Composite Wheel Disc Structure for Lower Weight and Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle wheels face challenges in reducing weight while maintaining mechanical strength, particularly due to the significant gyroscopic effect and weight-related performance issues with traditional materials like aluminium, which are difficult to compress and have a large diameter.
Innovation Solution
A wheel disc is formed using a multidirectional stack of one-directional fibre bundles, where the fibres are disposed in the direction of the spokes to maximize traction properties, creating a structure with high mechanical resistance and reduced weight by leveraging the anisotropy of composite materials, with the central zone being more isotropic and heavier to resist varied forces, and the peripheral zone being lighter to manage traction forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional aluminium materials are used for wheel discs, then mechanical strength is maintained, but weight is excessive causing significant gyroscopic effect and performance damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials consisting of multiple fibre bundles (carbon, glass, or aramid fibres) embedded in a polymer matrix to replace traditional aluminium wheel discs. This composite construction achieves both weight reduction and maintained mechanical strength through the high strength-to-weight ratio of fibre composites, directly resolving the contradiction between reducing wheel weight and maintaining mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by orienting fibre bundles in specific directions within the wheel disc structure. The fibres are arranged to follow the stress distribution patterns, with different orientations in different zones of the wheel disc. This localized fibre orientation optimizes mechanical properties in each region while minimizing overall weight, addressing the contradiction between strength requirements and weight reduction.
2Strength
If fibre bundles are oriented in spoke direction to maximize traction, then mechanical resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wheel disc into multiple discrete fibre bundles rather than using a monolithic structure. Each fibre bundle can be independently manufactured and then assembled into the final wheel disc. This segmentation allows for optimized fibre orientation in each bundle (aligned with spoke directions for maximum traction resistance) while simplifying the overall manufacturing process through modular assembly, thus resolving the contradiction between mechanical resistance and manufacturing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a wheel that is both lightweight and mechanically resistant, with reduced maintenance requirements and fewer parts, achieving mechanical performance equivalent to aluminium solutions at a lower weight, optimized for different mechanical forces across the wheel's zones.
Implementation Method 1
leveraging the anisotropy of composite materials, with the central zone being more isotropic and heavier to resist varied forces, and the peripheral zone being lighter to manage traction forces
Data Source
AI summary
One or more embodiments relate to a device configured to form at least partially at least one disc of a wheel having a rim and a hub support defining an axis of rotation, wherein the device has at least: one central zone; one peripheral zone partially surrounding the central zone; one first portion having at least one first layer and extending into the peripheral zone and into the central zone along a first axis; one second portion having at least one second layer and extending into the peripheral zone and into the central zone along a second axis different from the first axis; and in that the first portion and the second portion are superposed relative to one another at the level of the central zone defining a stack.