Plastic Wheel Hub Cover Structure for Lightweight Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheel hub assemblies are non-competitive in terms of weight and production costs due to the use of metallic materials and rubbery sealing elements, which result in heavier and more expensive components.
Innovation Solution
A wheel hub assembly featuring a plastic cover instead of a metallic one, with a cylindrical mounting portion and engaging edge design that provides a fluid-tight seal and reduces the amount of metallic material required, allowing for a lighter and more cost-effective solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metallic cover with rubbery sealing element is used, then sealing reliability is improved, but weight and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by replacing metallic material with plastic material for the cover, and replacing rubbery sealing elements with integrated plastic sealing structures. This parameter change maintains sealing functionality while significantly reducing weight and production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material design where the plastic cover integrates multiple functions (structural support, sealing, and mounting) into a single component. The cover includes integrated sealing ribs and mounting portions that combine structural and sealing functions, eliminating the need for separate metallic cover and rubber seal components.
2Reliability
If a metallic cover with rubbery sealing element is used, then sealing reliability is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components into a single integrated plastic cover. The sealing ribs, mounting portions, and cover body are formed as one piece through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate metallic cover and rubber seal components. This integration reduces assembly steps and production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach by using plastic injection molding to create the cover, which can be produced more cost-effectively than machining metallic covers and assembling rubber seals. The integrated design allows for high-volume production with consistent quality.
3Weight of moving object
If a plastic cover is used, then weight and production cost are reduced, but sealing capability must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by incorporating sealing ribs at specific locations on the plastic cover where sealing is required. The cover includes annular sealing ribs that engage with corresponding features on the upright, providing localized sealing zones that maintain fluid-tight sealing despite the use of lighter plastic material.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic cover is designed with integrated sealing structures that combine structural support and sealing functions. The sealing ribs are formed as integral parts of the plastic cover, creating a composite structure that provides both mechanical strength and fluid-tight sealing capability.
4Strength
If metallic materials are used for the cover, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, selecting engineering plastics with sufficient strength-to-weight ratio. The plastic cover is designed with optimized wall thickness and integrated mounting portions that provide adequate structural strength while maintaining significantly lower weight compared to metallic alternatives.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic cover is designed as a composite structure that integrates mounting portions, sealing ribs, and cover body into a single component. This integrated design optimizes material distribution to provide necessary structural strength at critical locations while minimizing overall weight.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel hub assembly for mounting on an upright of a vehicle has a flanged outer ring provided with a tubular mounting portion inserted over a first axial length (L1) inside a seat of the upright; and a plastic cover having a mounting portion which is also engaged inside the tubular portion, wherein the mounting portion extends outside the tubular portion over a second axial length (L2) which, together with the first axial length (L1), covers less than a mounting length (L) inside the seat.