Anti-vibration wheel for automobile

Abstract

There is provided an anti-vibration wheel for an automobile, comprising: a disk member connected to an axle hub with a rim member extending from a circumferential edge of the disk member for mounting a tire, the rim member further having: an outer bead seat positioned at an outer end of the rim member where an outer bead of the tire sits, an inner bead seat positioned at an inner end of the rim member where an inner bead of the tire sits, and a well portion which is inclined and extends between the outer bead seat and the inner bead seat, with an outer well portion extending from the outer bead seat and an inner well portion extending from the outer well portion, with the thickness of the outer well portion being greater than the thickness of the inner bead seat which is greater than the thickness of the inner well portion.

Claims

1. An anti-vibration wheel for an automobile, comprising: a disk member (100) connected to an axle hub with a rim member (160) extending from a circumferential edge of the disk member (100) for mounting a tire (200), the rim member (160) further having: an outer bead seat (162) positioned at an outer end of the rim member (160) where an outer bead (201) of the tire (200) sits, an inner bead seat (162a) positioned at an inner end of the rim member (160) where an inner bead (202) of the tire (200) sits, and a well portion (163) which is inclined and extends between the outer bead seat (162) and the inner bead seat (162a), with an outer well portion (163a) extending from the outer bead seat (162) and an inner well portion (163b) extending from the outer well portion (163a), with the thickness of the outer well portion (163a) being greater than the thickness of the inner bead seat (162a) which is greater than the thickness of the inner well portion (163b); said anti-vibration wheel further comprising: an outside cap (710) attachably/detachably connected to an outside surface (151) of a spoke portion (150) connecting a hub mounting portion (110) of the disk member (100) connected to the axle hub and the rim member (160); and an outside vibration damping plate (700) provided to the outside cap (710) to be in contact with the spoke portion (150), to dampen vibration; wherein the outside vibration damping plate (700) is formed such that the thickness gradually increases from one end to the other end, where one end (700a) is thicker relative to the opposite end (700b) which is thinner, and the outside vibration damping plate (700) is positioned such that the thicker end (700a) is positioned towards the rim member (160) and the thinner end (700b) is positioned towards the hub mounting portion (110).

2. The anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the outside vibration damping plate (700) includes a cavity (700c) spaced apart from the spoke portion (150) on its surface facing the spoke portion (150).

3. The anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to claim 2 wherein the spoke portion (150) includes a through hole (151b) being operatively connected to the cavity (700c) of the outside vibration damping plate (700).

4. The anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to claim 3, further comprising: a side cap (810) attachably/detachably connected to an inside surface (154) of a decorative open space (153) formed two adjacent spoke portions (150) of the disk member (100); and a side vibration damping plate (800) provided to the side cap (810) to be in contact with the inside surface (154) of the decorative open space (153), to dampen vibration.

5. The anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to claim 4, further comprising a damper rubber (900) provided to be in contact with an inside surface (152) of the spoke portion (150) of the disk member (100).

6. The anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein the damper rubber (900) includes a through hole (900a) to be aligned with and operatively connected to the through hole (151b) of the spoke portion (150).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing in detail the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a rim member in the conventional wheel for an automobile;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the forces acting in the rim member of the conventional wheel for an automobile;

(4) FIG. 3 is a structure view of a wheel for an automobile according to the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wheel, taken along Line a-a shown in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a rim member of the wheel for an automobile according to present invention; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows the forces acting in the rim member of the wheel for an automobile according to present invention.

(8) TABLE-US-00001 Description of the reference numbers in the figures: 100: disk member 110: hub mounting portion 120: hub hole 130: bolt hole 131: securing portion 132: insertion hole 140: cavity 150: spoke portion 151: outside surface 151b: through hole 152: inside surface 153: decorative open space 154: inside surface 160: rim member 161, 161a: flanges 162, 162a: outer/inner bead seats 163: well portion 163a, 163b: outer/inner well portions 163b-1: first incline portion 163b-2: second incline portion 164: well wall 200: tire 201, 202: outer/inner beads 700: outside vibration damping plate 700a: thicker end 700b: thinner end 700c: cavity 710: outside cap 800: side vibration damping plate 810: side cap 900: damper rubber 900a: through hole F1, F2: loads R1, R2, R2, R2-1, R2-2: reaction forces 1, 2: amount of deformation 1, 2: inclination angle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment(s) of the invention is shown so that those of ordinary skill in the art can easily carry out the present invention.

(10) The terms used herein are defined in consideration of the function(s) in the present invention and therefore, these terms may vary according to the intention or practice of a user or an operator. Accordingly, the definition of these terms shall be interpreted as having their meaning and concept in the context of the technical detail to work the invention rather than the simple names of the terms.

(11) Further, the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the scope of the present invention but are just examples of the constituent elements described in the claims of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments including alternative constituent elements which are included in the technical idea throughout the specification of the invention and which are alternative as the equivalents in the constituent elements of the claims can be included in the scope of the claims of the invention.

(12) Further, terms selected in the embodiments are used to distinguish one constituent element from the other constituent element(s) and therefore, the constituent elements shall not be limited by the terms. In describing the present invention, any detailed description of the relevant publicly known technology, which makes the gist of the present invention unnecessarily obscure, will not be presented herein.

(13) In the description of the present invention, based on an automobile body, the side of a disk member and a rim member towards the outside of the automobile body is modified using the term, outer or outside, and the side of the disk member and the rim member towards the inside of the automobile body is modified using the term, inner or inside. FIGS. 3 through 6 illustrate an anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to the present invention and vibration damping units provided to spoke portions of the anti-vibration wheel for an automobile.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 3 through 6, the anti-vibration wheel for an automobile according to the present invention includes a disk member 100 connected to an axle hub (not shown), and a rim member 160 protruding from an outer circumferential edge of the disk member 100 and mounted with a tire 200.

(15) The disk member 100 includes a hub mounting portion 110 and spoke portions 150. The hub mounting portion 110 is in a disk shape, to be connected to the axle hub. The spoke portion 150 radially extends from the outside of the hub mounting portion 110 to the rim member 160.

(16) Specially, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the hub mounting portion 110 is formed in a solid type, except for a bolt hole 130 and a cavity 140, to fasten the axle hub using a bolt. In the automobile wheel, a portion connected to the axle hub (not shown) as a support end receives the load of a cantilever. Therefore, the reason to make the solid hub mounting portion 110 is for the support end to have the strength to bear the weight of the automobile itself and the impact load.

(17) A hub hole 120 into which the axle hub is inserted is formed in the center of the hub mounting portion 110. A number of bolt holes 130 are formed, at regular intervals, in a circumferential direction, spaced apart from the hub hole 120, on the outside of the hub mounting portion 110.

(18) Each of the bolt holes 130 comprises a securing portion 131 and an insertion hole 132. The securing portion 131 is formed on the outside surface of the disk member 100 and has a relatively wide diameter so that a nut or cap nut to be inserted from the outside is secured. The insertion hole 132 is formed by extending to the inside surface of the disk member 100 and has a relatively narrow diameter so that a bolt provided to the axle hub passes through. The bolt of the axle hub, which passes through the insertion hole 132 of the bolt hole 130, is securely connected with the nut or cap nut.

(19) The cavity 140 is provided between the bolt holes 130. A damper (not shown) made of a rubber material may be inserted into the cavity 140. The cavity 140 is formed in the disk member 100, to be opposite to the bolt hole 130, that is, on the inside surface of the disk member 100. The cavity 140 is formed such that its diameter becomes gradually smaller from the inside surface of the disk member 100 towards the center thereof. This is to attenuate vibration and noise occurring in the wheel itself during the driving of the automobile by the cavity 140 having the diameter which becomes gradually bigger towards the inside end of the disk member 100 and the damper.

(20) The securing portion 131 of the bolt hole 130 and the cavity 140 are positioned so as to be opposed to each other, thereby mutually reinforcing the strength of the disk member 100. That is, on the outside surface of the disk member 100, the interval between the hub hole 120 and the securing portion 131 is narrow but it is possible to maintain the strength by the solid hub mounting portion 110 where the cavity 140 is not formed. On the inside surface of the disk member 100, the interval between the hub hole 120 and the cavity 140 is narrow but it is possible to maintain the strength since the space between the hub hole 120 and the insertion hole 132 of the bolt hole 130 is wide.

(21) When the tire 200 is mounted on the rim member 160 of the automobile wheel, a closed ring-shaped space is formed between the rim member 160 and the tire 200.

(22) As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the rim member 160 comprises: flanges 161, 161a, outer and inner bead seats 162, 162a, a well portion 163 and a well wall 164. The flanges 161, 161a are each positioned at the outside and inside ends of the rim member 160, to be in contact with the outside surfaces of two ends of the tire 200 by side to side. The bead seats 162, 162a each extend from the flanges 161, 161a, to be formed in a flat surface to be in contact with outer and inner beads 201, 202 of the tire 200 by side to side and to securely support the outer and inner beads 201, 202 when the tire 200 is seated on the rim member 160.

(23) The well portion 163 is formed to have a diameter which is smaller than the diameters of the bead seats 162, 162a. This permits the outer and inner beads 201, 202 of the tire 200 in contact with the outer and inner bead seats 162, 162a by side to side to move away from the bead seats 162, 162a and into the well portion 163 for tire removal.

(24) As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the well portion 163 comprises an outer well portion 163a and an inner well portion 163b. The outer well portion 163a extends from the outer bead seat 162 and the inner well portion 163b extends from the outer well portion 163a and is connected to the inner beat seat 162a. The thickness A of the outer well portion 163a is greater than the thickness C of the inner bead seat 162a which is greater than the thickness B of the inner well portion 163b. That is, the thicknesses of these are A>C>B.

(25) Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner well portion 163b is formed to be at two positions outward from the outer well portion 163a. That is, the inner well portion 163b includes a first incline portion 163b-1 which is inclined outward from the outer well portion 163a, and a second incline portion 163b-2 which is further inclined outward from the first incline portion. A first inclination angle 1 of the first incline portion 163b-1 is greater than a second inclination angle 2 of the second incline portion 163b-2, so that different reaction forces R2-1, R2-2 in the first and second incline portions act to the load F2 applied to the inner bead seat 162a.

(26) Therefore, in the outer well portion 163a which has the relatively thicker thickness A than the inner beat seat 162a and the inner well portion 163b, a support surface connected to the disk member 100 is bigger and thicker than the support surface of the conventional art. Further, the inner well portion 163b is formed to be inclined at two positions from the outer well portion 163a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the amount of deformation 2 of the well portion 163 and inner bead seat 162a to the loads F1, F2 applied during the driving of the automobile is less than the amount of deformation 1 of the conventional art (2>1), to decrease the vibration and noise transferred to the automobile.

(27) That is, in the present invention, since the thickness A of the outer well portion 163a connected to the disk member 100 is thicker and the outer well portion 163a is bigger than the conventional art and the inner well portion 163b is formed to be inclined at two positions from the outer well portion 163a, the reaction force R2 to the load F2 acting on the inner bead seat 162a is dispersed as reaction forces R2-1, R2-2 each acting on the first and second incline portions, thereby decreasing the moment caused by the load F2 applied to the inner well portion 163b and the inner bead seat 162a, to decrease the amount of deformation 2 thereof.

(28) Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, an outer cap 710 is attachably/detachably provided to an outside surface 151 of each spoke portion 150 of the disk member 100.

(29) The outside cap 710 may be in a round, oval or polygonal shape corresponding to the spoke portion 150. The outside cap may be formed of a plastic material. One or more outside caps 710 may be provided to the outside surface 151 of each spoke portion 150.

(30) Further, an outside vibration damping plate 700 in the shape corresponding to the outside cap 710 is provided to the inside surface of the outside cap 710 facing the outside surface 151 of the spoke portion 150.

(31) An insertion groove in the shape corresponding to the outside cap 710 is formed on the outside surface 151 of the spoke portion 150 provided with the outside cap 710. The outside cap 710 is inserted into the insertion groove to be connected together so that one side surface of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is in contact with the outside surface of the spoke portion 150 and the other side surface of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is in contact with the inside surface of the outside cap 710.

(32) The outside vibration damping plate 700 is formed of compressed rubber having a uniform thickness and is positioned between the outside cap 710 and the spoke portion 150 such that the one side surface of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is in contact with the outside cap 710 and the other side surface of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is in contact with the spoke portion 150 by side to side. Therefore, the outside vibration damping plate 700 absorbs and attenuates the vibration and noise occurring in the wheel itself during the driving of the automobile.

(33) Therefore, when the vibration is transferred to the rim member 160 through the tire 200, the outside vibration damping plate 700 provided to the outside surface 151 of the spoke portion 150 directly absorbs and efficiently attenuates the vibration concentrated to the spoke portion 150.

(34) Further, a decorative open space 153 in a closed curve is formed between the two adjacent spoke portions 150. A side cap 810 is provided to be attached to/detached from an inside surface 154 of the decorative open space 153 (that is, the surface formed by the sides of the adjacent spoke portions 150 and the side of the hub mounting portion 110).

(35) The side cap 810 may be formed in a round, oval or polygonal shape. However, the side cap 810 in the embodiment of the present invention is in the U shape corresponding to the inside surface 154 of the decorative open space 153 and is formed of a plastic material.

(36) A side vibration damping plate 800 is insertedly and securely provided to an inside surface of the side cap 810. One surface of the side vibration damping plate 800 is in contact with the inside surface 154 of the decorative open space 153.

(37) An insertion groove in the U shape corresponding to the side cap 810 is formed at the inside surface 154 of the decorative open space 153 where the side cap 810 is provided. The side cap 810 is inserted into the insertion groove to be connected together such that one side surface of the side vibration damping plate 800 is in contact with the inside surface 154 of the decorative open space 153 and the other side surface of the side vibration damping plate 800 is in contact with the inside surface of the side cap 810.

(38) The side vibration damping plate 800 is formed of compressed rubber having a uniform thickness. The one side surface of the side vibration damping plate 800 is in contact with the side cap 810 and the other side surface of the side vibration damping plate 800 is in contact with the inside surface 154 of the decorative open space 153 by side to side. Therefore, the side vibration damping plate 800 absorbs and attenuates the vibration and noise occurring in the wheel itself during the driving of the automobile.

(39) The side vibration damping plate 800 is provided to the spoke portion 150 of the disk member 100, together with the outside vibration damping plate 700 as described above. Therefore, the vibration which is transferred to the rim member 160 through the tire 200 and which is concentrated to the spoke portions 150 is absorbed and attenuated by the side vibration damping plate 800 and the outside vibration damping plate 700 provided to the spoke portions 150 connecting the hub mounting portion 110 and the rim member 160.

(40) Further, a damper rubber 900 is attached and secured to the inside surface 152 of each spoke portion 150 which is opposite to the outside surface 151 of the spoke portion 150 where the outside vibration damping plate 700 is provided.

(41) The damper rubber 900 has a round, oval or polygonal shape and is formed of a compressed rubber having a uniform thickness. The damper rubber 900 is provided to be in contact with the inside surface 152 of the spoke portion 150 by side to side, to absorb and attenuate the vibration and noise occurring in the wheel itself during the driving of the automobile.

(42) The damper rubber 900 is provided, together with the aforementioned outside vibration damping plate 700 and side vibration damping plate 800. The vibration transferred to the rim member 160 through the tire 200 is absorbed and attenuated by the damper rubber 900, together with the side vibration damping plate 800 and the outside vibration damping plate 700 provided to the spoke portion 150.

(43) Specially, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, both ends of the outside vibration damping plate 700 which is provided to the outside surface 151 of each of the spoke portions 150 may be formed to be different from each other in thickness. That is, one end 700a of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is thicker relative to the opposite end 700b which is thinner.

(44) Preferably, the thicker end 700a of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is positioned to be adjacent towards the rim member 160 and the thinner end 700b is positioned to be adjacent towards the hub mounting portion 110. The vibration of the wheel most greatly occurs in the rim member 160, and the vibration occurring in the rim member 160 is transferred to the axle hub connected to the hub mounting portion 110 through each of the spoke portions 150 and further transferred to the automobile body. Then, since the outside vibration damping plate 700 is provided to the spoke portion 150 such that the thicker end 700a of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is positioned towards the rim member 160, most of the vibration is absorbed and attenuated in the thicker end 700a of the outside vibration damping plate 700 and the remaining vibration is mostly attenuated while passing from the thicker end 700a to the thinner end 700b of the outside vibration damping plate 700.

(45) Therefore, the vibration transferred to the rim member 160 through the tire 200 is all attenuated by the outside vibration damping plate 700 before it is transferred to the axle hub.

(46) Further, since the thinner end 700b of the outside vibration damping plate 700 is positioned towards the hub mounting portion 110, the intensity of the hub mounting portion 110 is secured and the maximum effect of damping vibration is obtained.

(47) The outside vibration damping plate 700 further has a Helmholtz resonance absorption function.

(48) That is, a cavity 700c is formed in the inside surface of the outside vibration damping plate 700 facing the spoke portion 150. The cavity 700c is spaced apart from the spoke portion 150. A through hole 151b through the spoke portion 150 is operatively connected to the cavity 700c of the outside vibration damping plate 700.

(49) Accordingly, the Helmholtz resonance absorption function is performed as the vibration and noise transferred to the cavity 700c through the outside vibration damping plate 700 are removed to the outside through the through hole 151b of the spoke portion 150.

(50) Further, in the case where the damper rubber 900 is provided to the inside surface of the spoke portion 150, a through hole 900a aligned with the through hole 151b of the spoke portion 150 is formed in the damper rubber 900.

(51) Specifically, the through holes 151b, 900a each have the sound wave frequency for attenuation according to the capacity, the opening diameters and lengths of an entry and exit. Therefore, the capacity, the opening diameters and lengths of the entry and exit of each of the through holes 151b, 900a are defined to enable attenuation of the sound wave at a specific frequency band (for example, 180 Hz270 Hz) causing resonance in road noise occurring during the driving of the automobile.

(52) Therefore, road noise and vibration occurring during the driving of the automobile is maximally reduced by the cavity 700c of the outside vibration damping plate 700, the through hole 151b of the spoke portion 150, and the through hole 900a of the damper rubber 900.

(53) The invention has been described using preferred exemplary embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is intended to include various modifications and alternative arrangements within the capabilities of persons skilled in the art using presently known or future technologies and equivalents.

(54) Simple modifications or similar arrangements of the present invention belong to the category of the invention and therefore, the protection range of the invention will be apparent by the claims attached herewith.