Temperature-controlled open and close type automobile hub cover and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover and a vehicle thereof. The hub cover includes a cover body with ventilation openings on its surface. One side of the ventilation opening is covered and connected to a blade via a connecting shaft. A temperature-controlled drive assembly is also connected to the end of the blade connecting shaft. One end of the temperature-controlled drive assembly is connected to the cover body, and the other end is connected to the blade. The beneficial effects of this invention are: reduced wind resistance: when the vehicle is cruising normally and the braking system temperature is low, the blade panel remains in the closed position. At this time, the wheel hub opening is covered, effectively reducing air resistance. Enhanced heat dissipation: when the vehicle brakes, causing the system to heat up, the heat transferred to the temperature-controlled drive assembly will drive the blade panel to the open position. At this time, an opening is formed at the wheel hub, providing forced air cooling to the brake disc. Improved vehicle safety: when the vehicle deceleration exceeds a threshold, emergency braking will be triggered, forcibly activating heat dissipation, thereby preventing the braking system from failing due to overheating and guiding the system to a preset safe state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive parts technology, and in particular relates to a temperature-controlled openable and closable automotive wheel hub cover and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The wheel hub, commonly known as the "wheel rim" or "steel rim," is the part of the wheel where the axle is mounted. It connects the tire to the axle, bears the weight of the vehicle, and transmits driving and braking forces. Its material and manufacturing process directly affect the vehicle's driving stability, safety, and handling performance. To reduce wind resistance, many electric vehicles now have wheel covers to enclose the wheel hubs. While these wheel covers are sealed and fixed, they can actually hinder the cooling function of the brakes. Prolonged exposure to impaired brake cooling can easily create safety hazards. Adding perforated designs to the wheel covers to improve heat dissipation would inevitably increase wind resistance at high speeds. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to propose a temperature-controlled openable and closable car wheel cover and vehicle, which can open and close the wheel cover according to the temperature to improve vehicle performance.

[0004] The objective of this invention will be achieved through the following technical solutions: A temperature-controlled openable and closable car wheel hub cover includes a cover body with a vent on the surface of the cover body. One side of the vent is covered and connected to a blade via a connecting shaft. The blade is connected to a temperature control drive assembly at the end of the connecting shaft. One end of the temperature control drive assembly is connected to the cover body, and the other end is connected to the blade.

[0005] Preferably, the temperature control drive component includes a temperature control memory metal device, which is in the form of a sheet.

[0006] Preferably, a sealing ring gasket is provided around the blade, and the blade is disposed on the inner side of the cover body.

[0007] Preferably, the vent is surrounded by a stop block, and the blades open and close within the stop range of the stop block.

[0008] Preferably, a torsion spring is connected to the other end of the blade via a connecting block, one end of the torsion spring being snapped into the connecting block, and the other end being connected to the cover body of the outer ring of the vent.

[0009] Preferably, the vent is surrounded by a baffle-shaped protrusion, the blade is placed on the upper end of the baffle-shaped protrusion, the stop block is placed on the periphery of the baffle-shaped protrusion, and the upper end of the stop block extends into the inner circle of the vent to limit the blade when it is opened.

[0010] Preferably, the cover body is integrally injection molded, and the baffle-shaped protrusion is also provided with reinforcing ribs.

[0011] Preferably, one end of the temperature control drive assembly is linearly connected to the emergency braking control device, which is located inside the cover body.

[0012] Preferably, the cover body is provided with a connecting buckle for connecting to the wheel hub in the middle.

[0013] Preferably, the emergency braking control device includes an energy capture and conversion layer, a power regulation and storage layer, a perception and decision-making layer, and a high-energy execution layer. In the energy capture and conversion layer, an energy capture module captures energy from the rotating mechanism of the wheel and converts it into electrical energy, which is then stored in an energy storage module within the power regulation and storage layer. The signal monitoring module in the perception and decision-making layer monitors and analyzes signals from the power regulation and storage layer, transmitting the analyzed signals to the control module in the high-energy execution layer, thereby controlling the temperature-controlled drive component. A vehicle, wherein the wheel is equipped with a temperature-controlled, openable / closable wheel hubcap as described above.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. Reduced wind resistance: By using a temperature-controlled drive assembly to drive the blades, the blade panel remains in the closed position when the vehicle is cruising normally and the braking system temperature is low. At this time, the hub opening is covered, forming a smooth surface, which effectively reduces air resistance.

[0015] 2. Enhanced heat dissipation: When the vehicle brakes, the system heats up. As the heat is transferred to the temperature control drive components, it drives the blade panel to the open position. At this time, an opening is formed at the wheel hub, allowing a large amount of airflow to pass through, providing forced air cooling for the brake disc.

[0016] 3. Improved vehicle safety: When combined with the emergency braking module, emergency braking will be triggered when the vehicle deceleration exceeds the threshold, forcibly starting the cooling system, thereby preventing the braking system from failing due to overheating and guiding the system to a preset safe state.

[0017] 4. Vehicles equipped with the active hubcaps described in this invention can reduce overall vehicle energy consumption by 5-8% during high-speed driving. More specifically, in real-vehicle testing at 120Kph, vehicles equipped with the active hubcaps of this invention can reduce energy consumption by 5-8%, which means that the driving range can be increased by 5-8%.

[0018] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the technical solution of the present invention can be more easily understood and mastered. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a front view of the hub cover of the present invention with the blades in the closed state.

[0021] Figure 2 This invention Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the back structure.

[0022] Figure 3 A front view of the hub cover of the present invention with the blades in the open state.

[0023] Figure 4 This invention Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the back structure.

[0024] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal composition and drive logic of the emergency braking control device of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the following description is provided in conjunction with the appendix. Figures 1-5 The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0026] This invention discloses a temperature-controlled, openable / closeable car wheel hubcap, comprising a hubcap body 1. Ventilation openings 11 are provided on the surface of the hubcap body 1. In this embodiment, the ventilation openings 11 are evenly distributed on the surface of the hubcap body 1. The center of the hubcap body 1 is used for connection to a metal wheel hub; this connection can be a snap-fit ​​or other structure. Openable / closeable blades 2 are covered by the ventilation openings 11. One side of each blade 2 is pivotally connected to the ventilation opening 11 via a connecting shaft. A temperature-controlled drive assembly 4 is also connected to the connecting shaft end of the blade 2. One end of the temperature-controlled drive assembly 4 is connected to the hubcap body 1, and the other end is connected to the blade 2. The temperature-controlled drive assembly includes a temperature-controlled memory metal device; more specifically, the temperature-controlled memory metal device is a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator. The SMA actuator deforms with temperature changes, thereby driving the blade connected to it to open and close. By combining and utilizing shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, the SMA actuators can maintain the blades in the closed position when the vehicle is cruising normally and the braking system temperature is low. At this time, the hub vents are covered, forming a smooth surface that effectively reduces air resistance. When braking causes the system to heat up, the heat is transferred to the SMA actuators, pushing the blades to the open position. The hub vents then open, allowing a large amount of airflow to pass through, providing forced cooling for the brake discs. The driving force of the SMA actuators comes entirely from the waste heat generated by the braking system; temperature change is its only operating signal and energy source. The drive component in this invention is purely mechanical and self-powered, requiring no external power supply or electronic control signals. This completely avoids the extreme engineering challenges of electrical wiring, slip rings, or wireless communication on a rotating hub. The opening and closing temperatures of the blades are determined by specific SMA actuator threshold settings. Typically, the high temperature is above 90°C, and the low temperature is below 90°C. CFD simulations of this invention have shown that the drag coefficient in the closed state is 5% to 10% lower than that of a hollowed-out hub.

[0027] To better limit the opening and closing of the blades and ensure installation space for other components within the hub, a stop block 3 is provided around the outer circumference of the vent 11, and the blades 2 open and close within the stop range of the stop block. The blades are located on the inner side of the cover body, meaning that they open and close towards the inner side of the cover body 1.

[0028] The vent 11 is surrounded by a baffle-shaped protrusion. In this embodiment, the cover body 1 is integrally injection molded, and the baffle-shaped protrusion at the vent 11 is integrally formed during the molding process. Reinforcing ribs are also provided outside the baffle-shaped protrusion. The blade 2 covers and rests on the upper end of the baffle-shaped protrusion. To better ensure the seal between the blade 2 and the vent 11, a sealing ring gasket that mates with the vent is provided on the blade.

[0029] Furthermore, the stop block 3 is placed on the periphery of the baffle-shaped protrusion, and the upper side of the stop block 3 extends into the inner circle of the vent to form a stop part 31 to limit the opening of the blade.

[0030] To better maintain a seal, a torsion spring 5 is connected to the other end of the blade 2 via a connecting block 51. One end of the torsion spring 5 is engaged with the connecting block 51, and the other end is connected to the cover body of the outer ring of the vent. This invention achieves blade opening and closing through temperature control, fundamentally solving the performance contradiction caused by the fixed and hollow designs of the hub cover in the prior art.

[0031] To improve vehicle safety during driving, one end of the temperature control drive assembly 4 is linearly connected to the emergency braking control device, which is located inside the cover body.

[0032] The emergency braking control device is in modular form and is used to monitor the negative acceleration threshold of braking in real time. When emergency braking occurs, if the vehicle deceleration reaches or exceeds the threshold, the temperature control drive component 4 will open the blades via a signal. The emergency braking control device includes an energy capture and conversion layer, a power regulation and storage layer, a perception and decision layer, and a high-energy execution layer. In the energy capture and conversion layer, the energy capture module captures energy from the rotating wheel mechanism and converts it into electrical energy, which is then stored in the electrical energy storage module in the power regulation and storage layer. The signal monitoring module in the perception and decision layer monitors and analyzes signals from the power regulation and storage layer (including but not limited to deceleration), and transmits the analyzed signals to the control module in the high-energy execution layer, thereby controlling the temperature control drive component. The control module is equipped with a SiC discharge circuit.

[0033] The emergency braking controller is equipped with a signal monitoring module for continuously monitoring deceleration. In this embodiment, the signal monitoring module is a MEMS module. The principle of its driving temperature control drive component 4 is as follows: when the MEMS module triggers the SiC discharge circuit in the emergency braking controller, it instantly releases the stored electrical energy and forces the active hub cover to switch to the "fully open" heat dissipation position of the blades.

[0034] The above-mentioned emergency braking control device is designed so that, if the main control system fails to activate cooling due to a fault (rapidly rising brake disc temperature exceeding the thermal decay temperature) during emergency braking, the independent circuits within the emergency braking control device will ensure forced activation of cooling during emergency braking, thereby preventing the braking system from failing due to overheating and guiding the system to a preset safe state. This invention also discloses a vehicle in which the wheels are equipped with any of the above-described temperature-controlled openable / closable wheel hubcaps.

[0035] The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" used in this document to indicate orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of the invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0036] Furthermore, the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover, characterized in that: The device includes a cover body, on which a vent is provided. One side of the vent is covered and connected to a blade via a connecting shaft. The blade is connected to a temperature control drive assembly at the end of the connecting shaft. One end of the temperature control drive assembly is connected to the cover body, and the other end is connected to the blade.

2. The temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature control drive component includes a temperature control memory metal device, which is in the form of a sheet.

3. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 2, characterized in that: A sealing ring gasket is provided around the blade, and the blade is located on the inner side of the cover body.

4. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The vent is surrounded by a stop block, and the blades open and close within the stop range of the stop block.

5. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 4, characterized in that: A torsion spring is connected to the other end of the blade via a connecting block. One end of the torsion spring is snapped into the connecting block, and the other end is connected to the cover body that passes through the outer ring of the vent.

6. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The ventilation opening is surrounded by a baffle-shaped protrusion. The blade is placed on the upper end of the baffle-shaped protrusion. The stop block is placed on the periphery of the baffle-shaped protrusion. The upper end of the stop block extends into the inner circle of the ventilation opening to limit the blade when it is opened.

7. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The cover body is integrally injection molded, and the baffle-shaped protrusion is also provided with reinforcing ribs.

8. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the temperature control drive assembly is linearly connected to the emergency braking control device, which is located inside the cover body.

9. A temperature-controlled openable / closed automotive wheel hub cover as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The emergency braking control device includes an energy capture and conversion layer, a power regulation and storage layer, a sensing and decision-making layer, and a high-energy execution layer. In the energy capture and conversion layer, the energy capture module captures the energy of the rotating wheel and converts it into electrical energy, which is then stored in the electrical energy storage module in the power regulation and storage layer. The signal monitoring module in the sensing and decision-making layer monitors the signals of the power regulation and storage layer and performs control analysis. The control analysis signal is then transmitted to the control module in the high-energy execution layer to achieve control of the temperature control drive component.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The wheel is provided with a temperature-controlled openable and closable wheel hub cover as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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