Hollow Thermoplastic Bicycle Wheel Bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle wheels face challenges in achieving a balance between lightweight and structural strength, particularly in the rim design, where conventional materials and manufacturing methods fail to optimize both inertia, smoothness, and wind resistance effectively.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle wheel with a hollow, annular wheel frame composed of modular, equally sized wheel bars made from thermoplastic prepreg, where each bar is laminated and formed to meet mechanical properties and dimensions, and connected using the bonding ability of the material or additional additives, along with a method involving preparing, laminating, and forming thermoplastic prepreg using modular molds and processing machines to achieve the desired rigidity and weight reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional materials and manufacturing methods are used for bicycle wheel rims, then structural strength can be maintained, but the wheel becomes heavier and less efficient for speed and wind resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining thermoplastic resin with fiber reinforcement (such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber) to create a wheel bar that achieves both lightweight properties and high structural strength. The fiber-reinforced composite structure allows the wheel to be lighter than conventional solid materials while maintaining or enhancing strength characteristics through the directional properties of the fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel bar is designed as a hollow structure with segmented walls containing multiple cavities. This segmentation reduces the overall weight of the wheel while the strategic placement of ribs and strengthening portions within the hollow structure maintains structural integrity. The modular hollow design allows material to be concentrated where strength is needed while minimizing weight in less critical areas.
2Speed
If the wheel rim is made lighter to improve speed and reduce wind resistance, then riding efficiency improves, but structural strength and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the thickness and reinforcement of different portions of the wheel bar. Specifically, the first strengthening portion and second strengthening portion are designed with different thicknesses and fiber orientations to address different functional requirements - one area may prioritize strength for load-bearing while another prioritizes aerodynamics for wind resistance, optimizing both speed and structural integrity locally throughout the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel bar employs curved and streamlined shapes, including hollow cavities and rounded transitions, to reduce wind resistance and improve aerodynamic efficiency. The curved rib structures and hollow portions are designed to minimize air turbulence and drag, allowing the wheel to cut through air more efficiently at higher speeds while the smooth transitions maintain structural continuity.
3Weight of moving object
If thermoplastic prepreg is used with modular lamination and forming, then lightweight and structural strength are achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-impregnating the fiber reinforcement with thermoplastic resin to create prepreg materials before the forming process. The prepreg is cut into specific shapes and sizes in advance, and the lamination sequence is predetermined with specific fiber orientations. This preliminary preparation allows for more controlled and efficient molding, reducing the complexity of the actual forming process while achieving the desired lightweight composite structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into the wheel bar structure itself - the hollow cavities serve both weight reduction and structural reinforcement purposes, the ribs provide both aesthetic design and structural rigidity, and the integrated strengthening portions eliminate the need for separate reinforcement components. This merging reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps and assembly operations required.
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 solution results in a bicycle wheel that achieves both lightweight and structural strength, enhancing the quality and practicality of the wheel by optimizing the balance between weight reduction and mechanical properties through the use of thermoplastic composite materials and advanced manufacturing techniques.
Implementation Method 1
each one of the two halves being made by laminating, heating and forming a thermoplastic prepreg
Implementation Method 2
laminating, heating and forming a thermoplastic prepreg
Data Source
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AI summary
A bicycle wheel (10) has a wheel frame (20). The wheel frame (20) is a hollow and annular frame and is composited by multiple equally sized wheel bars (21). Each one of the wheel bars (21) has two halves connected to each other to form the wheel bar (21), and each one of the two halves being made by laminating, heating and forming a thermoplastic prepreg. The equally sized wheel bars (21) are connected to each other to form the bicycle wheel (10).