Fiber Composite Rim and Metal Wheel Star Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing connections between fiber composite material rims and metal wheel spiders in vehicle wheels face issues with matrix flow under continuous load, high production costs due to expensive materials and complex manufacturing processes, and inefficiencies in force distribution, leading to increased production times and costs.
Innovation Solution
The connection utilizes threaded screws with bushings and collars made of glass fiber, distributed over the circumference of the rim well, with threaded inserts in blind holes, and a one-component adhesive for simplified assembly and reduced material usage, allowing for better force distribution and corrosion protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If threaded screws are screwed deep into the aluminum star (more than 16mm) to ensure connection strength, then the connection strength is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to larger connecting parts and expensive materials like V4a and titanium
Solution Approach 1:
A threaded insert is introduced as an intermediary component between the screw and the wheel spider. The insert is screwed into the blind hole of the wheel spider, and the threaded screw is then screwed into the insert. This intermediary component allows for a shorter screw-in depth while maintaining connection strength, as the insert provides a robust threaded interface that distributes the load more effectively than direct screw engagement with the aluminum star.
2Reliability
If expensive materials like V4a and titanium are used for corrosion protection, then the anti-corrosion effect is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive corrosion-resistant materials (V4a and titanium) with a more cost-effective solution: a coating or surface treatment applied to standard materials. The threaded insert and screw are made from materials that are then protected by a corrosion-resistant coating, achieving the same anti-corrosion effect as expensive materials but at a lower manufacturing cost. This principle of using cheaper base materials with protective coatings instead of inherently resistant expensive materials directly addresses the cost issue.
3Reliability
If multiple adhesives and complex manufacturing steps are used for connection, then the connection reliability is improved, but the production time and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the adhesive bonding step from the connection process. Instead of using multiple adhesives (two-component adhesive DP-760 and collar adhesive Staloc HP 955) to bond the socket and collar, the design relies on mechanically secured components: the threaded insert screwed into the wheel spider and the threaded screw screwed into the insert. This mechanical connection approach removes the need for adhesive application, mixing, and curing steps, significantly reducing production time while maintaining connection reliability through proper mechanical fastening.
4Manufacturing precision
If a robot system performs all manufacturing steps chronologically, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the productivity decreases due to heavy dependency on robot system number and design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection components into modular elements (threaded insert, threaded screw, bushing, collar/disc) that can be prepared and assembled in a more flexible sequence. The threaded insert is screwed into the wheel spider in one step, and the threaded screw is screwed into the insert in another step. This segmentation allows for better process parallelization and reduces the chronological dependency between steps, improving productivity while maintaining precision through the use of standardized threaded components that ensure accurate alignment and fit.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
According to the invention, a constructed vehicle wheel, comprising at least one wheel star (1) or wheel disc made of metal and a rim (2) made of fiber composite material, wherein the wheel star or wheel disc and the rim are connected to each other by means of threaded screws (3) by being inserted through bores (5) with a bushing (6) inserted therein, distributed over the circumference of a rim bed (4), and screwed into the wheel star or wheel disc, is characterized in that either the bushings have a collar (7) extending between a head (8) of each threaded screw and the rim bed, or a disc (11) is located between the head of each threaded screw and the rim bed, and that, for receiving the threaded screws in blind holes (9) of the wheel star or wheel disc, at least the blind holes are each provided with a threaded insert (10).