Vehicle wheel construction
US4976497A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 17, 1989 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 17, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60B7/00
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A composite styled wheel, and method and apparatus for making the same, including a metal wheel mounting disc and a rim secured thereto adapted to receive a tire thereon, and a composite plastic ornamental overlay covering at least part of the outboard face of the disc and/or rim. The overlay includes a molded in-situ body of relatively high density resilient urethane plastic material permanently affixed to said disc and/or rim and a plastic insert having a weight-to-volume ratio much less than that of the body plastic material. At least the major portion of the insert is disposed radially outwardly from the overlay, aperture wheel mounting and the overlay body plastic material covers the insert so as to completely embed the same in the composite overlay to thereby hide the insert from view and assist in securement thereof to the wheel. The overlay body is cast and cured against the wheel metal with the insert pre-secured thereto. Preferably the insert comprises a resilient yieldable annulus circumferentially extending around the overlay in the valley space.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.