Plastic Centering Ring with Latching Arm for Wheel Spacer Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel spacer systems are inflexible and require multiple parts to accommodate different vehicles and wheel rims, leading to increased complexity and cost, while existing solutions fail to efficiently compensate for tolerances in wheel and rim dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A wheel spacer system comprising a plastic centering ring with a resilient arm and a metal wheel spacer disc, where the centering ring is designed to be inexpensive and adaptable, with features like a conical rim centering section and latching devices, allowing for easy mounting and compensation of tolerances, and a color coding system for differentiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the centering ring is made of metal to ensure durability, then strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centering ring is made from plastic injection molding, specifically fiber-reinforced plastic, creating a inexpensive component that fulfills its centering function during mounting and removal without needing to withstand driving forces. This allows the centering ring to be produced very inexpensively in a wide variety of dimensions for different vehicles and rims.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a separate centering ring is provided for each vehicle and rim combination, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel spacer system is divided into separate functional components: a wheel spacer disc that fits the wheel bolts and a centering ring that centers on the rim. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the centering ring can be produced in different dimensions for different rims while the wheel spacer disc remains relatively standardized.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel spacer disc serves multiple functions: it provides the mounting surface for wheel bolts, accepts different centering rings for various rim sizes, and maintains the spacing function. This multi-functionality reduces the need for completely different spacer designs for different applications.
3Ease of manufacture
If the rim centering section is cylindrical, then manufacturing is simplified, but tolerance compensation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rim centering section is designed with a conical shape instead of a cylindrical one. This conical geometry provides tolerance compensation for variations in the center bore dimensions of different rims, ensuring proper centering while maintaining ease of manufacturing through injection molding.
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
The system allows for flexible adaptation to various vehicles and rims with reduced parts, ensuring precise alignment and easy mounting, while the plastic centering ring's design keeps production costs low and tolerances compensated, enhancing usability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the centering ring has at least one first latching device arranged at the free end of a resilient arm
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wheel spacer system for motor vehicles having at least one wheel spacer disc (10) and a centering ring (12) inserted in a center opening of the wheel spacer disc (10), wherein the centering ring (12) has a centering section (40) which protrudes beyond a front side of the wheel spacer disc (10) and is intended to be inserted into a center opening of a rim, wherein the centering ring (12) is made of plastic and has at least one first detent apparatus arranged on the free end of a spring-loaded arm (32), wherein the wheel spacer disc (10) has a matching second detent apparatus, wherein the first detent apparatus is designed as a detent lug (34) protruding outward in the radial direction and wherein the second detent apparatus is designed by means of a circumferential recess around the center opening, a circumferential bevel around the center opening or a circumferential groove (36) around the center opening.