TRUCK WHEEL

• US 20170361646A1
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consolidated Metco Incorporated (Amsted Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Consolidated Metco Incorporated (Amsted Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: DAVIS, CHRIS, AMBATI, NAREN, KOC, WALTER, KILSHAW, RICHARD J., FERGUSON, MATTHEW J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,493,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/04 Casting aluminium or magnesium no material; see B22D21/007
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0005 using fibre reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1615 The materials being injected at different moulding stations
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/105 uni directionally
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/02 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/32 Wheels, pinions, pulleys, castors or rollers , Rims inner tubes B29L2023/245; gears B29L2015/003; tyres B29L2030/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/202 by casting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/204 by moulding, e.g. injection moulding, i.e. casting of plastics material
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/104 Aluminum
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/3412 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2360/3416 Carbone fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/111 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/711 High loads, e.g. by reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/007 in the intermediate section
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/02 with a single disc body integral with rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/06 formed by casting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/12 Means of reinforcing disc bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 5/02 : made of synthetic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/86 : Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hybrid wheel for vehicles that comprises a unitary lug structure, with a mount face and a dish section of the lug structure extending therefrom. The lug structure is usually a cast aluminum alloy. A wheel structure comprising a high strength polymer encapsulates a portion of the lug structure dish section. rim ring(s) are included in the wheel structure and are preferably made of a fiber reinforced high strength polymer.

Claims

1. A hybrid wheel, comprising:

a unitary lug structure having a mount face and a dish section extending from the mount face;

a wheel structure comprised of a high strength polymer encapsulating a portion of the lug structure dish section and extending from the lug structure,

the wheel structure having an inner rim section and an outer rim section.

2. The hybrid wheel of claim 1,

further comprising an inner rim ring within the inner rim section, wherein the high strength polymer of the inner rim section encapsulates the inner rim ring.

3. The hybrid wheel of claim 1,

further comprising an outer rim ring within the outer rim section, wherein the high strength polymer of the outer rim section encapsulates the outer rim ring.

4. The hybrid wheel of claim 2,

wherein the inner rim ring is comprised of a high strength polymer.

5. The hybrid wheel of claim 3,

wherein the outer rim ring is comprised of a high strength polymer.

6. The hybrid wheel of claim 3,

further comprising a strengthening ribbon within the outer rim ring.

7. The hybrid wheel of claim 6,

wherein the strengthening ribbon is comprised of a uni-directional carbon fiber and runs helically through the outer rim ring.

8. The hybrid wheel of claim 4,

wherein the inner rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially cylindrically around the inner rim ring,

and the outer rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially cylindrically around the outer rim ring.

9. The hybrid wheel of claim 4,

wherein the inner rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially radially from a radial center of the hybrid vehicle wheel,

and the outer rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially radially from a radial center of the hybrid vehicle wheel.

10. The hybrid wheel of claim 1,

wherein the unitary lug structure is comprised of a cast aluminum alloy.

11. The hybrid wheel of claim 1,

further comprising a plurality of lug openings in the unitary lug structure mount face, and a lug reinforcement rib in the unitary lug structure mount face adjacent each lug opening,

and a plurality of wheel structure reinforcement ribs in the wheel structure extending from the lug structure.

12. The hybrid wheel of claim 1,

further comprising a plurality of lightening openings in the unitary lug structure mount face.

24. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 11,

wherein the unitary lug structure is comprised of a cast aluminum alloy.

25. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 11,

further comprising forming a plurality of lug openings in the unitary lug structure mount face, and providing a lug reinforcement rib in the unitary lug structure mount face adjacent each lug opening, and providing a plurality of wheel structure reinforcement ribs in the wheel structure extending from the lug structure.

26. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 11,

further comprising providing a plurality of lightening openings in the unitary lug structure mount face.

13. A method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel, comprising:

casting a unitary lug structure having a mount face and a dish section extending from the mount face;

injection molding a wheel structure comprised of a high strength polymer to encapsulate a portion of the lug structure dish section such that the wheel structure extends from the unitary lug structure, and wherein

the wheel structure has an inner rim section and an outer rim section.

14. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 13,

further comprising injecting molding an inner rim ring within the inner rim section, wherein the high strength polymer of the inner rim section encapsulates the inner rim ring.

15. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 13,

further comprising injection molding an outer rim ring within the outer rim section, wherein the high strength polymer of the outer rim section encapsulates the outer rim ring.

16. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 14,

wherein said the inner rim ring is comprised of a high strength polymer.

17. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 15

wherein the outer rim ring is comprised of a high strength polymer.

18. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 17,

further comprising providing a strengthening ribbon within the outer rim ring.

19. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 18,

wherein the strengthening ribbon is comprised of a uni-directional carbon fiber and runs helically through the outer rim ring.

20. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 16,

wherein the inner rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially cylindrically around the inner rim ring.

21. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 17,

wherein the outer rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially cylindrically around the outer rim ring.

22. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 16,

wherein the inner rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially radially from a radial center of the hybrid vehicle wheel.

23. The method of manufacturing a hybrid wheel of claim 17,

wherein the outer rim ring high strength polymer includes long glass fiber orientated substantially radially from a radial center of the hybrid vehicle wheel.