Suspension Wheel Spoke Structure for Luggage Impact Absorption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Luggage wheels often struggle to absorb forces caused by impacts, leading to discomfort for users, potential damage to the luggage case, and a reduced lifespan due to jarring forces and rigidity over rough surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A luggage wheel design featuring a hub, outer rim, and spokes with a suspension portion that includes a C-shaped form, which resiliently deflects under impact loads to absorb forces, reducing the impact on the luggage case and extending its lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the wheel is made smaller and lighter to limit impact on luggage size and weight, then the overall size and weight of the luggage case are reduced, but the wheel struggles to roll over obstacles and rigidly imparts jarring forces to the luggage case
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is divided into multiple spokes that are independently suspended, allowing each spoke to deflect separately under impact loads. This segmentation enables the wheel to maintain overall structural integrity while absorbing shocks through individual spoke deformation, resolving the contradiction between lightweight design and shock absorption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spokes are designed with suspension portions that can dynamically deflect and return to their original position. This dynamic behavior allows the wheel to adapt to varying impact conditions, absorbing shocks when needed while maintaining rigidity during normal operation, thus resolving the contradiction between lightweight construction and durability.
2Length of moving object
If the wheel is made smaller to fit within compact luggage dimensions, then the luggage case size is reduced, but the wheel cannot easily roll over obstacles and transmits jarring forces to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension portions of the spokes provide dynamic deflection capability that compensates for the small wheel size. When encountering obstacles, the spokes can deflect to absorb impact energy, allowing the compact wheel to roll over obstacles more easily than a rigid wheel of the same size would, thus resolving the contradiction between compact dimensions and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spoke structure incorporates parameters that allow controlled deformation under load. By designing the suspension portions with specific geometric parameters and material properties, the wheel can temporarily change its effective stiffness to navigate obstacles, resolving the contradiction between small size and rolling capability.
3Strength
If rigid spokes are used to maintain wheel structural integrity, then the wheel strength is improved, but jarring forces are transmitted to the luggage case and user during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel structure is segmented into multiple independent spokes with suspension portions, allowing impact forces to be distributed across multiple elements. Each spoke can deflect independently to absorb energy, preventing the transmission of concentrated jarring forces to the luggage case while maintaining overall wheel strength through the distributed structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension portions of the spokes act as intermediary elements between the rigid hub/rim structure and the external impact forces. These intermediaries absorb and attenuate shock forces before they can be transmitted to the luggage case, resolving the contradiction between structural strength and harm reduction.
4Ease of operation
If larger wheels are used to improve obstacle rolling capability, then the wheel can easily roll over obstacles, but the overall luggage case size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic suspension capability of the spokes compensates for the small wheel diameter, enabling compact wheels to perform like larger wheels when encountering obstacles. The suspension portions provide the necessary compliance and shock absorption that would otherwise require larger wheel dimensions, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and obstacle rolling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the effective stiffness parameter of the spoke structure through the suspension portions, the wheel can achieve the obstacle-rolling performance of larger wheels while maintaining a compact overall size. The parameter changes in the spoke deflection characteristics allow small wheels to behave dynamically like larger wheels under impact conditions.
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 wheel design effectively absorbs impact forces, enhancing user comfort and reducing damage to the luggage case by allowing the suspension portion to deflect resiliently, thereby increasing the wheel's lifespan and maintaining consistent directionality during travel.
Implementation Method 1
the suspension portion at least partially resiliently deflects under an impact load to the wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel for a luggage case, including an hub rotatably coupled to the luggage case, an outer rim radially spaced a distance from the hub by a plurality of spokes, and a tread portion positioned around the outer rim for engaging a support surface. At least one of the spokes includes a suspension portion having a shape that is curved around and concave to the axis of rotation. The suspension portion resiliently deflects to absorb impact loads to the wheel.