Drainable vehicle wheel and vehicle incorporating same
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorMasayuki Fujita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims17
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, said hollow portion comprising an inner part proximate the hub and having a first wall thickness, and an outer tip end portion spaced away from the hub and having a second wall thickness which is greater than the first wall thickness;
- and
- a rim connected to said outer tip end portion of each of the plurality of spokes, said rim supporting a tire thereon;
- wherein said water-discharge hole is formed in said outer tip end portion of each of the spokes proximate the rim 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 outer tip end portion of each of the spokes is thickened in an area thereof adjacent the water-discharge hole;
- and
- wherein said second wall thickness of said outer tip end portion of the hollow portion extends inwardly of said water-discharge hole in a longitudinal direction of each of the spokes.
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 comprising an inner part disposed proximate the hub and having a first wall thickness, and an outer tip end portion spaced away from the hub and having a second wall thickness which is greater than the first wall thickness;
- said hollow portion formed longitudinally in each of said spokes;
- and
- a rim connected to the outer tip end portion of each of the spokes, said rim supporting a tire thereon,
- wherein said water-discharge hole is formed at the outer 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 outer tip end portion of each of the spokes is reinforced;
- and
- wherein said second wall thickness of said outer tip end portion of the hollow portion extends inwardly of said water-discharge hole in a longitudinal direction of each of the spokes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.