Internal air passage in a take-apart wheel
AssigneeHayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
InventorsLindsey T. Baird, Ross S. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A take-apart safety vehicle wheel assembly includes an inner rim and an outer rim joined thereto. The inner rim includes an outer cylindrical surface and a generally radially extending disc portion. The outer rim includes a generally axially extending portion defining an inner cylindrical rim surface and a generally radially extending disc portion having an air passage formed therethrough. An air passage groove is formed in one of the inner rim and the outer rim, and extends from the air passage to a tire air chamber of the wheel.
Claims20
A take-apart safety vehicle wheel assembly comprising:
- an inner rim including an axially extending portion defining an outer cylindrical surface and a generally radially extending disc portion;
- and
- an outer rim joined to said inner rim, said outer rim including a generally axially extending portion defining an inner cylindrical rim surface and a generally radially extending disc portion, said generally radially extending disc portion having an air passage formed therethrough;
- wherein said inner cylindrical rim surface of said axially extending portion of said outer rim engages a portion of said outer cylindrical surface of said axially extending portion of said inner rim;
- and
- wherein an air passage groove is formed between said outer cylindrical surface of said inner rim and said inner cylindrical rim surface of said axially extending portion of said outer rim, and extends from said air passage to a tire air chamber of the wheel.
A method of manufacturing a take-apart safety vehicle wheel assembly, the method comprising:
- forming an inner rim having an axially extending portion defining an outer cylindrical surface and a generally radially extending disc portion;
- forming an outer rim having a generally axially extending portion defining an inner cylindrical rim surface and a generally radially extending disc portion, the generally radially extending disc portion having an air passage formed therethrough;
- forming an air passage groove between the outer cylindrical surface of the inner rim and the inner cylindrical rim surface of the axially extending portion of the outer rim, the air passage groove extending from the air passage to a tire air chamber of the wheel;
- and
- joining the outer rim to the inner rim, such that the inner cylindrical rim surface of the axially extending portion of the outer rim engages a portion of the outer cylindrical surface of the axially extending portion of the inner rim, thereby forming a take-apart safety vehicle wheel assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.