Wheel Heat Shield Assembly with Wire-Stiffened Ridges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat shields for vehicle wheels, particularly aircraft, are prone to deformation and deflection under high temperature and stress conditions, leading to potential damage and wheel abrasion, especially with larger carbon disc brakes that generate more heat and have less space between discs and the wheel.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating thin, straight wires into the machined ridges of heat shield panels to create a stiff frame structure, which enhances the panels' stiffness and robustness without significantly increasing size or weight, using materials that can be welded into place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If heat shields are made of thin metal panels to minimize weight, then weight is reduced, but the panels become prone to deformation and deflection under high temperature and stress
Solution Approach 1:
The heat shield panel is segmented into multiple sections with ridges or channels dividing the panel surface. This segmentation creates a stiffened structure that resists deformation while using thin material, thus maintaining low weight. The ridges act as structural reinforcements without requiring thick panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat shield uses a composite structure combining thin metal panels with ridge formations. The ridges create a composite geometric structure that enhances stiffness and deformation resistance while the base panel remains thin to minimize weight. This composite approach allows the panel to achieve high stability-to-weight ratio.
2Stability of the object's composition
If heat shields are made robust to resist deformation, then deformation resistance is improved, but the heat shield size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The panel is divided into sections by ridges or channels that run across the surface. These ridges create a segmented structure that significantly increases rigidity and resistance to deformation. The segmentation allows the use of thin material while achieving robust structural performance, avoiding the need for heavy thick panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat shield structure is enhanced by adding ridges that extend in another dimension (across the panel surface). This dimensional addition creates a three-dimensional stiffened structure from a two-dimensional thin panel, increasing rigidity without proportionally increasing weight. The ridges add structural complexity in a dimension that efficiently resists deformation forces.
3Use of energy by moving object
If carbon disc brakes are used for greater energy absorption and lighter weight, then braking performance is improved, but the larger brake size reduces space between discs and wheel increasing heat shield stress
Solution Approach 1:
The heat shield panel is segmented into multiple sections with ridges dividing the surface. This segmentation creates a stiffened structure that can better withstand the increased thermal and mechanical stress from larger carbon disc brakes. The ridges prevent excessive deformation even when exposed to higher energy levels from the brakes.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat shield uses a composite geometric structure with ridges formed on thin panels. This composite structure provides enhanced stress resistance capability to handle the increased thermal and mechanical loads from carbon disc brakes, while maintaining the lightweight advantage of thin panel construction.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
In one aspect the invention relates to a heat shield assembly for a vehicle wheel, comprising a single tubular heat shield panel or a plurality of heat sectional panel sections (60) arranged to be connected to one another to form a tubular heat shield panel, the panel have an inner diameter surface and an outer diameter surface, the outer diameter surface arranged to be positioned, in use, adjacent to and spaced apart from an inner diameter surface (20) of a wheel, and wherein the panel or each panel section is provided with one or more ridges extending in the circumferential direction, and wherein one or more wires (80) is provided in one or more of the ridges. In a further aspect the invention relates to a wheel assembly comprising a heat shield assembly.