초록 ▼

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wheel, particularly for use on automotive vehicles. The wheel has a wheel rim and a wheel disc connectable to each other. The method includes shaping the wheel disc, shaping the wheel rim, manufacturing the wheel disc to form a first centering ele

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wheel, particularly for use on automotive vehicles. The wheel has a wheel rim and a wheel disc connectable to each other. The method includes shaping the wheel disc, shaping the wheel rim, manufacturing the wheel disc to form a first centering element and manufacturing the wheel rim to form a second centering element. The centering elements allow the wheel disc and the wheel rim to be connectable to each other via the first and second centering elements in a centered or concentric way.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a wheel comprising: a) stamping a wheel disc to have an association region transitioning between an end region and a central region; b) shaping a wheel rim; and c) manufacturing the wheel disc to form at least one first centering element and manufact

What is claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a wheel comprising: a) stamping a wheel disc to have an association region transitioning between an end region and a central region; b) shaping a wheel rim; and c) manufacturing the wheel disc to form at least one first centering element and manufacturing the wheel rim to form at least one second centering element wherein the wheel rim includes a side wall, and including stamping the at least one first centering element as a substantially annular recess having radially outer and radially inner surfaces defined by at least one stamped surface that is obliquely orientated relative to an inboard surface of the association region, and forming the second centering element as an angular piece extending downwardly at an angle from the side wall to be fitted into the substantially annular recess to contact both of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces to hold the wheel rim fixed relative to the wheel disc in a centered position relative to the wheel disc. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step b) comprises mechanically shaping the wheel rim. 3. The method according to claim 1, including locating the substantially annular recess in the association region of the wheel disc. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising locating the angular piece in a free end region of the wheel rim with the angular piece extending inwardly at an angle toward a wheel axis of rotation. 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substantially annular recess and the angular piece have corresponding cross-sectional shapes, and further comprising fitting the angular piece into the substantially annular recess to fix the wheel rim in the centered position relative to the wheel disc by preventing upward and downward vertical movement of the angular piece relative to the wheel disc. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising welding the wheel disc to the wheel rim at a weld attachment interface after fixing the wheel rim in the centered position wherein the weld attachment interface is external to the annular recess. 7. The method according to claim 5 including forming the substantially annular recess and the angular piece to each have triangular cross-sections that correspond in size to each other such that the angular piece can be fitted into the substantially annular recess to hold the wheel rim fixed relative to the wheel disc in the centered position. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wheel is rotatable about an axis and including forming the angular piece with a distal tip that extends toward the axis at an angle that is oblique to the side wall. 9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the distal tip is defined by an outer rim surface and an edge rim surface that cooperate to define a triangular cross-section, and including forming the annular recess to correspond in shape to the triangular cross-section such that a portion of the edge rim surface remains exposed when the first and second centering elements engage each other. 10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the wheel disc is rotatable about a horizontally extending axis and wherein the association region extends in a generally vertical direction relative to the horizontally extending axis, and including comprising the radially outer and radially inner surfaces of the substantially annular recess as first and second interconnected stamped surfaces that are each obliquely orientated relative to the inboard surface of the association region. 11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the wheel rim has an outer annular surface and an inner annular surface that are interconnected by an edge, and wherein the second centering element comprises a triangular projection formed as part of the angular piece, the triangular projection extending at an oblique angle relative to the horizontally extending axis and being defined by a first surface formed as part of the outer annular surface and a second surface formed as part of the edge, and including fitting the first surface to directly contact one of the first and second interconnected stamped surfaces and fitting the second surface to directly contact the other of the first and second interconnected stamped surfaces. 12. The method according to claim 1 including fitting the angular piece in the substantially annular recess such that the angular piece is constrained from moving relative to the wheel disc in upward and downward vertical directions relative to the central region. 13. A wheel comprising: a stamped wheel disc rotatable about an axis and having an association region transitioning between an end region and a central region, the association region including a first centering element that comprises a substantially annular recess having radially outer and radially inner surfaces with at least one of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces being defined by at least one stamped surface that is obliquely orientated relative to an inboard surface of the association region; and a wheel rim having a side wall extending in a direction generally common with the axis and a second centering element extending from the side wall at an angle toward the axis to a distal tip that contacts both of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces of the annular recess, wherein the second centering element is fitted in the substantially annular recess to fix the wheel rim in a centered position relative to the wheel disc. 14. The wheel according to claim 13, wherein the second centering element comprises a triangular projection formed at the distal tip that extends at an angle inward toward the axis, the triangular projection including first and second surfaces that terminate at a sharp point, and wherein the first and second surfaces respectively engage the radially outer and radially inner surfaces of the annular recess. 15. The wheel according to claim 14, wherein the substantially annular recess comprises a triangular shaped recess with the radially outer and radially inner surfaces terminating at a sharp point, and wherein the triangular projection is located in a free end region of the wheel rim and is directly received within the triangular shaped recess to hold the wheel rim fixed in the centered position relative to the wheel disc by preventing upward and downward vertical movement of the triangular projection relative to the wheel disc. 16. The wheel according to claim 13, wherein the wheel rim and the wheel disc are welded together at a weld attachment interface located external to the annular recess and in a vicinity of the first centering element and the second centering element. 17. The wheel according to claim 13, wherein said the distal tip of the wheel rim is defined by an outer rim surface, an inner rim surface, and an edge rim surface that connects the outer rim surface to the inner rim surface, and wherein the outer rim surface and edge rim surface cooperate to define a triangular cross-section, and wherein the distal tip directly engages the first centering element with a portion of the edge rim surface having a non-contact relationship with the wheel disc. 18. The wheel according to claim 13 wherein the association region extends in a generally vertical direction relative to the axis, and including comprising the at least one stamped surface of the substantially annular recess as part of both of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces that are each obliquely orientated relative to the inboard surface of the association region, and wherein the second centering element is fitted in the substantially annular recess to engage both the radially outer and radially inner surfaces such that the second centering element is constrained from moving relative to the wheel disc in upward and downward vertical directions relative to the axis. 19. The wheel according to claim 18 wherein the wheel rim has an outer annular surface and an inner annular surface that are interconnected by an edge, and wherein the second centering element comprises a triangular projection that extends at an angle inwardly toward the axis and which is defined by a first surface formed as part of the outer annular surface and a second surface formed as part of the edge, and wherein the first surface is fitted directly against one of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces and the second surface is fitted directly against the other of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces. 20. A method of manufacturing a wheel disc comprising; a) stamping a wheel disc; and b) manufacturing the wheel disc to form at least one first centering element in an association region of the wheel disc, including stamping the at least one first centering element as a substantially annular recess having radially outer and radially inner surfaces with at least one of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces having at least one stamped surface that is obliquely orientated relative to an inboard surface of the association region, and including forming a second centering element at a distal tip of a wheel rim, the second centering element extending at an inward angle from a side wall toward a wheel disc axis of rotation, and including fitting the second centering element in the substantially annular recess to contact both of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces of the annular recess such that the first centering element is capable of fixing the wheel rim in a centered position relative to the wheel disc. 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the wheel disc axis of rotation comprises a horizontally extending axis and wherein the wheel disc includes a central disc portion, an end region to be associated with a wheel flange, and the association region transitioning between the center disc portion and the end region, wherein the association region extends in a generally vertical direction relative to the horizontally extending axis, and including forming the at least one stamped surface of the substantially annular recess as part of both the radially outer and radially inner surfaces that are each obliquely orientated relative to the inboard surface of the association region, and fitting the second centering element in the substantially annular recess to engage both the radially outer and radially inner surfaces such that the second centering element is constrained from moving relative to the wheel disc in upward and downward vertical directions relative to the horizontally extending axis. 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the side wall extends in a direction generally common with the horizontally extending axis, and wherein the second centering element comprises the distal tip which forms a triangular piece that extends from the side wall at an oblique angle relative to the side wall and toward the horizontally extending axis. 23. The method according to claim 22, including forming the triangular piece with a first rim surface that intersects a second rim surface at a sharp point at the distal tip, and fitting the triangular piece into the substantially annular recess such that the first rim surface contacts one of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces and the second rim surface contacts the other of the radially outer and radially inner surfaces. 24. The method according to claim 20, further comprising welding the wheel disc to the wheel rim at a weld attachment interface after fixing the wheel rim in the centered position with the first and the second centering elements, and wherein the weld attachment interface is external to the annular recess. 25. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second centering element comprises a triangular projection formed at the distal end of the wheel rim, the triangular projection extending inward toward the wheel disc axis of rotation and including first and second surfaces that terminate at a sharp point that is received within the substantially annular recess.