Wheel for vehicle

• US 6,340,210 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daido Kogyo Company Limited, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Zenia Aluminum Engineering Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Daido Kogyo Company Limited, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Zeniya Aluminum Engineering, Limited (Zeniya Aluminium Group of Cos.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shoji, Sato, Junichi, Amaki, Kiyoshi, Handa, Akio, Maki, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bellinger, Jason R.
• Application Number:
  US09/517,768
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 301/9.1, 301/9.2, 301/35.61, 301/35.62, 301/37.1, 301/64.3, 301/64.4 I, 301/65, 301/95, 301/96, 301/64.2, 301/108.1, 301/108.3
• US Class Current: 301/64.303
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/104 the shape of flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 25/002 Rims split in circumferential direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/00 Hubs non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0005 with ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/06 adapted to be fixed on axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/002 characterised by the shape of the disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/08 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 Class Codes: B60B 3/10 apertured to simulate spoked wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/145 using washers or distance bushes
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/0013 Hub caps
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/02 made essentially in one part B60B7/0006, B60B7/01 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/065 to the disc

Abstract

A wheel for a vehicle comprises first and second wheel halves joined together, and a center plate being generally cross-shaped. Each wheel half has a disk portion and a rim continuing from the disk portion. The center plate is inter-posed between the disk portions and has a diameter smaller than an outside diameter of each of the disk portions. The first and second wheel halves and the center plate are unitarily connected together by means of a plurality of sockets each having a countersunk head and a cylindrical shank. This arrangement increases freedom of design of the wheel and facilitates production of the same.

Claims

1. A wheel for a vehicle, said vehicle having an axle with a hub connected thereto, said wheel comprising:

first and second wheel halves joined together, each of said wheel halves having a disk portion and a rim continuing from said disk portion; and

a center plate inter-posed between said disk portions of said wheel halves, said center plate having a first diameter smaller than an outside second diameter of each of said disk portions, one of said first and second wheel halves having an outer curved portion and the other of said first and second wheel halves having an inner curved portion between said first diameter and said rims,

said first wheel half, said second wheel half and said center plate being fixedly connected together and to said hub with a plurality of washers, bolts, and nuts;

said first and second wheel halves being fixedly connected together with a weld, said weld due to said outer and inner curved portions being offset inwardly toward said vehicle relative to a straight line passing vertically through said center plate when said wheel is mounted on said vehicle.

2. A wheel for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein said rim of said one wheel half positioned closer to the vehicle has a top end and a flange at the top end of the flange, said flange having a flank formed on a side surface thereof so that a clearance is left during steering of the vehicle.

3. A wheel for a vehicle, said vehicle having an axle with a hub connected thereto, said hub having a peripheral edge, said wheel comprising:

first and second wheel halves joined together, each of said wheel halves having a disk portion and a rim continuing from said disk portion;

a center plate inter-posed between said disk portions of said wheel halves, said center plate having a diameter smaller than outside diameters of each of said disk portions;

said first wheel half, said second wheel half and said center plate being fixedly connected together and to said hub with a plurality of washers, bolts, and nuts; and

said second wheel half being positioned closer to the vehicle when said wheel is mounted to the hub which is connected to the axle of the vehicle, said disk portion of said second wheel half having recesses located radially outwardly of said washers, bolts, and nuts at portions thereof opposed to the peripheral edge of the hub.

5. A wheel for a vehicle, according to claim 3, wherein said center plate has a hole formed centerally thereof, and said disk portion of said second wheel half has a hole formed centrally thereof and being larger than said hole of said center plate.

4. A wheel for a vehicle, according to clam 3, wherein at least one of said disk portions has a discharge hole located in said one disk portion at a diameter greater than the diameter of said center plate, said discharge hole for discharging water and a wheel surface treating liquid accumulated between said disk portions.