Vehicle wheels, methods of making vehicle wheels, and dual wheel assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738595-B2
Application number	US-202016801389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	May 24, 2019
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

Vehicle wheels, methods of making vehicle wheels, and dual wheel assemblies are provided. The vehicle wheel includes a generally cylindrical first region and a second region extending radially inwardly from the first region. The second region includes a first surface, a second surface, an opening, and a hub surface. A distance from the first surface to the second surface defines a thickness. The opening is configured to receive at least a portion of a hub of the vehicle axle. The hub surface is adjacent to and surrounds the opening and extends from the first surface to the second surface. The hub surface includes a generally flat portion and a relief portion adjacent to at least one of the first surface and the second surface. The relief portion surrounds the opening and extends along the hub surface for a distance of at least 25% of the thickness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle wheel comprising:
a generally cylindrical first region comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;
a second region extending radially inwardly from the first region, the second region configured to mount to a vehicle axle, the second region comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface, a distance from the first surface to the second surface defining a thickness;
an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface and configured to receive at least a portion of a hub of the vehicle axle; and
a hub surface adjacent to and surrounding the opening and extending from the first surface to the second surface, the hub surface comprising a first portion and a relief portion abutting to at least one of the first surface and the second surface, wherein the relief portion surrounds the opening and extends along the hub surface for a distance of at least 25% of the thickness, wherein the first portion is configured to engage the hub of the vehicle axle.

2. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the relief portion extends along the hub surface for at least 50% of the thickness.

3. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the relief portion comprises at least one of a fillet and a chamfer.

4. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the relief portion comprises a fillet comprising a radius in a range of 0.1 inches to 10 inches, inclusive.

5. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the relief portion comprises a chamfer comprising a chamfer length in a range of 0.1 inch to 5 inches, inclusive.

6. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the thickness is in a range of 0.1 inches to 5 inches, inclusive.

7. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the second region comprises at least two bores extending from the first surface to the second surface, each of the at least two bores configured to receive a stud of the hub of the vehicle axle, wherein the relief portion comprises an end adjacent to the at least one of the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the end is disposed at least 0.1 inches from each of the at least two bores.

8. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the relief portion comprises a first relief segment abutting the first surface and a second relief segment abutting the second surface.

9. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises a nominal rim diameter in a range of 1 inch to 200 inches, inclusive, and a nominal rim width in a range of 1 inch to 100 inches, inclusive.

10. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises a nominal rim diameter in a range of 14 inches to 25 inches, inclusive, and a nominal rim width in a range of 6 inches to 24 inches, inclusive.

11. The vehicle wheel of claim 1 , wherein vehicle wheel comprises at least one of a metal and a metal alloy.

12. A dual wheel assembly comprising:
a first vehicle wheel and a second vehicle wheel, each of the first vehicle wheel and the second vehicle wheel comprising:
a generally cylindrical first region comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;
a second region extending radially inwardly from the first region, the second region configured to mount to a vehicle axle, the second region comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface, a distance from the first surface to the second surface defining a thickness;
an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface and configured to receive at least a portion of a hub of the vehicle axle; and
a hub surface adjacent to and surrounding the opening and extending from the first surface to the second surface, the hub surface comprising a first portion and a relief portion abutting the second surface, wherein the relief portion surrounds the opening and extends along the hub surface for a distance of at least 25% of the thickness, and wherein the first portion is configured to engage the hub of the vehicle axle;

wherein the first surface of the first vehicle wheel is adjacent to the first surface of the second vehicle wheel, and a central axis of the opening of the first vehicle wheel and a central axis of the opening of the second vehicle wheel are coaxial.

13. The dual wheel assembly of claim 12 , wherein each relief portion extends along the hub surface for at least 50% of the thickness.

14. The dual wheel assembly of claim 12 , wherein each relief portion comprises at least one of a fillet and a chamfer.

15. The dual wheel assembly of claim 12 , wherein each thickness is in a range of 0.1 inches to 5 inches, inclusive.

16. The dual wheel assembly of claim 12 , wherein each second region comprises at least two bores extending therethrough, each of the at least two bores configured to receive a stud of the hub of the vehicle axle, wherein each relief portion comprises an end adjacent to the respective second surface, and wherein each end is disposed at least 0.1 inches from each of the at least two bores.

17. The dual wheel assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first region comprises a nominal rim diameter in a range of 1 inch to 200 inches, inclusive, and a nominal rim width in a range of 1 inch to 100 inches, inclusive.

18. A method of producing a vehicle wheel, the method comprising:
providing a vehicle wheel by a method comprising at least one of forming, curing, forging, casting, and additive manufacturing, the vehicle wheel comprising at least one of metal and a metal alloy, the vehicle wheel including
a generally cylindrical first region comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;
a second region extending radially inwardly from the first region, the second region configured to mount to a vehicle axle, the second region comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface, a distance from the first surface to the second surface defining a thickness;
an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface and configured to receive at least a portion of a hub of the vehicle axle; and
a hub surface adjacent to and surrounding the opening and extending from the first surface to the second surface, the hub surface comprising a first portion and a relief portion abutting at least one of the first surface and the second surface, wherein the relief portion surrounds the opening and extends along the hub surface for a distance of at least 25% of the thickness, wherein the first portion is configured to engage the hub of the vehicle axle.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the relief portion comprises at least one of a fillet and a chamfer.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising forming the relief portion utilizing a lathe.

Assignees

• Howmet Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Wallace Spencer

Classifications

• B60B3/004 Primary

  in the hub section · CPC title

• B60B3/002 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the disc · CPC title

• B60B3/02

  with a single disc body integral with rim · CPC title

• B60B11/06

  Wheels with more than one rim mounted on a single wheel body · CPC title

• B60Y2200/14

  Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses · CPC title