JP2007182144A - Wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wheel having an air hole part and suppressing deterioration of aerodynamic performance. <P>SOLUTION: This wheel is provided with a wheel 11 provided with the air hole communicating a space in the wheel with the outside at an annular portion between a rim part 12 and a wheel center part 20 and a cover 50 connected to a non-rotating member 34 of a suspension device and disposed to cover the annular portion of the wheel 11 from a center side of the vehicle width direction. Area of the air hole of the wheel 11 covered with the cover 50 is made larger on a front side of a vehicle in relation to a wheel center part 20 than that on a rear side of the vehicle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wheel, and more particularly, to a wheel including a wheel provided with an air hole for communicating a space in the wheel with the outside at an annular portion between a rim portion and a wheel center portion.

  Conventionally, as a general wheel, a wheel provided with a so-called spoke type aluminum wheel having an air hole portion, or a structure having a wheel cap attached to a steel wheel to block the flow of air inside and outside the wheel is known.

  In the former, for example, air is taken in from the front part of the vehicle as the vehicle travels, and is used for cooling a brake or the like attached to the inside of the wheel through the lower part of the vehicle, and then discharged from the air hole part, thereby causing a brake or the like. Although it is possible to improve the cooling performance, the exhausted air collides with the air flowing on the side of the vehicle and becomes turbulent, which may lead to deterioration of aerodynamic performance and thus fuel consumption.

  In the latter case, on the contrary, the aerodynamic performance is good, but the effect of cooling the brake or the like attached to the inside of the wheel cannot be sufficiently obtained.

On the other hand, a wheel structure is known in which an aerodynamic performance is improved by rectifying the air flow from the air hole by providing an annular guide that covers the air hole from the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-48403 A

  However, in the wheel structure described above, although air is rectified to improve aerodynamic performance, no consideration is given to preventing air from being discharged from the front side portion of the air hole portion. Since the air flowing on the side of the vehicle is stronger toward the front side of the vehicle, it is preferable that the air is discharged from the rear side. In addition, providing an annular guide outside the wheel also causes design problems.

  Thus, regardless of aluminum or steel as a material, a structure of a wheel that has an air hole portion and does not deteriorate aerodynamic performance is required. The present invention is to solve such a problem by a technique different from the above-described conventional technique, and has as its main object to provide a wheel having an air hole portion and suppressing deterioration of aerodynamic performance. .

  One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is to provide a wheel provided with an air hole that communicates the space in the wheel with the outside in an annular portion between the rim portion and the wheel center portion, and the non-rotation of the suspension device. A cover connected to the member and disposed so as to cover the annular portion of the wheel from the center side in the vehicle width direction, and the area of the air hole of the wheel covered by the cover on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the wheel center portion It is larger than the rear side of the vehicle. Here, the “space in the wheel” means a space defined by a rim portion and an annular portion such as a spoke or a disk.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, since the area of the air hole of the wheel covered by the cover is made larger on the front side of the vehicle than the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the wheel center, the air in the wheel is discharged to the outside. In this case, more air can be discharged from the rear side of the vehicle in the air hole. Thereby, since the air which flows on the vehicle side surface is stronger toward the front side of the vehicle, it can be suppressed that the discharged air collides with the air flowing on the vehicle side surface and becomes a turbulent flow. Of course, since this cover is connected to the non-rotating member of the suspension device, the area of the air hole of the wheel covered by the cover is smaller than the rear side of the vehicle at the front side of the vehicle with respect to the wheel center. Can be bigger.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the cover preferably has at least a predetermined distance from the annular portion on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the wheel center portion, and the annular portion from the wheel center portion to the rear side of the vehicle. It is configured to gradually approach. In this way, in addition to allowing more air to be discharged from the rear side portion of the vehicle in the air hole, the direction of the discharged air can be directed to the rear side of the vehicle, so that it is discharged. It can suppress more that air collides with the air which flows through the vehicle side surface, and becomes a turbulent flow.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the cover is preferably configured such that air in the wheel is discharged from a portion of the air hole on the rear side of the vehicle.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the wheel which has the air hole part and suppressed the aerodynamic performance deterioration can be provided.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a wheel 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure is seen through from above the vehicle. The wheel 1 includes, for example, a wheel 11 including a tire 10, a rim 12 to which the tire 10 is mounted, a spoke 14, and a hub 20 that is connected so that the spoke 14 and a vehicle driving shaft 18 rotate together. A brake device 30, an air duct 40, and a cover 50 are provided.

  The wheel 1 of the present embodiment has an annular portion (disk portion) 13 including a spoke 14 and an air hole portion 16 formed as a gap between the rim 12 and the hub 20. The spokes 14 are, for example, radial support members that are formed integrally with the rim 12 and are connected to the hub 20 by bolts. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the wheel 1. The shape, size, and number of the air hole portions 16 determined by the shape of the spoke 14 can be arbitrarily set in consideration of cooling performance and aerodynamic performance described later.

  The brake device 30 is a well-known hydraulic brake device that applies a braking force to the vehicle according to the amount of operation of the brake pedal by the driver, for example. The brake device 30 has, as main components, for example, a disc-shaped rotor 32 that is connected to the hub 20 and rotates integrally with the driving shaft 18, and is fixed to the chassis portion of the vehicle through a fixing member so as not to rotate. And a brake caliper 34 that suppresses the rotation of the brake caliper.

  The air duct 40 is disposed, for example, inside the front bumper of the vehicle, and has an opening 42 that takes in air as the vehicle travels. The air duct 40 cools the brake device 30 by discharging the air to the vicinity of the brake device 30. ing.

  FIG. 3 illustrates the air flow in the wheel 1 when the cover 50 is not provided. Air supplied from the air duct 40 cools the brake device 30 on the inner side of the wheel 1 (referred to as a space defined by the rim portion 12 and the brake device 30), passes through the air hole portion 16, and passes through the side surface of the vehicle. It is discharged toward When this discharged air collides with the airflow flowing on the side surface of the vehicle, turbulent flow is generated, which may lead to deterioration of aerodynamic performance and thus reduction of fuel consumption.

  Therefore, the wheel 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the cover 50 to suppress the occurrence of turbulence due to the discharged air. As illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, the cover 50 is formed by integrally forming an air cover 52 and an air guide 54 and providing a hole for allowing the hub 20 to pass therethrough. The air cover 52 is on the inner side (vehicle center side) of the spoke 14 and has a semicircular shape that covers approximately half of the annular portion (disk portion) 13 on the front side of the vehicle. The air guide 54 has a shape that gradually approaches the spoke portion 14 from the joint portion with the air cover 52 to the rear side of the vehicle, for example, and the air that has cooled the brake device 30 moves in the traveling direction of the vehicle. On the other hand, it plays the role of adjusting the direction of the air so that it is discharged toward the rear side rather than vertically.

  With the structure of the cover 50, when air is discharged from the wheel 1, the air is discharged from the rear side of the vehicle in the air hole portion 16 toward the rear side. Since the airflow that flows on the side of the vehicle is stronger toward the front side of the vehicle, the structure of this cover 50 causes the air flowing on the side of the vehicle and the air discharged from the wheels 1 to collide to generate turbulent flow. Can be suppressed. The arrows in FIG. 1 represent the air flow around the wheel 1 when the vehicle is traveling.

  The cover 50 is fixed to the brake caliper 34 via a fixing member, and a bearing structure is used at a contact portion with a rotating body such as the hub 20 or the rotor 32, so that the rotation of the driving shaft 18 is performed. Is not transmitted to the cover 50. For this reason, the cover 50 can play a role of covering substantially half of the front side of the vehicle in the annular portion (disk portion) 13 and discharging air toward the rear side regardless of the rotation of the wheel 1. However, the portion covered by the air cover 52 does not need to be strictly sealed, and there may be a slight gap between the cover 50 and the hub 20 or the rotor 32. In this case, a bearing structure becomes unnecessary.

  Thus, according to the wheel 1 which concerns on one Example of this invention, while supplying air to the brake device 30 and cooling this, generation | occurrence | production of the turbulent flow in the vehicle side part accompanying discharge | emission of this air is suppressed. be able to.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and has been described above without departing from the gist of the present invention. Various modifications and substitutions can be made to one embodiment.

  For example, the cover 50 gradually approaches the spoke portion 14 from the joint portion between the air cover 52 and the air cover 52 covering substantially half of the front side of the vehicle in the annular portion (disk portion) 13 to the rear side of the vehicle. The air guide 54 is illustrated as being provided with the air guide 54. However, as illustrated in FIG. 5, for example, on the inner side (vehicle center side) of the spoke portion 14 and the front portion of the vehicle in the annular portion (disk portion) 13. It may be a semicircular shape covering half (those consisting only of the air cover 52 in the embodiment). Moreover, it may have a substantially disk shape, and the whole may gradually approach the spoke portion 14 toward the rear side of the vehicle. In addition, any structure may be used as long as the area covered by the cover 50 in the front portion of the vehicle in the annular portion (disk portion) 13 is larger than that in the rear portion.

  Moreover, although the cyclic | annular site | part (disk part) 13 with which the wheel 1 is provided was illustrated as what consists of the spoke 14 and the air hole part 16, it is not restricted to this, What kind of shape may be sufficient if it has an air hole part. For example, it may be an annular portion (disk portion) composed of a mesh-like support member and an air hole portion.

  Moreover, although the wheel 1 was illustrated as a front wheel and a driving wheel connected to the driving shaft 18, it may be a rear wheel or a non-driving wheel.

  Further, the object to be cooled by the air flow from the air duct 40 is not limited to the brake device 30, and any device in the wheel is to be cooled.

  Moreover, although the brake device 30 was illustrated as a disc brake provided with the rotor 32 and the brake caliper 34, other types of brake devices such as a drum brake may be applied. Also about the position of the brake device 30, it is not restricted to the vehicle front side in the wheel 1 of an Example, You may arrange | position in what positions.

  Moreover, the aspect in which the air duct 40 supplies the air flow to the brake device 30 is not limited to the one that takes in natural wind by traveling, and may be an air pump.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a vehicle including a wheel provided with at least an air hole. The appearance, weight, size, running performance, etc. of the vehicle to be mounted are not limited.

It is a figure which shows an example of the whole structure of the wheel 1 which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the side view of the wheel 1 which concerns on one Example of this invention. The flow of the air in the wheel 1 when not having the cover 50 is illustrated. It is the figure which showed an example of the structure of the cover 50 which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the structure of the cover 50 which concerns on the modification of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wheel 10 Tire 11 Wheel 12 Rim 13 Annular part 14 Spoke 16 Air hole part 18 Driving shaft 20 Hub 30 Brake device 32 Rotor 34 Brake caliper 40 Air duct 42 Opening part 50 Cover 52 Air cover 54 Air guide

Claims (3)

A wheel provided with an air hole that communicates the space inside the wheel with the outside in an annular portion between the rim portion and the wheel center portion;
A cover connected to the non-rotating member of the suspension device and disposed so as to cover the annular portion of the wheel from the center side in the vehicle width direction,
The area of the air hole of the wheel covered by the cover is made larger on the front side of the vehicle than the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the wheel center part.
A wheel characterized by that. The wheel according to claim 1,
The cover is configured to have at least a predetermined interval with the annular portion on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the wheel center portion, and gradually approach the annular portion from the wheel center portion to the rear side of the vehicle. The
Wheel. The wheel according to claim 1,
The cover is configured such that air in the wheel is discharged from a portion of the air hole on the rear side of the vehicle.
A wheel characterized by that.

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