Method for making vehicle wheel assembly
US4074408A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 21, 1976 |
| Grant date | Feb 21, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/53996
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle wheel assembly and method and apparatus for making the assembly in which an outer tire rim and wheel center are fabricated into a secure one-piece unit. Secure attachment and restraint of the two components into one unit are accomplished through a dimpling process in which both components are nested together at a plurality of points through stamping. While very applicable to a steel rim or steel center wheel construction, the invention is adapted for use on several metallic wheel constructions to avoid pneumatic leakage associated with riveting or problems arising from welding of the two components. A fixture and hydraulically operated tool construction utilizes male and female tooling to accomplish the dimpling process in which regions of the wheel rim and center are deformed by force to nest together.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.