Wheel Disc Vent Hole Bridging for Lower Mass and Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheel discs made by flow forming or flow turning processes have uniform surfaces, leading to insufficient optimization of material usage and increased mass, which is undesirable for reducing the overall weight of the wheel disc.
Innovation Solution
A full face fabricated vehicle wheel disc with a transition portion subdivided into multiple segments, featuring varying thicknesses and vent hole regions with bridging portions that optimize material usage by reducing thickness in specific areas while maintaining structural integrity and rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If uniform thickness is used in the wheel disc, then structural rigidity is maintained, but material usage is not optimized and mass is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel disc employs varying thickness in different regions: the hub and transition portion maintain greater thickness for structural rigidity, while the outer disc portion uses reduced thickness to minimize mass. This local differentiation of material distribution optimizes the balance between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel disc is divided into distinct functional segments (hub, transition portion, outer disc portion) with different thickness characteristics. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently for its specific functional requirements.
2Weight of moving object
If material is removed to reduce mass, then weight is reduced, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Material removal is selectively applied only to the outer disc portion where reduced thickness suffices for structural requirements. Critical regions like the hub and transition portion retain full thickness to maintain structural integrity and load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The varying thickness profile is built into the wheel disc during the flow forming manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring subsequent material removal. This preliminary shaping optimizes mass from the outset while preserving integrity in critical zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A full face fabricated vehicle wheel having a wheel attached to a wheel disc. The wheel disc includes a hub located centrally within the wheel disc and defining a wheel axis. The wheel disc further includes an outer circumferential edge having an outboard bead seat retaining flange, and an annular transition portion radially extending between the hub and the outer circumferential edge. The transition portion includes a plurality of vent hole regions circumferentially spaced around the transition portion about the wheel axis. At least one vent hole region includes a vent hole formed through the transition portion and defining an outer perimeter such that at least two bridging portions extend inwardly from the perimeter which subdivides the vent hole into at least three smaller holes formed through the transition portion at the at least one vent hole region.