Patent ID: 12211474

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the present invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the present invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the present invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the other hand, the present invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Items shown in the drawings are schematically illustrated to easily describe the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and thus the items may be different from those actually implemented.

Throughout the exemplary embodiment, when an element is referred to as “comprising” a component, it means that the component can further include other components, not excluding the other components unless specifically stated otherwise.

Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, known techniques or repetitive descriptions which may obscure the gist of the present invention may be reduced or omitted.

A wheel for reducing a resonance noise according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is to increase an effect of reducing a resonance noise using a waveguide of a new structure.

The waveguide may be formed to generate an offset noise for reducing a resonance noise, which is a resonant noise generated in a cavity of the wheel, and the waveguide is also referred to as a wave resonator. The cavity is a space between a rim of the wheel and a tire coupled to the rim.

The cavity has an inherent resonance frequency which is determined according to a circumferential length thereof, and the circumferential length of the cavity is determined based on a radial center portion between the rim and the tire. A resonance frequency f0may be determined by the following Equation 1.
f0=c/Lc[Equation 1]

Here, c is a propagation speed of the sound wave, and Lcis the circumferential length of the cavity.

For noise attenuation, the existing flat-shaped waveguide is formed to have a length which is ¼ times a target frequency wavelength to be attenuated. The waveguide reduces a noise by generating an inverse-phase sound wave with respect to a sound wave of the noise entering an interior of the waveguide.

To reduce a noise generated in the cavity, the existing waveguide is formed to have a length which is ¼ times the resonance frequency wavelength of the cavity, and thus the number of waveguides, which are mountable on the rim of the wheel, and a mounting interval of the waveguides are inevitably limited.

When the existing waveguide is applied, three waveguides at maximum are mounted on the rim of the wheel. When three waveguides are mounted on the rim, the three waveguides are mounted on the rim at intervals of 120°.

The wheel of reducing a resonance noise according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention utilizes a waveguide of a new structure to increase a resonance noise reduction effect to a level which is higher than or equal to a level of a resonance noise reduction effect of a wheel provided with the existing resonator.

FIG.1is a diagram illustrating a wheel for reducing a resonance noise in a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention,FIG.2is a diagram illustrating a state in which a tire is coupled to a wheel for reducing a resonance noise according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention,FIG.3is a diagram illustrating a waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention,FIG.4is a diagram illustrating an effective length for movement of a sound wave in the waveguide according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention,FIG.5is a diagram illustrating a principle of canceling a sound wave entering the waveguide according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention,FIG.6is a partial diagram illustrating a mounting structure of the waveguide according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, andFIG.7is a diagram for describing a mounting interval of a waveguide according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, the wheel for reducing a resonance noise according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a spoke10, a rim20provided on an edge portion of the spoke10, and a plurality of waveguides100mounted on the rim20.

The spoke10may be formed of supports radially extending from an axle toward the rim20.

The rim20is a cylindrical portion forming a circumference of the wheel, and a tire30in contact with a road surface is mounted on the rim20.

The rim20includes a waveguide mounting portion21on which the waveguides100are mounted, and the waveguide mounting portion21is formed to seamlessly extend in a circumferential direction of the rim20.

The waveguide mounting portion21may be formed in a form of being depressed by as much as a predetermined depth in a radial direction of the rim20, and the waveguides100may be inserted and accommodated in the waveguide mounting portion21.

As shown inFIG.2,FIG.3andFIG.4, the waveguide100is mounted on the rim20and disposed in a cavity40which is a space between the rim20and the tire30and has a ‘U’-shaped internal passage110into which a sound wave generated in the cavity40is introduced.

A center portion of the internal passage110is a section in which a propagation direction of the sound wave entering the internal passage110is switched. The center portion of the internal passage110extends in an axial direction of the rim20, and both end portions of the internal passage110are connected to the center portion of the internal passage110to allow the sound wave to propagate and extend in the circumferential direction of the rim20.

Since the waveguide100includes the ‘U’-shaped internal passage110, an effective length in the waveguide100for propagation of a sound wave may maintain a length to reduce the resonant noise of the cavity40, and simultaneously, an external length of the waveguide100based on the circumferential direction of the rim20may be reduced to a level of ½ of the internal passage110.

Thus, when compared with the related art, in the wheel according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a larger number of waveguides100may be mounted on the rim20so that an effect of reducing a resonance noise in the cavity40may be increased.

Here, since a target frequency to be attenuated by the waveguide100is a resonance frequency of the cavity40, a length of the internal passage110provided in each waveguide100is determined to be ¼ times a wavelength length of the resonance frequency of the cavity40, and the resonance frequency of the cavity40is determined according to a circumferential length of the cavity40.

In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the waveguides100may have the internal passages110having the same length to attenuate a noise of the same resonance frequency.

Referring toFIG.5, the waveguide100reflects the sound wave entering the internal passage110to generate an inverse phase sound wave. When a sound wave of a resonance frequency entering the internal passage110is referred to as a first sound wave, the waveguide100may reflect the first sound wave to generate a second sound wave which is a sound wave having an inverse phase with respect to the first sound wave. The second sound wave may cancel the first sound wave having the resonance frequency.

The waveguide100is formed in a structure for canceling the first sound wave by generating the second sound wave with respect to the first sound wave. In other words, to cancel the sound wave having the resonance frequency entering the internal passage110, the waveguide100is formed in a structure for generating a sound wave having an inverse phase with respect to the sound wave having the resonance frequency.

Referring toFIG.2,FIG.3,FIG.4andFIG.5, the waveguide100includes a seating plate120and a waveguide main body130integrally formed with the seating plate120.

The seating plate120is formed in a plate shape which may be disposed on an external circumferential surface of the rim20in a surface-contact state and when mounted on the rim20, the seating plate120is disposed in the waveguide mounting portion21of the rim20in a surface-contact state.

The waveguide main body130is formed in a U shape in which a center portion thereof in the longitudinal direction is curved, and the waveguide main body130is provided on the seating plate120to form the internal passage110between the waveguide main body130and the seating plate120. The waveguide main body130may have a U-shaped cross-sectional structure and may be formed on the seating plate120, and the internal passage110, which is a space for the propagation of the sound wave, is provided between the waveguide main body130and the seating plate120. The waveguide main body130is disposed in a center portion of the seating plate120in a longitudinal direction thereof, and the waveguide main body130is provided in a form of protruding from one side of the seating plate120.

Furthermore, an entrance131for opening a first end portion of the internal passage110is provided at a first end portion of the waveguide main body130, and a wall132for closing a second end portion of the internal passage110is provided at a second end portion of the waveguide main body130. The first end portion and the second end portion are end portions based on a propagation direction of a sound wave in the internal passage110, and the first end portion and the second end portion are disposed opposite to each other based on the propagation direction of the sound wave in the internal passage110.

Referring toFIG.1, the entrance131and the wall132may be disposed at the same position based on the circumferential direction of the rim20, and the entrance131and the wall132may be spaced from each other based on the axial direction of the rim20.

The entrance131allows a sound wave to enter the internal passage110or exit the internal passage110, and the wall132reflects the sound wave entering the internal passage110through the entrance131to return to the entrance131.

The sound wave entering the internal passage110through the entrance131propagates along the internal passage110to reach the wall132and hits the wall132to be reflected back to the entrance131.

Here, assuming that the sound wave of the resonance frequency entering the internal passage110is the first sound wave, and a sound wave which is generated when the first sound wave hits the wall132is the second sound wave, the second sound wave is a sound wave having an inverse phase with respect to the first sound wave.

The waveguide100may cancel the first sound wave entering the internal passage110by generating the second sound wave through the wall132so that a resonance noise generated in the cavity40may be reduced.

Meanwhile, when the waveguides100are disposed in the waveguide mounting portion21of the rim20, end portions of the seating plates120are coupled to each other in an interlocked structure and are disposed in the circumferential direction of the rim20. To the present end, a hook121is provided in a first end portion of the seating plate120, and an engagement hole122, to which a hook of another seating plate adjacent to the seating plate120is hooked and engaged, is provided in a second end portion of the seating plate120. In the instant case, the first end portion and the second end portion of the seating plate120are end portions based on the circumferential direction of the rim20and are disposed opposite to each other based on the waveguide main body130.

As in the example ofFIG.1, when four waveguides100in total are mounted on the rim20, the four waveguides100may be divided into a first waveguide101, a second waveguide102, a third waveguide103, and a fourth waveguide104according to an order of being disposed in the circumferential direction of the rim20.

A hook of the first waveguide101may be hooked to and engaged with an engagement hole of the second waveguide102adjacent to the first waveguide101, and an engagement hole of the first waveguide101may be hooked to and engaged with a hook of the fourth waveguide104adjacent to the first waveguide101. Similarly, a hook of the third waveguide103may be hooked to and engaged with an engagement hole of the fourth waveguide104, and an engagement hole of the third waveguide103may be hooked to and engaged with a hook of the second waveguide102.

The waveguides100are completely coupled through ultrasonic fusing in a state of being incompletely mounted on the waveguide mounting portion21of the rim20through the engagement between the hook121and the engagement hole122.

Furthermore, to prevent the waveguide100from slipping on the rim20when the wheel is rotated, as shown inFIG.6, at least one waveguide of the waveguides100mounted on the rim20includes a stopper123inserted into a fixing groove22of the rim20.

The stopper123is formed to protrude from an edge portion of the seating plate120, and the fixing groove22is provided on a side wall of the waveguide mounting portion21. When the seating plate120of the waveguide100is disposed on a bottom surface of the waveguide mounting portion21, the stopper123may be inserted into the fixing groove22.

The waveguide100may be manufactured by a plastic blow method with high moldability.

Furthermore, to further increase a coupling force with respect to the waveguide mounting portion21, the waveguide100may be fixed to and pressed against the waveguide mounting portion21using a strap140made of a steel material.

The strap140may be made of a steel material having high strength and may press the seating plate120of the waveguide100toward the waveguide mounting portion21, fixing the seating plate120in a state of being pressed against the waveguide mounting portion21.

The strap140is mounted to the waveguide100using a tool. The strap140is disposed on the seating plate120to pass through a space between the entrance131and the wall132of the ‘U’-shaped waveguide main body130and passes through the seating plate120not a center portion of the waveguide main body130in a longitudinal direction to be disposed below the center portion of the waveguide main body130in the longitudinal direction thereof.

When the strap140disposed as described above is tightly tightened with a tool, the strap140presses the seating plate120toward the waveguide mounting portion21and thus the seating plate120is tightly fixed to and pressed against the waveguide mounting portion21so that the waveguide100may be prevented from being separated from the waveguide mounting portion21.

Meanwhile, since an external length of the waveguide main body130is about ½ of a length of the internal passage110, six waveguides100may be mounted at maximum in the waveguide mounting portion21of the rim20by adjusting a length of the seating plate120.

As the number of the waveguides100is increased, an effect of reducing a resonance noise generated in the cavity40may be increased. However, it is preferable to mount four waveguides100on the rim20in consideration of an effect of reducing a resonance noise according to a mounting interval of the waveguide100. This is because an effect of reducing a resonance noise is the highest when the waveguides100are disposed to be spaced at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction of the rim20.

When four waveguides100are mounted on the rim20at 90° intervals, it is possible to obtain an effect for reducing a resonance noise at a level which is higher than or equal to a level of an effect for reducing a resonance noise when five or six waveguides100are mounted on the rim20at intervals less than 90°.

Thus, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, four waveguides100are disposed to be spaced at 90° intervals in the waveguide mounting portion21of the rim20. In the instant case, as shown inFIG.7, the entrances131of the waveguides100are disposed to be spaced at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction of the rim20.

When four waveguides100are mounted in the waveguide mounting portion21of the rim20at 90° intervals, it is possible to secure an effect of reducing a resonance noise at a level which is higher than or equal to a level of an effect for reducing a resonance noise when six waveguides100are mounted in the waveguide mounting portion21and it is advantageous for reduction in production cost and weight of the vehicle.

Meanwhile, while driving on a real road, the cavity40has two resonance frequencies according to a vehicle speed.

In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the internal passages110of the waveguides100mounted on the rim20are dualized so that it is possible to reduce all resonance noises caused due to the two resonance frequencies.

For example, the cavity40may have resonance frequencies of 210 Hz and 220 Hz according to the vehicle speed. In the instant case, a waveguide formed to attenuate a resonance noise of 210 Hz and a waveguide formed to attenuate a resonance noise of 220 Hz are mounted on the rim20so that both the resonance noises of 210 Hz and 220 Hz may be reduced.

Thus, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, among the four waveguides100mounted on the rim20at 90° intervals, two waveguides may be formed to reduce a noise of a first resonance frequency, and the remaining two waveguides may be formed to reduce a noise of a second resonance frequency. In the instant case, the first resonance frequency and the second resonance frequency are different frequencies.

In other words, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the four waveguides100mounted on the rim20may be dualized based on the length of the internal passage110.

For example, among the four waveguides100mounted on the rim20, the first waveguide101and the second waveguide102may have internal passages with a length L1, formed to reduce the noise of the first resonance frequency, and the third waveguide103and the fourth waveguide104may have internal passages with a length L2, formed to reduce the noise of the second resonance frequency.

Here, the length of the internal passage110means an effective length for propagation of a sound wave entering the internal passage110. The length of the internal passage110may mean a propagation distance until the sound wave entering the internal passage110through the entrance131reaches the wall132.

As described above, a case in which the waveguides100are dualized based on the length of the internal passage110is limited to a case in which the entrances131of the waveguides100are disposed to be spaced at 90° intervals. This is because the wheel of the present invention secures an effect for reducing a resonance noise which is equal to an effect for reducing a resonance noise of a wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted.

That is, even when the waveguides100are dualized, to secure an effect of reducing a resonance noise at a level which is equal to a level of an effect of reducing a resonance noise of the wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted, it is necessary to arrange the waveguides100at 90° intervals in the waveguide mounting portion21.

In other words, in the wheel for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the entrances131of the waveguides100mounted on the rim20are disposed at 90° intervals and the waveguides100are dualized based on the length of the internal passage110so that it is possible to reduce all resonance noises dualized according to the vehicle speed and reduce the resonance noises to the same level as that of a wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted.

FIG.8andFIG.9are graphs showing a resonance noise reduction effect of the wheel for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention when compared with the existing wheel.

InFIG.8, G1is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of the wheel on which the waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is mounted, G2is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted, G3is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which the existing waveguide is mounted, G4is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which a resonator or a waveguide is not mounted, and G5is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which a waveguide having an entrance in an opposite direction with respect to the waveguide applied to G1is mounted.

All of G1to G5show the resonance noises measured while driving at 40 kph in an interior of a vehicle to which a wheel having a resonance frequency of 210 Hz of a cavity is applied.

Referring toFIG.8, it can be confirmed that G1has the highest resonance noise reduction performance among G1to G5at the resonance frequency of 210 Hz.

Furthermore, inFIG.9, G6is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of the wheel on which the waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is mounted, G7is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted, G8is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which the existing waveguide is mounted, G9is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which a resonator or a waveguide is not mounted, and G10is a graph showing resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which a waveguide having an entrance in an opposite direction with respect to the waveguide applied to G6is mounted.

All of G6to G10show the resonance noises measured while driving at 80 kph in the interior of the vehicle to which the wheel having the resonance frequency of 220 Hz of the cavity is applied.

Referring toFIG.9, it may be confirmed that G6has the highest resonance noise reduction performance among G6to G10at the resonance frequency of 220 Hz.

Thus, in the case of the wheel on which the waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is mounted, it may be seen that an effect of reducing a resonance noise is increased when compared to a wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted or a wheel on which the existing waveguide is mounted.

Meanwhile, both of G1and G5are graphs showing the resonance noise reduction performance of the wheel on which the waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is mounted, and G1and G5differ only in an arrangement of the entrance of the waveguide. Furthermore, both of G6and G10are graphs showing the resonance noise reduction performance of the wheel on which the waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is mounted, and G6and G10differ only in an arrangement of the entrance of the waveguide.

G1and G6show an effect of reducing a resonance noise of the wheel on which a waveguide, which a sound wave enters in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the wheel according to an arrangement of the entrance of the waveguide, is mounted, and G5and G10show an effect of reducing a resonance noise of the wheel on which a waveguide, which a sound wave enters in the rotation direction of the wheel according to the arrangement of the entrance of the waveguide, is mounted.

Referring toFIG.8andFIG.9, it may be confirmed that an effect of reducing a resonance noise of the wheel on which the waveguide, which a sound wave enters in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the wheel, is mounted is somewhat higher than an effect of reducing a resonance noise of the wheel on which a waveguide, which a sound wave enters in the rotation direction of the wheel, is mounted.

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a waveguide of a new structure is applied so that resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel may be effectively increased, and the wheel on which the waveguide according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is mounted can secure the resonance noise reduction performance which is greater than or equal to resonance noise reduction performance of a wheel on which the existing resonator is mounted.

Furthermore in accordance, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a target attenuation frequency of the waveguide may be dualized based on a length of an internal passage of the waveguide so that all resonance noises dualized according to a vehicle speed may be attenuated.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “up”, “down”, “upwards”, “downwards”, “front”, “rear”, “back”, “inside”, “outside”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “interior”, “exterior”, “internal”, “external”, “forwards”, and “backwards” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. It will be further understood that the term “connect” or its derivatives refer both to direct and indirect connection.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the present invention and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.