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US 9,182,009 B2Granted
Reduced weight wheel configured for use with valve stem and or tire sensor
AssigneeWheel Pros, LLC
InventorLuigi Lucaora
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel having a recess thereon to offset the weight of a valve stem and/or a tire sensor so that the wheel will be balanced for normal operational use on a vehicle.
Claims10
A wheel system comprising:
- a wheel body comprising a rim located about a hub, the rim having inner and outer surfaces and defining a bore which extends therethrough, the outer surface configured to receive a tire thereon;
- a valve stem located within the bore of the rim;
- a tire sensor located on the wheel body;
- the rim defining a recess located along the inner surface, such that the recess is configured to reduce the weight of the wheel to generally offset the increase in weight created by the valve stem and the tire sensor so that the weight of the combination of the wheel, valve stem, and tire sensor is balanced for normal operational use without needing additional weights positioned along the rim for balancing, wherein
- the recess and the valve stem are disposed along a shared inner face of the wheel such that the valve stem and the recess are located on a common radial axis of the wheel;
- the recess is disposed on the wheel such that the recess does not extend through a material of the wheel.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a wheel, comprising:
- providing a wheel body comprising a rim located about a hub, the rim having inner and outer surfaces, the wheel body being configured to receive a valve stem and a tire sensor;
- adding the valve stem and tire sensor to the wheel;
- forming a recess in the rim to reduce the weight of the wheel and generally offset any increase in weight created once the valve stem and the tire sensor are attached to the wheel such that the wheel is balanced for normal operation without the need of positioning additional weights along the rim for balancing, wherein
- the step of forming the recess further comprises the recess and the valve stem being disposed along a shared inner face of the wheel such that the valve stem and the recess are located on a common radial axis of the wheel and wherein the step of forming a recess further comprises the recess being disposed on the wheel such that the recess does not extend through a material of the wheel.
1 more element
A method of using a wheel, comprising:
- providing a wheel body comprising a rim located about a hub, the rim having inner and outer surfaces, the wheel body being configured to receive a valve stem and a tire sensor;
- adding the valve stem and tire sensor to the wheel;
- providing a recess in the rim to reduce the weight of the wheel and generally offset any increase in weight created once the valve stem and the tire sensor are positioned on the wheel such that the wheel is balanced for normal operational use without the need of positioning additional weights along the rim for balancing, wherein
- the step of providing the recess further comprises the recess and the valve stem being disposed along a shared inner face of the wheel such that the valve stem and the recess are located on a common radial axis of the wheel, and wherein the step of providing a recess further comprises the recess being disposed on the wheel such that the recess does not extend through a material of the wheel.
1 more element
A wheel comprising:
- a wheel body comprising a rim located about a hub, the rim having inner and outer surfaces and defining a bore which extends therethrough, the outer surface configured to receive a tire thereon;
- and
- the rim defining a recess located along the inner surface, wherein the recess is configured to reduce the weight of the wheel to generally offset the increase in weight created by a valve stem and a tire sensor to be used with the wheel so that the weight of the combination of the wheel, valve stem, and tire sensor when later combined is balanced without needing to position additional weights along the rim of the wheel, wherein
- the recess and the valve stem are disposed along a shared inner face of the wheel such that the valve stem and the recess are located on a common radial axis of the wheel and wherein the recess is disposed on the wheel such that the recess does not extend through a material of the wheel;
- and
- the valve stem and tire sensor attached thereto.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.