Full face vehicle wheel

Details Full face vehicle wheel Full face vehicle wheel

1999-06-23

2001-04-10

Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)

Land vehicles: wheels and axles

Wheel

Compression wheel

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213563

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle wheels and in particular to an improved full face vehicle wheel.
A conventional well-attached vehicle wheel is typically of a two-piece construction and includes an inner wheel disc and an outer “full” wheel rim. The wheel disc can be cast, forged, or fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inner annular wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion. The wheel mounting portion defines an inboard mounting surface and includes a center pilot or hub hole, and a plurality of lug receiving holes formed therethrough for mounting the wheel to an axle of the vehicle. The wheel rim is fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, an outboard tire bead seat, and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. In some instances, a three-piece wheel construction having a mounting cup secured to the wheel disc is used. In both types of constructions, the outer annular portion of the wheel disc is secured to the well of the wheel rim by a weld.
A full face wheel is distinguished from other types of wheels by having a one-piece wheel disc construction. In particular, the full face wheel includes a “full face” wheel disc and a “partial” wheel rim. The full face wheel disc can be cast, forged, or fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys. The full face wheel disc includes an inner annular wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion which defines at least a portion of an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel. The wheel mounting portion defines an inboard mounting surface and includes a center pilot or hub hole, and a plurality of lug receiving holes formed therethrough for mounting the wheel to an axle of the vehicle. The partial wheel rim is fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, and an outboard tire bead seat. In some instances, the outboard tire bead seat of the wheel rim and the outer annular portion of the wheel disc cooperate to form the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the full face wheel. In both types of constructions, the outboard tire bead seat of the wheel rim is positioned adjacent the outer annular portion of the wheel disc and a weld is applied to secure the wheel rim and the wheel disc together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved full face vehicle wheel including a wheel rim joined to a wheel disc. The wheel rim defines an axis and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, and an outboard tire bead seat. The outboard tire bead seat of the wheel rim terminates at an endmost surface. The wheel disc includes a body having a centrally located wheel mounting surface and an outer annular portion. The outer annular portion of the wheel disc defines an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the full face wheel. The outer annular portion of the wheel disc includes a protuberance formed therein. The protuberance defines a generally radially extending non-flat outer surface and a generally radially extending inner surface. The inner surface of the protuberance defines a generally flat fit-up surface for receiving the endmost surface of said wheel rim and a weld to join said wheel disc to said wheel rim. The protuberance in the outer flange of the wheel disc is effective to reduce the radial length of an outer flat surface which is formed in the outer flange of the wheel disc and thereby improve the styling of the full face wheel.
Other advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4610482 (1986-09-01), Overbeck et al.
patent: 5257455 (1993-11-01), Iwatsuki et al.
patent: 5295304 (1994-03-01), Ashley, Jr.
patent: 5345676 (1994-09-01), Ashley, Jr.
patent: 5435632 (1995-07-01), Gajor et al.
patent: 5435633 (1995-07-01), Jaskierny
patent: 5634694 (1997-06-01), Murray et al.
patent: 5639147 (1997-06-01), Hill et al.
patent: 85/02586 (1985-06-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication No. 04305388, Publication Date Oct. 28, 1992.

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