Reinforced Disc Wheel Structure for Lightweight Motorcycle Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disc wheels for single-track motor vehicles face challenges in achieving a balance between stability and light weight, often resulting in high weight due to thick materials used for aerodynamic and aesthetic symmetry, while also requiring additional balancing weights.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a disc wheel with a V-shaped cavity and evenly distributed reinforcing ribs connecting the wheel disks, reducing thickness and weight, and allowing for integrated functional elements like sensors, with a manufacturing process that includes low-pressure chill casting and post-processing to achieve a closed surface and balanced construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If thick sheet metal or materials are used to ensure sufficient stability of the disc wheel, then the stability is improved, but the weight of the disc wheel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel disc is segmented by introducing reinforcing ribs that divide the disc into multiple sections. These ribs create a ribbed structure that provides structural stability while using less material than a solid thick disc, thereby reducing weight while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly thickening the entire wheel disc, reinforcing ribs are strategically placed in specific locations where structural support is most needed. This localized reinforcement provides stability where required while keeping other areas thin and lightweight.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the disc wheel is designed to be substantially symmetrical to provide identical aerodynamic properties on both sides, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the weight increases due to the need for additional material
Solution Approach 1:
The disc wheel features an asymmetrical design where the inner side (facing the vehicle) and outer side (visible side) have different structures. The visible outer side maintains a smooth closed surface for aerodynamics, while the inner side incorporates reinforcing ribs and cavities for structural strength and weight reduction.
3Weight of moving object
If the thickness of the wheel discs is reduced to save material and reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the stability of the disc wheel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel disc is segmented by introducing reinforcing ribs that divide the disc into multiple sections. These ribs create a ribbed structure that provides structural stability while using less material than a solid thick disc, thereby reducing weight while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel disc combines different material densities by incorporating lightweight filling materials into the cavities formed by the reinforcing ribs. This composite structure provides structural integrity with reduced weight compared to a solid uniform material construction.
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
This design significantly reduces the thickness and weight of the disc wheel, potentially by 0.5 mm, while maintaining stability and eliminating the need for additional balancing weights, and allows for the integration of functional elements like tire pressure sensors, enhancing aerodynamics and appearance.
Implementation Method 1
a) A blank of the disc wheel (1) is cast in a casting mold (2) with at least two slides (3) arranged around a rotation axis of the disc wheel to be produced, with a gap between any two immediately adjacent slides defining a reinforcing rib of the disc wheel to be produced
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a disk wheel (1) for a motor vehicle, in particular a single-track motor vehicle. The disk wheel (1) comprises: a wheel hub (10) for mounting the disk wheel (1) on the motor vehicle, which wheel hub is concentric to an axis of rotation (A) of the disk wheel (1); a wheel rim (30), which is likewise concentric thereto; and a first and a second wheel disk (21, 22). The first wheel disk (21) and the second wheel disk (22) each extend from the wheel rim (30) toward the wheel hub (10), are mutually spaced on the wheel hub (10) in a transverse direction which is parallel to the axis of rotation (A) of the disk wheel (1), and run toward each other as they approach the wheel hub (10). The disk wheel (1) also comprises at least two reinforcement ribs (40, 41), which extend from the first wheel disk (21) to the second wheel disk (22) and interconnect the first wheel disk and the second wheel disk. The reinforcement ribs (40, 41) are distributed evenly around the axis of rotation (A) of the disk wheel (1).