Fiber Composite Rim Base With Integrated Flange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing vehicle wheels with fiber composite materials are complex and limit modular design, making them costly and inaccessible to the average consumer due to the need for specialized knowledge and equipment, and existing solutions do not allow for a detachable connection between the rim and wheel disc, restricting customization and usability.
Innovation Solution
A rim base made entirely of fiber composite material with an integrated flange for attaching a wheel disc or spider, featuring a multi-layered construction with continuous fibers that provide a high-strength connection and allow for customization, enabling a modular design by using a mold with a circumferential or segmented radial groove for fiber deposition and subsequent consolidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If fiber-reinforced composite materials are used for vehicle wheels, then weight is reduced and mechanical properties are improved, but production complexity increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is divided into separate modular components: a rim made of fiber-reinforced composite material and a wheel disc that can be attached separately. This segmentation allows the complex composite rim to be produced independently using optimized processes, while the wheel disc can be manufactured separately and attached later, reducing overall production complexity and enabling customization.
Solution Approach 2:
The rim is pre-formed with an integrated flange structure that includes attachment surfaces and connection elements during the composite manufacturing process. This preliminary action prepares the rim for subsequent modular assembly, eliminating the need for complex post-production operations and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
2Weight of moving object
If fiber-reinforced composite materials are used for vehicle wheels, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases due to specialized equipment and knowledge requirements
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the wheel into a composite rim and a separate wheel disc, the complex composite manufacturing is confined to only the rim portion. The wheel disc can be produced using conventional, lower-cost processes, and the two parts are joined through standardized attachment mechanisms, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated flange structure on the rim serves multiple functions: it provides structural connection between the rim and wheel disc, enables modular assembly/disassembly, and allows for customization of different wheel disc options. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components and processes.
3Strength
If existing connection methods are used between rim and wheel disc, then structural integrity is maintained, but modular design and customization are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is segmented into a rim with an integrated flange and a separate wheel disc, connected through defined attachment interfaces. This segmentation enables the wheel disc to be detached and replaced with different options while maintaining structural integrity through the flange connection, thus achieving both strength and modularity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the rim and wheel disc is designed to be dynamically configurable rather than permanently fixed. The integrated flange provides attachment surfaces that allow the wheel disc to be securely connected when needed and easily detached when customization or replacement is required, enabling adaptive wheel configurations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7B
AI summary
The invention relates to a rim base (15) that has an integrated flange (14) and is made of fiber composite as well as to a method for the production thereof. According to the invention, the flange is formed by inward-oriented protuberances of layers of fibers (9a) of the rim base, said layers of fibers extending without interruption from the rim base to the flange. The rim base is produced by placing fiber material on a mold (4) which corresponds to the contour of the rim base and which includes a radially continuous or segmented groove (10a). The fibers are placed such that the fibers of at least one layer of fibers have protuberances that point into the groove. Preferably, a multipart mold is used which allows the width of the groove to be reduced and thus the protuberances to be shaped.