Spoke Wheel With Compression-Resistant Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spoked wheels with tensioned spokes face issues such as excessive flexibility, risk of rim buckling, uneven wheel diameter, and reduced lifespan due to high spoke tension, which compromises rigidity, resistance, and service life.
Innovation Solution
The spokes are designed to operate alternately in tension and compression with reduced initial tension, featuring bilateral connections at each end to handle both tensile and compressive forces without play, and a micrometric tensioning device to adjust tension, allowing the wheel to withstand compressive stresses without buckling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the spokes are tensioned tightly to increase wheel rigidity, then the wheel appears stiffer, but the rim becomes more susceptible to buckling under compressive force and the wheel diameter becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of spoke force direction from tension to compression. By designing spokes that work in compression rather than tension, the rim is no longer subjected to excessive compressive forces that cause buckling, while the wheel maintains rigidity through the compressive action of the spokes pushing the rim outward against radial loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by having spokes push outward in compression rather than pull inward in tension. This inversion allows the rim to maintain a more stable shape under load, preventing buckling while achieving the desired rigidity through the compressive force distribution.
2Reliability
If the spokes are tensioned to maximum tightness to prevent loosening during use, then the wheel maintains spoke tension, but the wheel becomes more flexible and the service life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the force mode parameter from tension to compression, which fundamentally alters the stress distribution and fatigue characteristics. Spokes working in compression experience different stress cycles that reduce fatigue damage accumulation, thereby extending service life while maintaining structural integrity through the compressive force system.
3Strength
If high spoke tension is applied to ensure wheel strength, then the wheel can support loads, but the geometric stability and uniformity of wheel diameter deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the spoke force parameter from tension to compression, the invention achieves a more uniform distribution of forces around the rim. This results in better geometric stability and more consistent wheel diameter, as the compressive forces push the rim outward evenly rather than creating localized tension zones that cause dimensional variation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a spoke wheel comprising a peripheral rim (17), a central hub (18) and individual connecting spokes (26, 27) between the rim and the hub, the spokes being taut. The wheel is characterised in that it comprises means for adjusting the tension of at least some of the spokes (26), and said spokes are taut with an initial tension Ti corresponding to a normal tension value Tn which is reduced by a value corresponding to a compression effort R that can be supported by each spoke (26). For a rear wheel, the spokes (26) supported the compression efforts are those arranged on the opposite free wheel side.