Fibre-Reinforced Plastic Wheel Cover Liquid-Tight Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motor vehicle wheels with indentations or ribs on the front side are prone to dirt and water accumulation, leading to imbalance, noise, and potential cracking due to freezing water, as existing wheel covers do not effectively prevent liquid ingress and drainage.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle wheel design where the wheel cover is materially connected to the wheel body via a continuous, liquid-tight connecting strip that surrounds the open ends of the indentations, ensuring all dirt and liquids are prevented from entering the depressions, and the wheel cover is welded or glued to the wheel body for a strong, rigid connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the wheel body is provided with indentations or ribs on the front side for weight reduction and rigidity enhancement, then the wheel weight is reduced and rigidity is increased, but dirt and water accumulate in the indentations leading to imbalance, noise, and potential cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful accumulation of dirt and water is extracted from the system by providing drainage channels that lead from the indentations to the outer peripheral area of the wheel body, allowing contaminants to be removed from the wheel structure during operation
Solution Approach 2:
A wheel cover made of flexible or semi-flexible material is provided that can be elastically deformed during wheel rotation and flexing, allowing the cover to conform to the wheel body surface while maintaining sealing effectiveness and preventing dirt accumulation
2Shape
If a wheel cover is provided to cover the indentations for aesthetic reasons, then the appearance is improved, but the wheel cover prevents easy removal and drainage of dirt is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel cover is designed as a separate, removable component that can be easily detached from the wheel body, allowing for simple maintenance and drainage operations while maintaining aesthetic appearance during normal use
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel cover acts as an intermediary element that can be selectively positioned - covering the indentations for aesthetic purposes during normal operation, and removable when drainage or maintenance is required
3Strength
If water freezes in the depressions at low temperatures, then the wheel structure is strengthened, but cracks can develop in the plastic wheel center
Solution Approach 1:
Water is extracted from the indentations through drainage channels before it can freeze and cause damage, eliminating the source of potential cracking while allowing the wheel structure to maintain its strength
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage channels provide preliminary action by removing water from the indentations before freezing conditions occur, preventing the harmful effects of ice formation before they can manifest
4Strength
If the wheel cover and wheel body are materially connected for strong bonding, then the connection strength is increased, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel cover and wheel body are merged into a single integrated component through material connection methods such as welding or adhesive bonding, creating a strong unified structure while using established manufacturing techniques to minimize process complexity
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 design prevents dirt and liquid accumulation, reduces noise, maintains wheel balance, and enhances the rigidity of the wheel by ensuring the wheel cover and body are securely bonded, reducing the risk of cracking and improving the wheel's structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the wheel cover and wheel body are materially connected to one another, in particular by welding or gluing
Implementation Method 2
the wheel cover and wheel body are materially connected to one another, in particular by welding or gluing
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle wheel having a wheel body (10) which has a central hub region (16), a wheel-rim band (14) which runs around the wheel circumference and which forms a radially outer wheel-rim well, and an intermediate region (18) situated between the hub region (16) and wheel-rim band (14), wherein a wheel cap (82) is attached to the wheel body front side, said wheel body (10) is substantially in the form of a unipartite, fibre-reinforced plastic part, and the intermediate region has, on the wheel body front side, a multiplicity of depressions (49) extending into the intermediate region, which depressions are open at the first end thereof facing toward the wheel body front side and are closed at the second end thereof facing toward the wheel body rear side and are covered by the wheel cap (82); in order that neither water nor other dirt can collect in said depressions (49), the wheel cap (82) is cohesively connected to the wheel body front side along at least one continuous and liquid-tight connecting strip (46) such that, as viewed in the direction of the wheel axis, the at least one connecting strip (46) delimits at least one first zone of the wheel body front side within which all open first ends of the depressions (49) are arranged, such that the wheel cap (82) closes off all open ends of the depressions (49) in liquid-tight fashion.