Wheel spider

Abstract

A wheel with a rim as well as a wheel spider, where the wheel spider has a hub and spokes. The wheel includes spokes including one or more linearly stretched textile strands as reinforcement material of a fiber composite and each linearly stretched textile strand runs at least once from the rim to the hub and back without interruption and thus forms at least one spoke. The textile strands are connected in a positive-locking manner and/or in substance with the hub and the rim. A process is provided for the manufacture of the wheel.

Claims

1. A wheel, comprising: a rim; a wheel spider having a hub and spokes, said spokes comprising one or more linearly stretched textile strands as reinforcement material of a fiber composite and each linearly stretched textile strand extending at least once from the rim to the hub and back without interruption to form at least one spoke, wherein: the linearly stretched textile strands have ends, which are divided in a plane parallel to an axis of the wheel, spread apart and fastened in a positive-locking manner in two directions of rotation of the wheel in a well; or the linearly stretched textile strands have ends, which are divided in a plane vertical to an axis of the wheel, spread apart and are joined to a contour of an inner side of the rim in an axial direction following the rim to bring about a positive-locking fastening.

2. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spokes and the hub are connected in a positive-locking manner.

3. A wheel in accordance with claim 2, wherein each linearly stretched textile strand extends around pin-like elevations in the hub.

4. A wheel in accordance with claim 2, wherein the linearly stretched textile strand extends through recesses in the hub.

5. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein each linearly stretched textile strand extends around pin-like elevations in the hub.

6. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein the linearly stretched textile strand extends through recesses in the hub.

7. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more linearly stretched textile strands forms more than two spokes and, one section of said at least one of the one or more linearly stretched textile strands, which is not identical with ends, extends in an inner surface of a well and ending with the well.

8. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein at a site, at which one end of each linearly stretched textile strand is spread apart, a free space having a triangular cross section, into which an ideally shaped molding is inserted, is formed.

9. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the spokes and the rim, or the spokes and the hub, are connected in substance; or the spokes and the rim and the spokes and the hub are connected in substance.

10. A wheel in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the ends has a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion extending in a direction away from the second end portion, the first end portion and the second end portion being in contact with the rim.

11. A wheel, comprising: a rim; a wheel spider having a hub and spokes, said spokes comprising one or more textile strands as reinforcement material of a fiber composite and each of said one or more textile strands extending at least once from said rim to said hub and back without interruption to form at least one of said spokes, said one or more textile strands having ends, which diverge from each other and are spread apart from each other, said one or more textile strands being fastened to one of said rim and a well of the wheel via a positive-lock connection, said positive-lock connection comprising one of at least a portion of said rim and at least a portion of said well.

12. A wheel in accordance with claim 11, wherein said ends are joined to a contour of an inner side of the rim in an axial direction following the rim, said positive-lock connection comprising said inner side of said rim.

13. A wheel in accordance with claim 11, wherein each of said one or more textile strands extends around pin-like elevations in said hub.

14. A wheel in accordance with claim 13, wherein each of said one or more textile strands extends around pin-like elevations in said hub, said spokes and said hub being connected via another positive-lock connection, said another positive connection comprising said pin-like elevations.

15. A wheel in accordance with claim 11, wherein said one or more textile strands extends through at least one recess in said hub, said one or more textile strands being connected to said hub via another positive lock connection, said another positive lock connection comprising said at least one recess.

16. A wheel in accordance with claim 11, wherein said ends are positively locked in two directions of rotation of the wheel in said well via said positive-lock connection, at least one of said one or more textile strands forming more than two spokes and, one section of said at least one of said one or more textile strands, which is not identical with ends, extends in an inner surface of the well and ending with the well.

17. A wheel in accordance with claim 11, wherein at a site, at which one end of each of said one or more textile strands is spread apart, a free space having a triangular cross section, into which an ideally shaped molding is inserted, is formed.

18. A wheel, comprising: a rim; a wheel spider having a hub and spokes, said spokes comprising a fiber composite, said fiber composite comprising one or more textile strands as reinforcement material of said fiber composite, each of said one or more textile strands extending at least once from said rim to said hub and back without interruption to form at least one of said spokes, said fiber composite having a first end and a second end, said first end diverging from said second end, each of said first end and said second end being fixed to one of said rim and a well of the wheel via a positive-lock connection, said positive-lock connection comprising one of at least a portion of said rim and at least a portion of said well.

19. A wheel in accordance with claim 18, wherein said first end and said second end are joined to a contour of an inner side of said rim in an axial direction following said rim, said positive-lock connection comprising said inner side of said rim.

20. A wheel in accordance with claim 18, wherein said first end and said second end are positively locked in two directions of rotation of the wheel in said well via said positive-lock connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheel;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mold and a spoke segment;

(4) FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a mold half, a hub part and preformed spoke segments;

(5) FIG. 4 is an exploded view of mold halves, a hub part and preformed spoke segments;

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the wheel spider of FIG. 5;

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the wheel spider of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the wheel spider of FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of another embodiment of a wheel spider;

(10) FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the detail A of FIG. 8;

(11) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a wheel;

(12) FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the wheel of FIG. 10;

(13) FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional view of FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross sectional view of FIG. 12;

(15) FIG. 14 is an exploded view of textile strands together with a mold part for a hub;

(16) FIG. 15 is a view of a three-dimensional braiding machine; and

(17) FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the three-dimensional braiding machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(18) Referring to the drawings in particular, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show one embodiment of the present invention. A wheel spider is constructed from individual, preformed spoke segments (2). The spoke segments (2) are shaped here in separate molds (4), in which the lengthwise stretched textile strand is draped. It is possible, in this case, to consolidate the spoke segments (2) in advance. The first hub part (3a) as well as the preformed spoke segments (2) are then inserted into the insertion grooves (7) of the first mold half (5) of the mold. After the second hub part (3b) is applied and the mold halves (5, 8) are closed, the formation of the rim well (1) takes place by braiding over the molds (5, 8) acting as a braiding core (6). The spokes (2) are thereby integrated axially and radially via a positive locking into the textile structure of the rim well (1). A multipart outer mold is used in the area of the rim well (1) for pressing the textile preform during the consolidation. After the consolidation, the wheel spider and rim well are connected in a positive-locking manner and in substance.

(19) FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show another embodiment of the present invention. The spokes (2) of the wheel spider are formed by draping the unconsolidated lengthwise stretched textile strand in the mold half 1 of the rim mold, as well as the wheel hub half 1 inserted therein. In order to guarantee an as large as possible connecting area between the spokes and the rim well, a spreading apart, on both sides, of the ends of the textile strand used for the spokes in the area of the rim well takes place here. The V-shaped recess formed here between the spread-apart textile layers is closed by means of a wedge-shaped inlay. After the wheel hub half 2 is applied and the mold halves are closed, the formation of the rim well takes place by braiding over the mold acting as a braiding core. The spokes are thereby axially and radially integrated via a positive locking formed in an undercut area into the textile structure of the rim well. A multipart outer mold is used in the area of the rim well for pressing the textile preform during the consolidation.

(20) After the consolidation, the wheel spider and rim well are connected in a positive-locking manner and in substance.

(21) FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, FIG. 14, FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 show yet another embodiment of the present invention. The connection of the lengthwise stretched textile strand to the rim well takes place by means of a positive locking formed in an undercut area, whereby the textile extends axially over the well as well as the outer flange geometry of the rim well. FIG. 14 shows how the lengthwise stretched textile strands together with a mold part for the hub are draped in the mold.

(22) FIG. 13 illustrates how the fiber course of the fibers (a-f) passes over, without interruption, from the one-part central section into the spread-apart end of the textile strand. In the undivided section of the textile strand, the fibers here run at angles of +45 (e, c, e) as well as 45 (b, d, f) to the axis of the textile strand. After the dividing and spreading apart, the first part has the fibers b, d and e and the second partial strand has the fibers a, c and f. In addition, the fibers also run after the dividing at angles of 45 to the axis of the respective partial strand.

(23) The lengthwise stretched textile strands of the spoke segments have different cross sections, which are used for a shaping of the wheel spider corresponding to stress. The preforming of the spoke segments with different cross sections as well as the spreading of the spoke ends into two fiber strands (2a, 2b) each is achieved by means of a 3D braiding machine (FIG. 15). This makes it possible to manufacture a continuous 3D textile, which consists of a plurality of spoke segments strung together, which are separated from one another by means of a separating device according to the state of the art (e.g., lever shears, automatic cutter) (FIG. 16 as a magnification of detail C of FIG. 15).

(24) 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.