Hubless Wheel Design for Two-Wheeled Vehicle Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing two-wheeled motor vehicles with hub wheels are heavy and lack optimal suspension and damping, affecting driving comfort and road holding, especially in compact and foldable designs required for urban use.
Innovation Solution
A hubless wheel design featuring a torsionally elastic spring element on the wheel bearing rim, with adjustable damping and suspension, and a ring-shaped wheel bearing ring for conventional steering, along with a ring-shaped drive element on the rim for efficient power transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If hub wheels are used in two-wheeled motor vehicles, then structural stability is maintained, but vehicle weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional wheel hub from the vehicle structure, extracting only the essential functions needed. The hubless wheel design eliminates unnecessary structural components while maintaining wheel functionality through direct mounting of brake discs and drive elements to the rim, significantly reducing overall vehicle weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel system is segmented into independent functional elements: the rim serves as the primary structural component, brake discs are mounted directly to the rim, and drive elements are attached separately. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and reduces the need for heavy integrating structures like traditional hubs.
2Reliability
If traditional suspension systems are used, then wheel support is provided, but driving comfort and road holding are compromised due to high unsprung masses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the suspension function from traditional heavy shock absorber assemblies and relocates pivot points for wheel suspension close to the contact point of the wheel on the roadway. This extraction dramatically reduces unsprung mass while maintaining suspension functionality, improving both road holding and driving comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension system is designed with pivot points positioned locally at or near the wheel contact point with the roadway. This local positioning of suspension pivots minimizes the moment arm and reduces unsprung mass, creating optimal local conditions for both road holding and comfort without requiring heavy centralized suspension components.
3Weight of moving object
If hubless wheel construction is implemented, then weight is reduced, but steering mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hubless wheel design incorporates multiple functions into the rim structure itself: the rim serves as both the wheel structure and the mounting surface for brake discs and drive elements. The steering mechanism uses universal joint elements that accommodate both steering and suspension functions, reducing overall system complexity despite the absence of a traditional hub.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a ring-shaped wheel bearing ring as an intermediary component that facilitates conventional steering in hubless wheels. This intermediary element enables steering movements to occur in the conventional manner, bridging the gap between hubless construction and traditional steering mechanisms without significantly increasing complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If compact foldable vehicle design is pursued, then urban mobility is improved, but structural strength and stability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is divided into modular segments that can be independently folded or collapsed. The chassis, wheel carriers, and cockpit structure are designed as separate units that can be reconfigured, allowing the vehicle to fold into a compact form while maintaining structural integrity through precise joint design and material selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the chassis, wheel carriers, and other structural components. These composite materials provide high strength-to-weight ratios, enabling the vehicle to achieve both compact foldability and adequate structural strength. The composite structures can be designed to flex during folding while maintaining rigidity during operation.
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 hubless design significantly reduces weight, enhances driving comfort and road holding, and allows for a more compact and foldable vehicle structure, particularly suitable for electric drive systems.
Implementation Method 1
a torsionally elastic spring element (27, 28) is arranged on the wheel bearing rim (20, 22) via a fastening flange (25, 26)
Implementation Method 2
the spring element or spring elements (27, 28) can be arranged braced in the element housing (29, 30) by means of a substantially rod-shaped spring core element (31)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a motor-driven vehicle, in particular a two-wheeled vehicle, comprising: a chassis (2); a central unit (3), comprising a drive unit (4, 23) and a seat support (6); a cockpit assembly (8) having a steering device (9, 19) and an operating unit; and a front (13) and/or rear wheel (12) guided on a rear wheel carrier (10) and/or on a front wheel carrier (11), wherein the wheel carriers (10, 11) have an annular wheel bearing ring, which rotatably supports the wheel (12, 13) together with a corresponding annular wheel bearing ring that can be fastened to the wheel rim, by means of a rolling-element bearing.