Vehicle Wheel Adsorbent Material Air Volume

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Solution Overview

Problem

Motor vehicle tires face a conflict in achieving low rolling resistance, high load capacity, good driving dynamics, and comfort, as improving one property often deteriorates another, particularly due to the relationship between air pressure and spring stiffness.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an adsorbent material, such as activated carbon, inside the wheel that adsorbs air molecules, effectively increasing the air volume without changing the tire's geometry or pressure, thereby reducing spring stiffness and enhancing comfort and load capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If air pressure in the tire is reduced to decrease spring stiffness and improve ride comfort, then ride comfort is improved, but load-bearing capacity and rolling resistance worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveride comfortVSAvoidload-bearing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an adsorbent material with porous structure inside the tire to adsorb air molecules. The porous material provides large internal surface area that can store significant amounts of air molecules, effectively increasing the air volume within the tire without changing the tire's external dimensions or pressure settings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the effective air volume parameter by introducing adsorbent material, which alters the relationship between air pressure and spring stiffness. By adsorbing air molecules, the material increases the effective air volume, allowing the system to achieve lower spring stiffness at the same air pressure, thus improving ride comfort without sacrificing load-bearing capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If air volume in the tire is increased to decrease spring stiffness and improve comfort, then ride comfort is improved, but the tire geometry and pressure would need to be changed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveride comfortVSAvoidtire geometry modification
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adsorbent material is nested inside the existing tire structure, utilizing the internal space of the tire cavity. This nested arrangement allows the system to achieve increased effective air volume without modifying the tire's external geometry, maintaining compatibility with existing wheel wells and vehicle dynamics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from changing the macroscopic geometric dimensions of the tire to changing the effective volume at the molecular level through adsorption. By utilizing the internal surface area of the adsorbent material, the system achieves volume expansion in a different dimension (molecular adsorption layer) rather than expanding the physical tire dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Volume of stationary object

If wheel width is increased to increase air volume, then air volume is increased, but rolling resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair volumeVSAvoidrolling resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The adsorbent material provides internal porosity that dramatically increases the effective air volume within the existing tire footprint. The porous structure with large internal surface area allows significant air storage capacity without increasing the external dimensions of the tire, thereby avoiding the increased rolling resistance associated with wider tires.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

4Volume of stationary object

If wheel circumference is increased to increase air volume, then air volume is increased, but space constraints prevent this

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair volumeVSAvoidspace constraints
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adsorbent material utilizes its porous structure to achieve volume expansion within the existing wheel circumference constraints. By adsorbing air molecules on its internal surfaces, the material effectively increases the air volume without requiring additional radial or lateral space that would be needed to increase wheel circumference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 approach improves driving comfort and load capacity by reducing spring stiffness and amplification factors while maintaining rolling resistance and dynamics, allowing for adjustable driving dynamics and increased tire load capacity without altering the tire's outer contour or air pressure.

Implementation Method 1

a material adsorbing molecules contained in the air is provided inside the wheel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP3749532B1Wheel for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 AUDI AG
  • EP3749532B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3749532B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3749532B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a wheel for a motor vehicle, comprising a rim (2) and a tire (4) mounted on the rim and filled with air, characterized in that a material (5) adsorbing molecules contained in the air is provided in the interior of the wheel (1).