The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 29, 2004
Filed:
May. 31, 2002
Alan Coleman, Southgate, MI (US);
Robert Raymond, Novi, MI (US);
Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc., Northville, MI (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to an improved fabricated vehicle wheel and method for producing the same. The method for producing the fabricated vehicle wheel includes the steps of: (a) providing a wheel rim defining a rim axis and including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, a generally axially extending well portion, an outboard tire bead seat and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange; (b) providing a wheel disc blank; (c) subjecting the wheel disc blank to a metal forming operation to produce a partially formed wheel disc having a plurality of outwardly extending spoke portions which are spaced circumferentially about the disc blank; (d) subjecting the partially formed wheel disc to a metal forming operation to produce a wheel disc preform, the wheel disc preform including an inner mounting portion, a plurality of outer spoke portions, and an intermediate spoke portion defined in the region between the inner mounting portion and outer spoke portions, the intermediate spoke portion including a plurality of generally globe shaped spoke portions; (e) subjecting the wheel disc preform to one or more metal forming operations to produce a finished wheel disc, the finished wheel disc including a centrally located wheel mounting surface and a plurality of outwardly extending spokes; and (f) securing the wheel disc and the wheel rim together to produce the fabricated vehicle wheel.