Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Compression wheel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2001-02-27
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Compression wheel
C301S095110, C029S894323
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193321
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wheels for motor vehicles, and more particularly to disc wheels having a stamped steel disc and a rolled steel rim.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that full faced vehicle wheels with full faced discs are desirable because of the attractive appearance of a continuous disc surface extending from the central portion of the disc out through the disc flange.
Numerous prior methods of manufacture have been carried out to achieve this result, including bimetal wheels where aluminum cast wheels are assembled to rolled steel rims by the use of inserts into the aluminum disc to which the steel rim is welded, and/or by inserting the end of the rim into a groove in the cast aluminum disc. The manufacturing operations of the above are complex and require precise relative dimensioning of parts.
Other full face wheel designs utilize steel discs and steel rims, wherein the rim edge is welded perpendicularly to the inner surface of the disc flange; or the rim edge is downturned to a terminating cylindrical surface which engages small discontinuous flat disc projections; or the disc has an area with one or more bumps or beads into which is rolled the rim outer beadseat; or wherein the disc flange is cut, notched, machined and/or bent over to form a ledge for the rim beadseat to engage. In the first instance, the assembled structure may not be as strong as desired. In the second instance, very precise machining and dimensioning are required and no beadseat area is present on the disc but for the small cylindrical discontinuous disc projections; in the third and fourth instances, more complex manufacturing operations are contemplated.
Examples of prior art relating to the above and other full faced designs include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,386; 5,526,977; 5,634,694; 5,257,455; 5,421,642; 5,435,632; 5,027,508; 5,295,304; 5,188,429; 5,803,553, 5,647,126; 5,538,329; 4,610,482 and 3,506,311.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to overcome the deficiencies of the above-noted prior art. A full faced vehicle wheel and method of manufacture is disclosed having a rolled steel partial rim, a stamped steel disc, and a plurality of vent holes embossed in the steel disc. It should be understood that the use of the term vent holes throughout this application is meant to include hand holes, vent holes being used in smaller wheels and hand holes (which also vent) being used in larger wheels. The invention is applicable to both smaller and larger wheels. The steel rim is rolled to provide an inner flange, an inner beadseat, a central section, and an outer beadseat with an outer edge, the outer beadseat at its inner surface being rolled at a predetermined angle and to a predetermined inner diameter at its edge. A full faced steel disc is stamped to have an outer flange with an inner surface extending radially inward and smoothly flowing into a radius at the bottom of the outer flange inner surface which in turn smoothly flows into a supporting circumferential beadseat area extending away from the radius and inwardly at a corresponding matching angle to the predetermined angle of the inner surface of the outer beadseat. The vent holes are embossed into the disc including extending the supporting beadseat area inwardly at the same corresponding matching angle at the outer periphery of each vent hole a distance greater than the circumferential beadseat extends inwardly at positions about the wheel between the vent holes. Inwardly extending intermittent supporting and guiding areas are thereby formed. The edge of the outer surface of each of the intermittent supporting areas is provided with an outer diameter slightly less than the said predetermined inner diameter at the outer edge of the rim. The rim is then assembled to the disc by forcing and guiding the inner surface of the rim outer beadseat first over the outer surface of the intermittent areas at the vent hole outer peripheries, and then over the outer surface of the disc beadseat area a predetermined distance up to or beyond the beginning of the aforesaid radius. If desired, the rim outer beadseat edge can even be curled up into the radius at the bottom of the flange. Since the rolled rim will have a small degree of ovality, the rim outer beadseat is expanded at certain positions about its periphery during the assembly. A weld is then applied between the rim and disc at the rim outer beadseat outer edge.
The disc intermittent areas guide the rim beadseat onto the disc during assembly, with the angled inner surface of the rim outer beadseat first encountering and contacting the angled intermittent areas near the edges of the outer surfaces of the intermittent areas. When assembly is complete, the intermittent areas in addition to the disc beadseat area further provide a large distance of engagement with, and substantial support for, the rim. The radius at the base of the flange centers and ensures a 360° fit up of the rim and disc. Very high engagement tolerances are not required.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5257455 (1993-11-01), Iwatsuki
patent: 5917947 (1999-07-01), Stach et al.
patent: 6030051 (2000-02-01), Hosoda et al.
Cvijanovic Ratko
Siedelmann Daryl
Accuride Corporation
Kilgannon & Steidl
Stormer Russell D.
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