# US 2008/0185905 A1 · Drainable vehicle wheel and vehicle incorporating same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0185905 A1 - Document ID: US20080185905A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/011,252 - Filed: 2008-01-25 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-05 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masayuki Fujita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080185905A1 ## CPC - B60B 1/08: formed by casting - B60B 1/12: with tubular spokes (B60B1/08 takes precedence) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION ## Abstract A drainable vehicle wheel having a hub, a plurality of spokes extending radially from the hub and a rim having tips ends of the spokes connected thereto. Each of the plurality of spokes has a hollow portion and a plurality of water-discharge hole formed therein. The hub has an outer hollow portion formed by a plurality of walls, and one the walls has a drain hole formed therein. The outer hollow portion of the hub is fluidly connected to a hollow portion formed in each of the spokes. A wall of the tip end portion of each of spokes is thickened or reinforced to increase stiffness of the spokes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle wheel comprising: a hub for receiving an axle of a vehicle; a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly from the hub, each of said plurality of spokes having a hollow portion with a water-discharge hole formed therein; and a rim connected to an outer tip end of each of the plurality of spokes, said rim supporting a tire thereon; wherein said water-discharge hole is formed in a tip end portion of each of the spokes so as to allow water which enters said hollow portion of each of the spokes to be drained off; and wherein a portion of a wall of the tip end portion of each of the spokes is thickened in an area thereof adjacent the water-discharge hole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a motorcycle; and wherein said portion of the wall of each of the spokes has a variable thickness such that the surface thereof has a convex shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein when viewed from a side of the vehicle, each of said plurality of spokes is formed to have a tapered shape as it extends toward the rim. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle wheel according to claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of spokes is formed to have a tapered shape toward the rim when viewed from a side of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, further comprising the hub having an inner hollow portion and outer hollow portion formed therein; wherein said outer hollow portion encloses said inner hollow portion, and is formed around outer periphery of the inner hollow portion; said inner hollow portion receiving said axle; said outer hollow portion communicating with said hollow portion of one of said plurality of spokes; said outer hollow portion formed by an outer peripheral wall, a pair of side walls having a first wall and a second wall, each connected to the outer peripheral wall; said first wall having at least one drain hole formed therein; said first side wall and the outer peripheral wall being continuously connected to each other through an inclined wall; and a brake disc disposed adjacent to said first wall; wherein water drained off through said at least one drain hole flows between the first side wall and the brake disc, and thereafter flows into a wide passage formed between the inclined wall and the brake disc. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle wheel according to claim 5, further comprising a sensor ring for detecting wheel speed during vehicle operation; wherein said sensor ring is attached to the brake disc with a bolt in a manner such that a tip of the bolt, projected from the brake disc, faces the inclined wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein the wheel comprises three spokes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the wall adjacent the water-discharge hole therein is reinforced. ### Claim 9 A motorcycle comprising a pair of wheels; each of said wheels having: a hub; at least three spokes extending radially from the hub, each of said spokes having a hollow portion and a water-discharge hole formed therein; said hollow portion formed longitudinally in each of said spokes; and a rim connected to a tip end of each of the spokes, said rim supporting a tire thereon, wherein said water-discharge hole is formed at a tip end portion of each of the spokes so as to allow water which enters said hollow portion of each of the spokes to be drained off; and wherein a wall of the tip end portion of each of the spokes is reinforced. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the wall of the tip end portion of each of the spokes is greater than a thickness of a remaining portion thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the wall of the tip end portion is at least 1.1 times a thickness of a remaining portion the each of the spokes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein each of said spokes is formed to have a tapered shape toward the rim. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) A motorcycle according to claim 9, further comprising the hub having an inner hollow portion and outer hollow portion formed therein; and said outer hollow portion formed by connecting an outer peripheral wall with a pair of side walls having a first wall and a second wall; said first wall having a drain hole formed therein; wherein said outer hollow portion encloses said inner hollow portion, and is formed around outer periphery of the inner hollow portion; and wherein said outer hollow portion communicates with said hollow portion of at least one of said spokes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A motorcycle according to claim 13, further comprising a brake disc disposed adjacent to said first wall; an inclined wall connecting said first wall and said outer peripheral wall; wherein said brake disc and said inclined wall are disposed such that a wide passage is formed therebetween; and wherein water drained off through the drain hole flows between the first side wall and the brake disc, and thereafter flows into the wide passage. ### Claim 15 In combination, a vehicle and a drainable vehicle wheel, comprising; a wheel axle; a pair of support brackets, each supporting an end portion of the wheel axle; a hub receiving said wheel axle; a plurality of spokes extending radially from the hub; each of said plurality of spokes having a hollow portion and a water-discharge hole formed therein; said hollow portion formed longitudinally and being fluidly connected with said water-discharge hole formed in a tip end portion of each of the spokes; a rim connected to a tip end of each of the plurality of spokes; said hub having an outer peripheral hollow portion formed by joining an outer peripheral wall with a pair of side walls having a first wall and a second wall; said first wall having a drain hole formed therein; said outer peripheral hollow portion being fluidly connected with said hollow portion of at least one of said spokes; and a brake disc disposed adjacent to said first wall such that a wide passage is formed therebetween; wherein water from the outer peripheral hollow portion is drained through at least one of said drain hole formed in the first wall and the water-discharge hole formed in the tip end portion of each of said spokes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A combined vehicle and drainable vehicle wheel according to claim 15, wherein said tip end portion of each of the spokes is variably thickened to form a convex shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A combined vehicle and drainable vehicle wheel according to claim 15, wherein said tip end portion of each of the spokes is reinforced so as increase stiffness thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A combined vehicle and drainable vehicle wheel according to claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of spokes has a tapered shape toward the rim. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A combined vehicle and drainable vehicle wheel according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of a wall of the tip end portion where said water discharge hole is formed is greater than a thickness of a remaining portion the each of the spokes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A combined vehicle and drainable vehicle wheel according to claim 15, further comprising an inclined wall connecting said the first wall to the outer peripheral wall; and a sensor ring is attached to said brake disc with a bolt in a manner such that a tip of the bolt projected from the brake disc faces the inclined wall.