Wheel of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12128707-B2
Application number	US-202117380608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2021
Priority date	Jul 23, 2020
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

A wheel of a vehicle and having: a central hub; a peripheral ring, on which a tire can be fitted; and a series of spokes, which are arranged radially and connect the peripheral ring to the central hub. Each spoke has three initial branches, which are distinct and separate from one another, originate from different portions of the central hub and, at a given distance from the central hub, join one another so as to form one single central branch, which ends in the peripheral ring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wheel ( 1 ) of a vehicle and comprising:
a central hub ( 2 );
a peripheral ring ( 3 ), on which a tire can be fitted; and
a series of spokes ( 4 ), which are arranged radially and connect the peripheral ring ( 3 ) to the central hub ( 2 );
wherein each spoke ( 4 ) comprises three initial branches ( 6 , 7 , 8 ), which are distinct and separate from one another, originate from different portions ( 9 , 10 ) of the central hub ( 2 ) and, at a given distance from the central hub ( 2 ), join one another so as to form one single final branch ( 11 ), which ends in the peripheral ring ( 3 ).

2. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), each initial branch ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) is separated from the other two initial branches ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) by an empty space.

3. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ):
an outer initial branch ( 6 ) originates from an outer portion ( 9 ) of the central hub ( 4 ); and
two inner initial branches ( 7 , 8 ) originate from an inner portion ( 10 ) of the central hub ( 4 ), which is arranged axially more on an inside than the outer portion ( 9 ) and at a given axial distance from the outer portion ( 9 ).

4. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), the two inner initial branches ( 7 , 8 ) have a cross section with an approximately rectangular shape having the main sides oriented radially and the small sides oriented axially.

5. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), the outer initial branch ( 6 ) has a cross section with an approximately square shape.

6. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), the two inner initial branches ( 7 , 8 ) are separated from one another by an empty space, which is circumferentially aligned with the outer initial branch ( 6 ).

7. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), the two inner initial branches ( 7 , 8 ) are inclined towards an outside and the outer initial branch ( 6 ) is inclined towards an inside.

8. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the outer portion ( 9 ) and the inner portion ( 10 ) are the two axially opposite ends of the central hub ( 4 ).

9. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), the outer initial branch ( 6 ) is parallel to a radial direction originating from a central rotation axis ( 5 ) and is aligned with the final branch ( 11 ).

10. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ), the two inner initial branches ( 7 , 8 ) are inclined relative to a radial direction originating from a central rotation axis ( 5 ), are inclined relative to the final branch ( 11 ) and form, at a front and with the final branch ( 11 ), the shape of a “Y”.

11. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ) and in cross section, the final branch ( 11 ) has a complex shape consisting of an overlap of an isosceles trapezium arranged axially more on an inside and a rectangle arranged axially more on an outside.

12. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ) and in cross section, the three initial branches ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) are vertices of a triangle.

13. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ) and in cross section, the three initial branches ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) are vertices of an equilateral triangle.

14. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ) and in cross section, centers of gravity of the three initial branches ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) are vertices of a triangle.

15. The wheel ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in each spoke ( 4 ) and in cross section, centers of gravity of the three initial branches ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) are vertices of an equilateral triangle.

Assignees

• Ferrari Spa

Inventors

• Longhi Daniel
• Annequin-Digond Thierry
• Bodini Alberto

Classifications

• B60B1/06

  Wheels with compression spokes (wheels of high resiliency B60B9/00) · CPC title

• Y02T10/86

  Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction · CPC title

• B60B5/02

  made of synthetic material · CPC title

• B60B3/16

  by bolts or the like · CPC title

• B60B3/02

  with a single disc body integral with rim · CPC title