Composite wheel assembly and method of manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11285756-B2
Application number	US-201916272666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 9, 2018
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A composite wheel assembly and method of fabricating the same is provided. The wheel assembly includes a composite wheel rim, a wheel center, and a plurality of attachment fasteners for attaching the wheel center to the wheel rim. The wheel rim includes a plurality of attachment inserts that are configured to selectively engage with respective attachment fasteners. Each attachment insert is encapsulated by a plurality of composite layers of the wheel rim or is otherwise secured to the wheel rim. The attachment inserts extend from and/or are positioned within a drop well region of the wheel rim. The method of fabricating the wheel assembly includes forming first and second preforms and positioning the same onto a mold assembly. The method further includes positioning the attachment inserts between the first and second preforms such that the attachment inserts are secured therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite wheel assembly comprising:
a composite wheel rim having a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface;
a plurality of attachment inserts disposed radially between the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface of the wheel rim;
a wheel center attached to the composite wheel rim, wherein at least one fastener engages at least a portion of the attachment insert and secures the wheel center to the composite wheel rim;
at least one first layer of composite material defining the radially inner surface; and
at least one second layer of composite material defining the radially outer surface;
wherein the attachment insert is disposed radially between the first layer of composite material and the second layer of composite material.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radially outer surface is configured to enclose at least a portion of a sealed volume defined between the wheel rim and a tire when the tire is attached.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wheel rim defines a drop well region disposed radially between the radially inner and radially outer surfaces, and at least one of the plurality of inserts is disposed in the drop well region.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein a plurality of spacer inserts are disposed circumferentially between circumferentially adjacent inserts and couple the plurality of inserts to each other.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the spacer inserts are disposed in the drop well region.

6. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of inserts are spaced apart circumferentially from each other and are not coupled to each other.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the drop well region comprises a plurality of regions that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other, and a respective one of the inserts is disposed in each of the plurality of regions.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inserts each include at least one bore therein.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the wheel rim includes a plurality of apertures in the wheel rim corresponding to the locations of the at least one bore of the inserts.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising at least one sealing plate disposed over the plurality of apertures that seals the apertures.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the apertures and/or the at least one bore includes a sealant disposed within the at least one bore or a counter-bore portion of the at least one bore.

12. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one bore includes an enlarged diameter portion for receiving a head of a fastener therein.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wheel center includes a threaded portion, and the at least one fastener engages the threaded portion.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radially inner surface is defined by a first surface of the at least one first layer of material and the radially outer surface is defined by a second surface of the at least one second layer of material.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insert is disposed axially between an axially inner surface and an axially outer surface.

16. A composite wheel assembly comprising:
a composite wheel rim having a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface;
a plurality of attachment inserts disposed radially between the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface of the wheel rim;
a wheel center attached to the composite wheel rim, wherein at least one fastener engages at least a portion of the attachment insert and secures the wheel center to the composite wheel rim;
wherein the radially inner surface, the axially inner surface, and the axially outer surface are defined by at least one first layer of material.

17. A composite wheel assembly comprising:
a composite wheel rim having a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface;
a plurality of attachment inserts disposed radially between the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface of the wheel rim;
a wheel center attached to the composite wheel rim, wherein at least one fastener engages at least a portion of the attachment insert and secures the wheel center to the composite wheel rim;
wherein the insert is disposed axially between an axially inner surface and an axially outer surface;
wherein the radially inner surface, the axially inner surface, and the axially outer surface are defined by at least one first layer of material;
wherein the at least one first layer of material defines a radially outer volume, and the at least one fastener enters and exits the radially outer volume through the axially inner and outer surfaces, and at least one second layer of material is disposed radially between the at least one fastener and a sealed volume of a tire when a tire is installed on the wheel rim.

18. A composite wheel apparatus comprising:
a composite wheel rim having a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface extending between an axially inner end and an axially outer end;
at least one first layer of composite material defining the radially inner surface;
at least one second layer of composite material defining the radially outer surface; and
a plurality of attachment inserts spaced apart circumferentially and disposed radially between the at least one first layer of material and the at least one second layer of material, and further disposed axially closer to the axially outer end than the axially inner end, wherein the inserts are configured to support a wheel center attached to the composite wheel rim.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the inserts define at least one bore extending therethrough for receiving a fastener, where an axis of the bore enters and exits an outer volume defined by the at least one first layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the inserts are sealed by the at least one second layer from a tire sealed volume defined by a radially outer surface of the at least one second layer.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the wheel rim includes a revolute inner surface at an axial location corresponding to an axial location of the inserts.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the wheel rim includes a non-revolute inner surface at an axial location corresponding to an axial location of the inserts.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the at least one first layer of material defines a plurality of pockets in which the inserts are disposed.

24. A wheel assembly comprising:
a composite wheel rim having a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface;
a plurality of circumferentially disposed inserts disposed radially between a first ply stack and a second ply stack, wherein the first ply stack is disposed radially inward relative to the second ply stack;
wherein each of the inserts includes a bore extending therethrough, wherein an axis of the bore enters and exits a radially outer volume defined by the first ply stack.

25. The assembly of claim 24 further comprising a wheel center attached to the wheel rim wherein fasteners extend at least partially through the bore of the inserts and secure the wheel center to the wheel rim.

26. The assembly of claim 24 , wherein a radially inner surface of the first ply stack at an axial location corresponding to the inserts defines a revolute inner surface.

27. The assembly of claim 24 , wherein a radially inner surface of the first

Assignees

• Lacks Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Snyder Colin
• Stanhope Rawley

Classifications

• B29C49/071

  Preforms or parisons characterised by their configuration, e.g. geometry, dimensions or physical properties · CPC title

• B29C2949/0715

  the preform having one end closed · CPC title

• B29C70/766

  on the end part of a tubular article · CPC title

• B60B3/08

  with disc body formed by two or more axially spaced discs {(comprising rail-engaging elements formed by two or more axially spaced discs B60B17/0013)} · CPC title

• B29C70/86

  Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, {e.g. by winding} · CPC title