Hybrid wheel

Abstract

To provide an aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel which enhances quietness of the wheel by reinforcing a wheel rim part made of an aluminum by a CFRP member sufficiently and adequately and forming a resonator mechanism adequately.SOLUTION: A hybrid wheel is aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel which includes a wheel rim part made of an aluminum and a reinforcement CFRP member which is arranged on outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim part and reinforces the wheel rim part and is configured so that a resonator mechanism is formed by the reinforcement CFRP member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel having an aluminum wheel rim part and a reinforcing CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced resin) member for reinforcing the wheel rim part.

Background Art

[0002] Aluminum wheels having an aluminum wheel rim part are widely used. On the other hand, in order to reinforce each part of the wheel, a technique of providing a reinforcing member made of a fiber reinforced resin, particularly a carbon fiber reinforced resin (CFRP), is also known (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Further, for the purpose of improving quietness such as reducing road noise, a technique of providing a resonator mechanism utilizing the resonance principle of Helmholtz in a wheel is known (for example, Patent Documents 3 and 4). In Patent Document 3, a synthetic resin sub-chamber member is provided, and in Patent Document 4, a structure is proposed in which the main part of the resonator mechanism is formed by the wheel rim part body and only the lid part of the resonator mechanism is formed by a CFRP member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, there is no prior art that has achieved both sufficient reinforcement of the aluminum wheel rim part with a CFRP member and excellent improvement in quietness by a resonator mechanism. In particular, there is no prior art that has made it possible to achieve both of these with easy manufacturing and assembly.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel that sufficiently and appropriately reinforces an aluminum wheel rim part with a CFRP member and appropriately forms a resonator mechanism to improve the quietness of the wheel.

[0007] Also, desirably, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to surely realize such a hybrid wheel with extremely easy and simple manufacturing and assembly techniques.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a hybrid wheel according to the present invention is an aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel having an aluminum wheel rim part and a reinforcing CFRP member arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim part to reinforce the wheel rim part, characterized in that a resonator mechanism is formed by the reinforcing CFRP member.

[0009] In such a hybrid wheel according to the present invention, by appropriately arranging the reinforcing CFRP member on the outer peripheral surface of the aluminum wheel rim part, the wheel rim part can be efficiently and sufficiently reinforced. And, by forming a resonator mechanism by the reinforcing CFRP member itself, by appropriately shaping the reinforcing CFRP member, a preferable resonator mechanism can be easily formed, and it becomes possible to surely improve the quietness such as reduction of wheel load noise.

[0010] In the hybrid wheel according to the present invention, it is preferable that the reinforcing CFRP member extends appropriately in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion and also appropriately in the width direction of the wheel rim portion on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion, and is formed in an appropriate size with respect to the wheel rim portion. Thereby, the wheel rim portion can be more appropriately and sufficiently reinforced by the reinforcing CFRP member. In particular, it is preferable that the reinforcing CFRP member extends to the well portion of the wheel rim portion in the width direction of the wheel rim portion. When the load is applied to the wheel rim portion, the wheel rim portion can be effectively restrained by the reinforcing CFRP member because the reinforcing CFRP member extends to the well portion, and the force can be effectively transmitted to the reinforcing CFRP member. Therefore, sufficient reinforcement of the wheel rim portion through the reinforcement up to the well portion and efficient force transmission between the wheel rim portion and the reinforcing CFRP member can be achieved. Furthermore, since the high rigidity of the wheel rim portion can be efficiently maintained by the minimum necessary reinforcing CFRP member, the reinforcement by the reinforcing CFRP member is realized while achieving weight reduction as much as possible.

[0011] Also, it is preferable that the reinforcing CFRP member is divided into a plurality of members in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion. Since the plurality of divided reinforcing CFRP members can be easily arranged at predetermined positions on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion, the manufacture and assembly of the hybrid wheel are facilitated. At this time, if all the plurality of divided reinforcing CFRP members have the same shape, the molding of the reinforcing CFRP member is facilitated and simplified, and the manufacture of the hybrid wheel becomes even easier. Further, by adopting a structure in which adjacent reinforcing CFRP members are connected via a CFRP connecting member, the entire CFRP reinforcing portion composed of the reinforcing CFRP member and the CFRP connecting member has an integral annular structure on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion. Therefore, the wheel rim portion is efficiently and reliably reinforced. Furthermore, since all the CFRP connecting members have the same shape, the molding of the CFRP connecting member is also facilitated and simplified, and the manufacture of the hybrid wheel becomes even easier.

[0012] Further, the method of joining the reinforcing CFRP member to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion is not particularly limited. However, from the viewpoint of ease of joining and thus ease of manufacturing the hybrid wheel, it is preferable that the reinforcing CFRP member is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion with an adhesive.

[0013] Further, the reinforcing CFRP member preferably has a carbon fiber layer at ±45 degrees. In a wheel, shear stress often occurs in the wheel rim portion due to the positional relationship between the wheel disk portion serving as a support point and the wheel rim portion serving as a load point. By having a carbon fiber layer at ±45 degrees in the reinforcing CFRP member, it becomes possible to impart desirable high rigidity even against such shear stress.

[0014] Further, in the hybrid wheel according to the present invention, it is preferable that the air holes of the resonator mechanism are opened in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion. These air holes communicate with the internal cavity portion (also referred to as the auxiliary chamber) of the resonator mechanism, and a resonator mechanism utilizing the Helmholtz resonance principle is configured by the resonance of the air introduced through the air holes inside the internal cavity portion. By opening these air holes particularly in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion, the Helmholtz resonance principle can be effectively utilized, contributing to further improvement in quietness such as reduction of road noise. In particular, by arranging the air holes communicating with the internal cavity portion formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion so as to communicate laterally at an intermediate portion in the extending direction of the internal cavity portion, an excellent quietness improvement effect can be obtained.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable that the internal cavity portion of the resonator mechanism is arranged at the central portion of the reinforcing CFRP member in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion. In particular, by forming the internal cavity portion of the resonator mechanism to extend in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion at the central portion of the reinforcing CFRP member in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion, it becomes possible to form the length of the internal cavity portion relatively long in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion, and an increase in the quietness improvement effect based on the Helmholtz resonance principle can be expected due to the long internal cavity portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the hybrid wheel of the present invention, the aluminum wheel rim portion can be sufficiently and appropriately reinforced by the reinforcing CFRP member, and the resonator mechanism can be appropriately formed by the reinforcing CFRP member itself to improve the quietness of the wheel.

[0017] In addition, by adopting a preferred form of the reinforcing CFRP member, it becomes possible to achieve efficient reinforcement, improve the load transfer efficiency between the wheel rim portion and the reinforcing CFRP member, and enable easy and simple manufacturing and assembly of the hybrid wheel.

[0018] Furthermore, if the structure of the resonator mechanism formed by the reinforcing CFRP member itself is appropriately set, further improvement in quietness becomes possible.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the wheel rim portion of a hybrid wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel in which the disk portion including the hub portion and the spoke portion is not shown, and reference numeral 2 denotes its aluminum wheel rim portion. A reinforcing CFRP member 3 for reinforcing the wheel rim portion 2 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface 2a (shown in Figure 2) of the wheel rim portion 2. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing CFRP member 3 is divided into a plurality of members in the circumferential direction (X direction) of the wheel rim portion 2 (divided into five reinforcing CFRP members 3 as shown in Figure 2). However, the number of divisions of the reinforcing CFRP member 3 can be arbitrarily set. Each reinforcing CFRP member 3 extends in the circumferential direction (X direction) of the wheel rim portion 2 and also extends in the width direction (Y direction) of the wheel rim portion 2 on the outer peripheral surface 2a of the wheel rim portion 2. Further, as also shown in Figure 3, each reinforcing CFRP member 3 extends to the well portion 2b of the wheel rim portion 2 in the width direction (Y direction) of the wheel rim portion 2. Each reinforcing CFRP member 3 is attached to the outer peripheral surface 2a of the wheel rim portion 2 with an adhesive (not shown).

[0021] Adjacent reinforcing CFRP members 3 are connected via a plate-like CFRP connecting member 4, and this connection is also performed via an adhesive (not shown). In the present embodiment, each CFRP connecting member 4 is formed in a substantially H shape as a planar shape, as also shown in Figures 2 and 5. In the present embodiment, each CFRP connecting member 4 and each of the above-described reinforcing CFRP members 3 are formed in the same shape.

[0022] In the present embodiment, each reinforcing CFRP member 3 has a carbon fiber layer of ±45 degrees. This ±45-degree layer may be set, for example, with the circumferential direction (X direction) of the wheel rim portion 2 in Figure 1 being 0 degrees. A carbon fiber layer of ±45 degrees is preferred, but a carbon fiber layer of about ±30 degrees or a carbon fiber layer of about ±60 degrees is also possible, as long as the reinforcing CFRP member 3 can exhibit high rigidity against the shear stress generated in the wheel rim portion 2. Further, in addition to the ±45-degree carbon fiber layer, it may have other carbon fiber layers, for example, a 0-degree / 90-degree carbon fiber layer.

[0023] The resonator mechanism 5 is formed by the reinforcing CFRP member 3 itself. In this embodiment, the resonator mechanism 5 is formed in each of the divided reinforcing CFRP members 3. In this embodiment, since all the reinforcing CFRP members 3 are formed in the same shape, the resonator mechanism 5 having the same structure is formed in all the reinforcing CFRP members 3 respectively.

[0024] As shown particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the resonator mechanism 5 formed by each reinforcing CFRP member 3 itself, the communication hole 6 as the air hole of the resonator mechanism 5 is opened in the direction along the width direction (Y direction in FIG. 1) of the wheel rim portion 2, and this communication hole 6 communicates with the sub-chamber 7 as the internal cavity portion of the resonator mechanism 5. The sub-chamber 7 is arranged at the central portion of the reinforcing CFRP member 3 when viewed in the direction along the width direction (Y direction in FIG. 1) of the wheel rim portion 2, and is formed relatively long in the circumferential direction (X direction in FIG. 1) of the wheel rim portion 2. The communication hole 6 communicates with a portion in the middle of the extending direction of the sub-chamber 7. That is, the air from the communication hole 6 is introduced laterally with respect to the sub-chamber 7.

[0025] In the hybrid wheel 1 configured as described above, the reinforcing CFRP members 3 are appropriately arranged in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface 2a of the aluminum wheel rim portion 2. In particular, each of the divided reinforcing CFRP members 3 is appropriately arranged in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion 2 while being connected to each other via the CFRP connecting member 4, and each reinforcing CFRP member 3 also appropriately extends to the well portion 2b of the wheel rim portion 2 in the width direction of the wheel rim portion 2. As a result, the wheel rim portion 2 is efficiently and sufficiently reinforced, and a desirable force transmission between the wheel rim portion 2 and the reinforcing CFRP member 3 is smoothly performed. In particular, since the reinforcing CFRP member 3 has a carbon fiber layer of ±45 degrees, high rigidity can be exhibited against the shear stress generated in the wheel rim portion 2, and the wheel rim portion 2 is efficiently reinforced while maintaining light weight even though it is reinforced by the reinforcing CFRP member 3.

[0026] In addition, since the reinforced CFRP member 3 is divided into a plurality of members in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion 2, and particularly since all of the plurality of divided reinforced CFRP members 3 have the same shape, the production of the reinforced CFRP member 3, and thus the production and assembly of the hybrid wheel 1, can be easily performed.

[0027] In addition, since the main part of the resonator mechanism 5 is formed by the reinforced CFRP member 3 itself, by appropriately molding the reinforced CFRP member 3, a preferable resonator mechanism 5 can be easily formed, and the quietness such as reduction of the load noise of the wheel is surely improved. In particular, since the air holes 6 of the resonator mechanism 5 are opened in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion 2, and particularly since the air holes 6 are arranged so as to communicate laterally at an intermediate portion of the internal cavity portion 7 extending in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion 2, an excellent quietness improvement effect can be obtained. Further, since the internal cavity portion 7 of the resonator mechanism 5 is formed to be relatively long in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion 2, an even more excellent quietness improvement effect can be obtained.

[0028] As the carbon fiber layer of the CFRP used for the reinforced CFRP member 3 and the CFRP connecting member 4, any of a unidirectional carbon fiber layer, a bidirectional carbon fiber layer, and a carbon fiber layer formed in a fabric can be used. Also, when laminating the carbon fiber layers, any lamination configuration can be adopted.

[0029] As the matrix resin of the CFRP, either a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin can be used. For example, as the thermoplastic resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, polybutylene terephthalate resin, polytrimethylene terephthalate resin, polyethylene naphthalate resin, other polyester resins, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, other polyolefin resins, polyoxymethylene resin, polyamide resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, polyketone resin, polyether ketone resin, polyether ether ketone resin, polyether ketone ketone resin, polyether nitrile resin, fluorine-based resins such as polytetrafluoroethylene, liquid crystal polymer, styrene-based resin, polycarbonate resin, polymethyl methacrylate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyphenylene ether resin, polyimide resin, polyamideimide resin, polyetherimide resin, polysulfone resin, polyether sulfone resin, polyarylate resin, phenoxy resin, copolymers and modified products thereof, and blends of two or more selected from these copolymers and modified products can be exemplified. As the thermosetting resin, epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, phenol resin, melamine resin, polyurethane resin, silicone resin, maleimide resin, vinyl ester resin, cyanate ester resin, and a resin obtained by prepolymerizing maleimide resin and cyanate ester resin can be exemplified.

Explanation of symbols

[0030] 1 Aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel 2 Aluminum wheel rim part 2a Outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim part 2b Well part of the wheel rim part 3 Reinforcing CFRP member 4 CFRP connecting member 5 Resonator mechanism 6 Communication hole as an air hole 7 Sub-chamber as an internal cavity part

Claims

1. An aluminum / CFRP hybrid wheel having an aluminum wheel rim portion and a reinforcing CFRP member disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion for reinforcing the wheel rim portion, wherein a resonator mechanism is formed by the reinforcing CFRP member.

2. The hybrid wheel according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing CFRP member extends in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion and in the width direction of the wheel rim portion on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion.

3. The hybrid wheel according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing CFRP member is divided into a plurality of members in the circumferential direction of the wheel rim portion.

4. The hybrid wheel according to claim 3, wherein all of the divided plurality of reinforcing CFRP members have the same shape.

5. The hybrid wheel according to claim 3, wherein adjacent reinforcing CFRP members are connected via a CFRP connecting member.

6. The hybrid wheel according to claim 5, wherein all of the CFRP connecting members have the same shape.

7. The hybrid wheel according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing CFRP member is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel rim portion with an adhesive.

8. The hybrid wheel according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing CFRP member has a carbon fiber layer at ±45 degrees.

9. The hybrid wheel according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing CFRP member extends to the well portion of the wheel rim portion in the width direction of the wheel rim portion.

10. The hybrid wheel according to claim 1, wherein the air holes of the resonator mechanism are opened in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion.

11. The hybrid wheel according to claim 1, wherein the internal cavity portion of the resonator mechanism is disposed at the central portion of the reinforcing CFRP member in a direction along the width direction of the wheel rim portion.

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