This claims priority from German Application No. 10 2021 208 800.7, filed Aug. 11, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to a rim system comprising a rim, comprising an adapter disc for mounting on a wheel hub of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of wheel screws or a plurality of wheel nuts for fastening the rim to the adapter disc, comprising a plurality of screws or a plurality of nuts for fastening the adapter disc to the wheel hub and comprising a wheel hub centring ring for centring the adapter disc relative to the wheel hub. The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising a rim system according to the invention and a wheel hub of a vehicle.
A rim system comprising a rim, comprising an adapter disc for mounting on a wheel hub of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of wheel screws for fastening the rim to the adapter disc, comprising a plurality of screws for fastening the adapter disc to the wheel hub and comprising a wheel hub centring ring for centring the adapter disc relative to the wheel hub, is disclosed in the European patent publication EP 0 641 677 B1, see FIG. 41 therein.
A rim system and an arrangement comprising a rim system are intended to be improved by means of the invention.
According to the invention, a rim system comprising the features of claim 1 as well as an arrangement comprising the features of claim 18 is provided to this end. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.
In a rim system comprising a rim, comprising an adapter disc for mounting on a wheel hub of a vehicle, comprising a plurality of wheel screws or a plurality of wheel nuts for fastening the rim to the adapter disc, comprising a plurality of screws or a plurality of nuts for fastening the adapter disc to the wheel hub and comprising a wheel hub centring ring for centring the adapter disc relative to the wheel hub, it is provided that a rim centring ring is provided for centring the rim relative to the adapter disc.
The rim centring ring forms a separate component and is not designed in one piece with the adapter disc. The provision of a rim centring ring permits an accurate centring of the rim relative to the adapter disc and thus indirectly relative to the wheel hub. By means of the rim centring ring there is the possibility of compensating for tolerances of the rim. Moreover, the provision of a rim centring ring makes it possible to design the adapter disc as a single, substantially planar disc. As a result, the production costs for the rim system according to the invention may be markedly reduced. The rim system according to the invention is also flexible, such that different rims may be centred by means of different rim centring rings. One and the same adapter disc may thus be used with different rims. The wheel hub centring ring may be provided for arranging between the adapter disc and the wheel hub. The wheel hub centring ring has, for example, a centring portion which is arranged in the radial direction between the adapter disc and an outer circumference of the wheel hub. The rim centring ring is provided for arranging between the rim and the adapter disc. The rim centring ring may have, for example, a portion protruding from the rim, wherein this protruding portion is then centred in a central bore of the adapter disc. The rim centring ring may be fastened to the rim or to the adapter disc. The rim centring ring and the wheel hub centring ring may be combined in a single one-piece component, wherein this component is configured separately from the adapter disc.
In a development of the invention the rim centring ring consists of plastics.
This makes it possible to produce the rim centring ring cost-effectively in large quantities. For example, the rim centring ring may be designed as a plastics injection-moulded part, in particular consisting of fibre-reinforced plastics. The rim centring ring fulfils its essential mechanical function simply when mounting the rim, by permitting an accurate centring of the rim relative to the adapter disc. During the operation of the vehicle, the rim centring ring is not subjected to load or does not have to fulfil any mechanical retaining function. A design of the rim centring ring from plastics makes it possible, for example, to produce the rim centring ring with a slight overdimension, such that the rim centring ring is centred on the adapter disc without clearance and at the same time slightly deformed if necessary.
In a development of the invention, a centring surface of the rim centring ring has plurality of nubs or projections.
Such nubs or projections protrude from the centring surface and may be flattened or deformed in some portions during the centring. As a result, it is possible to compensate for tolerances. The nubs or projections form portions of the centring surface having an overdimension. When attaching the rim with the rim centring ring onto the adapter disc, these projections are generally deformed to different degrees and may thereby compensate for tolerances in the dimensions of the adapter disc. In the same manner, therefore, the rim centring ring may also compensate for tolerances of the rim. The nubs or projections protrude, for example, by 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm beyond the centring surface. The nubs or projections may have, for example, a diameter or a width of 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm. The projections may have, for example, a length of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The projections may extend merely over a part of the length of the centring surface.
In a development of the invention, a centring surface of the rim centring ring is configured to be slightly conical.
The centring surface of the rim centring ring may taper in the direction away from the rim when the rim centring ring is arranged on the rim. As a result, the rim centring ring may be attached in a simple manner onto the central opening of the adapter disc and, by the insertion of the centring surface into the central opening of the adapter disc, the rim centring ring is automatically centred together with the rim relative to the adapter disc. A conicity of the centring surface is, for example, only a few tenths of a millimetre, for example 1/10 mm to 3/10 mm.
In a development of the invention, the rim centring ring is fastened by latching means to the rim.
In this manner, the rim centring ring may be fastened securely and without clearance in a central bore of the rim.
In a development of the invention, the rim centring ring has at least two latching lugs and the rim has a circumferential groove in a central opening, wherein the at least two latching lugs are provided for latching into the circumferential groove.
The latching connection between the latching lugs and the groove is latched by simply inserting the rim centring ring into the central opening of the rim. The latching connection may be opened again by strong pressure, for example, without the use of tools.
In a development of the invention, a centring surface of the rim centring ring is configured to cooperate with an inner circumference of a central opening of the adapter disc.
In this manner, only a small amount of space is required for the arrangement of the centring surface in the mounted state of the rim system. Since the centring surface acts on an inner circumference of a central opening of the adapter disc, more space is available on the adapter disc for the arrangement of the wheel screws and the screws for the connection to the wheel hub.
In a development of the invention, the adapter disc has a plurality of threaded bushes for screwing in the wheel screws, or a plurality of screw bolt inserts for screwing on the wheel nuts.
Since the adapter disc is provided with threaded bushes or screw bolt inserts, the threaded bushes or screw bolt inserts may be produced in large quantities from highly resilient material, i.e. with high mechanical load capacity, for example steel or titanium. The adapter disc, however, may consist of lightweight, less resilient material, for example aluminium.
In a development of the invention, the adapter disc has at least one projection on its surface facing the rim, wherein the projection is provided for engaging in a suitable recess in the rim.
Such a projection may facilitate a correctly positioned mounting of the rim on the adapter disc, such that the wheel screws may be already inserted in the correct position into the rim or the threaded bushes or threaded bores of the adapter. Such a projection, however, may also be advantageous during the operation of the vehicle in order to prevent the rim twisting relative to the adapter disc in the case of high torque acting on the rim.
In a development of the invention, the threaded bushes have a collar which protrudes beyond the surface of the adapter disc facing the rim, wherein the collar forms the projection for engaging in a suitable recess of the rim.
A collar of the threaded bushes may facilitate the correctly positioned mounting of the rim and also serve for absorbing torque, such that a relative twisting between the rim and adapter disc is reliably prevented in the case of very high torque acting between the adapter disc and the rim. The recess may be formed by means of a through-opening in the rim, for inserting a wheel screw.
In a development of the invention, the wheel hub centring ring has a centring surface which is configured to cooperate with an outer circumference of the wheel hub.
In a development of the invention, the centring surface of the wheel hub centring ring has a plurality of nubs or projections.
The nubs or projections on the wheel hub centring ring may be configured in the same manner as on the rim centring ring.
In a development of the invention, the centring surface of the wheel hub centring ring is slightly conical.
The conicity of the centring surface of the wheel hub centring ring may be of the same size as the conicity of the centring surface of the rim centring ring.
In a development of the invention, the wheel hub centring ring has latching means for fastening the wheel hub centring ring to the adapter disc.
The latching means may be latched and also released again, for example, without the use of tools.
In a development of the invention, a set comprising a plurality of adapter discs is provided, wherein the adapter discs of the set have different thicknesses and/or different pitch circles for connecting to the wheel hub.
In this manner, for example, different track widths or track widening may be achieved by adapter discs of different thicknesses being used. The adapter discs primarily permit the adaptation to different pitch circles of the wheel hub. As a result, one and the same rim may be mounted by the interposition of different adapter rings with different pitch circles on vehicles from different manufacturers.
In a development of the invention, a set comprising a plurality of wheel hub centring rings is provided, wherein the wheel hub centring rings of the set have different diameters of the centring surface.
In addition to different pitch circles, different vehicle manufacturers generally also use different diameters of the wheel hubs, in particular external diameters of the wheel hubs, which in mass-produced vehicles are provided for centring the rim on the wheel hub. This external diameter of the wheel hubs may even vary between vehicles of one and the same manufacturer, as well as the pitch circles. A set comprising a plurality of wheel hub centring rings, wherein the wheel hub centring rings of the set have different diameters of the centring surface, makes it possible to mount one and the same rim on different vehicles, if required by the interposition of different adapter discs and wheel hub centring rings.
In a development of the invention, a set comprising a plurality of rim centring rings is provided, wherein the rim centring rings of the set are configured to centre differently configured rims.
The problem underlying the invention is also solved by an arrangement comprising a rim system according to the invention and a wheel hub of a vehicle, wherein the adapter disc is fastened to the wheel hub by a plurality of screws or a plurality of nuts, wherein a wheel hub centring ring is provided for centring the adapter disc relative to the wheel hub, wherein the rim is fastened to the adapter disc by a plurality of wheel screws or a plurality of wheel nuts, and wherein a rim centring ring is provided for centring the rim relative to the adapter disc.
Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the claims and the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, in connection with the drawings. Individual features of the embodiments shown and described in different ways may be combined together in any manner without departing from the scope of the invention. This also applies to the combination of individual features without the further features with which they are shown in context.
In the drawings:
For mounting the rim system 10 on the wheel hub 16 initially the wheel hub centring ring 22 is latched into the central opening of the adapter disc 14. The adapter disc 14 is then pushed onto the wheel hub 16. At the same time the wheel hub centring ring 22 is arranged between the outer circumference of the wheel hub 16 and the adapter disc 14 and thereby ensures an accurate centring of the adapter disc 14 relative to the wheel hub 16. The adapter disc 14 is fastened in this centred state by means of the screw 20 to the wheel hub. To this end, the screws 20 are inserted through through-openings 28 in the brake disc 26 and then screwed into threaded bores of the wheel hub 16 which are concealed in
The rim centring ring 24 is clipped into a central opening of the rim 12 which is concealed in
The rim system 10 according to the invention has considerable advantages relative to conventional rims, since by means of the adapter disc 14 and the wheel hub centring ring 22 it is possible to carry out an adaptation to different outer circumferences and pitch circles of the wheel hubs 16. Vehicles from different manufacturers and also different vehicles from one and the same manufacturer may have different wheel hubs 16. In this case, these differences relate not only to the pitch circle, i.e. the circle radius on which the threaded bores are arranged in the wheel hub 16, but also the outer circumference of the wheel hub 16 which serves for centring the adapter disc 14 or for centring the rims. As a result, the rim system 10 according to the invention may be used in an exceptionally flexible manner and the rim 12 may be fastened by means of different adapter discs 14 and different wheel hub centring rings 22 to wheel hubs 16 having a different pitch circle and a different outer circumference of a centring surface of the wheel hub 16.
Moreover, the rim centring ring 24 also serves for an accurate centring of the rim 12 relative to the adapter disc 14. Thus the problem of conventional rim systems is solved, namely that a centring of the rim 12 relative to the adapter disc 14 and thus ultimately relative to the wheel hub 16 may not be undertaken in a sufficiently accurate manner. As may be already identified in
The provision of threaded bushes 30 in the adapter disc 14 makes it possible to produce the adapter disc 14 itself from a very lightweight material, for example aluminium or an aluminium alloy. The threaded bushes 30 may be manufactured from steel or another high-strength lightweight material, for example titanium, and pressed into the adapter disc 14. The screws 20 and the wheel screws 18 may also be manufactured from very lightweight and high-strength material, for example titanium. A very stable connection between the rim 12 and the wheel hub 16 may be provided thereby and at the same time the unsprung masses may be reduced on the wheel suspension of a vehicle.
Instead of the screws 20 and the threaded bores 46, the wheel hub 16 may also have screw bolts, the adapter disc 14 being pushed thereon and then being fastened by suitable nuts to the wheel hub 16.
In the context of the invention, instead of the threaded bushes 30, the adapter disc 14 in turn may also be provided with screw bolts which are then inserted through through-openings of the rim 12, so that rather than being fastened by means of the wheel screws 18 the rim 12 is then fastened by suitable nuts to the screw bolts of the adapter disc 14.
In
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The rim centring ring 24 has on its end inserted into the central opening 50 of the rim 12 a circumferential collar with a total of four latching lugs 52, in
The rim centring ring 24 is advantageously produced from plastics. In this case, fibre-reinforced plastics may be selected. Advantageously, the rim centring ring is produced as a plastics injection-moulded part.
The wheel hub centring ring 22 is also advantageously produced as a plastics part, in particular a plastics injection-moulded part.
The latching lugs 52 of the rim centring ring 24 which are arranged on resilient latching arms are also able to be clearly identified in
The adapter disc 14 has through-openings 58 for inserting the screws 20. The through-openings have a conical bearing portion and a cylindrical through-portion. The screws 20 have a conical bearing collar which is located in the conical portion of the through-openings 58.
The wheel hub centring ring 22 is inserted into the central opening of the adapter disc 14 and latched by means of a plurality of latching lugs in a circumferential groove 60 in the central opening of the adapter disc 14. The centring surface of the wheel hub centring ring 22 is located inside the central opening of the adapter disc 14. As a result, an exceptionally space-saving arrangement is achieved. In
It may be identified in
In
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Moreover, the adapter discs 14 may have different pitch circles of the through-openings 58, the screws 20 being inserted therethrough in order to connect the adapter disc 14 to the wheel hub 16. The through-openings 58 may also be configured as slots, in particular curved slots, if required.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102021208800.7 | Aug 2021 | DE | national |