A spoke to rim reinforcing connector of a composite wheel: the composite wheel having a rim portion comprising a shaped annulus formed about a central axis of rotation of the composite wheel and having a circumferential axis extending circumferentially about the central axis and around the rim portion, and a face portion comprising a generally circular shaped hub and a plurality of spokes which extend along a spoke axis that extends generally radially to the circumferential axis, the plurality of spokes extending between the rim portion and the hub to interconnect the rim portion and the hub, each spoke having an outwardly extending face surface, an opposing back surface and side surfaces therebetween, the rim portion has a complementary rim fibre layup therein and each spoke has a complementary spoke fibre layup therein, the spoke to rim reinforcing connector comprising: at least one spoke saddle comprising a seat portion which extends around an end portion of the spoke fibre layup about the spoke axis and over the face surface of the spoke fibre layup, and at least two spoke legs that extend over the sides of the spoke fibre layup; and at least two rim tabs, each rim tab extending from a spoke leg generally perpendicularly to the spoke axis, each rim tab configured to be incorporated into the rim fibre layup of the rim portion of the composite wheel, wherein the connector comprises a continuous body having a fibre orientation that extends substantially perpendicular to the spoke axis.
B60B 21/06 - Rims characterised by means for attaching spokes
B60B 5/02 - Wheels, spokes, disc bodies, rims, hubs, wholly or predominantly made of non-metallic material made of synthetic material
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
B29L 31/32 - Wheels, pinions, pulleys, castors or rollers
An attachment arrangement configured to attach at least one composite wheel to a wheel mount, the composite wheel including at least one attachment aperture through which an elongate fastener element is inserted, the attachment arrangement including: (A) a fastening body which includes the elongate fastener element or is configured to be fastened onto the elongate fastener element, the fastening body having an engagement portion; and (B) an attachment insert that includes: • a bearing body which includes a base configured to face a surface of the composite wheel about the attachment aperture; • a fastening aperture through which the elongate fastener element is inserted when in use, the fastening aperture including a fastening axis; • an insert section which extends axially away from the base of the bearing body relative to the fastening axis about the fastening aperture, the insert section being configured to extend into the attachment aperture of the composite wheel; and • at least one engagement surface extending from an inner surface of the insert section, the at least one engagement surface having a substantially complementary configuration to the engagement portion of the fastening body and is configured to operatively engage the engagement portion of the fastening body when the fastening body fastens to the wheel mount through the elongate fastener element, wherein at least a portion of the at least one engagement surface is located between the base of the bearing body and a distal end of the insert section, and wherein the distal end of the insert section extends into the attachment aperture of the composite wheel and is spaced apart from the wheel mount, or from or in an element located in, on, integral with, or adjacent to the wheel mount such that the distal end of the insert section does not directly engage with the wheel mount and/or said element.
B60B 3/16 - Attaching disc body to hub by bolts or the like
B60B 5/02 - Wheels, spokes, disc bodies, rims, hubs, wholly or predominantly made of non-metallic material made of synthetic material
F16B 43/02 - Washers or equivalent devicesOther devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts with special provisions for engaging surfaces which are not perpendicular to a bolt axis or do not surround the bolt
A carbon fibre wheel for a vehicle, the carbon fibre wheel comprising: a wheel body comprising a rim portion and a face portion, the rim portion comprises an annulus structure configured to receive and seat a tyre, the face portion including a hub configured to fix the wheel to the vehicle, and a connection structure that extends between and interconnects the hub and the rim, the wheel body having an inner side configured to face a wheel mount of a vehicle, and an outer side configured to face outwardly when connected to a wheel mount of a vehicle, the wheel body being formed from a first carbon fibre composite composition comprising a carbon fibre layup infused with a first resin; and a fascia layer attached to at least a portion of the face portion of the outer side of the wheel body, the fascia layer being formed from a second fibre composite composition comprising a selected fibre layup infused with a second resin.
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
The invention relates to a composite wheel (200) including a hub (202), a rim (204) and a connection structure (206) connecting the hub (202) to the rim (204). The hub (202) has front (208) and rear (209) faces and is formed with one or more mounting formations (216) for, in use, receiving a fastener to mount the hub (202) to a mounting surface of a vehicle. Each mounting formation (216) includes a fastening region (218) recessed into the front face (208) of the hub (202) and includes a fastener aperture (212) defining a passage between the fastening region (218) and the rear face (209) of the hub. Each mounting formation (216) also includes a front-to-fastener ply (224) extending between a front region of the hub and the fastening region (218) for, in use, transferring load between the front region of the hub (202) and the fastening region (218).
A rim portion (102) of a composite wheel (100) of a vehicle, the rim portion (102) comprising a shaped annulus formed about a central axis (X) of rotation of the composite wheel (100) and having a circumferential axis (C) extending circumferentially about the central axis (X) and around the rim portion (102), said rim portion (102) having a fibre layup comprising a stacked laminate formed from alternating layers of: a hoop tow layer (230) comprising elongate fibre tow in which the fibres are substantially aligned with the circumferential axis (C) of the rim portion (102), the hoop tow layer (230) being formed from at least one annularly wound elongate fibre tow; and a bias ply layer (240) comprising at least one fibre ply in which the fibres are substantially orientated at an angle of +Ɵ or -Ɵ to the circumferential axis (C) of the rim portion (102), wherein Ɵ is from 26° to 40°.
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
6.
SHAPED PREFORM FOR FACE PORTION OF A COMPOSITE WHEEL
A shaped preform component (200) for a face portion (104) of a composite wheel (100), the shaped preform (200) having a hub (206) that extends around a central axis (Y), the shaped preform component (200) being formed from a cured composite fibre material having a compressibility of < 2% volumetric under moulding conditions of 50 bar hydrostatic pressure and a temperature of 60 to 200°C.
B60B 5/02 - Wheels, spokes, disc bodies, rims, hubs, wholly or predominantly made of non-metallic material made of synthetic material
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
B60B 3/00 - Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body
B29C 45/14 - Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mouldApparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
7.
SHAPED PREFORM FOR SPOKE PORTION OF A COMPOSITE WHEEL
A shaped preform component (200A) for a spoke portion (108A) of a composite wheel (100), the shaped preform (200A) comprising: an elongate body (215) configured to be located in a spoke (108) of a composite wheel (100), wherein the shaped preform component (200A) is formed from a cured composite fibre material having a compressibility of < 2% volumetric under moulding conditions of 50 bar hydrostatic pressure and a temperature of 60 to 150 °C, and wherein the density of the cured composite fibre material is selected to form a counterbalance mass for a mass addition (300) to the composite wheel (100).
B60B 5/02 - Wheels, spokes, disc bodies, rims, hubs, wholly or predominantly made of non-metallic material made of synthetic material
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
B29C 45/14 - Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mouldApparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
A method of producing a composite component (10) having a thermal protection layer (24) including the steps of: providing a composite component (10) with a primary fibre material (12) and with a primer layer (16) of alternative fibre material overlying the primary fibre material (12) at an area of the composite component intended for high thermal exposure, said area defining a thermal exposure area (18); applying a metallic bonding layer (22) to the primer layer (16) of the thermal exposure area (18) to create a bonding surface at the thermal exposure area (18); and applying a ceramic thermal protection layer (24) to the bonding surface for insulating the thermal exposure area (18) and/or for reflecting external thermal energy, the thermal protection layer (24) having a higher melting point than the metallic bonding layer (22).
B05D 1/00 - Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials
B05D 3/12 - Pretreatment of surfaces to which liquids or other fluent materials are to be appliedAfter-treatment of applied coatings, e.g. intermediate treating of an applied coating preparatory to subsequent applications of liquids or other fluent materials by mechanical means
patents