Patent Application
20180022150
This disclosure relates generally to aftermarket vehicle parts and, more particularly, to an apparatus for diverting water from aftermarket wheels having simulated bead rings.
In some aftermarket wheels with simulated bead rings, a channel is formed between the ring and the face of the wheel. However, water is collected in this channel when the vehicle is operated in rainy conditions. Accumulation of water or other fluid in the channel can lead to an asymmetry of mass throughout the wheel and/or across the vehicle. This asymmetry can cause ride disturbances, usually in the form of vertical and lateral vibrations. This can result in wobbling of the steering wheel or of the entire vehicle. At high speeds, the vehicle's suspension may be unable to account for such vibrations when the wheel's rotating frequency is equal to the suspension's resonant frequency, at which point the vibrations may propagate throughout the entire suspension of the vehicle. If such propagation occurs when driving the vehicle on a highway in rainy conditions, a vehicle with aftermarket wheels with simulated bead rings may experience severe ride disturbances, which if unheeded by the driver, may result in a fatal accident due to loss of control of the vehicle.
Disclosed is an apparatus for diverting water from aftermarket wheels with simulated bead rings.
In one aspect, a device for attachment to an automobile wheel comprises an adapter having a cylindrical depression, the cylindrical depression comprising a socket for securing the device to an automobile wheel. The device further comprises a diverter arm coupled to the adapter and extending away from the adapter, the diverter arm extending laterally outward and comprising one or more ramps.
In another aspect, a device for attachment to an automobile wheel comprises an adapter having a cylindrical depression, the cylindrical depression comprising a socket for securing the device to a bead ring of an automobile wheel. The device further comprises a diverter arm orthogonally positioned to the adapter and coupled to the adapter, the diverter arm comprising one or more ramps, the ends of the one or more ramps configured to lie flush against a channel between the bead ring and the face of the automobile wheel.
In yet another aspect, a method of diverting water from an automobile wheel using a water diverter device comprises securing an adapter of a water diverter device to a bead ring of an automobile wheel, the adapter having a cylindrical depression, the cylindrical depression having a socket at its terminus. The water diverter device additionally comprises a diverter arm coupled to the adapter and extending away from the adapter, the diverter arm extending laterally outward comprising one or more ramps.
The methods and systems disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of a non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.
The embodiments of this invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.
Example embodiments, as described below, may be used to provide an apparatus for diverting water from wheels with simulated bead rings.
A wheel with a simulated bead ring may comprise a channel between the face of the wheel and the simulated bead ring of the wheel. This channel may be made during undercut machining. While driven in rainy weather, the recess may accumulate water, which may cause imbalance throughout the wheel.
Reference is now made to
Water may accumulate within the channel 106 and must be diverted in order to prevent the accumulation from reaching enough mass to disrupt the balance of the wheel. During vehicle operation, minor imbalances can cause severe disturbances that can lead to loss of control of the vehicle. The bead ring 104 may comprise one or more bolts 110.
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
In one embodiment, the diverter arm 256 may be structurally configured to divert a flow of water around the diverter arm 256. Specifically, the diverter arm 256 may be curved in such a way as to direct the flow of water away from the flow trajectory. The diverter arm 256 may comprise one or more ramps 258. As shown in the side view 250, the one or more ramps 258 may be inclined at an angle 260 in the direction of the adapter 202. As shown in the front view 252, the one or more ramps 258 may be inclined towards the midline of the diverter arm 256.
In one embodiment, the diverter arm 256 may comprise two ramps, one on either side of the diverter arm 256 such that when the water diverter 200 is placed within the channel 106, the two ramps lie flush against the channel 106. One of the ramps may be inclined at an angle 262 towards the midline of the diverter arm 256. The other ramp may be inclined at an angle 264 towards the midline of the diverter arm 256.
The diverter arm 256 may comprise a curved bottom edge. The curved bottom edge may allow the water diverter 200 to fit snugly into the channel 106. Any size of the diverter arm 256, any number of the one or more ramps 258, or any direction of the angle 260, the angle 262, and the angle 264 may be used to divert some or all of the water from the flow of water. For example, a diverter arm 256 may direct water from a flow of water in the direction of angle 260, which may be pre-determine to be suitable for diverting water from the channel 106 efficiently.
Reference is now made to
The diverter arm 256 may rest within the channel 106 of the wheel 100. The one or more ramps 258 of the diverter arm 256 may lie flush against the channel 106. Alternately, the one or more ramps 258 may be designed to be raised from the channel 106. As such, the amount of water removed from the flow of water within the channel may depend on structural configuration of the one or more ramps 258. Since not all wheels are created equal, the channel 106 may be markedly different. For example, the channel 106 may be angled instead of flat. To fit within a channel 106 having an angle of elevation or depression, the one or ramps 258 may be inclined at a wider angle than the angle 260. For example, if the channel 106 is flat, the angle 260 may be orthogonal to the channel 106. It will be understood that angle 260, angle 262, and angle 264 may be any angle and all such angles are within the scope of the embodiments described herein.
Reference is now made to
Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.
The structures in the figures may be shown as distinct and communicating with only a few specific structures and not others. The structures may be merged with each other, may perform overlapping functions, and may communicate with other structures not shown to be connected in the figures. Accordingly, the specification and/or drawings may be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
