Vehicle Wheel Well Portion Curved Cross-Section Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle wheels with tall and narrow resonators experience significant rim deformation under lateral forces, leading to reduced steering stability due to stress concentration and deformation of the rim.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle wheel design featuring a sub-air chamber member as a Helmholtz resonator attached to the outer surface of a well portion with a first and second hump portion protruding radially outward, connected by a curved surface recessed inward, which mitigates stress concentration and reduces deformation by enhancing rim rigidity through a curved shape without straight portions, and further improved by using arcs with varying radii of curvature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a deep well portion is formed in the rim to accommodate a tall and narrow resonator, then the resonator can be mounted, but the rim deforms more under lateral force reducing steering stability
Solution Approach 1:
The well portion is designed with a curved cross-sectional shape instead of straight edges, featuring first and second hump portions that protrude radially outward and a curved surface connecting them. This curvature distributes stress more evenly under lateral forces, reducing rim deformation and improving steering stability while maintaining resonator mounting capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If straight portions are present in the well portion cross-section, then manufacturing is simpler, but stress concentration occurs reducing rim rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The well portion cross-section employs curved surfaces with controlled radii of curvature instead of straight lines. The first and second hump portions create a smooth, rounded profile that eliminates stress concentration points while remaining manufacturable through standard forming processes.
3Volume of moving object
If the curved surface has a short radius of curvature, then the well portion can be formed more deeply for taller resonators, but stress concentration increases at the curvy portion
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface connecting the hump portions is designed with a radius of curvature longer than half the distance between the hump portions. This controlled curvature achieves the necessary well depth for tall resonators while preventing excessive stress concentration by avoiding overly sharp curves.
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 design effectively reduces rim deformation and enhances steering stability by dispersing stress evenly, allowing for a deeper recessed shape for the resonator while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing weight increase.
Implementation Method 1
a vehicle wheel comprising a sub-air chamber member as a Helmholtz resonator attached to an outer circumferential surface of a well portion
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel width direction (Y) cross-section of a well portion (11A) includes a hump portion (H1) and a hump portion (H2) that protrude to the outside (Z1) in a wheel radial direction (Z), and a curved surface (11s) that connects hump portion (H1) and hump portion (H2) and is sunken to the inside (Z2) in the wheel radial direction (Z). The curved surface (11s) is formed as a series of circular arcs (11e, 11f, 11g) that have centers of curvature (O1, O2, O3) that are further to the outside (Z1) in the wheel radial direction (Z) than the curved surface (11s).