TWO PIECE WHEEL

Abstract

A two-piece wheel may have a first section and a second section. The wheel has areas of varying diameter across its width, and the first second and the second section are joined at the area of the wheel with the smallest diameter. The first section can be a spoke section with spokes extending from the central hub and the second section can be a barrel section.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to wheels for automobiles and other wheeled vehicles. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a two (2) piece wheel.

BACKGROUND

As is well known, consumers often want multiple choices and options when purchasing an automobile to allow them options based on look, price or some other trait (such as fuel economy). With this in mind, the present disclosure provides a novel and unique two (2) piece molded wheel that offers many benefits including reduced weight, varied appearance, reduced cost and increased fuel economy. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a wheel that minimizes the weight thereof but retains the necessary strength.

The composite wheels in the prior art are often extremely expensive due to the costs of materials involved in the manufacture thereof and the time involved to manufacture each wheel. The present disclosure provides a strong, attractive and light weight two (2) piece wheel that is cheaper and easy to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a two (2) piece molded wheel comprising a spoke section and a barrel section, wherein the spoke section and barrel sections are joined at the drop center of the wheel.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a two (2) piece wheel comprising a first section and a second section wherein the wheel comprises areas of varying diameter across its width and the first section and second section are joined at the area of the wheel with the smallest diameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further illustrate the advantages and features of the present disclosure, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the attached drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings are not to be considered limiting in scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of one embodiment of the wheel of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of one embodiment of the wheel of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a top sectional view of one embodiment of the wheel of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the spoke section of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the barrel section of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the joining of the barrel section and spoke section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the present application provides an improved, two (2) piece wheel which may be used on various automobiles, including but not limited to passenger cars and trucks. The wheel 10 disclosed herein offers many advantageous features not found in prior art wheels such as a lighter weight and stronger construction.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the wheel 10 fully assembled. The wheel comprises a spoke section 20 (which is furthest away from the automobile on which the wheel 10 is installed) and a barrel section 30 (which is closer to the automobile on which the wheel is installed). FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the wheel fully assembled while FIG. 3 shows a top sectional view of the fully assembled wheel 10.

The spoke section 20 includes one or more spokes 40 that both serve to add strength to the wheel 10 and also provide a pleasing decorative appearance. As such, one of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that although one design is shown in the figures included herewith, many different spoke designs and arrangements are possible based on consumer preference and the scope of the present invention should not be limited by the design shown in the figures. Additionally, the shape, design, number and length of the spokes 40 can be varied to increase the strength of the wheel 10. The spoke section 20 and spokes 40 may also include one or more fiber composite strips 25. The fiber composite strips 25 can be either co-molded between fiber layers as the spoke section 20/spokes 40 are molded or they may be bonded to the spoke section 20/spokes 40 after those features are molded. The fiber composite strips 25, as shown in FIG. 3, may be placed along the exterior surface of one or more spokes 40 or alternatively, they may be located where the spokes meet the hub or center of the spoke section, along the lip or outer edge of the spoke section or where the spokes 40 meet the barrel.

The spoke section 20 also includes a plurality of apertures near its center, including one or more wheel stud apertures 50 and a hub aperture 70. The wheel stud apertures 50 are configured to receive the threaded wheel studs (or sometimes called wheel bolts) present on the hub of the vehicle on which the wheel 10 will be installed. Accordingly, as shown in the attached figures, there may be five (5) wheel stud apertures (which is the common number on most passenger cars) but there could be more or less wheel stud apertures if needed for installation on a particular vehicle or vehicle type. For example, there could be as few as four (4) wheel stud apertures or as many as twelve (12). As shown in the attached figures, there may be a recess on the exterior of the spoke section 20 in which the lug nuts fit during installation, though this is not required. Alternatively, there may only be a single aperture on the wheel wherein the hub passes through the aperture and a nut is threaded onto the hub to secure to the wheel.

Optionally, the spoke section 20 may include one or more inserts 55 that can be generally complimentary to the shape and size of the wheel stud apertures 50. These inserts 55 may be molded integrally near the region of the spoke section 20 proximate to the wheel stud apertures 50. These inserts 55 can be of various shapes and composition. For example, the insert 55 may complement the shape and size of the wheel stud aperture 50 and form a concentric circle therewith, as shown in FIG. 2 and be placed around one or more of the wheel stud apertures 50. Alternatively, the insert 55 could be rectangular and placed proximate to the wheel stud aperture, but not of a circular shape. The insert 55 may be metal or other suitable materials to help distribute the forces imparted on the wheel 10 when the lug nuts are tightened onto the wheel studs. After the wheel studs are passed through the wheel stud apertures 50, generally one or more lug nuts or other securement device will be screwed onto the threaded wheel studs to attach the wheel 10 securely to the vehicle. The hub aperture 70 is provided such that the hub of a vehicle may pass through the spoke section 20. As one of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate, the dimensions of the hub aperture 70 will often vary due to the make and model of vehicle on which the wheel 10 is to be installed—i.e., a wheel designed to be installed on a Ford® may have a different dimensioned hub aperture 70 than a wheel designed to fit on a Subaru®.

The spoke section 20 also includes a valve stem aperture 60 which receives a valve stem which is used to add air (or other suitable gasses such as nitrogen) to the tire seated on the wheel 10.

The spoke section 20 also includes a bead hump 100 on its interior facing surface that secures the bead of the tire to the wheel 10.

The spoke section 20 also has a mating surface 80 which is in contact with the barrel surface's mating surface 110 when the wheel 10 is assembled (as discussed in more detail below).

The barrel section 30 is the portion of the wheel 10 closest to the automobile. The barrel section 30, like the spoke section 20, includes a bead hump 100 on its exterior facing surface that secures the bead of the tire to the wheel 10. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 for example, the barrel section 30 reduces in diameter across its width, or put another way, the inner most portion of the barrel section 30 may have a larger diameter than the outermost portion.

Further, the barrel section 30 has a mating surface 110 that may be complementary to the spoke section's mating surface 80. As can be appreciated from the attached drawings, different areas of the wheel 10 have different diameters. For example, the area of the wheel with the bead hump 100 has a different diameter than the central area of the wheel 10. In one embodiment the mating surface 110 is generally located at the drop center (also known as the tire well) of the wheel 10, or the area of the wheel where it is the narrowest, and thus the opposing mating surface 80 of the spoke section 20 where the sections are joined is also located at the drop center, and the drop center of a wheel 10 makes mounting a tire easier in that it allows the tire's bead wires to retain their natural shape/length/diameter during the mounting process. The bead hump 100 may be molded or formed integrally with the spoke section 20 and barrel section 30, as shown in FIG. 5 or it may be manufactured separately and affixed or attached to the spoke section 20 and barrel section as shown in FIG. 6.

The mating surface 110 of the barrel section 30 includes one or more spacers 120 which serve to provide a gap between the spoke sections 20 mating surface 80 and the barrel section's mating surface 110 after the wheel is assembled. This gap allows space for the adhesive used to join the spoke section 20 and the barrel section 30 to be applied evenly and to properly harden and attach the two sections thus creating a strong, reliable wheel 10. In one embodiment, the adhesive can be selected from the group consisting of urethane and epoxy based adhesives. In one embodiment, the spacers 120 have a height of between 5 and 60 one-thousandth's of an inch. Alternatively, the mating surface 80 of the spoke section may comprise the one or more spacers rather than the barrel section 30.

The mating surface 110 of the barrel section 30 may have a lip or stop 130 that the leading edge of the spoke section's mating surface 80 rests against once the two sections are fitted properly during assembly. This lip or stop 130 serves to provide that adequate overlap is created by the two opposing mating surfaces 80, 110 to provide for a secure assembly. The amount of overlap may vary depending upon the desired use of the wheel. In some embodiments, the amount of overlap is between 0.10 and 6.00 inches, 0.50 and 5.00 inches, 1.00 and 4.0 inches and 1.50 and 3.0 inches. In one preferred embodiment, the amount of overlap is between 1.50 and 2.00 inches.

In addition to the lap joint shown in the attached figures, the overlap region could feature a tongue-and-groove construction or threads to assist in securing the spoke section 20 to the barrel section 30. Optionally, in addition to the adhesive used to secure the spoke section 20 to the barrel section 30, mechanical securement devices such as rivets, bolts or a tape may be used.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show perspective views of the spoke section 20 and the barrel section 30 respectively. FIG. 6 shows a side view/cut away view of the overlap of the opposing mating surfaces 80, 110.

The wheel 10 may be made of many different materials, including composite materials such as carbon fiber. The term “carbon fiber” as used herein includes all fibers which consist essentially of carbon, ranging from graphite fibers to amorphous carbon fibers. Graphite fibers are fibers which consist essentially of carbon and have a predominant X-ray diffraction pattern characteristic of graphite. Amorphous carbon fibers are fibers which consist essentially of carbon and have an essentially amorphous X-ray diffraction pattern. Additionally, the term also includes other high strength, low density materials such as boron, fiber glass or the like or any of the forgoing in a mixture, such as 1-99% carbon fiber mixed with 99-1% fiber glass. For example, the wheel 10 may comprise one or more of the following composite materials a carbon fiber/fiber mixture, carbon fiber or fiber glass. Additionally, additives such as nanoparticles may be added to the composite materials before molding. Additionally, the wheel 10 disclosed herein may not be manufactured from a composite material but rather a metallic material such as aluminum, steel or other alloy. In an embodiment where the wheel 10 is manufactured from a metallic material, the components of the wheel may be forged, cast or machined.

In addition to the composite materials and optionally the nanoparticles, a resin is used to bind the composite materials during molding. In one embodiment, the resin is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, polyurethane, rubber and polyester resins. In a further embodiment the resin is a vinyl ester/polyurethane resin or any other thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric resin or a metallic matrix. In other alternate embodiments, the resin may be selected from the group consisting of butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, melamine formaldehyde, natural rubber, phenol-formaldehyde, polyamide, polycarbonate, polypropylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.

The wheel 10 may be constructed using various methods of manufacture including compression molding. In one embodiment, the wheel 10 is constructed using a sheet molding compound (SMC) process or a bulk molding compound (BMC) process.

Although particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this disclosure except as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A two-piece molded wheel comprising a spoke section and a barrel section, wherein the spoke section and the barrel section have complementary mating surfaces joined at a drop center of the wheel, wherein a thickness of the mating surface of the barrel section is less than a thickness of the a portion of the barrel section adjacent to the mating surface.

2. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the barrel section includes a lip in contact with a distal surface of a leading edge of mating surface of the spoke section, lip is positioned on an interior side of the mating surface of the barrel section.

3. The wheel of claim 1, wherein either the spoke section or the barrel section's mating surface comprises a plurality of spacers extending therefrom.

4. The wheel of claim 3, wherein the spacers have a height of between 5 and 60 one-thousandth's of an inch.

5. The wheel of claim 3, wherein the barrel section comprises a plurality of spacers extending therefrom.

6. The wheel of claim 5, wherein the spacers have a height of between 5 and 60 one-thousandth's of an inch.

7. The wheel of claim 5, wherein the spoke section and the barrel section are joined via a lap joint.

8. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the spoke section and barrel section are joined via a lap joint.

9. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the wheel comprises a composite material.

10. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the wheel comprises a composite material.

11. A two-piece wheel comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the wheel comprises areas of varying diameter across its width and the first section and second section are joined at complementary surfaces of the first section and the second section, wherein a radial thickness of the mating surface of the first section is tapered towards distal surface of a leading edge of the mating surface of the first section.

12. The wheel of claim 11, wherein a radial thickness of the mating surface of the second section is less than a radial thickness of a portion of the second section adjacent to the mating surface.

13. The wheel of claim 12, wherein the second section comprises a plurality of spacers extending therefrom.

14. The wheel of claim 13, wherein the spacers have a height of between 5 and 60 one-thousandth's of an inch.

15. The wheel of claim 14, wherein the first section and the second section are joined via a lap joint.

16. The wheel of claim 11, wherein the first section and the second section are joined via a lap joint.

17. The wheel of claim 11, wherein the wheel comprises a composite material.

18. The wheel of claim 12, wherein the second section includes a lip in contact with the distal surface of the leading edge of the mating surface of the first section, and wherein the lip is positioned on an interior side of the mating surface of the second section.

19. The wheel of claim 18, further comprising one or more wheel stud apertures and wherein one or more inserts are proximate to the one or more wheel stud apertures.

20. The wheel of claim 11, comprising an integral bead hump defined on one or more of the first section or the second section.