Vehicular wheel having a spoke defining a hollow chamber and vehicles including same
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorJoseph Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicular wheel assembly defines an axis of rotation and includes a wheel having an inner hub, an outer rim, and a plurality of hollow spokes. The outer rim defines an outer circumference. Each hollow spoke of the plurality of hollow spokes extends between the inner hub and the outer rim and includes a wall that at least partially defines a hollow chamber. The outer rim defines a plurality of openings that are each in fluid communication with one of the hollow chambers and each of the openings includes a tuning member.
Claims20
A vehicular wheel assembly defining an axis of rotation, the wheel comprising:
- an inner hub;
- an outer rim defining an outer circumference and an opening, wherein the opening is at least partially defined by a wall;
- a tire defining an air cavity with the outer rim;
- a spoke extending between the inner hub and the outer rim, the spoke comprises a spoke wall that at least partially defines a hollow chamber that extends to the opening;
- and a tuning member that obstructs the opening and at least partially defines a through hole that has a smaller cross sectional area than the opening, the hollow chamber of the spoke is in fluid communication with the air cavity by way of the through hole, wherein the tuning member and the hollow chamber at least partially define a Helmholtz resonator wherein the tuning member includes a body that includes an inner surface and an outer surface, the body defines the through hole, and a portion of the inner surface of the body engages the wall to at least partially form a sealed perimeter around the opening.
A tuning member for use in a vehicular wheel assembly comprising:
- a body having an inner surface, and outer surface, a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge;
- a first flange portion extending from the inner surface along the first edge of the body;
- a second flange portion extending from the second edge at an obtuse angle in relation to the first flange portion;
- at least one first tab portion extending from the first edge in a direction opposite the first flange portion;
- at least one second tab portion extending substantially parallel to said first tab portion;
- and
- at least one through hole portion in the body, the through hole portion having an axis substantially parallel to said first and second tab portions.
A vehicular wheel assembly defining an axis of rotation, the vehicular wheel assembly comprising a wheel, the wheel comprising:
- an inner hub;
- an outer rim defining an outer circumference;
- and
- a plurality of hollow spokes, each hollow spoke of the plurality of hollow spokes extending between the inner hub and the outer rim;
- wherein:
- each hollow spoke comprises a spoke wall that at least partially defines a hollow chamber;
- the outer rim defines a plurality of openings at least partially defined by a wall;
- and
- each of the inner hub, the outer rim, and the plurality of hollow spokes are comprised of a metal material as a one-piece construction;
- a plurality of tuning members, each tuning member of the plurality of tuning members comprising:
- a body that includes an inner surface and an outer surface, and that defines at least one through hole;
- wherein each tuning member is coupled with the outer rim at one of the openings such that each of the at least one through holes of each tuning member is in fluid communication with one of the hollow chambers by way of one of the openings and wherein a portion of the inner surface of each tuning member of the plurality of tuning members engages the wall to at least partially form a sealed perimeter around one opening of the plurality of openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.