This is about something I’ve patented about a year ago. I have offered it to major car manufacturers who analyzed/tested it, confirmed functionality but said that they can’t apply it on current products/passenger cars having in mind overall financial & production issues (Daimler-Chrysler, V.A.G, GM, Renault, PSA, BMW…).
The reason I’m posting it here is to get opinions about possibility to apply this design on F1 and other racing cars. Also, I’d like to hear opinions and suggestions regarding materials.
I know that there are synthetic non-metallic fiber springs and obviously rest of the wheel could be made of exotic materials? What about rim, magnesium or could it be CF reinforced with Kevlar? Any suggestion for material for connecting axles, steel or possibly something synthetic?
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Here is the presentation;
1.Rim
2.Spring
3.Central element
4.Bearing
5.Connecting axle
6.Shock absorber & spring pole
7.Shock absorber
Pole that consist form shock absorber & spring are connecting rim with the central element by connecting axles on both of their ends.
This enables the change of angle of poles and functioning of shock absorbers and springs (stretching-compressing).
Maximal change of poles angle is limited by stiffness of springs or by dimension of openings in central element.
Ability of the rim of the wheel to change its position in relation to the central element that is mounted on vehicles axle, enables 360 degrees absorption and amortization.
First of all it enables equal absorption of bumps and impacts regardless on angle or direction of obstacle - 360 degrees!
All conventional suspensions are usually designed only for single direction force absorption, while all other impacts are transmitted to vehicles tires, bearings, chassis and bodywork without any absorption.
Secondary advantages of this invention come from its genuine design. Due to specific position and connection between its elements, two completely opposite but highly desirable functions come to life.
During starts and accelerations, inner elements of this wheel act partly as typical ASR system, absorbing torque trough springs and dampers which prevents wheel from sliding in absence of proper grip.
Other function comes also from same elements as the first one.
This time only, during braking, rim of the wheel transmits input torque coming from vehicles inertia to shock absorbers and springs, preventing blocking of the wheel in certain amount and therefore acting partly as typical ABS system.
Basic design of this wheel consists from three-pole system and can be upgraded with as many poles as necessary, depending on vehicles demands and purpose. It can be used with elements of conventional suspensions or without them. In this second case, axle on which the wheel is mounted is attached to the chassis of the vehicle without any elements of conventional suspension. This wheel can be produced as rim-only without any rubber layer, with solid rubber layer or as conventional rim designed for pneumatics.
Y shaped pipeline could be implemented to connect the cylinders of shock absorbers and provide smoother rotation by equalizing the pressure. Simplest way to avoid use of hydraulic or gas shock absorbers could be use of simple bump rubbers where the short suspension travel is necessary or in cases where this design would be used simply to replace pneumatics.