Patent Publication Number: US-2020276862-A1

Title: Vehicle wheel

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a wheel for a vehicle such as an automobile. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A well portion-known conventional art includes an auxiliary air chamber member that works as a Helmholtz resonator in a tire air chamber and is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of a well portion. 
     The auxiliary air chamber member disclosed by, for example, Patent Literature 1 includes a tube provided at a circumferential end of a resonator body, wherein the tube includes a communication hole whose first circumferential end is open to the tire air chamber and whose second circumferential end communicates with an inside of an auxiliary air chamber. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 5978166 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, the auxiliary air chamber member disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has the communication hole facing the tire air chamber been in contact with a wheel rim surface at a lower end of the first circumferential end of the first circumferential end of this hole. For this reason, water condensed in the tire air chamber, moisture, and a liquid of a puncture repair agent might enter through the communication hole that comes into contact with the wheel rim surface and remain in the auxiliary air chamber. 
     This might result in reduction of an inner volume of the auxiliary air chamber member of the auxiliary air chamber, causing deterioration in a noise reduction performance (t deterioration in a performance of reducing a road noise due to air column resonance); and further, deterioration of wheel balance. 
     The present invention is presented in view of the above problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle wheel capable of preventing water, moisture, and the like included in the tire air chamber from entering through the communication hole into the auxiliary air chamber. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle wheel that is provided as a Helmholtz resonator with an auxiliary air chamber member attached. to an outer peripheral surface of a well portion in a tire air chamber, wherein the vehicle wheel includes a rim forming the well portion; a first vertical wall provided at a first rising portion of the rim; and a second vertical wall provided at a second rising portion of the rim, wherein the auxiliary air chamber member includes an auxiliary air chamber and. a communication hole allowing the auxiliary air chamber to communicate with the tire air chamber, wherein the communication hole is placed at a first end of the of the auxiliary air chamber member formed along a circumferential direction of the vehicle wheel, and wherein a clearance is formed between the communication hole and the vehicle wheel. 
     Effect of Invention 
     The present invention can provide a vehicle wheel capable of preventing water, moisture, and the like in the tire air chamber from entering the auxiliary air chamber through the communication hole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle wheel according to an embodiment of present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the auxiliary air chamber member. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line III-III in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway side view of a circumferential end of the auxiliary air chamber member shown in  FIG. 1  seen in a wheel circumferential direction. 
         FIG. 5  is a partially abbreviated enlarged vertical sectional view taken along a line V-V in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIGS. GA and  6 B are diagrams showing a first modification of the present embodiment.  FIG. 6A  is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a first modification corresponding to  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 6B  is a partially cutaway side view of a first modification corresponding to  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7A  is an enlarged diagram of a partially cutaway perspective view of an auxiliary air chamber member according to a second modification,  FIG. 7B  is an enlarged diagram of a partially cutaway perspective view of an auxiliary air chamber member according to a third modification. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing a modification of a conventional art devised by an applicant of the present application, and an explanatory view showing a positional relationship between a bead portion of a tire and a tube displaced outward in a wheel radial direction. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Next, an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle wheel. according to an embodiment of the present invention. In each of the drawings, “X” indicates a wheel circumferential direction, “Y” indicates a wheel width direction, and “Z” indicates a wheel radial direction. In addition, in the wheel width direction “Y”, its inside direction is indicated. as “a first side” and its outside direction is indicated as “a second side”. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle wheel  1  according to the present embodiment includes an auxiliary air chamber member  10  as a Helmholtz resonator along the wheel circumferential axis X. Incidentally, the present embodiment is assumed that a plurality of auxiliary air chamber members  10  are placed along the wheel circumferential axis X of the vehicle wheel  1 , however.  FIG. 1  shows only a single auxiliary air chamber member  10  placed along the wheel circumferential axis X, and other auxiliary air chamber members  10  are not illustrated. 
     The vehicle wheel  1  includes a rim  11  and a disk  12  connecting the rim  11  to a hub (not shown). The auxiliary air chamber member  10  is fitted and mounted. on an outer peripheral. surface (wheel rim surface)  11   d  of a well portion  11   c.    
     The rim  11  includes a well portion  11   c  between bedsheets (not shown) formed at both ends in the wheel width direction Y, and the well portion  11   c  is depressed inward (toward a rotation center direction) in the wheel radial axis Z (see  FIG. 3  described below). 
     The well portion  11   c  is provided to insert thereinto a bead portion (not shown) of the tire when the tire (not shown) is fitted into the rim  11  over the wheel width direction Y. Note that the well portion  11   c  of the present embodiment is formed in a cylindrical shape having substantially an equal diameter across the wheel width 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the auxiliary air chamber member;  FIG. 3  is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line III-III in  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway side view of a circumferential end of the auxiliary air chamber member shown in  FIG. 1  seen in a wheel circumferential direction;  FIG. 5  is a partially abbreviated enlarged vertical sectional view taken along a line V-V in  FIG. 4 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the auxiliary air chamber member  10  is longitudinal along one line, and includes a hollow main body  13  including therein an auxiliary air chamber SC (see  FIG. 3 ) described below and a pair of end portions  14   a  and  14   b , which catch the auxiliary air chamber member  10  on the well portion  11   c  (see  FIG. 3 ). The auxiliary air chamber SC included in the main body  13  is formed to be separated into a pair of independent auxiliary air chambers SC with an interposition of a partition wall  16  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) disposed at a center in the wheel circumferential axis X. 
     The auxiliary air chamber member  10  is curved along its longitudinal axis, and configured to extend along the wheel circumferential axis X when attached to the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  (see  FIG. 1 ). The main body  13  is provided with a tube  18  at an end in the longitudinal axis (wheel circumferential axis X), and a communication hole  18   a  communicating with the auxiliary air chamber SC formed within the tube  18  (see  FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 ). The communication hole  18   a  allows the tire air chamber (not shown) to communicate with the auxiliary air chamber SC. The tube  18  having the communication hole  18   a  is disposed at each of both ends of a first and a second ends included in the auxiliary air chamber member  10  in its wheel circumferential axis X (see  FIG. 2 ). Further, the pair of tubes  18  disposed at both of the ends in the wheel circumferential axis X are respectively disposed at portions biased to the inner corner (the first end) in the wheel width direction Y (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     Note that description is given of the communication hole  18   a  disposed at the first end In the present embodiment and description is omitted of the communication hole  18   a  disposed at the second end, because the communication boles  18   a  provided at the first and second ends in the wheel circumferential axis X are configured in the same manner as each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the auxiliary air chamber member  10  exhibits a long rectangular shape in a plan view. And as shown in  FIG. 3 , the main body  13  of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  includes a lower surface portion  25   b , an upper surface portion  25   a , and an auxiliary air chamber SC. The lower surface portion  25   b  is formed of a bottom plate disposed at a direction facing the outer peripheral surface  11   d  (see  FIG. 1 ) of the well portion  11   e . The upper surface portion  25   a  is formed of an upper plate that is disposed more outward in a radial axis than the lower surface portion  25   b  and faces the lower surface portion  25   b . The auxiliary air chamber SC is formed between the upper and lower surface portions  25   a  and  25   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first side wall  25   c  as a first vertical wall is formed at the inner corner (the second end) along the wheel width direction Y between the upper surface portion  25   a  and the lower surface portion  25   b . At the outer corner (the first end) along the wheel width direction Y, a second side wall  25   d  as a second vertical wall is formed. The first side wall  25   c  and the second side wall  25   d  are disposed opposite to each other in the wheel width direction Y. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the main body  13  of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  has the lower surface portion  25   b  and the upper surface portion  25   a  connected to each other at both ends in the width direction Y and has a first edge  14   a  and a second edge  14   b  engaged with the well portion  11   c . Furthermore, the main body  13  of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  is provided with coupling portions  33 , at which the main body  13  is depressed into an inner portion of the auxiliary air chamber SC respectively from the upper surface portion  25   a  and the lower surface portion  25   b  to partially couple the upper surface portion  25   a  and the lower surface portion  25   b.    
     The upper surface portion  25   a  is located above the lower surface portion  25   b  arranged along on the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c , and forms an auxiliary air chamber SC by being curved so as to have a bulge. 
     The upper surface portion  25   a  has thereon a pair of upper coupling portions  33   a . and  33   b  formed in a part of the main body  13  along the wheel width direction Y. The pair of upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b  include an upper coupling portion  33   a  near the first end (inward) along the wheel width direction Y and an upper coupling portion  33   b  near the second end (outward) along the wheel width direction Y. The pair of upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b  are formed by depressing the upper surface portion  25   a  toward the lower surface portion  25   b  in a shape of a circular shape in a plan view. Multiple pairs of upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b  are arranged in the width direction of the main body  13  to form two rows each along the longitudinal direction (the wheel circumferential axis X) of the auxiliary air chamber member  10 . 
     The lower surface portion  25   b  has a pair of lower coupling portions  34   a  and  34   b  formed at positions corresponding to the pair of upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b . The upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b  and the lower coupling portions  34   a  and  34   b  together constitute a coupling portion  33 . The lower coupling portions  34   a  and  34   b  are formed by depressing the lower surface portion  25   b  toward the upper surface portion  25   a  in a circular shape when viewed from a bottom. The lower coupling portions  34   a  and  34   b  have their distal ends integrated with the distal ends of the upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b  of the upper surface portion  25   a  to partially couple the upper surface portion  25   a  and the lower surface portion  25   b.    
     The upper coupling portions  33   a  and  33   b  and the lower coupling portions  34   a  and  34   b  mutually connected in the auxiliary air chamber SC improve a mechanical strength of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  and suppresses fluctuation of volume of the auxiliary air chamber SC to exert a noise reduction function. 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the auxiliary air chamber member  10  has a pair of rectangular recesses  60  formed respectively portions adjacent to the tubes  18  at the first and second ends along the wheel circumferential axis X of the main body  13 . Each of the rectangular concave portions  60  has the same configuration, which exhibits a rectangular recess having a vertically long rectangular shape in a plan view and a recess from the upper surface portion  25   a  toward the lower surface portion  25   b . This rectangular recess  60  is located outside (the first end) in the wheel width direction Y and has a vertical wall  62  extending along the wheel circumferential axis X. The vertical wall  62  is formed so as to make a part of the communication hole  18   a  of the tube  18  extend in the wheel circumferential axis X in the main body  13 . In addition, recesses  64  are formed at positions adjacent to the rectangular recesses  60  close to the tube bodies  18 , which recesses  64  are formed to be recessed from the lower surface portion  25   b  toward the upper surface portion  25   a , contrary to the above recesses  64 . The recesses  64  are disposed at the first and second ends along the wheel circumferential axis X of the main body  13 . 
     The communication hole  18   a  of the tube  18  arranged at the end of the body  13  in the wheel circumferential axis X communicates with the auxiliary air chamber SC at the first end of the tube  18  in the wheel circumferential axis X, and is open to an outside (tire air chamber) at the second end of the tube  18  in the wheel circumferential axis X. The tube  18 A has at its distal end in the wheel circumferential axis X a substantially rectangular opening  40  formed in a substantially a rectangular shape as shown in.  FIG. 4 . In addition, a clearance  42  is formed between the communication hole  18   a  and the outer peripheral surface lid of the well portion  11   c  of the vehicle wheel  1 . 
     In other words, the bottom end  18   b  of the end of the tube  18  in the wheel circumferential axis X is in non-contact with the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  of the vehicle wheel  1  so that the clearance  42  is formed between the bottom end  18   b  of the tube  18  and the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  with the surface  11   d . This forming of the clearance  42  provides a step in the wheel radial axis Z between the communication hole  18   a  of the tube  18  and the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   e . Note that the clearance  42  is preferably 0.5 mm or more in size, but not limited to this size. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the clearance  42  is formed continuously from the first end to the second end in the wheel circumferential axis X by the pair of tubes  18  and the main body  13 . Continuously extending the clearance  42  from the one tube  18  to the other tube  18  along the wheel circumferential axis X forms a water passage  44  through which water, moisture, and the like flow. In the present embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the clearance  42  is not formed on other part of the main body  13  except the lower surface portion  25   b  on the first end of the tube  18  and the main body  13 , due to a contact of the lower surface portion  25   b  of the main body  13  with the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c . Further, the clearance  42  may be partially formed at only a section of the tube  18  having the communication hole  18   a  along the wheel circumferential axis X. This may minimize a reduction in a volume of the auxiliary air chamber SC, and provides a noise reduction effect equivalent to that of a conventional auxiliary air chamber member having no clearance  42 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a first modification of the auxiliary air chamber member  10 , in which.  FIG. 6A  is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the first modification corresponding to  FIG. 3  of the embodiment, and  FIG. 6B  is a partially cutaway side view of the first modification corresponding to  FIG. 4  of the embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the auxiliary air chamber member  10   a  according to the first modification has the bottom end  18   b  of the tube  18  and all over the lower surface portions  25   b  of the main body  13  including the first and second end being in non-contact with the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c.    
     That is, the clearance  42  is continuously formed all over the wheel width Y between the tube  18  and the whole surface of the main body  13  including the first and second ends and the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  of the vehicle wheel  1 . Note that continuous forming of the clearance  42  from the first end to the second end along the wheel circumferential axis Xis the same as that of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     For an example enhancement of the conventional art, as shown in  FIG. 8 , it may be able to be thought of securing the clearance by displacing the tube  102  of the conventional auxiliary air chamber member  100  toward the outside along the wheel radial axis Z. However, in the above enhancement, if a position of the communication hole  104  of the pipe  102  is displaced outward. in the wheel radial axis Z, this moves the communication hole  104  of the pipe  102  closer to the bead portion  108  of the tire  106  resulting a possible interference of the communication hole  104  with the bead portion  108 . On the contrary, in the auxiliary air chamber member  10   a  according to the first modification, increasing the clearance amount along the wheel width direction Y is able to reduce the displacement amount by which the tube  18  is displaced outward along the wheel radial axis Z, so that interference of the tire  106  with the bead portion  108  (see  FIG. 8 ) may be able to be suitably avoided. 
     The vehicle wheel  1  according to the present embodiment is fundamentally configured as described above. Then, description is given of an effect of the present embodiment. 
     The present embodiment provides the clearance  42  between the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  and the bottom end  18   b  of the tube  18  having the communication hole  18   a . This makes the step along the wheel radial axis Z between the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  and the communication hole  18   a  (see  FIG. 4 ). Therefore, the present embodiment is able to prevent, for example, the water condensed in the tire air chamber, moisture, and a liquid of a puncture repair agent from entering the communication hole  18   a  through the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c.    
     In other words, the present embodiment, the communication hole  18   a  of the tube  18  is arranged at a position apart from the outer peripheral surface  11   d  (wheel rim surface) of the well portion  11   c  outward along the wheel radial axis Z. This allows the present embodiment to prevent water, moisture, and the like in the tire air chamber from entering and remaining in the auxiliary air chamber SC. 
     This results in the suitable and reliable avoidance of the decrease in the volume of the auxiliary air chamber SC of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  caused by the entering of the water or the like into the auxiliary air chamber SC and the reduced performance of the noise reduction; i.e., performance deterioration of the road noise reduction caused by air column resonance, in the present embodiment. Further, the present embodiment is able to suitably prevent the water, moisture, or the like from remaining in the auxiliary air chamber SC, and therefore to prevent a wheel balance from being deteriorated due to the remaining moisture. 
     Further, in the present embodiment, the clearance  42  is continuously formed to extend from the first end at which the communication hole  18   a  is disposed to the second end of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  along the wheel circumferential axis X of the vehicle wheel  1  (see  FIG. 5 ). Specifically, the clearance  42  extends continuously from the first end of the tube  18  disposed at the first end of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  along the wheel circumferential axis X to the second end of the tube  18  disposed at the second end of the auxiliary air chamber member  10  to form a water passage  44  along the wheel circumferential axis X. This allows the present embodiment to make water, moisture, and the like circulate along the water channel  44  without accumulating at a position on the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  at which the tube  18  having the communication hole  18   a  is arranged. 
     Further, the present embodiment is able to disperse and scatter the water, moisture, and. the like flowing along the water channel  44  toward the tire (not shown) without making them remain on the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  by an act from a centrifugal force of the rotating tire. As a result, the present embodiment is able to prevent the water, moisture, and the like from entering the auxiliary air chamber SC, and to appropriately prevent the noise reduction performance from being deteriorated. 
     Next, description is given of a second modification of the auxiliary air chamber member shown in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7A  is an enlarged partially cutaway perspective view of an auxiliary air chamber member according to a second. modification, and.  FIG. 7B  is an enlarged partially cutaway perspective view of an auxiliary air chamber member according to a third modification. 
     The auxiliary air chamber member  10   c  shown in.  FIG. 7A  differs from the first modification in that the member  10   c  includes an intermediate plate  48  that works as a spacer and is located between the tube  18  and the edge portion  14   b  along the wheel width direction Y and on the outer peripheral surface lid of the well portion  1   c . The intermediate plate  48  is formed by a band-shaped plate extending in the wheel circumferential axis X, and able to easily form the clearance  42  by being interposed between the edge portion  14   b  and the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c , which is an advantage of the intermediate plate  48 . 
     The auxiliary air chamber member  10   d  shown in  FIG. 7B  differs from the embodiment in that the member  10   d  is provided with an upright shielding plate  50  that is a wall formed to cover a lower part of the opening  40  of the tube  18  for preventing the water, moisture, or the like from entering the communication hole  18   a . The auxiliary air chamber member  10   d  is not provided with the clearance  42  between the bottom end  18   b  of the tube  18  and the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c . This provides an advantage that the auxiliary air chamber member  10   d  is able to stabilize seating of the main body  13  on the outer peripheral surface  11   d  of the well portion  11   c  as compared with the case where the clearance  42  is provided. 
     A cross-sectional area of the opening of the communication hole  18   a  of the tube  18  affects the resonance frequency. Therefore, the auxiliary air chamber member  10   d  shown in  FIG. 7B  needs to be designed on the cross-sectional area of the opening of the communication hole  18   a  and the shielding plate  50  so as to have the target resonance frequency maintained. In order to obtain a desired resonance frequency, the cross-sectional area of the opening of the communication hole  18   a  of the tube  18  and a length of the communication hole  18   a  are to be appropriately adjusted on an assumption that the shield plate  50  is mounted.