Aerodynamically efficient spoke design for a vehicle wheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352612-B2
Application number	US-201414212914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A wheel for a vehicle includes an inner hub portion that is configured to receive an axle therethrough and which defines an axis of rotation at a center thereof. The wheel includes an outer rim portion. A plurality of wheel spoke portions extend generally between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion. The inner hub portion, the outer rim portion, and the plurality of spoke portions cooperate to form a wheel outer surface having a plurality of turbine openings. The outer surface of the wheel defines a wheel reference plane that is oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The wheel outer surface is the side that face away from a vehicle. Each of the plurality of wheel spoke portions has an outer side adjacent the wheel outer surface, an inner side opposite the outer side, a leading side surface and a trailing side surface. The inner side of each of the plurality of spoke portions has a first edge adjacent the leading side surface that is spaced a first distance apart from the wheel reference plane and a second edge adjacent the trailing side surface that is spaced a second distance apart from the wheel reference plane. The inner side of the spoke is configured such that the first distance is less than the second distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
an inner hub portion configured to receive a vehicle axle therethrough and defining an axis of rotation at a center thereof;
an outer rim portion;
a plurality of spoke portions extending generally between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion,
the inner hub portion, the outer rim portion, and the plurality of spoke portions cooperate to form a wheel outer surface having a plurality of turbine openings, the wheel outer surface defining a wheel reference plane that is oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the wheel outer surface being oriented to face away from a vehicle;
wherein each of the plurality of wheel spoke portions has an outboard side adjacent the wheel outer surface, an inboard side opposite the spoke outboard side, a leading side surface extending generally in a direction between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion and a trailing side surface extending generally in a direction between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion, the inboard side of each of the plurality of wheel spoke portions having a middle portion that is spaced a first distance apart from the reference plane;
wherein the inboard side of each of the plurality of wheel spoke portions has an inboard edge adjacent the wheel spoke leading side surface that is spaced a second distance apart from the wheel reference plane and an inboard edge adjacent the wheel spoke trailing side surface that is spaced a third distance apart from the wheel reference plane; and
wherein the first distance is greater than at least one of the second distance or the third distance substantially along their respective lengths.

2. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein each spoke is oriented such that it is rotated about a center point such that the spoke inboard surface and the spoke outboard surface are oriented at an angle with respect to the reference plane.

3. The wheel of claim 2 , wherein the spoke leading side surface has a leading side surface length as measured between the inboard edge and an outboard edge and a trailing side surface length as measured between the inboard edge and an outboard edge;
wherein the leading side surface length is equal to the trailing side surface length.

4. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the inboard side of each of the plurality of spoke portions has a generally arcuate shape in a direction from the leading side surface to the trailing side surface.

5. The wheel of claim 4 , wherein the inboard side has a generally concave shape in a direction from the leading side surface to the trailing side surface.

6. The wheel of claim 4 , wherein the inboard side has a generally convex shape in a direction from the leading surface to the trailing side surface.

7. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is greater than both the second distance and the third distance.

8. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the inboard side of each of the plurality of wheel spoke portions is generally planar in a direction from the leading side surface to the trailing side surface.

9. The wheel of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover portion disposed over the wheel outer surface, the wheel cover comprising:
a cover inner hub portion;
a cover outer rim portion;
a plurality of cover spoke portions extending generally between the cover inner hub portion and the cover outer rim portion;
the cover inner hub portion, the cover outer rim portion, and the plurality of cover spoke portions cooperate to form a cover outer surface having a plurality of cover turbine openings, the cover outer surface being configured to face away from a vehicle.

10. The wheel of claim 9 , wherein the cover portion is permanently bonded to the wheel outer surface by an adhesive.

11. The wheel of claim 10 , wherein the adhesive used to adhere the wheel cover to the wheel is foam adhesive.

12. The wheel of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cover spoke portions include a cover spoke top side that generally overlies the wheel spoke outboard surface, a cover spoke leading surface that generally overlies the wheel spoke leading side surface, and a cover spoke trailing surface that generally overlies the wheel spoke trailing side surface; and
wherein the foam adhesive fills the area between the cover spoke leading surface and the wheel spoke leading side surface and creates a first inner foam surface between with an inner edge of the cover spoke leading surface and the inner edge of the wheel spoke leading side surface.

13. The wheel of claim 12 , wherein the foam adhesive fills the area between the cover spoke trailing surface and the wheel spoke trailing side surface and creates a second inner foam surface between an inner edge of the cover spoke trailing surface and the inner edge of the wheel spoke trailing surface.

14. The wheel of claim 13 , wherein the first inner foam surface and the second inner foam surface each have a shape that corresponds to that of the inboard side of the wheel spoke.

15. The wheel of claim 14 , wherein the first inner foam surface has a first length and the second inner foam surface has a second length.

16. The wheel of claim 15 , wherein the second length is greater than the first length.

17. The wheel of claim 16 , wherein the first inner foam surface and the second inner foam surface are flush with the inner side of the spoke.

18. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein at least one relief pocket is formed in the outboard side of each of the plurality of spoke portions.

19. The wheel of claim 18 , wherein the at least one relief pocket is formed in a middle section of the outboard side of each of the plurality of spoke portions.

20. The wheel of claim 19 , wherein the at least one relief pocket is formed along an entire length of each of the spoke portions between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion.

21. The wheel of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality spoke portions includes a plurality of relief pockets, wherein a first relief pocket is formed adjacent a leading side surface; and wherein a second relief pocket is formed adjacent a trailing side surface.

22. A wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
an inner hub portion configured to receive a vehicle axle therethrough and defining an axis of rotation at a center thereof;
an outer rim portion;
a plurality of spoke portions extending generally between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion,
the inner hub portion, the outer rim portion, and the plurality of spoke portions cooperate to form a wheel outer surface having a plurality of turbine openings, the wheel outer surface defining a wheel outer surface plane that is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the wheel outer surface being configured to face away from a vehicle;
each of the plurality of spoke portions having an outboard surface, an inboard surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the inner surface of each of the plurality of spokes having a first edge adjacent the leading edge, a second edge adjacent the trailing edge and a middle portion disposed therebetween, wherein the middle portion of the inner surface is spaced a greater distance from the wheel outer surface plane than both the leading edge and the trailing edge along the length of the spoke between the inner hub portion to the outer rim portion.

23. The wheel of claim 22 , wherein the inboard surface has a generally concave shape in a direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

Assignees

• Chinavare Kevin
• Lacks Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Chinavare Kevin

Classifications

• B60B7/0066

  the dominant aspect being the surface structure · CPC title

• B60B1/12

  with tubular spokes (B60B1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60B3/10 Primary

  apertured to simulate spoked wheels · CPC title

• B60B7/06

  Fastening arrangements therefor (B60B7/01, B60B7/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60B7/02

  made essentially in one part ({B60B7/0006,} B60B7/01 take precedence) · CPC title