Spoke Wheel Nipple Assembly With Polymer Damping for Stiffness and Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle wheels face a trade-off between reactivity (stiffness) and comfort, with improvements in one often degrading the other, necessitating a solution that enhances both without compromising stiffness.
Innovation Solution
A nipple assembly for spoke wheels comprising a main body, nipple base, and vibration attenuation member made of different materials (metal and polymer) with specific tolerances and configurations to attenuate vibrations, improving comfort while maintaining reactivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the stiffness of the wheel increases to improve reactivity, then the reactivity increases, but the ability of the wheel to absorb road surface impact decreases and comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The nipple assembly is divided into three distinct segments: a metal nipple base for structural support, a polymer vibration attenuation member for shock absorption, and a metal main body for connectivity. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between stiffness and impact absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The nipple assembly uses composite materials by combining metal (for stiffness and strength) with polymer (for vibration attenuation and comfort). The metal components provide the necessary structural rigidity while the polymer insert absorbs vibrations, achieving both reactivity and comfort simultaneously.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the stiffness of the wheel decreases to improve the ability to absorb road surface impact, then comfort improves, but torque is consumed as wheel deformation energy and reactivity degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer vibration attenuation member acts as an intermediary element between the metal nipple base and the metal main body. It mediates the transmission of forces by absorbing vibrations while allowing torque transmission, preventing excessive deformation while maintaining comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter of the nipple assembly by introducing a polymer component with specific viscoelastic properties. This parameter change enables the assembly to exhibit both rigid behavior under torque loading and compliant behavior under impact loading.
3Strength
If high-stiffness carbon fiber material is used to improve reactivity, then reactivity and light weight are achieved, but comfort deteriorates due to accumulated fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful vibration and impact forces into beneficial damping effects by using the viscoelastic properties of the polymer material. The polymer absorbs and dissipates vibration energy that would otherwise accumulate as fatigue in the carbon fiber wheel structure.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If low-stiffness material with small stiffness is used to improve comfort, then fatigue accumulation is reduced, but weight increases and reactivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire wheel structure compliant, the invention applies the compliant polymer material only locally at the nipple assembly where it is most needed for vibration attenuation. This localized approach provides comfort benefits without significantly increasing overall wheel weight or reducing reactivity.
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 nipple assembly effectively attenuates fine vibrations, enhancing wheel comfort without reducing stiffness, thereby improving overall performance.
Implementation Method 1
the vibration attenuation member may be made of polymer
Data Source
AI summary
A nipple assembly for a spoke wheel according to the present disclosure is coupled to at least one end of a spoke provided on a spoke wheel and includes a main body including a nipple head, and a column portion having a smaller diameter than the nipple head and elongated from the nipple head toward one side, a nipple base having a first through-hole and fitted with the column portion through the first through-hole, and a vibration attenuation member having a second through-hole and positioned between the nipple head and the nipple base by being fitted with the column portion through the second through-hole.