Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Compression wheel
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-01
2002-05-07
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Compression wheel
C301S063105
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382735
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle wheels and in particular to an improved full face vehicle wheel and method for producing the same.
A conventional 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 wheel rim by welding.
A full face vehicle wheel is distinguished from other types of vehicle 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 vehicle 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 vehicle 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 vehicle 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 having a wheel rim joined to a wheel disc. 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 vehicle wheel. The outer annular portion of the wheel disc includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface of the outer annular portion defines a generally radially extending outer surface in the region of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. The inner surface of the outer annular portion defines a generally radially extending inner fit up surface. The outer annular portion of the wheel disc further includes a generally non-radially extending inner surface spaced directly inwardly of the radially extending inner fit up surface. 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 extruded inturned flange. The extruded inturned flange includes a generally radially inwardly extending first outer surface, a generally non-radially extending second outer surface, an inner surface, and an endmost surface. The radially inwardly extending first outer surface of the extruded inturned flange defines an outer control surface. When the outer control surface of the wheel rim is positioned adjacent the inner fit up surface of the wheel disc and the wheel rim and the wheel disc joined together by a weld, the non-radially extending second outer surface of the extruded inturned flange contacts at least a portion of the non-radially extending inner surface of the wheel disc thereby reducing a radial distance of the radially extending outer surface of the wheel disc in the region of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange.
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.
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Gonzalez Alexander
Kengle George
Hayes Lemmerz International Inc.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bao
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