Rim well with integrated flange made of fiber composites as well as method for manufacturing same

Abstract

A rim well with integrated flange made of fiber composite as well as to a method for manufacturing same. The flange is formed by inwardly directed protuberances of fiber layers of the rim well, wherein the fiber layers transition to the flange from the rim well without interruption of the fibers. The manufacture is carried out by depositing fiber material on a mold, which corresponds to the contour of the rim well and has a radially circumferential or segmented groove. The fibers are deposited such that the fibers of at least one fiber layer have protuberances directed into the groove. A multipart mold, which makes it possible to reduce the width of the groove and thus a deformation of the protuberances, is preferably used.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a rim well comprising a flange located on an inner side of the rim well for fastening a wheel spider or a wheel disk, wherein the flange is formed by inwardly directed protuberances of fiber layers of the rim well, wherein the fiber layers transition to the flange from the rim well without interruption, the method comprising the steps of: depositing fiber material on a mold element corresponding to the contour of the rim well with a circumferential or segmented radial groove; carrying out the deposition such that the fibers of the fiber material of at least one fiber layer enter the groove, whereby at least one fiber layer with protuberances directed inwardly into the groove is formed; and subsequently the deposited fiber material is consolidated with a matrix material.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the deposition of fiber material is carried out by a braiding or winding process.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the deposition of fiber material is carried out on a multipart mold; and the groove is formed by a recess defined in the axial and radial directions between individual mold parts of the mold element.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the width of the groove can be set by axial displacement of the mold parts in relation to one another.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein: the inwardly directed protuberance of at least one fiber layer spans over the groove in a wedge-shaped manner, is in contact with the inner contour thereof only partly; and the width of the groove is reduced and the protuberance is deformed by axial displacement of the mold parts.

6. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein: the inwardly directed protuberance of at least one fiber layer spans over the groove and is fully in contact with the inner contour thereof tapering radially inwardly; and inlays adapted to the inner contour in the form of a broken ring or individual circle segments are embedded in the protuberances of the fiber layers of the flange.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the deposition of fiber material is carried out on a multipart mold; the groove is formed by a recess defined in the axial and radial directions between the individual mold parts as well as the contour of circle segments located in this recess and the width, height and shape of the groove is set by axial displacement of the mold parts in relation to one another as well as radial displacement of the circle segments.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the inwardly directed protuberance of at least one fiber layer spans over a groove and is fully in contact with the radially inwardly tapering inner contour of the circle segments; and the width of the groove is reduced and the protuberance is deformed by axial displacement of the mold parts and by radial displacement of the circle segments.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein inlays can be integrated in the area of the flange.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein one or more fiber layers which have no inwardly directed protuberances, are deposited on the mold after the deformation of the protuberance and/or after the embedding of inlays in the protuberance.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the flange-forming fiber layers are deformed in the area of the flange in the area of the protuberance in an approximately radial direction.

12. A method, comprising: manufacturing a rim well comprising a flange located on an inner side of said rim well for fastening a wheel spider or a wheel disk; forming said flange by inwardly directed protuberances of fiber layers of said rim well, wherein said fiber layers transition to said flange from the rim well without interruption.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein said fiber layers transition to said flange and transition from said flange from said rim well without interruption and a lower end of said flange is formed by a reversal point of said fiber layers.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein said fiber layers pass through said entire rim well as well as said entire flange without interruption.

15. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein some of said fiber layers pass only partly through said rim well in a manner that at least one fiber layer does not fully cover said rim well but passes through a part of said rim well starting from a point between said two wheel flanges in the direction of said center of said rim, wherein said fiber layer transitions to said flange at least without interruption, entering said flange and exiting said flange without interruption.

16. A method, comprising: forming a rim well comprising fiber layers, a first rim well portion, a second rim well portion and a flange, said flange being located on an inner side of said rim well structure for fastening a wheel spider or a wheel disk, wherein a portion of said fiber layers extend continuously, without interruption, from said rim well first portion to said inner flange and another portion of said fiber layers extend continuously, without interruption, from said inner flange to said rim well second portion.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said first rim well portion comprises a first rim well portion outer surface for engaging a portion of a tire, said second rim well portion comprising a second rim well portion outer surface for engaging another portion of the tire, wherein said first rim well portion, said second rim well portion and said flange are formed of said fiber layers.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said flange extends in an inward direction, away from said first rim well portion and said second rim well portion, said fiber layers extending continuously, without interruption, from one side of said rim well structure to another side of said rim well structure.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said fiber layers are formed from braided continuous filaments.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said flange is circumferential or is in a form of individual circle segments on the inner side of the rim well.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the deposition of fiber layers on a multipart mold with enlarged recess by means of a radial braiding machine;

(3) FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a first layer of flange-forming fiber layers with inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with enlarged recess;

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing first layer of flange-forming fiber layers with deformed protuberances on a multipart mold with reduced recess;

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a second rim-forming layer of fiber layers without inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with reduced recess and with flange-forming fiber layers deposited thereon with deformed protuberances located in the recess;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rim well according to the present invention with integrated flange;

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross section of the rim well according to the present invention with integrated flange;

(8) FIG. 7 is a cross section of the rim well according to the present invention with detail views of the flange;

(9) FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a first layer of flange-forming fiber layers with inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with fixed recess by means of a radial braiding machine;

(10) FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a second layer of rim-forming fiber layers without inwardly directed protuberances on a first layer of fiber layers with inlay integrated in the protuberances of said fiber layer;

(11) FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the deposition of both rim well-forming and flange-forming fiber layers with reversal points in the area of the rim well, especially in the area close to the flange;

(12) FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a first layer of flange-forming fiber layers with inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with enlarged recess and circle segments located therein by means of a radial braiding machine;

(13) FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the radial removal of the circle segments from the recess enlarged by axial displacement of the mold parts;

(14) FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a second rim-forming layer of fiber layers without inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with reduced recess and with flange-forming fiber layers deposited thereon with deformed protuberances located in the recess;

(15) FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a first layer of flange-forming fiber layers with inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with enlarged recess and with circle segments located therein and with sliding parts by means of a radial braiding machine;

(16) FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing the first layer of flange-forming fiber layers without inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with widened recess and with circle segments located therein and with sliding parts;

(17) FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing the pressing of a first layer of flange-forming fiber layers into the enlarged recess of a multipart mold without circle segments located therein by means of punch segments;

(18) FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a first layer of flange-forming fiber layers with deformed protuberances on a multipart mold with reduced recess;

(19) FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing the deposition of a second rim-forming layer of fiber layers without inwardly directed protuberances on a multipart mold with reduced recess and with flange-forming fiber layers deposited thereon with deformed protuberances located in the recess; and

(20) FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing a textile patch, deposited on a multipart mold with reduced recess and with flange-forming fiber layers deposited thereon with deformed protuberances located in the recess.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary Embodiment 1

(21) The multipart mold 4 shown in FIG. 1 has a first mold part 6 and a second mold part 7, which are axially displaceable in relation to one another. Between the two mold parts 6, 7, the mold has a radially extending rectangular recess 10a with the flanks 4a and with the bottom 4b. Corresponding to the axial position of the two mold parts 6, 7 displaceable along the direction of displacement 5, the recess 10a has a width a.

(22) The mold 4 is used in the manufacture of a rim well according to the present invention as a braiding core of a radial braiding machine 1. The mold 4 is moved axially forward and backward along the rotation symmetry axis 11 through this machine 1, while braided filaments 3, rolled off from radial braiding bobbins 2 directed towards the braiding point, are deposited on the mold 4. Due to the mutually crossing motion of the bobbins 2 along two sinusoidal bobbin paths, the braided filaments 3 running from the bobbins 2 to the mold 4 mutually cross and intersect each other. A positive-locking fiber braiding 8 is deposited as a result on the braiding core, and individual fiber layers are deposited each during a forward or return motion of the mold 4.

(23) Due to the fact that the opened recess 10a is braided over during a complete forward and return motion of the mold 4 by the radial braiding machine 1, the two flange-forming fiber layers 9a shown in FIG. 2 are deposited on the mold 4 with a fiber angle of 80 relative to the axial direction. These fiber layers 9a span over the recess 10a in a wedge-shaped manner and are in contact only partly at their bottom 4b but not at the flanks 4a, whereas they are in contact with the mold 5 in a positive-locking manner in the area of the rest of the rim well. Since the two deposited fiber layers 9a consist of continuous filaments, the fiber layers have two reversal points, one at the right wheel flange of the rim well and one within the rectangular recess 10a, and the fiber layers 9a are connected to one another at the reversal points at the wheel flanges.

(24) The width of the recess 10a is reduced in FIG. 3 by axial displacement of the mold parts 6, 7 along the direction of displacement 5 to the width b. The flange-forming fiber layers 9a spanning over this recess in a wedge-shaped manner are deformed hereby. The width b of the reduced recess and thus the degree of compaction or the later fiber-to-matrix ratio of the fiber layers 9a is determined by a positive-locking connection of the mold parts 6, 7 and the lower area of these mold parts. These fiber layers 9a are now also in contact with the flanks 4a and the bottom 4b in the recess in a positive-locking manner and image the recess or flange close to the final contour.

(25) As is shown in FIG. 4, the mold with the recess reduced to the width b and with the fiber layers 9a, which are deposited thereon as well as deformed, are braided over again. The rim well-forming fiber layers 9a are deposited on the mold 5 in a positive-locking manner with a fiber angle of 80 relative to the axial direction due to repeated complete forward and return motion of the braiding core 4 along the rotation symmetry axis 11 by the radial braiding machine. These fiber layers 9a now span over the deformed fiber layers 9a and thus ensure increased stability of the rim well.

(26) A multipart metallic outer tool is subsequently used in the area of the rim well for pressing during infiltration and consolidation. This results in the rim well according to the present invention with integrated high-strength flange, which is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 5 and in a sectional view in FIG. 6. A detailed view of the course of the fiber layer in the flange is shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7A shows the course of continuous filaments that enter and then exit the flange without interruption of the fiber and have a reversal point at the lower end of the flange. Such continuous filaments can be preferably deposited on the mold in a braiding or winding process. FIG. 7A shows the course of fibers that enter the flange without fiber interruption. Such fiber layers are preferably formed by separate deposition of textile patches on the mold parts of the mold as well as by shifting into the groove and deformation by displacement of the mold parts.

Exemplary Embodiment 2

(27) The deposition of the flange-forming fiber layers 9a is carried out on a mold comprising two mold parts 6, 7, which is shown in FIG. 8 and has a V-shaped recess 10b of fixed width, wherein the fibers of the fiber layers 9a are fully in contact with the inner contour thereof mold parts. As is shown in FIG. 9, V-shaped inlays 12 are integrated in the inwardly directed protuberances of the fiber layers 9a, which protuberances correspond to the contour of the recess 10b, after the positive-locking deposition of the fiber layers 9a on the mold 4. As a result, these fiber layers 9a are advantageously pressed farther onto the surface of the recess 10c of the mold 4. Furthermore, the surface of the inlay 12 is advantageously flush with the surface of the fiber layers 9a in the area of the rim well. The deposition of the rim well-forming fiber layers 9a on the fiber layers 9a as well as of the inlays 12 embedded in said fiber layers is subsequently carried out.

(28) As is shown in FIG. 10, it is additionally possible to deposit flange-forming and rim well-forming layers 9a as well as rim well-forming layers 9b with reversal points in the area of the rim well, especially in the area in the vicinity of the flange. As a result, the flange area is braided over more often and additional braiding layers are deposited compared to the rest of the rim well. An additional reinforcement of the flange area is advantageously achieved hereby. The layers not extending over the entire rim well in the radial orientation can be both deformed to form a flange (9a) and deposited on the flange and on the flange-forming layers after embedding the inlay 12.

(29) The mold parts 6, 7 are then displaced axially in relation to one another and the preform is removed. The consolidation of the preform is carried out in a multipart metallic outer tool, while the inlays 12 consisting of foam are used for pressing the flange area during infiltration and consolidation and will then remain in the component.

Exemplary Embodiment 3

(30) The multipart mold 4 shown in FIG. 11 comprises two mold parts 6, 7, which are displaceable axially in relation to one another in the direction of displacement 5 and form a rectangular recess with straight flanks and with a width a=50 mm V-shaped ring segments 10c, whose outer contour is in contact with the flanks 4a of the recess in a positive-locking manner and whose bottom 4b determines the inner contour of the recess, are integrated in this recess. The flange-forming fiber layers 9a are deposited on the bottom 4b of the V-shaped ring segments 10c in a positive-locking manner by depositing braided filaments 3 on the mold 4 according o the braiding technique. The fiber layers span over the area of the recess in a wedge-shaped pattern and are thus fully in contact with the bottom 4b of the ring segments 10c. Due to the fact that the fiber layers 9a are deposited in a positive-locking manner in the area of the recess as well, the filament tension and filament angle of the braided filaments 3 can be advantageously controlled more accurately.

(31) After the first two braided layers have been applied, the mold parts 6, 7 are opened to the width b>50 mm, as is shown in FIG. 12, so that the ring segments 10c can be displaced radially inwardly and thus removed one by one. As is shown in FIG. 13, this makes it possible to close the mold parts when reducing the width of the recess to the width c=10 mm. The protuberances of the flange-forming fiber layers 9a are deformed hereby. The fiber layers 9a are pressed by the deformation onto the flanks 4a and the bottom 4b of the recess formed by the mold parts 6, 7 in a positive-locking manner and are thus shaped to a shape close to the final contour of the flange. The fiber layers 9a are arranged properly in the flange area even after the deformation due to the controlled deposition of the fiber layers 9a on the surface of the circle segments 10c.

(32) The mold is braided over again subsequently and fiber layers 9a are formed with the rim well-forming fiber layers 9b. A multipart outer tool is used in the area of the rim well for pressing during infiltration and consolidation.

Exemplary Embodiment 4

(33) The mold 4 shown in FIG. 14 has a rectangular recess with the width a with straight flanks between the two mold parts 6, 7. Rectangular ring segments 10d, which are radially fixed by a sliding part 6a, are located in this recess. The rectangular ring segments are shaped such that their surface is just flush with the surface of the rest of the rim well. If the mold 4 is braided over with a radial braiding machine 1, the fiber layers 9a are deposited in the entire area of the rim well in a positive-locking manner, as is shown in FIG. 15.

(34) The locking of the circle segments 10c is released by an axial motion of the sliding part 6a and these circle segments can be removed from the recess without axial displacement of the mold parts 6, 7 (see arrows). The fiber layers 9a are pressed into the now opened recess by means of punch segments 13 (FIG. 16). Subsequently or at the same time, the mold parts 6, 7 are displaced axially, and the width of the recess is reduced thereby to the width b, and the fiber layers 9a are deformed. The sliding part 6a fixed on the outer side of the mold part 6 now defines at the same time the distance necessary for imaging the flange between the two mold parts 6, 7 (FIG. 17). After the punch segments 13 have been removed, the mold 5 with the fiber layers 9a deposited thereon is braided over again with the fiber layers 9b (FIG. 18). As is shown in FIG. 19, textile patches 17 are deposited in the area of the deformed protuberances in addition to the deposition of the rim well-forming fiber layers according to the braiding technique. In addition to the rim well-forming fiber layers, these reduce, the notch effect caused by the flange. A multipart metallic outer tool is used in the area of the rim well for pressing during infiltration and consolidation.

(35) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.