Composite Wheel Insert Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheels made of composite materials lack sufficient load capacity relative to their weight, which affects their performance and durability, especially under varying loads and conditions.
Innovation Solution
A wheel design featuring a composite material wheel center with embedded inserts, including front and rear pads spaced apart and reinforced with fibers, which are mechanically interconnected to enhance load transmission and distribution. The pads can have additional mechanical elements like bushings, filaments, or pins to secure the wheel to a vehicle hub, and are embedded in a matrix material for added strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If wheels are made of composite materials to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but load capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel center is constructed using composite material consisting of a matrix material reinforced with reinforcing fibers, providing both weight reduction and enhanced mechanical strength. This composite structure allows the wheel to maintain low weight while achieving sufficient load capacity through the synergistic combination of lightweight matrix material and high-strength fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcing fibers are strategically arranged in specific regions of the wheel center where load transmission is most critical. The fiber reinforcement is concentrated in the wheel center rather than uniformly distributed throughout the entire wheel, optimizing strength where needed while maintaining overall weight efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If single-piece composite wheel construction is used to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but load distribution is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is constructed as an assembly of separate components (rim and wheel center) that are manufactured independently and then joined together. The wheel center itself is constructed as a layered composite structure with alternating layers of matrix material and reinforcing fibers. This segmented approach allows for optimized manufacturing of each component while achieving superior load distribution through the layered composite architecture.
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
The invention is directed to wheel (1) comprising a rim (2) and a wheel center (3). The wheel center (3) comprises an insert (10) which at least comprises a front pad (11) and a rear pad (12) which are a distance apart with respect to each other and which are at least partially embedded in a composite material (6).