Vehicle Wheel Spoke Curvature for Bending Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle wheels lack sufficient bending rigidity and durability, particularly in the radial direction, due to the absence of effective structural features that can withstand transverse loads and prevent deformation.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle wheel design incorporates a disk press-formed from a plate with radially outwardly extending spokes featuring a waved portion that decreases bending rigidity by reducing the height of the spoke side walls, along with a radially outer disk connecting the spokes and a vent window, enhancing durability and rigidity through strategically positioned spoke side walls and reinforcing walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the spoke side walls are made tall to increase bending rigidity, then the radial strength improves, but the manufacturing complexity and stress concentration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spoke side walls are designed with a curved configuration instead of straight lines, creating an arch-like structure that naturally resists bending loads more efficiently. This curvature allows the spoke to achieve higher bending rigidity with reduced material and simpler manufacturing, as the curved shape distributes stresses more favorably throughout the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The spoke structure incorporates localized thickening or reinforcement at specific positions along the spoke side walls, rather than uniformly increasing thickness throughout. This allows bending rigidity to be enhanced precisely where stresses are highest, while maintaining simpler geometry and reducing overall manufacturing complexity in less critical areas.
2Area of stationary object
If the vent window is made large to improve aesthetics and ventilation, then the visual appeal increases, but the structural rigidity and fatigue resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The vent window is divided into multiple separate openings or panes rather than a single large continuous area. This segmentation maintains the aesthetic appeal and ventilation function of a large vent window while introducing structural breaks that prevent stress concentration and improve overall rigidity. The divided structure also reduces the risk of fatigue failure by distributing loads across multiple smaller sections.
3Strength
If the spoke height is increased to enhance rigidity, then the radial strength improves, but the manufacturing difficulty and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curved configuration of the spoke side walls creates a more efficient structural form that achieves high radial strength with less material and reduced height compared to straight-sided spokes. The curvature naturally distributes loads more effectively, allowing the spoke to maintain strength while being easier to manufacture and lighter in weight.
Data Source
AI summary
The technology provides vehicle wheels that can include a hub coupling portion and a spoke. The spoke can have a waved portion at a portion of the spoke in the radial direction of the wheel and can be decreased in section modulus at a cross section of the portion of the spoke taken along a plane perpendicular to the radial direction of the wheel. The waved portion can be formed by displacing the spoke bottom wall and/or the spoke reinforcing walls in the axial direction of the wheel.