Reinforcing structure of carbon fiber rim

Abstract

A reinforcing structure of a carbon fiber rim is provided. A rim body is made from a carbon fiber material. The rim body includes an external diameter edge to be assembled with a tire, an inner diameter edge to be assembled to a hub via spokes, and two side sections between the outer diameter edge and the inner diameter edge. Metal reinforcing sheets are respectively disposed on the spoke assembling positions of the inner diameter edge and wrapped by the carbon fiber material, and each reinforcing sheet has two opening edges and a middle ring section connecting the two opening edges. The middle ring section is disposed with a reinforcing part corresponding to the inner diameter edge of the rim body and two reinforcing edge parts corresponding to two side edge sections.

Claims

1. A reinforced carbon fiber rim, comprising: a rim body made from a carbon fiber material, the rim body having an external diameter edge for receiving a tire, an inner diameter edge for assembly to a hub via a plurality of spokes, and two side sections disposed between the outer diameter edge and the inner diameter edge, the inner diameter edge having a plurality of spoke assembling portions spaced one from another; and a plurality of metal reinforcing sheets respectively disposed at the plurality of spoke assembling portions, each of the plurality of metal reinforcing sheets being wrapped by the carbon fiber material of the rim body and having two opening edges and a middle ring section connecting the two opening edges along a radial direction of the rim body, a thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet decreases continuously from the middle ring section to a respective end of each of the two opening edges, the middle ring section of each metal reinforcing sheet includes a reinforcing part disposed in correspondence with the inner diameter edge of the rim body and includes two reinforcing edge parts, each reinforcing edge part extending through a respective one of the two side edge sections of the rim body, the reinforcing part of each of the plurality of metal reinforcing sheets having a through hole formed therein for receiving a corresponding one of the plurality of spokes therein, the reinforcing edge parts are formed at two sides of the reinforcing part, and the thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet decreases continuously from the reinforcing part to a respective end of each of the two reinforcing edge parts.

2. The reinforcing structure of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a minimum thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet at the end of the reinforcing edge parts to a maximum thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet at the reinforcing part is from 1:3 to 1:6.

3. The reinforcing structure of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal reinforcing sheets are formed of one of an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy, or an aluminum-magnesium alloy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of this invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a radial cross-sectional view of this invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the middle ring section of this invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view showing the reinforcing structure of this invention combined with a rim body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) First, please refer to FIGS. 1-3. The reinforcing structure of the carbon fiber rim comprises a rim body 1 and multiple metal reinforcing sheets 2.

(6) The rim body 1 is made from carbon fiber. The rim body 1 comprises an external diameter edge 11 to be assembled with a tire, an inner diameter edge 12 to be assembled to a hub via spokes, and side edge sections 13 between the outer diameter edge 11 and the inner diameter edge 12.

(7) The metal reinforcing sheets 2 are each wrapped by the carbon fiber of the rim body 1 and located at respective spoke assembling positions on the inner diameter edge 12 of the rim body 1. Corresponding to the radial direction of the rim body 1, the metal reinforcing sheets 2 have two opening edges 21 and a middle ring section 22 connecting the two opening edges 21. A thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet is decreased from the middle ring section 22 to the opening edges 21. The middle ring section 22 of each metal reinforcing sheet 2 is disposed with a reinforcing part 221 corresponding to the inner diameter edge 12 of the rim body 1 and two reinforcing edge parts 223 corresponding to the two side edge sections 13 of the rim body 1. The reinforcing part 221 has a through hole 222 to be assembled with a spoke. The reinforcing edge parts 223 are formed at two sides of the reinforcing part 221. A thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet is increased from the reinforcing edge parts 223 to the reinforcing part 221.

(8) As shown in FIGS. 1-3, when the carbon fiber rim is manufactured, the rim body 1 is mainly made from carbon fiber cloth. Each side surface needs at least 6 to 8 sheets of carbon fiber cloth to be alternatingly connected. In the manufacturing process, the metal reinforcing sheets 2 are placed in molds at the spoke assembling positions. The metal reinforcing sheets 2 may be made of an aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or aluminum-magnesium alloy. The number of the metal reinforcing sheets 2 depends on the number of spokes. In FIG. 4, the 24 spokes correspond with the 24 metal reinforcing sheets 2.

(9) When the metal reinforcing sheets 2 are placed in the mold, the carbon fiber cloth is attached from inside to outside. The carbon fiber cloth is attached on the middle ring section 22 toward the opening edges 21, and compressed gradually, so that the inside and outside carbon fiber cloth can be tightly sealed and integrated as one. At the time of attaching the carbon fiber cloth to form the side edge sections 13, through the design of gradually increasing the thickness of each metal reinforcing sheet from the reinforcing edge parts 223 to the reinforcing part 221, the carbon fiber can be smoothly attached to combine the reinforcing edge part 223 and the side edge sections 13 of the rim body 1 together.

(10) In order to reinforce the tensile strength of the rim body 1, a preferred ratio was obtained via many experimental trials. The ratio of the minimum thickness to the maximum thickness of the thickness from the reinforcing edge parts 223 to the reinforcing part 221 was in a range from 1:3 to 1:6.

(11) In comparison with conventional structures, the reinforcing structure has the following advantages:

(12) 1. In this invention, since the metal reinforcing sheets are disposed on the spoke assembling positions of the rim, the tensile strength of the rim can be effectively increased to enhance the tensile property.

(13) 2. In this invention, the metal reinforcing sheets are disposed on the spoke assembling positions of the rim. This distribution on the key positions can increase the tensile strength and further achieve the purpose of lightweight.

(14) 3. In this invention, the design of each metal reinforcing sheet, where the thickness gradually decreases on the opening edges, allows the carbon fiber cloth to be attached on the rim body more tightly. Therefore, no interspaces are formed that can destroy the strength of the carbon fiber rim.

(15) 4. In this invention, the design of each metal reinforcing sheets, where the thickness gradually increases from the reinforcing edge parts to the reinforcing part, allows the reinforcing parts to be connected to the side edge sections of the rim at the time the carbon fiber cloth is attached.