JPH0948201A - Fitting construction of wheel for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a burden on a spacer or a fitting bolt due to thermal expansion and lighten heating of a wheel by heightening air cooling effect for the spacer and the surrounding. SOLUTION: This fitting construction of a wheel for automobile is provided with a wheel fitting part 22 formed so as to overhang the outside of a brake mechanism connected to the axle of an automobile and projectingly provided with a plurality of fitting bolts, spacers 28 respectively separately inserted to the individual bolts 24 of the wheel fitting part 22, and a wheel 26 fixed to the wheel fitting part 22 by being inserted to the bolts 24 from the outside and fastened with nuts 30 from the extreme ends of the respective bolts 24. The each spacer 28 can be formed out of titanium or titanium alloy. The each spacer 28 can be provided with feather-like projections or grooves, and connected to the other through slender connecting members. Further, heat insulating members can be interposed on one side or both sides of the each spacer 28.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel in which spacers for adjusting the axial mounting position of the vehicle wheel are separately arranged for each mounting bolt when the vehicle wheel is mounted on an axle. Regarding mounting structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, wheels of various sizes have been supplied according to the tire size. Therefore, when changing the sizes of the tire and the wheel, it is necessary to adjust the axial mounting position of the wheel (hereinafter referred to as an offset). This is because if the offset is deviated, the center of the ground contact point of the tire may be deviated to affect the maneuverability, or the tire may come into contact with the fender or the inner driving member.

In adjusting the offset, in the conventional wheel mounting structure, as shown in FIG. 12, the wheel 2 and the wheel mounting portion 4 formed so as to project outside the brake mechanism connected to the axle of the automobile. In the meantime, one spacer 6 having a substantially ring plate shape is inserted, and these are fixed by tightening bolts 8 and nuts 10 for attachment.

Also, the outer surface of the wheel mounting portion 4 is circular, and the bolts 8 are provided at equal intervals on a circumference concentric with the outer surface, but the number and pitch thereof may differ depending on the vehicle type. is there. Therefore, as the conventional spacer 6, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, a general-purpose type that can cope with different numbers and pitches of bolts has been used. That is, the conventional spacer 6 has four bolt holes 10 and five bolt holes 10 in the circumferential direction, starting from the uppermost bolt hole in FIG.
The individual bolt holes 11 were formed at the same time, and each of the bolt holes 10 and 11 also had an elongated hole shape in order to cope with a slight difference in pitch.

[0005]

In such a conventional wheel mounting structure, the frictional heat generated in the braking mechanism due to braking heats the wheel mounting portion 4, the spacer 6, and the wheel 2 which are in contact with each other, and heats them. Although they expand, since they are tightly tightened by the bolts 8, a strong force may be applied to the wheel mounting portion 4 and the wheel 2 as a compressive force and a strong force to the bolts 8 as a tensile force. In particular, a spacer 6 that is sandwiched between the wheel mounting portion 4 and the wheel 2 and that is relatively thin, and a bolt 8 that receives expansion of these in the width direction as a pulling force
Was a heavy burden.

Generally, as the material of the spacer 6, a cast material of aluminum is often used because the material cost is low and it is suitable for mass production. However, aluminum has a relatively large thermal expansion coefficient, and the cast material is relatively large. Since the ductility is low, the durability becomes a problem when the above-mentioned heavy load is applied. On the other hand, since aluminum has good thermal conductivity, the wheel 4 is heated through the spacer 6, and the durability of the wheel 6 becomes a problem.

Further, since the spacer 6 is a rotating body, it is necessary to balance the weight balance of the spacer 6 around the axis to prevent the resonance phenomenon in a constant speed range during traveling. However, the general-purpose type spacer 6 corresponds to a plurality of bolt pitches, and the weight balance is not balanced due to the presence of the unused bolt holes 10. Moreover, since each bolt hole 10 and 11 has an elongated hole shape, eccentricity may occur depending on the mounting method, and the weight balance may be lost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and by improving the air cooling effect of the spacer and its peripheral portion, the load on the spacer and the mounting bolt due to thermal expansion is reduced and the heating of the wheel is alleviated. The purpose is to do.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle wheel mounting structure according to the present invention is a wheel formed by projecting a plurality of bolts. It is characterized in that a spacer is arranged between the mounting portion and the wheel separately for each bolt.

Each spacer is preferably made of titanium or a titanium alloy. In addition, each spacer is preferably formed by projecting a blade-shaped protrusion having two curved surfaces closed on one side into a space formed between the wheel mounting portion and the wheel. .

Further, each spacer is preferably provided with a plurality of grooves extending outward from the bolt side. It is preferable to provide an elongated connecting member between the spacers to connect the spacers to each other.

When the above-mentioned spacers are provided with blade-shaped protrusions, it is more preferable to connect the spacers with a connecting member. Further, it is more preferable to interpose a heat insulating member such as kao wool paper on one side or both sides of each spacer.

[0013]

According to the present invention, since the spacers are arranged separately for each bolt, a gap is formed between the spacers. For this reason, the friction heat generated in the brake mechanism due to the braking of the automobile and transmitted from the wheel mounting portion side is easily dissipated in the spacer portion inserted into the hub bolt. That is, as the wheels of the automobile rotate, air enters the gaps formed between the spacers and cools the spacers, thereby suppressing thermal expansion of the spacers.

Here, each spacer is preferably made of titanium or titanium alloy. This is because titanium has a small thermal expansion coefficient of about 1/3 as compared with aluminum that has been conventionally used as a spacer material, and the thermal expansion of the spacer and itself can be suppressed.

In addition, each spacer is formed by projecting a blade-shaped protruding portion having two curved surfaces closed on one side into a space formed between the wheel mounting portion and the wheel. Is preferred. This is because the spacer has a streamlined shape to prevent turbulent air flow and to reduce the air resistance of the spacer so that air can flow in and out smoothly.

Further, each spacer is preferably provided with a plurality of grooves extending outward from the bolt side. This is because the surface area of the spacer is increased and the efficiency of heat exchange with the air is increased. In order to facilitate the attachment of the spacers, it is preferable to provide an elongated connecting member between the spacers to connect the spacers to each other.

In this case, when the mounting direction is determined in order to reduce the air resistance like the above-mentioned spacer with a protruding portion and the mounting is troublesome, it is necessary to connect in advance with the connecting member. This is especially convenient because it makes it easy to set the direction. It is more preferable to interpose a heat insulating member such as kao wool paper on one side or both sides of each spacer. As a result, it is possible to suppress the heat conduction of the wheel (especially an aluminum wheel having a high heat conductivity) to a low level, and it is possible to prevent the strength from being lowered due to the heating of the wheel.

Although such a spacer of the present invention is referred to as a "spacer" for the sake of convenience, it does not necessarily have to aim at the so-called offset amount adjustment and is used only for the purpose of radiating brake friction heat. It doesn't matter.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle wheel mounting structure according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. First Embodiment In general, an automobile wheel includes a rim portion, which is a tubular portion into which a tire is fitted, and a substantially disc-shaped disc portion integrally molded so as to close an opening outside the rim portion. Further, this mounting is performed by bringing the central portion inside the disk portion into contact with a brake mechanism connected to the tip of the axle and tightening it with a steel bolt called a hub bolt.

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the main part of a vehicle wheel mounting structure according to the present invention. Reference numeral 20 in the figure denotes a brake side portion that is the outermost portion of the members constituting the brake mechanism connected to the axle of the automobile. Specifically, the outer frame of the brake drum in the case of a drum brake and the disc in the case of a disc brake correspond to the brake side portion 20. A thick wheel mounting portion 22 is formed so as to project outward from the center of the brake side portion 20.
As shown in FIG. 2, the wheel attachment portion 22 has a circular outer surface.

Usually, on the outer surface of such a wheel mounting portion, four to five, and in some cases, six hub bolts are evenly arranged around the center thereof, and the number and pitch of the hub bolts differ depending on the vehicle type. There is. As shown in FIG. 2, the hub bolt 24 in the present embodiment has a wheel mounting portion 22.
5 are arranged concentrically with the outer surface of the. As shown in FIG. 1, these hub bolts 24 are provided on the wheel mounting portion 22 with the bolt tips facing outward.

Reference numeral 26 in FIG. 1 denotes a disk portion of the wheel. Further, the disc portion 26 and the wheel mounting portion 2
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one spacer 28 is inserted for each hub bolt 24 in the middle of the hub bolt 24 sandwiched between the two. Then, the nut 30 is screwed in from the tip of the hub bolt 24 protruding to the outside of the disc portion 26, and is tightly tightened with, for example, an impact wrench. At this time, since the spacers 28 are formed separately and the spacers 28 are separated from each other to some extent, a gap is formed between the wheel mounting portion 22 and the disc portion 26, as shown in FIG. It

By the way, the brake mechanism of an automobile generates a braking force by pressing a pad or the like on the above-mentioned brake drum or disc, so that when the brake mechanism is used frequently, the temperature of the brake drum or disc may change due to friction. It can reach hundreds of degrees. This frictional heat is also transmitted to the spacer 28 and the disk portion 26 via the wheel mounting portion 22, and these members may be heated to 100 degrees or more in some cases. According to each of the spacers 28 shown in this embodiment, the heat transmitted to the spacers 28 can be released to the outside due to the gaps formed between the spacers 28.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each spacer 28 is formed in a substantially ring plate shape and has a bolt hole 32 at the center thereof into which the hub bolt 24 is inserted. Each spacer 28
As described above, the size of is not limited as long as there is a sufficient gap for air cooling between the wheel mounting portion 22 and the disk portion 26. Specifically, the outer diameter d of each spacer 28 is preferably about 20 to 50 mmφ. This is because if the outer diameter is too small, a large weight pressure is applied per unit area, which may cause a problem in durability. On the other hand, if the outer diameter is too large, the above-described effective air cooling effect cannot be obtained. The thickness t of each spacer 28 is determined by the amount of offset adjustment when the spacer is attached, and various thicknesses are prepared according to the tire and wheel sizes. Each spacer 2 in this embodiment
As shown in FIG. 4, 8 has an outer diameter d of 35 mm and a thickness t of 5 mm.

Further, the spacer 28 may have various shapes other than the ring shape as long as it does not cause a problem in the durability and the air cooling effect. For example, in FIG.
(A) (b) a shape in which one or both sides of a circle are cut out by a straight line, (c) shows a corrugated outer periphery, or (d) (e) shows It may be a quadrangle like the above, and may be another polygon. When deciding this shape, considering the weight distribution as well as the so-called wheel balance, the ring shape and FIG.
As shown in (c), it is preferable that the position of the center of gravity is the same regardless of the mounting method. However, other shapes can contribute to optimization of weight distribution as compared with the conventional general-purpose type spacer, as long as it is not extremely asymmetric.

The spacers 28 are preferably made of a material having a small coefficient of thermal expansion. Because, when the wheel mounting portion 22 reaches several hundred degrees, the pressure due to thermal expansion is
This is because the spacer 28 is likely to be applied as a compressive force. That is, since the wheel mounting portion 22 directly affects the braking feeling of the brake when it is easily thermally expanded, it is usually made of a material having a small thermal expansion coefficient and designed to easily expand in the circumferential direction. In addition, the wheel does not expand much because it has a large heat capacity and is constantly exposed to the outside air. On the other hand, the spacer 28 is sandwiched between the wheel mounting portion 22 and the wheel disc portion 26 and is tightly fastened by the hub bolt 24. Moreover, since the spacer 28 is as thin as several millimeters, the spacer 28 has a large load when inflated. Need to be reduced. Further, since the hub bolt 24 receives the expansion of other members in the width direction as a pulling force, the spacer 28
It is also necessary to reduce the load on the hub bolt 24 by reducing the thermal expansion of the. Therefore, each spacer 28 in the present embodiment is formed using, for example, titanium (Ti) having a thermal expansion coefficient of about 1/3 that of aluminum (Al). That is, each spacer 28 is made of pure Ti or T
Made of i alloy. However, considering that the air-cooling effect described above can be obtained in the present invention, Al which is a conventional material is used.
Etc. can also be used.

Finally, the attachment of the automobile wheel to the axle will be described. First, the spacers 28 each having a predetermined thickness are inserted into the hub bolts 24 protruding from the wheel mounting portion 22 one by one from the tips thereof. Then, the bolt holes provided in the disk portion 26 are aligned with the hub bolts 24, and the wheel is inserted. Then, after turning the nut 30 from the tip end side of each hub bolt 24 and tightening each nut evenly with an impact wrench or the like, the wheel attachment is completed.

The matters other than those mentioned in the above-mentioned embodiment are not particularly limited and can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention. Second Embodiment This embodiment is an embodiment in which a spacer is provided with a blade-shaped protrusion. The configuration other than the spacers described here is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the duplicated components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6 shows a front view and a plan view of a spacer provided with a blade-shaped protrusion. As can be seen from the figure, the spacer 40 has a protrusion 42 formed in a blade shape by two curved surfaces closed on one side. The shape of the protruding portion 42 is not limited to that shown in the figure, and may be, for example, bilaterally symmetrical. In addition to the protrusion 42, a similar shape may be provided in the opposite direction. With the spacer 40 according to the present embodiment,
Turbulent flow during air cooling can be suppressed and the air cooling effect can be enhanced.
Further, by arranging the respective spacers 40 so that the protruding direction of the protruding portions 42 is aligned in a spiral shape, for example, it is possible to reduce the air resistance of the spacers and further enhance the air cooling effect.

Third Embodiment This embodiment is an embodiment in which a spacer is provided with a groove for facilitating heat dissipation. The configuration other than the spacers described here is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the duplicated components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a spacer provided with grooves. In this spacer 50, a plurality of spiral grooves 52 are provided on one surface of the spacer 50 as a whole. Further, each groove 52 is expanded to the outside so that air can be easily taken in. The shape and position of the groove 52 are not limited to those shown in the figure, and may be radial, for example, or provided on both surfaces of the spacer 50, as long as the strength is not impaired. The groove 52 increases the surface area of the spacer 50 to facilitate heat exchange with air,
The air cooling effect can be enhanced. In addition, in this embodiment, it is possible to further improve the air cooling effect from both sides of the flow of air and the heat dissipation by providing the protrusion 42 as in the second embodiment described above.

Fourth Embodiment This embodiment is an embodiment in which spacers are connected to each other by an elongated connecting member. The configuration other than the spacers described here is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the duplicated components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the spacer 40 having the protrusion 42 according to the second embodiment is preliminarily annularly connected by a connecting member 60 such as an elongated wire. Therefore, the spacer 40 can be easily attached. Here, the spacer 40 is not limited to the one shown in the figure, and may be one according to the first and third embodiments. However, in the case where the mounting direction is determined and the mounting is troublesome like the spacer 40 provided with the protruding portions 42, if these are connected in advance, it is easy to orient the spacer 40. It is convenient. Further, the connecting member 60 is not necessarily limited to the one shown in the figure, and may be a suitable one in which the spacers 40 are hung at equal intervals on the outer side of the connecting member closed in an annular shape.

Fifth Embodiment This embodiment is an embodiment in which the spacers of the first to fourth embodiments described so far and the conventional spacer are used together. The configuration other than the spacers described here is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the duplicated components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. As the conventional spacer, the one shown in FIG. 11 was used.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the ring plate-shaped spacer 28 is inserted on the wheel mounting portion 22 side, and the conventional substantially disc-shaped spacer 6 is inserted on the outer side thereof. . In particular, when the offset adjustment amount is large, such a wheel can be attached. As described above, the ring plate-shaped spacer 28 is arranged on the wheel attachment portion 22 side in the ring plate-shaped spacer 28 portion before heat is transferred to the conventional spacer 6 having a large thermal expansion coefficient. This is because the heat of can be radiated. If the coefficients of thermal expansion do not change much, they may be arranged in reverse.

Sixth Embodiment This embodiment is an embodiment in which a heat insulating member for blocking heat is arranged adjacent to the spacer. Here, a spacer with a heat insulating material having a shape similar to that of the first embodiment will be described as an example.
The same applies when a heat insulating member is attached to each of the spacers having the shapes of the second to fifth embodiments described so far. The configuration other than the spacers described here is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the duplicated components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 10, the spacer 70 is constructed by attaching a thin heat insulating member 74 to one side of a spacer 72 having the same shape as in the first embodiment. The spacer body 72 is prepared by subtracting the thickness of the heat insulating member 74 in order to obtain the same offset adjustment amount as in the first embodiment.

The heat insulating member 74 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a paper-like member such as kao wool paper (manufactured by Isolite Industry Co., Ltd.). This is because the kao wool paper is thin and hardly deformed because the ceramic fibers are made into fibers and formed into a paper shape. Therefore, the thick spacer body 72 can be used to secure the strength of the spacer 70. This is because there is little influence on the offset adjustment. The shape and number of the heat insulating members 74 are not limited to those shown in the figure.
That is, the heat insulating member 74 may be attached to both sides of the spacer body 72. In addition, the heat insulating member 74 is attached to the spacer body 7
The diameter does not necessarily have to be the same as that of 2, and for example, the heat insulating member 74 may be larger than the spacer body 72, and the shape thereof is not limited to the circular shape. Furthermore, if there is no problem in the deformation or strength of the spacer 70, the spacer 70 may be composed of only the heat insulating member 74. This is because a gap for cooling is formed around the spacer 70 when the spacer 70 is attached.
In this case, this objective can be achieved if the thickness of the heat insulating member 74 is about 1 mm.

FIG. 11 shows a vehicle wheel mounting structure using the spacer 70 with a heat insulating material. As can be seen from the figure, the spacer 70 includes the heat insulating member 74 and the wheel 2
Although it is inserted into the hub bolt 24 so as to be adjacent to 6, the insertion direction is not limited to that shown in the drawing. By doing so, heat can be dissipated also from the periphery of the spacer 72, which is preferable in that sense, but even if the insertion direction is reversed, a space is formed outside the wheel mounting portion 22, and a higher heat dissipating effect can be obtained compared to the conventional case. Because it will be done. In addition, the heat insulating member 74
Need not be provided for each hub bolt 24, but may be integrated for every hub bolt 24 or for every several bolts.

In the second to sixth embodiments described above, the matters other than those mentioned therein are not particularly limited, and can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention.

[0041]

As described above, by using the present invention, it is possible to enhance the air cooling effect of the spacer and reduce the load on the spacer and the mounting bolt due to thermal expansion. In addition to this, by using a spacer material having a small coefficient of thermal expansion, the thermal expansion itself of the spacer can be suppressed to further reduce the burden.

Further, the heat insulating member can alleviate the heat conduction to the wheel and reduce the thermal load on the wheel. Further, it is possible to optimize the weight distribution of the spacer. Thus, the spacer of the present invention has a function as a heat radiating member for brake heat in addition to the original function of the spacer such as so-called offset amount adjustment.
Conversely, if offset offset does not matter,
According to the present invention, it is possible to newly provide a heat radiating member only for radiating brake heat.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of an automobile wheel mounting structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a spacer arrangement diagram at a spacer mounting portion.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a spacer.

FIG. 4 is a front view and a plan view of a spacer.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of the shape of the spacer.

FIG. 6 is a front view and a plan view of a spacer provided with a blade-shaped protrusion.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a spacer provided with a groove.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of connecting spacers.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a main part of a mounting structure for an automobile wheel according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a front view and a plan view of a spacer with a heat insulating member.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a main part of a vehicle wheel mounting structure according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a main part of a conventional vehicle wheel mounting structure.

FIG. 13 is a spacer arrangement diagram in a conventional spacer mounting portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 ... Brake side part 22 ... Wheel mounting part 24 ... Hub bolt (mounting bolt) 26 ... Disk part (wheel) 28 ... Spacer 30 ... Nut 32 ... Bolt hole 40 ... Spacer (with projecting part) 42 ... Projecting part 50 ... Spacer (with groove) 52 ... Groove 60 ... Connecting member 70 ... Spacer (with heat insulating member) 72 ... Spacer body 74 ... Heat insulating member

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A wheel mounting portion formed by projecting a plurality of mounting bolts to the outside of a brake mechanism connected to an axle of an automobile, and the bolts of the wheel mounting portion separated from each other. An automobile wheel mounting structure comprising: a plurality of spacers to be inserted; and a wheel that is fixed to the wheel mounting portion by inserting the spacers from the outside into the bolts and tightening the nuts from the tips of the bolts. 2. The mounting structure for an automobile wheel according to claim 1, wherein each of the spacers is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. 3. Each of the spacers has a blade-shaped protrusion formed by two curved surfaces closed on one side, and protrudes into a space formed between the wheel attachment portion and the wheel. The mounting structure for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The vehicle wheel mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the spacers is provided with a plurality of grooves extending outward from the bolt side. 5. A wheel mounting portion formed by projecting a plurality of mounting bolts to the outside of a brake mechanism coupled to an axle of an automobile, and a wheel mounting portion connected to each other by an elongated coupling member. An automobile wheel mounting structure including a plurality of spacers to be inserted for each bolt, and a wheel that is fixed to the wheel mounting portion by being inserted into the bolt from the outside of the spacer and tightening with nuts from the tip of each bolt . 6. Each of the spacers has a blade-shaped protrusion formed by two curved surfaces closed on one side, and protrudes into a space formed between the wheel attachment portion and the wheel. The mounting structure for a vehicle wheel according to claim 5. 7. A heat insulating member for blocking heat is provided on one side or both sides of each spacer.
An automobile wheel mounting structure according to any one of 1.