LIGHTWEIGHT AERODYNAMIC WHEEL ASSEMBLY

摘要

A wheel assembly including a wheel and a wheel clad. The wheel includes a wheel outer rim portion, a wheel inner hub portion adapted to receive an axle therethrough, and a plurality of wheel spokes extending radially between the wheel outer rim portion and the wheel inner hub portion. The wheel has an outer surface having a plurality of wheel turbine openings therein. The wheel turbine openings have a first area. The wheel clad includes a clad outer rim portion axially aligned with at least a portion of the wheel outer rim portion, a clad inner hub portion axially aligned with at least a portion of the wheel inner hub portion, and a plurality of clad spokes extending radially between the clad outer rim portion and clad inner hub portion. The clad has a plurality of clad turbine openings each having a second area. The second area is substantially less than the first area. The clad/wheel assembly has a drag coefficient of substantially less than that of the wheel by itself.

主权项

1. A composite wheel assembly, comprising:
a wheel portion having a wheel outer rim portion, a wheel inner hub portion adapted to receive an axle therethrough, and a plurality of wheel spokes extending radially between the wheel outer rim portion and the wheel inner hub portion, wherein the wheel outer rim portion, the wheel inner hub portion and the wheel spokes cooperate to form a wheel outer surface having a plurality of wheel turbine openings therein each having a first turbine opening area, the wheel portion having an outer surface with a first drag coefficient; at least one weight relief feature formed in the wheel portion to minimize wheel mass; a permanently bonded wheel clad including a clad outer rim portion axially aligned with at least a portion of the wheel outer rim portion, a clad inner hub portion axially aligned with at least a portion of the wheel inner hub portion, and a plurality of clad spokes extending radially between the clad outer rim portion and clad inner hub portion, wherein the clad outer rim portion, the clad inner hub portion and the clad spokes cooperate to define a clad inner surface having a plurality of clad turbine openings each having a second turbine opening area, the wheel clad being permanently secured to the wheel such that the clad inner surface faces the wheel outer surface; the wheel clad having a clad outer surface with a second drag coefficient which is substantially less than the first drag coefficient of the outer portion of the wheel outer surface.