Wheel Cover Composite Fastening Structure for Compact Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheel covers with fastening parts on the inner side cause increased volume when stacked, leading to higher storage and transportation costs due to the space required for the fastening parts, and the manufacturing process is costly with a risk of missing parts during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A wheel cover with composite fastening components consisting of a holding base member and a fastening piece, where the fastening pieces are formed on the inner side of the wheel cover's annular portion and can be joined to the holding base members without separate molds, reducing manufacturing costs and eliminating the risk of lost parts during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fastening parts are integrated into the wheel cover body, then the wheel cover can be securely fixed to the wheel, but the volume of the wheel cover increases when stacked
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening component is divided into two separate parts: a holding base member that remains integrated with the wheel cover body, and a fastening piece that can be detached. This segmentation allows the fastening function to be maintained while reducing the overall volume when stacked, as the fastening pieces can be removed or collapsed flat against the wheel cover body.
2Volume of moving object
If separate securing elements are used to reduce stacked volume, then storage and transportation cost decreases, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional molds and assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The holding base member and fastening piece are designed to be formed as an integrated unit through a single molding process. The holding base member includes built-in holding trenches and positioning structures that accommodate the fastening pieces, eliminating the need for separate molds and complex assembly operations while still achieving compact stacking when the fastening pieces are in the not-in-use position.
3Volume of moving object
If separate securing elements are used, then stacked volume is reduced, but the risk of missing parts during packaging and shipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holding base member and fastening piece are designed as an integrated molded unit where the fastening pieces are permanently attached to the holding base member through the single molding process. This integration ensures that all fastening components remain together during packaging and shipment, eliminating the risk of missing parts while still achieving compact stacking when the fastening pieces are positioned in the not-in-use position.
4Reliability
If conventional fastening parts are used, then the wheel cover can be securely fixed to the wheel, but storage and transportation cost increases due to larger pile volume
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into a holding base member with integrated holding trenches and a separate fastening piece that can pivot between in-use and not-in-use positions. When not in use, the fastening piece lies flat against the wheel cover body, allowing multiple wheel covers to be stacked closely together, thereby reducing the volume of the pile and the associated storage and transportation costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel cover includes a raised main body, and several composite fastening components to be joined to an iron ring of a wheel; the wheel cover main body has an annular portion on an inner side, and several hollow portions; each fastening component includes a holding base member, and a fastening piece; the holding base members are formed on the annular portion of the inner side of the raised body; the fastening piece are each formed on one of inner sides of peripheries of the hollow portions; each of the fastening pieces is joined to the raised main body at a connecting portion; in assembly, the fastening pieces are removed from the raised main body, and joined to the holding base members to constitute the fastening components; therefore, when several not-assembled wheel covers are stacked up, the fastening pieces won't cause increase to the volume of the pile.