MOTOR VEHICLE WHEEL WITH A SELF-BALANCING SYSTEM

Abstract

MOTOR VEHICLE WHEEL WITH A SELF-BALANCING SYSTEM The present invention relates to a dynamic balancing device (4) for a motor vehicle wheel (2), comprising: - a ring (10) intended to be housed against an inner face (6.5) of an annular wall (6.2) of the wheel, receiving a tire (8), said ring forming at least one channel housing a fluid and at least one balancing weight in contact with said fluid and capable of moving along said channel; remarkable in that the dynamic balancing device further comprises: - a central reservoir for the fluid; and - radial channels (16, 18) fluidically connecting the central reservoir and at least one channel; and - fluid flow control means configured to generate fluid flow along at least one channel, so as to move at least one weight. (Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE WHEEL WITH A SELF-BALANCING SYSTEM Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly the field of wheel balancing devices for motor vehicles. Prior art

[0002] Conventionally, the wheels of motor vehicles incorporate adhesive masses at their peripheral surface in order to ensure balancing of the tires. This is a static balancing method, requiring suitable equipment and qualified operators. However, static balancing by gluing adhesive masses presents a risk of detachment of said masses and a lack of effectiveness on degraded roads.

[0003] Indeed, the wheels can become unbalanced in the event of strong vibrations of the motor vehicle caused, for example, when driving on a degraded road surface. Such an unbalance can cause uneven wear of the tires, excessive wear of the bearings and suspension and steering components, as well as wear of other components of the vehicle.

[0004] Published patent document US 3,164,413 A1 discloses a wheel balancing device capable of providing dynamic balancing while the motor vehicle is moving, said device comprising steel balls embedded in a damping fluid included in a peripheral tube, the fluid making it possible to restrict the movement of the balls.

[0005] However, the solution proposed by the document has room for improvement, since the movement of the balls in the peripheral tube lacks stability and precision, which can lead to unbalancing of the wheel of the motor vehicle. Statement of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned state of the art. More particularly, the invention aims to propose a simple, efficient and economical solution for ensuring self-balancing of the wheels of the motor vehicle in order to protect its components from excessive wear.

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a dynamic balancing device for a motor vehicle wheel, comprising: - a ring intended to be housed against an inner face of an annular wall of the wheel, receiving a tire, said ring forming at least one channel housing a fluid and at least one balancing weight in contact with said fluid and capable of moving along said channel; remarkable in that the dynamic balancing device further comprises: - a central reservoir for the fluid; and - radial pipes fluidically connecting the central reservoir and the at least one channel; and - fluid circulation control means configured to generate a circulation of the fluid along the at least one channel, selectively, in one direction or an opposite direction, so as to move the at least one weight.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the at least one channel comprises two channels extending over distinct circumferential portions of the ring, each of said two channels housing a specific weight of the at least one weight and comprising two circumferential ends, and the radial pipes comprise a specific radial pipe fluidly connected to each of the ends of the two channels.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the at least one channel comprises three channels extending over distinct circumferential portions of the ring, each of said three channels housing a specific weight of the at least one weight and comprising two circumferential ends, and the radial pipes comprise a specific radial pipe fluidly connected to each of the ends of the three channels.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the fluid circulation control means are arranged in the central reservoir.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the fluid circulation control means comprise at least one solenoid valve for managing the circulation of the fluid in line with the radial pipes.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises electronic control means capable of detecting an unbalance of the wheel during rotation around a central axis of said wheel, said electronic control means communicating with the fluid circulation control means.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the electronic control means comprise a gyroscopic sensor and a microcontroller configured to electrically control the fluid circulation control means.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the microcontroller is connected to the means for controlling the circulation of the fluid by radio waves.

[0015] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle wheel comprising a rim receiving a tire, said rim comprising: - a central hub comprising a central axis intended to be merged with an axis of a motor vehicle suspension, in the normal mounting position; - an annular wall connected to the central hub by means of a plurality of branches, said hips and the central hub forming an inner part of the rim, adjacent to an inner face of the annular wall; remarkable in that the wheel comprises, at the right of the inner part, a dynamic balancing device according to the invention.

[0016] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising four wheels, each of the wheels being provided with a rim fixed to a suspension axle of said motor vehicle, remarkable in that at least one of the wheels is according to the invention.

[0017] The measures of the invention are advantageous in that the dynamic balancing device makes it possible to ensure self-balancing of each of the wheels of the motor vehicle instantaneously, and this, without requiring the use of special tools.

[0018] In addition, the flattened shape of the weights ensures smooth and responsive movement in the channel, which increases the reliability of the device.

[0019] Balancing the wheels using the device of the invention makes it possible to effectively limit the vibrations of the motor vehicle and thus increase the service life of its various components. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a motor vehicle wheel comprising a dynamic balancing device according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the dynamic balancing device of [Fig.l]. Detailed description

[0022] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of a wheel 2 of a motor vehicle comprising a dynamic balancing device 4 according to the invention.

[0023] The wheel 2 comprises a rim 6 receiving a tire 8 and comprising a central hub 6.1 having a central axis A intended to be merged with an axis of a motor vehicle suspension.

[0024] The rim 6 also comprises an annular wall 6.2 connected to the central hub 6.1 by means of a plurality of branches 6.3. The latter two have an inner part 6.4 of the rim 6 adjacent to an inner face 6.5 of the annular wall 6.2.

[0025] Advantageously, the dynamic balancing device 4 is arranged on the inner part 6.4 of the rim 6. Said device 4 being capable of detecting a problem of unbalancing of the wheel 2 and of ensuring its balancing dynamically during the driving of the motor vehicle.

[0026] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the dynamic balancing device 4 of [Fig.l]. It advantageously comprises a ring 10 intended to be housed against the inner face 6.5 of the annular wall 6.2 of [Fig.l].

[0027] The ring 10 forms at least one channel 11 in which at least one balancing weight 12 moves. In this respect, the ring 10 preferably comprises two rails on which the at least one weight 12 slides, the latter comprising a flattened rectangular shape and a curved profile following an arc of a circle having the same radius as the ring 10 from its central axis A. This makes it possible to ensure a fluid and concise movement of the at least one weight 12. Advantageously, the latter moves in the at least one channel 11 by a movement of a fluid included in the channel 11.

[0028] In this configuration, the balancing device 4 comprises a central reservoir 14 for the fluid and radial pipes 16, 18 fluidically connecting the central reservoir 14 and the at least one channel 11, and fluid circulation control means (not shown) configured to generate a circulation of the fluid along the at least one channel 11, selectively, in a direction “a” or an opposite direction “b”, so as to move the at least one weight 12 according to the balancing requirement.

[0029] Preferably, the fluid circulation control means comprise at least one solenoid valve for managing the circulation of the fluid at the radial pipes 16, 18, and which can be arranged in the central reservoir 14, or at the level of said radial pipes 16, 18.

[0030] The balancing device 4 also comprises electronic control means 20 capable of detecting an unbalance of the wheel during a rotation around its central axis A, and preferably comprise a gyroscopic sensor and a microcontroller configured to electrically control the at least one solenoid valve for managing the circulation of the fluid at the radial pipes 16, 18.

[0031] The gyroscopic sensor and the microcontroller 20 are preferably integral and integrated in a recess provided in the central hub 6.1 of the rim 6 of [Fig.l].

[0032] Advantageously, the microcontroller communicates with the at least one solenoid valve by radio waves, and more preferably by Bluetooth and / or by a Wi-Fi network. Thus, under driving conditions of the motor vehicle, the centrifugal force forces the circulation of the fluid from the reservoir 14 to the at least one channel 11, but the solenoid valve(s) do not allow the circulation of the fluid through the radial pipes 16, 18 except in the event of an imbalance being detected by the gyroscope. To this end, upon such a detection, the microcontroller orders the opening of the at least a solenoid valve to ensure the movement of the weight 12, in one of the two directions a or b, towards a very precise position following the corresponding channel 11.

[0033] The number of channels 11 in the ring 10 may be between 1 and 5. Indeed, a first embodiment of the invention may, for example, comprise a single channel 11, or two channels 11, housing (each) a weight 12 moving along said channel 11. In this configuration, the dynamic balancing device 4 may advantageously complete the balance of a statically balanced wheel in which conventional adhesive weights have previously been used.

[0034] More preferably, the dynamic balancing device 4 of the present invention comprises three channels 11 in the ring 10, and makes it possible to completely replace conventional static balancing. Indeed, each of the three channels 11 being distributed at 120° relative to the central axis A and comprising a weight 12 of identical mass, the wheel maintains constant balancing while the vehicle is moving. Thus, as soon as an imbalance is detected, the circumferential movement of at least one weight 12 out of the three, towards a precise position dictated by the microcontroller, will make it possible to return to a state of balance of the masses and thus ensure the balancing of the wheel.

[0035] The three channels 11 correspond to angular sectors or to distinct circumferential portions of the ring 10, and can be separated by partitions 22 so as to close each circumferential portion and allow a closed fluid circuit to be obtained between the reservoir 14 and the channel 11, passing through the radial pipes 16, 18. This makes it possible to ensure, independently, the movement of each of the three weights 12.

[0036] Advantageously, the dynamic balancing device 4 according to the invention makes it possible to ensure balancing of each wheel of the motor vehicle instantly, and this, without requiring the use of special tools.

[0037] Balancing the wheels using the device of the invention makes it possible to effectively limit the vibrations of the motor vehicle and thus increase the service life of its various components: tires, bearings, suspension components, steering components, etc.

Claims

Claims

1. Dynamic balancing device (4) for a wheel (2) of a motor vehicle, comprising: - a ring (10) intended to be housed against an inner face (6.5) of an annular wall (6.2) of the wheel, receiving a tire (8), said ring (10) forming at least one channel (11) housing a fluid and at least one balancing weight (12) in contact with said fluid and capable of moving along said channel; characterized in that the dynamic balancing device (4) further comprises: - a central reservoir (14) for the fluid; and - radial pipes (16, 18) fluidically connecting the central reservoir (14) and the at least one channel (11); and - fluid circulation control means configured to generate a circulation of the fluid along the at least one channel (11), selectively, in one direction (a) or an opposite direction (b), so as to move the at least one weight (12).

2. Dynamic balancing device (4) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one channel (11) comprises two channels (11) extending over distinct circumferential portions of the ring (10), each of said two channels (11) housing a weight (12) specific to the at least one weight (12) and comprising two circumferential ends, and the radial pipes (16, 18) comprise a specific radial pipe (16, 18) fluidly connected to each of the ends of the two channels (11).

3. Dynamic balancing device (4) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one channel (11) comprises three channels (11) extending over distinct circumferential portions of the ring (10), each of said three channels (11) housing a specific weight (12) of the at least one weight (12) and comprising two circumferential ends, and the radial pipes (16, 18) comprise a specific radial pipe (16, 18) fluidly connected to each of the ends of the three channels (11).

4. Dynamic balancing device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the fluid circulation control means are arranged in the central reservoir (14).

5. Dynamic balancing device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the fluid circulation control means comprise at least one solenoid valve for managing the circulation of the fluid at the radial pipes (16, 18).

6. Dynamic balancing device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said device (4) further comprises electronic control means (20) capable of detecting an unbalance of the wheel (2) during rotation around a central axis (A) of said wheel (2), said electronic control means (20) communicating with the fluid circulation control means.

7. A dynamic balancing device (4) according to claim 6, wherein the electronic control means (20) comprise a gyroscopic sensor and a microcontroller configured to electrically control the fluid circulation control means.

8. Dynamic balancing device (4) according to claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the means for controlling the circulation of the fluid by radio waves.

9. Motor vehicle wheel (2) comprising a rim (6) receiving a tire (8), said rim (6) comprising: - a central hub (6.1) comprising a central axis (A) intended to be merged with an axis of a motor vehicle suspension, in the normal mounting position; - an annular wall (6.2) connected to the central hub by means of a plurality of branches (6.3), said hips (6.3) and the central hub (6.1) forming an inner part (6.4) of the rim (6), adjacent to an inner face (6.5) of the annular wall (6.2); characterized in that the wheel (2) comprises, at right angles to the inner part (6.4), a dynamic balancing device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Motor vehicle comprising four wheels (2), each of the wheels (2) being provided with a rim (6) fixed to a suspension axle of said motor vehicle, characterized in that at least one of the wheels (2) is according to claim 9.

Images