further enhances the restraining force of the tightening belt on the sealing belt. When the wheel rim rotates, even if there is a problem of centrifugal force, the tightening belt will still ensure that the sealing belt and the wheel rim are in a firmly attached state, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of the vacuum wheel rim.

[0036] like Fig. 9 As shown, the lining belt 21 and the sealing belt 23 are both made of flexible materials, and a through hole 26 for installing the valve core 51 is provided on the lining belt 21 and the sealing belt 23. For example, the lining belt 21 and the sealing belt 23 can be made of high-molecular flexible materials such as rubber, which have the functions of wear resistance, temperature resistance, moisture resistance, corrosion resistance, etc., and are strong, durable and light in weight. The tightening belt 22 can be made of rubber, flexible steel or composite materials, which are strong and durable. In short, the lining belt 21, the tightening belt 22 and the sealing belt 23 all have a little elasticity, and the inner diameters of the lining belt 21, the tightening belt 22 and the sealing belt 23 can all be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the wheel rim, so as to achieve a good sealing effect. The sealing unit with such a structure is also convenient, fast and low in cost for later maintenance and replacement; the valve core 51 passes through the wheel rim 10, the lining belt 21 and the sealing belt 23 in sequence and is used to inflate and deflate the tire.

[0037] like Fig.10As shown, the spoke cap 40 is provided with a groove, and a backstop ring 41 is installed in the groove. The backstop ring 41 is installed on the outside of the wheel rim 10 and the outer diameter of the backstop ring 41 is larger than the outer diameter of the spoke cap 40. The backstop ring 41 is installed on the outside of the wheel rim, and the backstop ring is embedded in the groove of the spoke cap and its outer diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the spoke cap and also larger than the diameter of the mounting hole 15. Therefore, even if the spoke 30 breaks, the spoke cap will not enter the inside of the wheel rim and cause danger under the obstruction of the backstop ring 41.

[0038] The operation process of the present invention is as follows: during installation, the elbow of the spoke 30 is installed on the middle hub 50, and the other end is fixedly installed in the wheel rim through the spoke cap 40. The roundness of the entire wheel rim assembly is ensured by adjusting the spoke cap 40, and its plane runout meets the standard. Then, the lining belt 21 is sleeved on the mounting groove 13 of the wheel rim, and then the sealing belt 23 is sleeved on the lining belt 21 of the mounting groove 13. The sealing belt is fitted to the lining belt 21, and the raised portions 24 on both sides of the sealing belt 23 are just inserted into the first slot 14 of the wheel rim. Then, the tightening belt 22 is tightly sleeved in the second slot 25 of the sealing belt. The sealing unit 20 is installed, and the valve core 51 is installed at the valve position of the wheel rim. Finally, the tubeless tire is installed on the inner side of the wheel rim.

[0039] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum wheel rim assembly, characterized in that: The invention comprises a wheel rim (10), spokes (30), spoke caps (40), a center hub (50) and a sealing unit (20), wherein one end of the spoke (30) is mounted on the center hub (50), and the other end is mounted on the wheel rim (10) through the spoke caps (40), the wheel rim (10) comprises an inner side surface (11) facing the tire and an outer side surface (12) facing the center hub (50), and the sealing unit (20) comprises a lining belt (21), a tightening belt (22) and a sealing belt (23), the lining belt (21) is sleeved on the wheel rim (10) and the lining belt is attached to the inner side surface (11) of the wheel rim, the sealing belt (23) is sleeved on the wheel rim and the sealing belt (23) is attached to the lining belt (21), the sealing belt (23) is fixed to the inner side surface (11) of the wheel rim by a tightening belt (22) to seal the wheel rim, and a valve core (51) is installed on the wheel rim (10); The wheel rim (10) is provided with a plurality of mounting holes (15) evenly distributed along its circumference, the inner side surface (11) of the wheel rim forms a circle of mounting grooves (13) along its circumference, a circle of first clamping grooves (14) are provided on the inner side surfaces (11) on both sides of the mounting grooves (13), and the plurality of mounting holes (15) are located in the mounting grooves (13); The lining belt (21), the tightening belt (22) and the sealing belt (23) are all annular structures. The lining belt (21) is tightly mounted on the wheel rim (10) and the lower surface of the lining belt (21) is in contact with the mounting groove (13). The sealing belt (23) is tightly mounted on the wheel rim (10) and the lower surface of the sealing belt (23) is in contact with the upper surface of the lining belt (21). Both sides of the sealing belt (23) are respectively mounted on a tightening belt (22). Both sides of the sealing belt (23) extend downward along the axial direction to form a circle of raised portions (24), and the upper surfaces of the two raised portions (24) are provided with a circle of second grooves (25) along the circumference thereof. During installation, the raised portions (24) on both sides of the sealing belt are just placed in the first grooves (14) of the wheel rim, and the tightening belt (22) is clamped in the second grooves (25) of the sealing belt (23); The lining belt (21) and the sealing belt (23) are both made of flexible materials, and each of the lining belt (21) and the sealing belt (23) is provided with a through hole (26) for installing the valve core (51).

2. The vacuum wheel rim assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spoke cap (40) is provided with a groove, a retaining ring (41) is installed in the groove, the retaining ring (41) is installed on the outside of the wheel rim (10), and the outer diameter of the retaining ring (41) is greater than the outer diameter of the spoke cap (40).

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