Composite wheel assembly and method of construction thereof
AssigneeLacks Wheel Trim Systems, LLC
InventorsGarry Van Houten, Gerald Nuiver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite wheel assembly and method of construction thereof is provided. The composite wheel assembly includes a lightweight annular aluminum barrel having an inner surface and an outer surface configured to support a tire thereon. A lightweight metal central hub assembly is fixed to the barrel. The metal central hub assembly includes a central hub portion and plurality of support spokes extending outwardly from the central hub portion to free ends, wherein the free ends are fixed to the inner surface of the aluminum barrel. A wheel cladding contrasting in at least one of material type, color, texture and surface finish to an outwardly facing surface the central hub assembly is fixed to the outwardly facing surface of the central hub assembly.
Claims24
A composite wheel assembly, comprising:
- an annular barrel extending about a central axis about which said composite wheel assembly rotates, said annular barrel having a barrel inner surface facing said central axis and a barrel outer surface facing away from said central axis;
- a metal central hub assembly having a central hub portion with a through opening extending about said central axis and a plurality of support spokes extending radially outwardly from said central hub portion to free ends detached from one another, said free ends being attached to said barrel inner surface;
- a wheel cladding fixedly bonded to at least a portion of an outwardly facing surface of said metal central hub assembly;
- a plurality of decorative members bonded to an outer surface of said wheel cladding;
- wherein said wheel cladding has cladding spokes fixed to at least some of said support spokes, and wherein at least some of said plurality of decorative members are bonded to said cladding spokes;
- and
- wherein at least some of said cladding spokes have recessed pockets extending radially outwardly from said central hub region and said at least some of said plurality of decorative members are bonded in said recessed pockets.
A composite wheel assembly, comprising:
- an annular aluminum barrel extending about a central axis about which said composite wheel assembly rotates, said annular aluminum barrel having a barrel inner surface facing said central axis and a barrel outer surface facing away from said central axis;
- a metal central hub assembly having a central hub portion with a through opening extending about said central axis and a plurality of support spokes extending radially outwardly from said central hub portion to free ends detached from one another, said free ends being attached to said barrel inner surface;
- a wheel cladding fixedly bonded to at least a portion of an outwardly facing surface of said metal central hub assembly;
- a plurality of decorative members bonded to an outer surface of said wheel cladding;
- wherein said wheel cladding has cladding spokes permanently bonded to at least some of said support spokes, and wherein at least some of said plurality of decorative members are bonded to said cladding spokes;
- and
- wherein at least some of said cladding spokes have recessed pockets extending radially outwardly from said central hub region and said at least some of said plurality of decorative members are bonded in said recessed pockets.
A method of constructing a composite wheel assembly, comprising:
- providing an annular barrel having an inner surface and an outer surface configured to support a tire thereon;
- providing a metal central hub assembly including a central hub portion and plurality of support spokes extending outwardly from the central hub portion to free ends;
- fixing the free ends of the support spokes to the inner surface of the annular barrel;
- fixing a wheel cladding having a plurality of cladding spokes, with at least some of the cladding spokes having a recessed pocket extending radially outwardly from the central hub portion, to at least a portion of an outwardly facing surface of the metal central hub assembly;
- and
- bonding a plurality of decorative member to an outer surface of the wheel cladding, with at least some of the decorative members being bonded in at least some of the recessed pockets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.