Vehicle Wheel Rim C-Shaped Pocket Radial Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle wheel rims fail to effectively prevent radial deflection of tires due to insufficient radial stiffness, leading to potential tire slippage and instability during vehicle operation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle wheel rim design featuring a C-shaped pocket formed by radially encircling walls at a predefinable angle between the wheel rim flange and well, with an inner wheel rim flange configured to absorb forces and provide secure tire seating, reducing weight while enhancing stability and preventing radial lifting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If radial encircling walls are added to prevent radial deflection, then radial stiffness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the wheel rim flange and wheel rim well into a unified C-shaped pocket structure. The flange and well are no longer separate components but form an integrated geometry that provides radial stiffness while maintaining manufacturing simplicity. This combining eliminates the need for additional radial encircling walls as separate elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The C-shaped pocket employs curved surfaces and rounded transitions between the flange and well, replacing sharp angular junctions. This curvature distributes stress more effectively and enhances radial stiffness while maintaining aesthetic continuity and reducing stress concentration points that would require additional structural reinforcement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If wheel rim flange angle is optimized for tire seating, then tire seating stability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies an optimized angle range of 45° to 135° for the wheel rim flange relative to the wheel rim well. This parameter optimization ensures that within this angular range, the tire achieves stable seating through the C-shaped pocket geometry. The broader acceptable range compared to traditional designs reduces the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining seating stability.
3Weight of moving object
If C-shaped pocket geometry is implemented, then weight is reduced, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The C-shaped pocket structure utilizes a thin-walled geometry that eliminates the need for heavy material sections. The flange and well are formed with optimized wall thickness that provides sufficient structural strength while minimizing weight. The curved C-shape acts as a load-bearing shell structure that maintains strength-to-weight ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved surfaces and rounded corners of the C-shaped pocket distribute mechanical loads more evenly throughout the structure, preventing stress concentration at sharp edges. This curvature allows the use of thinner materials while maintaining structural integrity under radial and lateral loads from the tire.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle wheel rim for use on a motor vehicle, having a wheel rim well (1, 29), having an inner wheel rim flange (7, 30) and having an outer wheel rim flange, wherein the wheel rim well (1, 29) is delimited at its axial end regions by in each case one of the wheel rim flanges (7, 30), wherein the wheel rim flanges (7, 30) are formed by a radially encircling wall, said walls extending in each case at a predefinable angle (5, 27) with respect to the wheel rim well (1, 29).