Wheel spoke capable of preventing air holes from cracking and casting mold of wheel spoke

Abstract

A wheel spoke capable of preventing air holes from cracking and a casting mold thereof belong to the field of wheel manufacturing, the wheel spoke is of a disc-shaped structure, a plurality of air holes are evenly formed in the annular inclined edge of the wheel spoke, and protruding parts facing outwards are arranged on the peripheral edges of the openings of the air holes. A protruding part is arranged on the annular inclined edge of the spoke, smooth transition is achieved between the protruding part and the annular inclined edge of the spoke through a plurality of arc-shaped structures, a plurality of valve holes are evenly formed in the periphery of the circular side face of the spoke, a casting mold of the spoke comprises an upper mold body and a lower mold body, a plurality of movable blocks are arranged between the upper mold body and the lower mold body, and the movable blocks comprise outer movable blocks and inner movable blocks which correspond to each other. The air holes can be integrally cast, the problems of small cracks and the like caused by stress in material removing machining can be solved, the hole opening structures of the air holes are thickened, the service life of the spoke can be prolonged, and the safety coefficient of vehicle driving is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model provides a wheel spoke and its casting mold, and particularly relates to a wheel spoke with anti-cracking features for air holes and its casting mold, belonging to the field of wheel manufacturing. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle wheels consist of a hub, spokes, and rim. The spokes are the part of the wheel that connects the rim and hub. Based on their structure, spokes are divided into plate-type and spoke-strip-type. Plate-type rims are currently the most widely used wheel type. Plate-type spokes, along with the rim ring, rim, and valve stem extension, together form the wheel. Plate-type spokes are made by stamping or casting. Stamped plate-type spokes are formed by a spoke stamping machine, and the spokes are steel round plates that connect the hub and rim as one unit. Cast wheels, on the other hand, cast the rim and spokes as one piece, resulting in a lightweight and compact design. With advantages such as high dimensional precision, cast wheels can significantly improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the wheels to some extent, thereby reducing fuel consumption. They are mostly used in heavy-duty vehicles and large construction machinery. The spokes are circular covers, and the diameter of the covers is adapted to the diameter of the wheel rim. There is a hole in the center of the cover that is larger than the wheel's rotating shaft. There are several air holes near the edge of the cover. The edge of the cover has an annular wheel plate, and the curved surface of the wheel plate can fit tightly with the connecting surface of the wheel rim.

[0003] During vehicle operation, the friction between the tires and the ground generates heat, which is transferred to the rim, then to the spokes, and finally to the hub. The hub contains bearings, and the heat causes the lubricating oil inside the bearings to age and lose its lubricating effect, leading to reduced bearing performance or even bearing damage. In addition, overheating can cause the rubber materials to age and the tire to stick to the rim, requiring tire removal and repair; otherwise, driving safety will be affected.

[0004] To prevent the wheel hub and rim from overheating, several holes are installed on the edge of the wheel spokes, which are known in the industry as air holes. When the vehicle is in motion, air is driven by the wheel and passes through the air holes. At this time, the air holes play a role in isolating heat conduction, and the air passing through the air holes carries away the heat, thus playing a cooling role.

[0005] The spokes of existing heavy-duty mobile machinery wheels, such as trucks and construction machinery, are mostly made of steel plates through flanging and stamping. In particular, the air holes of spoked wheels are punched out, while those of integrally cast wheels are drilled out. Whether punched or drilled, both are considered material removal processes, which will create stress to varying degrees and cause small cracks. Punched air holes are more serious. During use, due to alternating loads, the cracks in material removal air holes will extend and eventually cause the spokes to become unusable. This not only affects the service life and increases maintenance and usage costs, but also results in an unsightly appearance and a lack of aesthetic appeal. Summary of the Invention

[0006] For spoke-type wheels with air holes formed by material removal processing, stress can occur to varying degrees during processing, leading to small cracks. These cracks can propagate under alternating loads during driving, eventually causing the spokes to become unusable. To prevent this, this invention provides a wheel spoke with anti-crack features for the air holes and its casting mold, developed through research and analysis of product structure, mold structure, and forming process. This novel mold structure allows for the integral casting of the air holes, preventing small cracks caused by stress during material removal. By utilizing several movable air hole blocks at the mold positions corresponding to the air holes, the air holes and spokes can be cast integrally. Thickening the air hole opening structure extends the service life of the spokes, improves aesthetics, and enhances vehicle safety.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model is: a wheel spoke with anti-cracking air hole and its casting mold, including multiple flange connection holes connected to the axle flange, the wheel spoke includes a circular side with axle hole and an annular inclined edge integrated therewith, the circular side and the annular inclined edge form a disc structure, multiple circular or elliptical air holes are evenly arranged on the annular inclined edge of the disc structure wheel spoke, the periphery of the air hole opening is provided with an outward protrusion, the protrusion and the annular inclined edge of the wheel spoke are smoothly connected by multiple arc structures, multiple valve nozzle holes are provided around the circular side of the wheel spoke, the casting mold of the wheel spoke includes an upper mold and a lower mold, and multiple air hole movable blocks are provided in between, the air hole movable blocks include corresponding outer movable blocks and inner movable blocks;

[0008] Furthermore: the multiple valve stem holes and air holes are symmetrically distributed according to their common divisor, and the multiple valve stem holes and wheel spokes are an integral structure;

[0009] Furthermore: the highest protrusion of the protrusion is a plane, and the multiple arc-shaped structures sequentially include an outwardly convex arc portion and an inwardly concave arc portion connected to the plane. The inwardly concave arc portion is connected to the annular inclined edge, and the multiple connecting parts are smoothly connected.

[0010] Further: The mold includes an upper mold plate, with an upper mold set at the middle annular position below it. The outer periphery of the upper mold corresponds to the inner structure of the disc-shaped wheel spoke. The lower periphery of the upper mold is connected to an inner movable block in the radial direction according to a certain degree. The lower mold is a concave structure with an opening facing upward. The inner side of the concave structure corresponds to the outer side of the disc-shaped wheel spoke. The inner periphery of the outer movable block is a circular arc structure with an inward arc. The inner side of the circular arc structure is provided with a recessed part. Multiple outer movable blocks are provided on the upper periphery of the lower mold. A radial air hole core bar is fixed on the inner movable block, penetrating the thickness direction of the annular inclined edge of the wheel spoke. The end of the radial air hole core bar is in close contact with the inner recessed part of the outer movable block and is separated from each other. The inner recessed part of the outer movable block corresponds to multiple circular arc structures of the air hole protrusion on the wheel spoke.

[0011] Furthermore, the upper mold and the inner movable block are respectively provided with matching dovetail groove structures. The dovetail groove structure is a vertical structure corresponding to the vertical direction of the mold. The dovetail groove structure includes matching dovetail grooves and dovetail tenons. One side is distributed on the lower periphery of the upper mold, and the other side is located on the side of the inner movable block near the center of the disc-shaped wheel spoke cavity. The dovetail grooves and dovetail tenons are respectively provided with parting angles.

[0012] Furthermore, the lower mold has multiple outer movable blocks on its upper periphery through positioning tenons. These multiple outer movable blocks are interconnected in the circumferential direction through a butt joint structure, and the upper mold has positioning notches on its surface that fit into the template of the upper mold.

[0013] The advantages of this invention are as follows: The evenly distributed circular or elliptical air holes on the annular inclined edge help reduce wheel temperature; the outward-facing protrusions around the air hole openings improve the strength of the air hole openings, preventing small cracks caused by stress during material processing, as is common in existing technologies. This also prevents cracking due to alternating loads during use. The smooth transition between the protrusions and the annular inclined edge of the wheel spokes using multiple arc-shaped structures prevents cracking of the air holes caused by alternating loads. Furthermore, the arrangement of multiple outer and inner air hole blocks on the mold corresponding to the air holes avoids obstruction caused by the protrusions during vertical parting, allowing for smoother airflow from the wheel. The spokes are divided into movable blocks in the radial direction, especially the dovetail groove structure between the inner movable block and the upper mold. This not only fixes the inner movable block but also facilitates the setting and positioning before casting. By symmetrically distributing multiple valve stem holes and air holes according to their common divisor, not only can the valve stem be conveniently set, but the uniform distribution on the circumference can also maintain the dynamic balance of the wheel and achieve the aesthetics of the wheel. In this utility model, the air holes are cast as a whole using a novel mold structure, which can prevent problems such as small cracks caused by stress during material processing. By using several movable blocks at the mold position corresponding to the air holes, it is beneficial to cast the air holes and spokes as a whole. By thickening the air hole opening, the service life of the spokes can be extended, while improving the aesthetics and ensuring the safe driving of the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a wheel spoke structure with protruding air vents.

[0015] Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram of the vent protrusion.

[0016] Figure 3 Exploded view of a wheel spoke casting mold using multiple movable blocks.

[0017] Labeling Explanation: 10-Circular side, 11-Annular inclined edge, 12-Air hole, 13-Protrusion, 13a-Flat surface, 13b-Outwardly convex arc, 13c-Inwardly concave arc, 14-Valve nozzle hole, 15-Flange connection hole, 16-Axle hole, 20-Wheel spoke, 21-Lower mold, 22-Upper mold plate, 23-Outer movable block, 23a-Recess, 24-Upper mold, 25-Inner movable block, 25a-Air hole mandrel, 26-Dovetail tenon, 27-Dovetail groove, 28-Positioning tenon, 29-Butt joint structure, 30-Positioning notch. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solution of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, terms such as "circular side" refer to the condition of the wheel spokes in use.

[0019] The technical solution of this utility model is a wheel spoke with anti-cracking features for air holes and its casting mold. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wheel spoke structure with protruding air vents. The wheel spoke 20 includes multiple flange connection holes 15 connected to the axle flange. The wheel spoke 20 includes a circular side surface 10 with an axle hole 16 and an annular inclined edge 11 integrated therewith. The circular side surface 10 and the annular inclined edge 11 form an upright disc-shaped structure. Multiple circular or elliptical air vents 12 are evenly arranged on the annular inclined edge 11 of the disc-shaped wheel spoke 20. The periphery of the air vent 12 opening is provided with an outward protrusion 13. The protrusion 13 and the annular inclined edge 11 of the wheel spoke 20 are smoothly transitioned by multiple arc-shaped structures. Multiple valve nozzle holes 14 are provided around the circular side surface 10 of the wheel spoke 20. The casting mold of the wheel spoke 20 includes an upper mold 24 and a lower mold 21, with multiple air vent movable blocks arranged between them. The air vent movable blocks include corresponding outer movable blocks 23 and inner movable blocks 25.

[0020] The plurality of valve stem holes 14 and air holes 12 are symmetrically distributed according to their common divisor, and the plurality of valve stem holes 14 and wheel spokes 20 are an integral structure.

[0021] Figure 2 This is an enlarged structural diagram of the vent protrusion. The highest protrusion of the protrusion 13 is a plane 13a. The multiple arc-shaped structures sequentially include an outwardly convex arc portion 13b connected to the plane 13a, an inwardly concave arc portion 13c connected to the outwardly convex arc portion 13b, and the inwardly concave arc portion 13c connected to the annular inclined edge 11. The multiple connecting parts are smoothly connected.

[0022] Figure 3This is an exploded view of a wheel spoke casting mold using multiple movable blocks. This view can be understood as a schematic diagram of the mold structure after the wheel spokes 20 are formed. Before casting, the interior of the assembled mold is the cavity for casting the wheel spokes 20. For ease of observation, in the exploded view, multiple inner movable blocks 25 are placed on the outside of the wheel spokes 20. In reality, the multiple inner movable blocks 25 are located on the inner circumference of the wheel spokes 20. The upper mold plate 22 of the mold includes an upper mold 24. An upper mold 24 is located in a ring-shaped position at the center below the upper mold 24. The outer circumference of the upper mold 24 corresponds to the inner structure of the disc-shaped wheel spokes 20. The lower periphery of the upper mold 24 is radially connected with inner movable blocks 25 at certain intervals. The lower... Mold 21 is a concave structure with an upward opening. The inner side of the concave structure corresponds to the outer side of the disc-shaped wheel spoke 20. The inner circumference of the outer movable block 23 is an arc structure with an inward arc. The inner side of the arc structure is provided with a recessed part 23a. Multiple outer movable blocks 23 are provided on the upper periphery of the lower mold 21. A radial air hole core rod 25a is fixed on the inner movable block 25, which penetrates the thickness direction of the annular inclined edge 11 of the wheel spoke 20. The end of the radial air hole core rod 25a is in close contact with the inner recessed part 23a of the outer movable block 23, but they are also separated from each other. The inner recessed part 23a of the outer movable block 23 corresponds to multiple arc-shaped structures of the air hole protrusion 13 on the wheel spoke 20.

[0023] The upper mold 24 and the inner movable block 25 are respectively provided with matching dovetail groove structures. The dovetail groove structure is a vertical structure corresponding to the vertical direction of the mold. The dovetail groove structure includes matching dovetail grooves 27 and dovetail tenons 26. One of them is located on the lower periphery of the upper mold 24, and the other is located on the side of the inner movable block 25 near the center of the disc-shaped structure spoke cavity. The dovetail grooves 27 and dovetail tenons 26 are respectively provided with parting angles. In this embodiment, the dovetail groove 27 is provided below the upper mold 24, and the dovetail tenon 26 is provided on the side of the inner movable block 25 near the center of the disc-shaped structure spoke cavity.

[0024] The lower mold 21 has multiple outer movable blocks 23 on its upper periphery through positioning tenons 28. The multiple outer movable blocks 23 are connected to each other in the circumferential direction through a butt joint structure 29. The multiple outer movable blocks 23 are matched with the upper template 22 of the upper mold 24 through positioning notches 30.

[0025] The advantages of this invention are as follows: By uniformly providing multiple circular or elliptical air holes 12 on the annular inclined edge 11, the temperature of the wheel is reduced; by providing outward-facing protrusions 13 around the edges of the air hole 12 openings, the strength of the air hole 12 openings is improved, avoiding the small cracks caused by stress during the material processing of the air holes 12 in the prior art, and preventing crack propagation and cracking due to alternating loads during use; by using multiple arc-shaped structures for a smooth transition between the protrusions 13 and the annular inclined edge 11 of the wheel spoke 20, cracking of the air hole caused by alternating loads is prevented; by providing multiple outer movable blocks 23 and multiple inner movable blocks 25 around the periphery corresponding to the air holes 12 in the mold, obstruction caused by the protrusions 13 during vertical parting is avoided. The movable blocks can be parted radially from the spokes 20. In particular, the dovetail groove structure between the inner movable block 25 and the upper one not only fixes the inner movable block 25, but also facilitates the setting and positioning before casting. By symmetrically distributing multiple valve stem holes 14 and air holes 12 according to their common divisor, not only can the valve stems be conveniently set, but the uniform distribution on the circumference can also maintain the dynamic balance of the wheel and achieve the aesthetics of the wheel. In this utility model, by casting the air holes 12 and spokes 20 as a whole, problems such as small cracks caused by stress during material processing can be prevented. By using several movable blocks at the mold position corresponding to the air holes, it is beneficial to cast the air holes 12 and spokes 20 as a whole. By thickening the thickness of the air hole 12 opening, the service life of spokes 20 can be extended, while improving the aesthetics and ensuring the safe driving of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A wheel spoke with a wind hole cracking prevention, comprising a plurality of flange connection holes connected with a flange of an axle, characterized in that: The spoke of the wheel includes a circular side with an axle hole and an annular inclined side integrated therewith, the circular side and the annular inclined side form a disc structure, the annular inclined side of the disc structure spoke is uniformly provided with a plurality of circular or elliptical air holes, the air hole orifice peripheral edge is provided with a convex portion towards the outside, the convex portion and the annular inclined side of the spoke are connected by a plurality of circular arc structures, the circular side of the spoke is provided with a plurality of air nozzle holes.

2. The wheel spoke with wind hole cracking prevention according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of air nozzle holes and the air holes are symmetrically distributed according to the common multiple, and the plurality of air nozzle holes and the spoke are an integral structure.

3. The wheel spoke with wind hole cracking prevention according to claim 1, characterized in that: The highest convex portion of the convex portion is a plane, and the plurality of circular arc structures sequentially include an outer convex circular arc portion connected with the plane and an inner concave circular arc portion connected with the annular inclined side, and the plurality of connecting portions are smoothly connected.

4. A casting mold for a wheel spoke of a vehicle wheel with a wind hole to prevent cracking, the casting mold comprising an upper mold, a lower mold, and an upper mold plate, characterized by: A plurality of air hole movable blocks are arranged between the upper die and the lower die, the air hole movable blocks include corresponding outer movable blocks and inner movable blocks, an upper die is arranged at the middle annular position of the upper die plate, the inner movable blocks are movably connected in the radial direction at the lower periphery of the upper die according to a certain division, the lower die of the mold is a concave structure with an upward opening, the inner periphery of the outer movable block is a circular arc structure with a circular arc inward, a recess is arranged on the inner side of the circular arc structure, a plurality of outer movable blocks are arranged on the upper periphery of the lower die, a radial air hole center rod is fixed on the inner movable block, and the rod end portion and the recess on the inner side of the outer movable block are in close contact with each other and separated from each other.

5. A mold for casting a wheel spoke with a wind hole cracking prevention according to claim 4, characterized in that: A dovetail groove structure matched with each other is arranged between the upper die and the inner movable block, the dovetail groove structure is a vertical structure corresponding to the upper and lower directions of the mold, the dovetail groove structure includes dovetail grooves and dovetail tenons matched with each other, one of which is arranged on the lower periphery of the upper die, and the other is arranged on the side close to the center of the inner movable block, and the dovetail groove and the dovetail tenon are respectively provided with a parting angle.

6. A mold for casting a wheel spoke with a wind hole cracking prevention according to claim 4, characterized in that: A plurality of outer movable blocks are arranged on the upper periphery of the lower die through positioning tenons, the plurality of outer movable blocks are connected to each other in the circumferential direction through butt joint structures, and the plurality of outer movable blocks are matched with the die plate of the upper die through positioning notches on the upper surface.

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