Face to hub connection for a composite wheel

Abstract

A connection between a face portion (12) and a hub portion (14) of a composite wheel (10). The hub portion (14) comprises a generally disc shaped hub plate (16), and the face portion (12) comprises a plurality of spokes (18). The connection comprises an annular hub ring (22) surrounding the hub plate (16), the hub ring (22) comprising a plurality of layers of reinforcement fibers extending in an at least generally circumferential direction about the hub ring (22). The connection also comprises a first plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers (24) extending in a generally radial direction R relative to an axis of rotation of the wheel (10), and along a front face of each spoke (18), across a front edge (26) and an inner annular surface (28) of the hub ring (22) and across a front face (30) of the hub plate (16); and a second plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers (32) extending in a generally radial direction R along a rear face (33) of each spoke (18), across a rear edge (34) of the hub ring (22) and across a rear face (36) of the hub plate (6). The connection further comprises a third plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers (36), the third plurality of layers (36) of reinforcing fibers overlaying the first and second (1) layers of reinforcing fibers (24, 32), the third plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers 36 extending in a direction between +30 degrees and +60 degrees to the radial direction R; and a fourth plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers (40), the fourth plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers (40) overlaying the first and second layers of reinforcing fibers (24, (32), the fourth plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers (40) extending in a direction (20) between −30 degrees and −60 degrees to the radial direction R.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.