Laced Wheel Integral Casting Spoke Interface Tolerance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laced wheels face manufacturing limitations and issues with uneven loosening of individual wire spoke connections over time, leading to variability and increased product variability and maintenance needs.

Innovation Solution

The hub and rim are cast integrally together with a temporary connecting arrangement, machined to create spoke interfaces, and then separated to allow for precise assembly of individual wire spokes, enabling better control of tolerances and tension adjustment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the hub and rim are manufactured separately and connected by wire spokes, then the wheel allows for tension adjustment and truing, but the individual wire spoke connections loosen unevenly over time and exhibit high product variability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespoke connection consistencyVSAvoidspoke interface tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hub and rim are cast integrally together as a single piece, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and subsequent assembly. This merging of components ensures perfect alignment and consistent spoke interfaces, resolving the variability and loosening issues associated with separately manufactured parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The temporary connecting arrangement (springs and pins) is extracted after casting to separate the hub and rim, allowing the benefits of integral casting (consistent interfaces) while still enabling the traditional wire spoke construction with tension adjustment capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If the hub and rim are cast integrally together, then manufacturing consistency and spoke interface precision are improved, but the ability to adjust spoke tension and true the wheel is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespoke interface toleranceVSAvoidspoke tension adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The temporary connecting arrangement acts as an intermediary during manufacturing, holding the hub and rim together as integral components for precise machining of spoke interfaces. After machining, this intermediary is removed, allowing the hub and rim to be separated while maintaining the precision of the spoke interfaces for consistent spoke assembly and tension adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional separate manufacturing methods are used, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but product variability increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing flexibilityVSAvoidspoke interface tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hub and rim are preliminarily connected with temporary springs and pins during casting to ensure perfect alignment and consistent spoke interfaces. This preliminary action of connecting the components before the final spoke assembly eliminates variability while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through a streamlined process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10752047B2Laced wheel and method of manufacture

Publication Date: 2020.08.25 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTOR CO INC

AI summary

A laced wheel manufactured from a one-piece casting, including both the hub portion and the rim portion. After casting and machining spoke interfaces, the hub and rim portions are separated and wire spokes are assembled.