Elastomeric Ferrule Spoke Fastening for Wheel Rim Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spoke fastening devices for vehicle wheels face challenges in forming a watertight seal and ease of installation/removal, often requiring specialized tools and materials that are not user-friendly or weight-efficient.
Innovation Solution
A spoke fastening device featuring a nipple with a stem and ferrule system, where the ferrule's inner and outer peripheral walls are curved and foldable, allowing for easy engagement and disengagement through spoke fastening holes, and a threaded hole for secure attachment, enabling users to easily install or disengage spokes without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If hub flanges or ferrules are made of deformable metal materials to engage with metal wheel rim, then the fastening strength is improved, but it becomes difficult to form a water tight seal structure between the metal components
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is made of elastomeric material (such as rubber) instead of metal, creating a composite structure where the elastomeric collar interfaces with the metal wheel rim to form a water-tight seal, while the metal ferrule provides structural strength. This material differentiation resolves the contradiction between fastening strength and sealability.
2Ease of manufacture
If couplers include a cylindrical shape, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the couplers cannot be engaged with or rotated by driving tools
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed with an asymmetric T-shaped cross-section instead of a symmetric cylindrical shape. This asymmetric geometry provides flat surfaces that can be engaged by driving tools for installation and removal, while still being manufacturable through standard forming processes for elastomeric materials.
3Strength
If eyelets are engaged into through holes by a pressing machine, then the anchoring strength is improved, but the spokes cannot be easily and quickly attached or coupled by users themselves
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed as a resilient, deformable elastomeric component that can be dynamically compressed during installation and then expands to lock in place. This dynamic behavior allows users to install the fastener by simple insertion and compression without requiring specialized pressing equipment, while still achieving strong anchoring.
4Ease of operation
If the collar outer diameter is smaller than the spoke fastening hole inner diameter, then the engagement through the hole is facilitated, but the collar may not be solidly secured to the wheel rim
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying solely on radial interference fit (one-dimensional engagement), the collar uses axial deformation and expansion in the depth dimension. The elastomeric material is compressed axially during installation, then expands radially and axially to lock into the spoke bed, creating a three-dimensional anchoring effect that provides both easy engagement and strong securing.
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 device provides a secure, watertight seal and allows users to easily attach or detach spokes from the wheel rim, reducing weight and eliminating the need for specialized tools, enhancing user convenience and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the anchoring portion is formed with resilient arm segments that are angularly spaced apart from each other and forcible radially and inwardly toward a central shank axis
Implementation Method 2
the head of the nipple being engageable with the lower portion of the inner peripheral wall for flaring and deforming the lower portions of the inner and the outer peripheral walls
Data Source
AI summary
A spoke fastening device includes a spoke fastening hole drilled through a spoke bed of a wheel rim for receiving a head and a stem of a nipple and a collar of a ferrule, the collar includes an inner peripheral wall and an outer peripheral wall each having a lower portion for engaging into the spoke fastening hole of the spoke bed, the inner peripheral wall includes an outwardly curved rim for engaging with the spoke bed of the wheel rim, and the outer peripheral wall of the collar includes another outwardly curved rim for engaging with the curved rim of the inner peripheral wall, the head of the nipple flares and deforms the lower portions of the peripheral walls to engage with the spoke bed of the wheel rim.