Assembled Wheel with Integrated Connecting Ring and T Nut
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automotive industry seeks to reduce wheel weight through innovative material combinations for rims and spoke disks while maintaining structural strength, as existing designs require numerous screws to manage shear forces during driving.
Innovation Solution
An assembled wheel design featuring a spoke disk, T nut, connecting ring, fixing ring, rim, brake drum, and spacers, where the T nut and first screw connect the spoke disk and rings, and the brake drum is circumferentially fixed in the fixing ring with grooves and a second screw, reducing the number of screws needed and optimizing braking performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple screws are used to fasten different materials (rim and spoke disk) to meet structural strength requirements, then the wheel can withstand shear forces during driving, but the weight of the wheel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fastening function from the screw connection system and transfers it to the integrated connecting structure between the rim and spoke disk. The connecting structure includes a connecting portion extending from the rim that directly engages with the spoke disk, eliminating the need for multiple fastening screws while maintaining structural strength under shear forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the rim and spoke disk into an integrated connecting structure where the connecting portion of the rim forms a unified load-bearing structure with the spoke disk. This integration allows the two different materials to work together as a single structural unit, distributing shear forces across the combined structure rather than relying on multiple discrete fasteners.
2Force
If traditional braking systems are used with standard brake drum positioning, then the wheel structure is simple, but the braking radius is limited and clamping force requirements are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the brake drum in the back cavity space of the wheel, utilizing the depth dimension of the wheel structure rather than only the radial dimension. The brake drum is arranged at the rear side of the rim, extending into the back cavity, which increases the effective braking radius without adding external complexity to the wheel's overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests the brake drum within the existing wheel structure, specifically positioning it in the back cavity space formed by the rim and spoke disk assembly. The brake drum is integrated into the wheel's internal geometry, utilizing the space already defined by the connecting structure, thereby avoiding additional external components and maintaining structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembled wheel includes a spoke, a T nut, a screw, a fixing ring, a rim, a brake drum. In use, the T nut is installed in the outermost T groove of the spoke; a second boss on a connecting ring fits with the groove on the back of the spoke; the spoke, the connecting ring and the fixing ring are connected together by the first screw; grooves on the outer side of the brake drum fit with a first boss in the right circumferential direction of the fixing ring; and the second screw axially fixes the brake drum in the fixing ring through a spacer.