Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Detachable wheel section
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-12
2001-11-13
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Detachable wheel section
C152S405000, C152SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315366
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle wheel assemblies and in particular to an improved take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,261 to Weeks et al. discloses a prior art take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly. As shown in the Weeks et al. patent, the prior art take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly includes an inner rim, an outer rim, a wheel mounting disc, and a clamp ring. The wheel mounting disc is welded to the inner rim, and the clamp ring is welded to the outer rim. Threaded stud bolts extend through apertures formed through the wheel mounting disc and the clamp ring. Nuts are installed on and tightened on the stud bolts to secure the outer rim and clamp ring to the inner rim and wheel mounting disc.
As further shown in the Weeks et al. patent, the outboard tire bead seat surface of the inner rim terminates at a machined inclined surface, and the inboard free edge of the outer rim part terminates at a machined inclined surface. When the safety take apart vehicle wheel assembly is assembled, the inclined outer and inner rim surfaces cooperate with an outer surface of the wheel mounting disc define a triangular shaped cavity. An elastomeric seal is disposed in the triangular shaped cavity and is compressed between the opposing surfaces of the wheel assembly to prevent air leakage. When the nuts on the threaded stud bolts are loosened, air leakage past the elastomeric seal occurs prior to the nuts being removed from the studs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly including a disc, an inner rim joined to the disc, and an outer rim joined to the disc. The disc has a generally centrally located wheel mounting surface and includes an outer annular flange which defines an outer cylindrical surface. The inner rim includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, a generally axially extending well, and an outboard tire bead seat which terminates at an axial endmost surface. The outer rim includes an inner mounting surface and outer annular flange. The outer annular flange of the outer rim defines an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly and includes an inner surface. An elastomeric member disposed in a cavity defined by the axial endmost surface of the inner rim, the inner surface of the outer annular flange of the outer rim, and the outer cylindrical surface of the outer annular flange of the disc. The take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly further includes only a single weld to join the disc to the inner rim; the outer rim being joined to the disc by a plurality of nuts and bolts which are adapted to compress the elastomeric member in the cavity so as to provide an air-tight seal in the take apart safety vehicle wheel assembly between the associated surfaces of the inner rim, the outer rim, and the disc.
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: 4165777 (1979-08-01), Sano
patent: 4466670 (1984-08-01), Kaji
patent: 4836261 (1989-06-01), Weeks et al.
patent: 4997235 (1991-03-01), Braungart
patent: 5018566 (1991-05-01), Thoni
patent: 216168 (1957-05-01), None
patent: 512619 (1952-08-01), None
patent: 348883 (1960-10-01), None
patent: 4141868 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 2435044 (1975-02-01), None
patent: 602621 (1926-03-01), None
patent: 626258 (1927-01-01), None
patent: 1141234 (1957-08-01), None
patent: 325700 (1930-02-01), None
patent: 5024405 (1993-02-01), None
Bernard Michael R.
Post Charles C.
Raymond Gale
Reding Joseph S.
Weeks James B.
Hayes Lemmerz International Inc.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Buo
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