Fabricated bead seat attached vehicle wheel, wheel disc for such wheel and method for producing same

A wheel disc adapted for use in producing a fabricated bead seat attached vehicle wheel comprising:

• a wheel disc including a centrally located wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion which defines a wheel disc outer flange, wherein said wheel disc outer annular flange is segmented around a circumference thereof and includes at least a first plurality of segments and a second plurality of segments, said first plurality of segments extending a first axial distance relative to an adjacent outer surface of said wheel disc and said second plurality of segments extending a second axial distance relative to said adjacent outer surface of said wheel disc which is less than said first axial distance;
• wherein each of said plurality of first segments extends a first circumferential distance and each of said second plurality of segments extends a second circumferential distance which is less than said first circumferential distance;
• wherein each of said first plurality of segments further includes a generally axially extending inner side surface, and a generally radially extending end surface, and each of said second plurality of segments further includes a generally axially extending inner side surface, and a generally radially extending end surface;
• wherein said radially extending end surface of each of said second plurality of segments is spaced inwardly an axial distance relative to said radially extending end surface of each of said first plurality of segments;
• wherein said radially extending end surface of each of said first plurality of segments engages an inner surface of an angled sidewall of said well of said wheel rim and said radially extending end surface of each of said second plurality of segments is spaced apart a distance from said inner surface of said angled sidewall of said well of said wheel rim;
• and
• wherein said radially extending end surface of said second plurality of segments is spaced apart said distance from said inner surface of said angled sidewall of said well of said wheel rim to define a space therebetween for receiving a weld between each respective radially extending end surface of said second plurality of segments and an inner surface of said outer tire bead seat to thereby secure said wheel disc to a wheel rim to produce a fabricated bead seat attached vehicle wheel.

A method for producing a fabricated bead seat attached vehicle wheel comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a wheel rim including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inner tire bead seat, a well, an outer tire bead seat, and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange;
• (b) providing a wheel disc defining a wheel axis and including a generally centrally located wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion which defines a wheel disc outer flange, wherein the wheel disc outer annular flange is segmented around a circumference thereof and includes at least a first plurality of segments and a second plurality of segments, wherein the first plurality of segments extending a first axial distance relative to an adjacent outer surface of the wheel disc and the second plurality of segments extending a second axial distance relative to the adjacent outer surface of the wheel disc which is less than the first axial distance wherein each of the plurality of first segments extends a first circumferential distance and each of the second plurality of segments extends a second circumferential distance which is less than the first circumferential distance, wherein each of the first plurality of segments further includes a generally axially extending inner side surface, and a generally radially extending end surface, and each of the second plurality of segments further includes a generally axially extending inner side surface, and a generally radially extending end surface, wherein the radially extending end surface of each of the second plurality of segments is spaced inwardly an axial distance relative to the radially extending end surface of each of the first plurality of segments;
• (c) moving at least one of the wheel rim and wheel disc relative to the other until the radially extending end surface of each of the first plurality of segments engages an inner surface of an angled sidewall of the well of the wheel rim and the radially extending end surface of each of the second plurality of segments is spaced apart a distance from the inner surface of the angled sidewall of the well of the wheel rim to define a space therebetween for receiving a weld;
• and
• (d) securing the wheel rim and the wheel disc together by depositing a weld between each respective radially extending end surface of said second plurality of segments and an inner surface of said outer tire bead seat in the space formed between the radially extending end surface of each of the second plurality of segments and the inner surface of the angled sidewall of the well of the wheel rim to thereby produce the fabricated bead seat attached vehicle wheel.