Wheel assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604498-B2
Application number	US-201514613736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A wheel for a pneumatic tire has a rim with one monolithic bead seat and a removable beat seat. The removable bead seat has two halves that embrace the rim and engage a groove to retain the tire. The removable bead seat may have a second lip either monolithically formed or as a part of a separate retainer that bolts to the bead seat. The wheel may be made from aluminum alloy.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wheel for supporting a pneumatic tire, comprising:
a generally cylindrical rim with a first bead seat peripherally disposed thereon proximate one end, the rim having a first groove in an outer peripheral surface thereof distal to the first bead seat;
a removable bead seat with a plurality of sub-parts capable of engaging the first groove, retaining the removable bead seat and the tire on the rim, the plurality of sub-parts including two semi-circular bead seat portions, each of which approximates a mirror image of the other and when assembled together at an axis of symmetry, approximate a solid of rotation capable of embracing the rim proximate the first groove, the solid of rotation having a generally L-shaped cross-section with a lead-in portion forming the long part of the L and an upstanding bead extending in a direction perpendicular to the lead-in portion and forming the short portion of the L-shape, the lead-in portion extending generally parallel to the rim when embracing it, each of the two bead seat portions having an inwardly directed lip extending from an inner surface on the long part of the L shape extending in a direction opposite to the upstanding bead, the lip capable of being received in the first groove when the bead seat portions are positioned on the rim embracing the rim.

2. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the wheel is made of aluminum alloy.

3. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first bead seat is monolithic with the rim.

4. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the inwardly directed lip is a first lip and wherein the rim has a second groove in the outer peripheral surface thereof distal to the first groove and the first bead seat and each of the bead seat portions has a second inwardly extending lip extending therefrom in a direction parallel to the direction of extension of the first lip, the second lip capable of being received in the second groove when the bead seat portions are positioned on the rim embracing the rim.

5. The wheel of claim 4 , wherein the second lip is monolithically formed with the bead seat portion from which it extends.

6. The wheel of claim 5 , wherein the second groove defines a flange on the rim.

7. The wheel of claim 6 , wherein a plurality of apertures extend through the flange, the second lip and the rim, and further including a plurality of pins capable of passing through the apertures in the flange, the second lip and the rim, bridging the second groove and retaining each of the bead seat portions in association with the rim.

8. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the pins prevent rotation of the removable bead seat relative to the rim.

9. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the pins retain the removable bead seat on the rim when the tire is deflated.

10. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the rim proximate the first groove has a reduced diameter relative to an adjacent portion proximate the bead seat, the reduced diameter portion having a diameter reduced by an amount approximating the thickness of the lead-in portions of the bead seat portions.

11. The wheel of claim 10 , wherein the lead-in portion of each of the semi-circular members exhibits a gradually increased thickness from an edge thereof to the bead seat.

12. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the wheel has a mounting flange with a plurality of lug apertures at one end capable of mounting the wheel to a wheel hub.

13. The wheel of claim 12 , wherein the mounting flange of a first wheel may be juxtaposed next to the mounting flange of a second wheel to form a dually that is capable of mounting to a wheel hub.

14. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the rim has a second groove in the outer peripheral surface thereof distal to the first groove and the first bead seat and further comprising a retainer selectively attachable to at least one of the bead seat portions by threaded fasteners, a second lip extending from the retainer, the second lip capable of being received in the second groove when the bead seat portion is positioned on and embracing the rim.

15. The wheel of claim 14 , wherein a plurality of retainers are coupled to a plurality of bead seat portions.

16. The wheel of claim 15 , wherein the retainers are arcuate in shape.

17. The wheel of claim 15 , wherein the threaded fasteners extend through apertures in the retainers and are received in threaded apertures in the bead seat portions.

18. The wheel of claim 17 , wherein the bead seat portions have a recess complementary in shape to the retainers for receiving the retainers when selectively coupled thereto.

19. The wheel of claim 18 , wherein at least one retainer bridges and couples to a plurality of bead seat portions.

20. The wheel of claim 19 , wherein the removable bead seat encircles the rim, preventing removal of the bead seat from the rim without disassembling the removable bead seat.

21. The wheel of claim 20 , wherein the removable bead seat is capable of being retained on the rim when the tire is deflated, preventing removal without disassembling the removable bead seat.

22. The wheel of claim 18 , wherein the retainers have a peripheral ledge that bears against an edge of the second groove and is capable of constraining rotation of the retainers and a conjoined bead seat portion in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the wheel under the influence of pressure from a tire mounted on the wheel.

23. The wheel of claim 18 , wherein each recess defines a boundary preventing withdrawal of the retainer received therein when the tire is inflated and irrespective of the presence of threaded fasteners.

24. The wheel of claim 17 , wherein the threaded apertures have a threaded insert therein.

25. The wheel of claim 24 , wherein the threaded insert is a coil.

26. The wheel of claim 14 , wherein the retainer is a ring and the second lip is castellated to define a plurality of tabs and intermittent spaces and the rim has a plurality of slots communicating with the second groove, the tabs capable of inserting through the slots in a first rotational orientation coaxial with the wheel to enter the second groove and capable of being rotated on the rim to a second position where the slots and tabs are not aligned.

27. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the lead-in portion is capable of preventing tire inflation load from displacing an associated bead seat portion.

28. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the lead-in portion is capable of directing tire inflation pressure force radially towards an axis of the wheel.

Assignees

• Alcoa Inc
• Arconic Inc

Inventors

• Zehnder Craig M
• Peer Greg
• Burg James
• Leonard Stephen
• Sklyut Henry
• Cobes John
• Rovito Anton
• Ciccola Gabriele
• Weiler Kelly
• Kulak Michael
• Black James
• Jarvis Glenn
• Lee Wilson
• Degeorge Grant

Classifications

• B60B25/18

  Arrangement of split rings · CPC title

• B60B11/02

  Units of separate wheels mounted for independent or coupled rotation · CPC title

• B60B25/12 Primary

  with integral flange part · CPC title

• B60B25/20

  Arrangement of screws, bolts, or shouldered pins · CPC title

• B60B2360/104

  Aluminum · CPC title