Method for producing a motor vehicle rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a wheel of a motor vehicle and corresponding motor vehicle rim

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466212-B2
Application number	US-202017787735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Jan 14, 2020
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A method for producing an automobile rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a wheel of an automobile, the automobile rim having a rim well delimited on opposite sides by an outer flange and an inner flange, a hub with a center recess and a bolt hole circle as well as a rim center connecting the rim well and the hub with one another. The automobile rim is produced in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by die casting of a casting material. The automobile rim is formed during the die casting with at least one air conveying element for conveying air in the axial direction with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim relative to an imaginary plane perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis and/or at least one surface enlargement element extending in the circumferential direction along a circular line.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for producing an automobile rim from aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a wheel of an automobile, wherein the automobile rim has a rim well delimited on opposite sides by an outer flange and an inner flange, a hub with a center recess and a bolt hole circle, and a rim center connecting the rim well and the hub with one another, wherein the automobile rim is produced in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by die casting of a casting material, the automobile rim being formed during die casting with at least one air-conveying element, which is installed with respect to an imaginary plane perpendicular to a longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim to convey air in an axial direction with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim, and with at least one surface enlargement element extending in a circumferential direction along a circular line.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the automobile rim:
has, at least in some areas, a lowest wall thickness of at most 15 mm, and/or has a curvature with a smallest radius of curvature of at most 4 mm, and/or has a demolding surface which extends in the axial and a radial direction and/or in the axial and a tangential direction relative to the longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim and which is situated completely in an imaginary plane, the plane enclosing an angle with the longitudinal center axis which is more than 0° and at most 4°.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the rim center is formed with a plurality of spokes spaced apart in the circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the air-conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed starting from the rim center.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the air conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed on an inside of the automobile rim.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the surface enlargement element is formed starting from the air conveying element.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rim center is formed with a plurality of spokes spaced apart in the circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the air-conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed starting from the rim center.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the air conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed on an inside of the automobile rim.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the surface enlargement element is formed starting from the air conveying element.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air-conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed starting from the rim center.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the air conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed on an inside of the automobile rim.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the surface enlargement element is formed starting from the air conveying element.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air conveying element and/or the surface enlargement element are formed on an inside of the automobile rim.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the surface enlargement element is formed starting from the air conveying element.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface enlargement element is formed starting from the air conveying element.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air conveying element is formed extending in the radial direction relative to the longitudinal center axis from the hub to the rim well.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air conveying element, viewed in longitudinal section, is formed with a maximum extension in the axial direction equal to an extension of the rim center in the same direction or is at most 50% greater than the latter.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the casting mold used in the die casting is part of a die casting tool and the casting material is introduced into the casting mold through at least one injection opening.

20 . An automobile rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a wheel of an automobile, the automobile rim comprising: a rim well delimited on opposite sides by an outer flange and an inner flange, a hub with a center recess and a bolt hole circle, and a rim center connecting the rim well and the hub with one another, wherein the automobile rim is produced in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by die casting of a casting material, wherein the automobile rim has at least one air-conveying element which is installed with respect to an imaginary plane perpendicular to a longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim to convey air in an axial direction with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim and at least one surface enlargement element which extends in a circumferential direction along a circular line and is formed during die casting.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Reiling Jaan Mattes
• Gaugler Jan
• Hummel Marc

Classifications

• B60B19/10

  with cooling fins · CPC title

• B60B3/02

  with a single disc body integral with rim · CPC title

• B60B3/10

  apertured to simulate spoked wheels · CPC title

• B60B2360/104

  Aluminum · CPC title

• B60B2310/202

  by casting · CPC title