US20100270851A1 - Vehicle wheel with rock guard - Google Patents
Vehicle wheel with rock guard Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20100270851A1 US20100270851A1 US12/833,748 US83374810A US2010270851A1 US 20100270851 A1 US20100270851 A1 US 20100270851A1 US 83374810 A US83374810 A US 83374810A US 2010270851 A1 US2010270851 A1 US 2010270851A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- wheel
- rim
- rock guard
- hub
- reinforcement plate
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 124
- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 55
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 abstract description 21
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 abstract description 21
- 241000219793 Trifolium Species 0.000 description 6
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005034 decoration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B25/00—Rims built-up of several main parts ; Locking means for the rim parts
- B60B25/002—Rims split in circumferential direction
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B25/00—Rims built-up of several main parts ; Locking means for the rim parts
- B60B25/002—Rims split in circumferential direction
- B60B25/008—Rims split in circumferential direction comprising spacer means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B3/00—Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body
- B60B3/08—Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body with disc body formed by two or more axially spaced discs
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B3/00—Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body
- B60B3/12—Means of reinforcing disc bodies
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
- B60B7/06—Fastening arrangements therefor
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
- B60B7/06—Fastening arrangements therefor
- B60B7/061—Fastening arrangements therefor characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a vehicle wheel with rock guard, and is particularly concerned with rock guards for all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other off road vehicles.
- ATVs all terrain vehicles
- Wheels for example ATV and other off road vehicle wheels, commonly have cut outs in their central openings, both to add decoration to the wheel and reduce the weight and expense of these parts. These openings on the wheels are vulnerable to rocks and debris thrown up and propelled through the wheel openings. This may cause damage to the brake assembly and the wheel.
- this problem is solved by mounting a rock guard plate between the wheel and hub to protect the mechanism.
- the separate rock guard plate may be forgotten and left off the wheel, and can be awkward to mount.
- What is needed is an improved device that is designed to avoid or reduce the problems of rocks and debris entering the wheel openings and potentially causing damage to the wheel mechanism.
- a vehicle wheel with rock guard which comprises a wheel having a front or outer rim half and a rear or inner rim half secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire.
- the front and rear rim halves have aligned central openings for receiving a hub and aligned apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting the hub to the inner rim half
- the fasteners can include screws or nuts and bolts for fastening the hub to the wheel.
- At least the central opening of one of the rim halves includes a plurality of spaced recesses around its periphery.
- the rock guard comprises a separate reinforcement or rock guard plate secured between the front rim half and the rear rim half and having a central opening aligned with central openings in the front and rear rim halves.
- Rock guard portions project radially inwardly from the central opening in the plate to form shields which substantially fill any opening or space which would otherwise extend through the wheel after attachment of the wheel to the hub.
- the rim halves and separate reinforcement plate can be secured together by welding or the like, thereby integrating the rock guard plate with the wheel as a unitary structure.
- the rock guard portions are formed integrally with an end wall of the rear or front rim half through which the central opening extends, and project radially inwardly from the central opening in the end wall.
- the inner edges of the rock guard portions or formations in the reinforcement plate or in the end wall may have an arcuate shape, a V-shape, or other shapes, depending on the shapes of recesses in the hub which is to be attached to the wheel.
- FIG. 1A illustrates an end view of a prior art wheel with no rock guard
- FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the prior art wheel on the lines 1 B- 1 B of FIG. 1A ;
- FIG. 1C illustrates an end elevation view of the prior art wheel of FIGS. 1A and 1B with a hub attached to the wheel;
- FIG. 2A is a front view of one embodiment of a reinforcement plate with an integral rock guard for integrating into a wheel
- FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a second embodiment of a combined rock guard and reinforcement plate for use in a wheel
- FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a wheel with the combined rock guard and reinforcement plate of FIG. 2A positioned between the front and rear rim halves;
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wheel of FIG. 3 in an assembled condition with the reinforcement plate installed between the rim halves, taken generally on the lines 4 - 4 of FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5 is an end view of a wheel assembled as in FIGS. 3 and 4 but with the reinforcement plate of FIG. 2B replacing the reinforcement plate shown in FIGS. 2A and 4 ;
- FIG. 6 is an end view of the wheel of FIG. 5 with the wheel secured to a hub;
- FIG. 7 is an exploded view of separate rim halves of a second embodiment of a wheel with a built-in rock guard
- FIG. 8A is an end view of the rear rim half of FIG. 7 ;
- FIG. 8B is an end view similar to FIG. 8A illustrating a modified rear rim half with rock guard portions of a different shape
- FIG. 9 is an end view of the wheel of FIGS. 7 and 8A secured to a hub
- FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the wheel on the lines 10 - 10 of FIG. 8A ;
- FIG. 11 is an end view of a rear wheel rim half with integral wheel guard portions of different shape
- FIG. 12A is an end view of a wheel similar to FIG. 9 but with the rear wheel rim half of FIG. 11 secured to the front rim half of FIG. 9 and a first hub attached to the wheel;
- FIG. 12B is an end view of the wheel of FIG. 12A attached to a different hub;
- FIG. 13 is an end view of a reinforcement plate with modified wheel guard portions of different shape.
- FIG. 14 is an end view similar to FIG. 6 but with the reinforcement plate of FIG. 13 installed between the wheel rim halves and a first hub attached to the wheel.
- FIGS. 1A to 1C illustrate a prior art ATV or off road vehicle wheel 100 with no rock guard.
- the wheel 100 comprises an outer or front rim half 110 and a rear or inner rim half 116 .
- the rim halves are of conventional cup-like shape and have flat inner end faces or walls which are welded together to provide an annular recess or rim 119 ( FIG. 1B ) over which a tire can be seated.
- the rim halves have aligned central openings 105 for receiving the central part of a wheel hub and apertures 106 for receiving fasteners, for example, for mounting the wheel hub, such as bolts or studs which project from spokes of the wheel hub.
- FIG. 1C illustrates an end elevation view of the prior art wheel 100 with a hub 120 secured to the hub face on the inner side of wheel 100 .
- hub 120 has a central portion 121 and outwardly projecting portions or spokes 122 which extend over the fastener apertures in the rim half 116 .
- Each spoke has a bolt or stud 124 aligned with the underlying fastener aperture 106 .
- Bolts or studs 124 or the like extend from each spoke through the aligned openings and are secured by nuts (not illustrated) on their outer ends, at the outside or nut face of the wheel.
- a generally arcuate indent or recess 125 is located on the outer edge of the hub between each adjacent pair of spokes 122 .
- the central openings 105 of wheels such as ATV wheels and other off road vehicle wheels commonly have a clover leaf shaped central opening, as illustrated in FIG. 1A , with arcuate shaped recesses 102 spaced about the periphery of each opening forming a clover leaf shape.
- These recesses are provided for ornamental reasons, and also to reduce the weight of the wheel. There may be four such recesses, as illustrated in the drawings, or three recesses in some cases.
- the central opening 105 is not completely filled by the hub, leaving gaps or openings 115 between each recess 102 in the wheel and the opposing recess 125 in the wheel hub, as seen in FIG. 1C , which extend completely through the wheel.
- the spaced openings 115 are vulnerable to rocks and debris that may be thrown through the openings in the wheel and potentially cause damage to the steering assembly, brake assembly, wheel or other parts. Such damage to the steering or brake assembly may cause failure with resultant loss of control by the driver, which could potentially cause an accident.
- FIGS. 2 to 6 illustrate one embodiment of a wheel 200 with a built in rock guard comprising a rock guard plate or reinforcement plate.
- Two alternative plates 245 , 246 which may be built into the wheel are illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B .
- FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a wheel 200 incorporating plate 245 of FIG. 2A
- FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a wheel 201 incorporating plate 246 of FIG. 2B .
- Wheel 200 includes a front rim half 235 and a rear rim half 240 that can be secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire.
- the front rim half 235 and the rear rim half 240 are cup-shaped and have flat inner end walls 250 , 260 .
- the rim halves are secured together by welding, bolting, or the like with the rock guard or reinforcement plate 245 sandwiched between the inner end walls 250 and 260 , as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 .
- the front and rear rim halves 235 and 240 are similar or identical in shape to the rim halves of the prior art wheel of FIGS.
- rims 225 , 230 extending outwardly in opposite directions from the respective inner end walls 250 , 260 to define an annular tire seat or outer rim 262 ( FIG. 4 ) for receiving a tire.
- Aligned clover leaf-shaped openings 405 with arcuate recesses 406 are provided in each end wall 250 , 260 , along with spaced fastener openings 420 for receiving bolts or other fasteners to secure the wheel to a wheel hub at the outer or hub face of the rear wheel rim half 240 .
- FIG. 2A illustrates one embodiment of a rock guard or reinforcement plate 245 which is also shown positioned between the wheel rim halves in FIG. 4 .
- Plate 245 is generally circular in shape and has a diameter which substantially matches the diameter of the wheel rim end walls 250 , 260 , and has a central opening 305 aligned with the rim half openings 405 .
- Fastener openings 320 in plate 245 are positioned for alignment with the fastener openings 420 in the end walls of the two rim halves when assembled, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 .
- the central opening 305 has inwardly projecting, arcuate rock guard portions or formations 315 spaced around the periphery of the opening 305 and positioned to substantially fill openings 115 when a hub 120 of the shape illustrated in FIG. 1C is mounted on the inside of the wheel.
- the rock guard formations or portions 315 form shields over at least most of the area of any openings through the wheel when a hub is secured to the wheel, so as to block at least larger debris from passing through the wheel, but have plural small openings 316 which allow air to circulate for cooling of the wheel and the braking system.
- the inner edge 318 of each rock guard portion 315 is arcuate in shape, substantially matching the shape of the recesses 125 in the hub 120 in FIG. 1C .
- the wheel 200 with built in rock guard reinforcement plate 245 has no large gaps or openings extending through the wheel when a hub 120 of the shape illustrated in FIG. 1C is installed on the rear wheel rim half, since openings 115 of FIG. 1C are at least substantially filled by the rock guard formations 315 . Large debris is therefore blocked from passing through the wheel, reducing the risk of damage.
- the wheel is reinforced and strengthened by the presence of the reinforcement plate 245 .
- FIG. 2B illustrates a modified rock guard reinforcement plate 246 which may be mounted between the wheel rim halves 235 , 240 as in FIG. 5 to form a modified wheel for use with a hub 605 as illustrated in FIG. 6 which has generally square or V-shaped indents or recesses 606 .
- Reinforcement plate 246 has modified rock guard portions or formations 340 which have V-shaped or square shaped inner edges 248 .
- the reinforcement plate 246 is otherwise identical to plate 245 , and like reference numbers are used for like parts as appropriate.
- the modified wheel 201 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is identical to wheel 200 except that reinforcement plate 245 is replaced with reinforcement plate 246 with V-shaped rock guard formations 340 .
- Plate 246 is mounted between the wheel rim halves 235 , 240 in the same way as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 .
- reinforcement plate 246 is positioned exactly as shown for plate 245 in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 5 is a front view of the wheel 201 before installation on the hub and wheel axle
- FIG. 6 illustrates hub 605 with square or V-shaped indents or recesses 606 secured inside the wheel using nuts and bolts. As can be seen in FIG.
- the rock guard formations 340 are configured to shield and substantially cover any openings which would otherwise be left between the arcuate recesses 406 in the clover leaf shaped openings in the front and rear rim halves and the opposing square or V-shaped indents 606 in the hub.
- the angle of the V-shaped rim in FIG. 2B may vary and may be greater than 90 degrees or less than 90 degrees in other embodiments.
- shape of rock guard plates 245 and 246 and/or the rock guard formations 315 , 340 may vary in other embodiments to match different wheel rim halves and wheel rim openings, and also to correspond to the shape of indents or recesses of different wheel hubs.
- the rock guard plates 245 and 246 also add structural stability and rigidity to the wheel 200 ,
- the rock guard formations 315 , 340 include multiple holes forming a mesh to screen out debris from passing through wheel. The size of the holes may vary and in some embodiments the rock guard formations 315 , 340 may have no holes.
- FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate a second embodiment of a wheel 500 with integral rock guard portions or formations.
- the wheel 500 has front and rear rim halves 235 and 502 , but the reinforcement plate of the previous embodiment is omitted.
- rock guard portions 504 are formed integrally in the end wall 505 of rear rim half 502 .
- the front rim half 235 is identical to the first embodiment, and like reference numerals are used for like parts as appropriate.
- the rock guard portions can also be integrated into the end wall of the front rim half 235 in an alternative embodiment.
- Front rim half 235 and rear rim half 502 are secured together by welding, bolting or the like to form an annular outer rim 540 for receiving a tire, as illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- FIG. 7 illustrates the separate rim halves 235 , 502 in alignment prior to welding or bolting them together with their inner end walls 250 , 505 in face-to-face engagement, as illustrated in FIG. 10 .
- Inner end wall 250 has a clover leaf shaped central opening 405 , as in the previous embodiment.
- Inner end wall 505 has a modified central opening 508 for alignment with opening 405 .
- opening 508 has arcuate, inwardly projecting rock guard portions 504 similar to the portions 315 of rock guard plate 245 of FIG. 2A .
- the rock guard portions 504 are formed integrally with end wall 505 of the rear rim half.
- End wall 505 also has fastener openings 420 for alignment with the corresponding openings 420 in the end wall 250 of the front rim half when the rim halves are assembled together.
- FIG. 9 illustrates a wheel hub 120 with arcuate recesses 125 secured to the wheel 500 .
- rock guard portions 504 are configured to at least substantially fill up the gaps or openings which would otherwise be formed between the arcuate recesses 406 of the clover leaf openings 405 in end wall 250 and the arcuate recesses 125 of the hub 120 , as seen for a conventional wheel with no rock guard as in FIG. 1C .
- the rock guard portions 504 include multiple holes 510 forming a mesh to screen out debris from passing through wheel while allowing airflow. The size and number of the holes may vary and in some embodiments, the rock guard formations may have no holes.
- FIG. 8B illustrates an end view of a modified rear rim half 520 with integral rock guard portions or formations 522 in its end wall 524 .
- Rim half 520 may be used in place of rim half 502 when a different shaped hub is to be attached to the wheel, such as a hub 605 with square or V-shaped recesses 606 as in FIG. 6 .
- the rock guard portions or formations 522 in the embodiment of FIG. 8B are similar or identical in shape to the rock guard formations of the reinforcement plate 246 illustrated in FIG. 2B , and have square or V-shaped inner edges 525 .
- Multiple holes 510 are formed in each rock guard portion 522 , as in the previous embodiments.
- rock guard portion 522 may be solid with no holes.
- the square or V-shape rock guard formations may be formed integrally in the end wall 250 of the front rim half 235 rather than the end wall of the rear rim half.
- the rock guard formations substantially block any opening which would otherwise extend through the wheel due to clearances between the outer periphery of the hub and the inner surface of the opening through a wheel which does not include any built-in wheel guard.
- Wheel guard formations of other shapes may be formed in the central opening of either wheel rim half in alternative embodiments, so as to match the indents or recesses of hubs of different shapes.
- the rock guard portions may be made thinner than the remainder of the end wall 505 or 524 , so as to reduce the weight of the wheel.
- rock guard formations are integral with the end wall of a wheel rim half, so the wheels will be of less weight than the wheel of FIGS. 2 to 6 which has a separate rock guard reinforcement plate sandwiched between the rim halves.
- the wheel of FIGS. 2 to 6 may be used since the reinforcement plate will add strength to the wheel and to the connection between the wheel and wheel hub. In either case, most or all debris which might cause damage, such as rocks, stones or the like, is blocked, due to the small size of the screen openings in the rock guard formations.
- the wheels of the above embodiments with a built-in rock guards avoid the need for separate rock guard plates to be installed between the hub and wheel and the problems of leaving openings in the wheels when an installer forgets to install a separate rock guard plate. These embodiments also reduce the expense and complexity of wheel installation and the amount of material required.
- FIG. 11 illustrates a modified wheel rim half 550 with integral rock guard portions 554 which may be used in place of wheel rim half 502 of FIGS. 7 to 10 .
- Rear rim half 550 has a central opening 552 having inwardly extending rock guard portions 554 which are similar to the rock guard portions 504 in FIG. 8A , but which have a different shape inner peripheral edge 555 .
- Rock guard edges 555 are each generally arcuate but are shorter in length and have a larger radius of curvature than the edges of rock guard portions 504 of FIG. 8A .
- each rock guard portion has a plurality of small openings 533 forming a mesh or filter for air flow and to block large debris.
- rock guard portions 554 are that they substantially fill wheel openings formed when a wheel is attached to a number of different hubs.
- rear rim half 550 when rear rim half 550 is assembled into a wheel in place of rear rim half 502 of FIGS. 7 , 9 and 10 , it can form a rock guard when the wheel is secured to any selected hub of a plurality of different hubs with recesses of varying shapes.
- FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate the wheel rim half 550 assembled with front rim half 235 in place of the rear rim half 502 of FIG. 9 , with FIG. 12A illustrating a first hub 556 attached to the wheel and FIG. 12B illustrating a second hub 558 attached to the wheel.
- the first hub 556 has arcuate recesses 560 between adjacent spokes, and is similar or identical to a hub made by Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA.
- the second hub 558 has V-shaped recesses 562 between adjacent spokes, and is similar or identical to a hub made by American Hyundai Motor Co., Inc. As illustrated in FIG.
- rock guard portions 554 substantially fill the space between the inner edge of an indent 406 in a wheel opening and the inner edge of the respective hub recess 560 , leaving only a small gap 564 .
- the rock guard portions 554 substantially fill the space between the inner edge 555 of each rock guard portion 554 and the inner edge of the respective hub recess 562 , leaving only a small gap 565 .
- rock guard portions 554 are designed so that any resultant gaps between edges 555 and the opposing hub recesses are relatively small and block larger debris from passing through the wheel, while allowing some airflow.
- Rock guard portions 554 may alternatively be formed integrally with a reinforcement plate to replace the rock guard reinforcement plate 245 or 246 in FIGS. 2 to 6 .
- FIG. 13 illustrates a modified rock guard reinforcement plate 580 which may be used in place of any of the reinforcement plates of the previous embodiments.
- plate 580 is generally circular in shape, with a central opening 582 having inwardly extending rock guard portions 584 which are similar to the rock guard portions in FIGS. 2A and 2B , but which have a different shape inner peripheral edge 585 .
- Other parts of plate 580 are identical to the previous embodiments and like reference numbers are used as appropriate.
- Rock guard portions 585 are each of generally gear-tooth like shape.
- each rock guard portion has a plurality of small openings 586 forming a mesh or filter for air flow and to block large debris.
- the reinforcement plate 580 of FIG. 13 is designed to mount between wheel rim halves to form a wheel with an integral rock guard designed for use with a different shape wheel hub 588 , as illustrated in FIG. 14 .
- FIG. 14 illustrates the rock guard plate 580 assembled between wheel rim halves 235 and 240 in place of the rock guard plate 245 or 246 of FIGS. 4 to 6 , with hub 588 attached to the wheel.
- the hub 588 has recesses 590 between adjacent spokes which substantially match the shape of the rock guard portions 585 , so that rock guard portions 585 substantially fill the space between the edge 590 of hub recess and the inner edge 406 of the wheel opening, leaving only a small gap.
- the shape and dimensions of rock guard portions 585 are designed so that any resultant gaps between edges and the opposing hub recesses are relatively small and block larger debris from passing through the wheel, while allowing some airflow.
- Rock guard portions 554 may alternatively be formed integrally with a wheel rim half to replace the rock guard portions 504 or 522 in wheel 500 .
- a rock guard is built into the wheel. No separate rock guard plate outside the wheel is needed, avoiding the problem of an installer potentially forgetting the rock guard plate when attaching the wheel to a hub, and reducing the difficulty of installation. The amount of material and the number of parts are also reduced.
- Rock guard reinforcement plates for mounting between the rim halves and rock guard portions built into a wheel rim half can be provided in a range of different shapes and dimensions so as to at least substantially fill any space between indents in a wheel opening and opposing recesses in a range of different wheel hubs.
- the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 has the added advantage that it can be used with a range of different hubs.
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Abstract
A wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a wheel having a first rim half and a second rim half with a reinforcement plate sandwiched between the rim halves. The rim halves and reinforcement plates are secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire. The rim halves have aligned central openings and aligned apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting a wheel hub on the wheel. A rock guard built into the reinforcement plate includes a plurality of rock guard formations each forming a shield which fills at least a major portion of any space between a respective recess and the wheel hub to block at least some debris from passing through the wheel while allowing airflow through the wheel.
Description
- The present application is a Divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/191,056 filed on Aug. 13, 2008, which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel with rock guard, and is particularly concerned with rock guards for all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other off road vehicles.
- 2. Related Art
- Wheels, for example ATV and other off road vehicle wheels, commonly have cut outs in their central openings, both to add decoration to the wheel and reduce the weight and expense of these parts. These openings on the wheels are vulnerable to rocks and debris thrown up and propelled through the wheel openings. This may cause damage to the brake assembly and the wheel.
- In some wheels, this problem is solved by mounting a rock guard plate between the wheel and hub to protect the mechanism. However, the separate rock guard plate may be forgotten and left off the wheel, and can be awkward to mount.
- What is needed is an improved device that is designed to avoid or reduce the problems of rocks and debris entering the wheel openings and potentially causing damage to the wheel mechanism.
- In one embodiment, a vehicle wheel with rock guard is provided which comprises a wheel having a front or outer rim half and a rear or inner rim half secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire. The front and rear rim halves have aligned central openings for receiving a hub and aligned apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting the hub to the inner rim half The fasteners can include screws or nuts and bolts for fastening the hub to the wheel. At least the central opening of one of the rim halves includes a plurality of spaced recesses around its periphery.
- In one embodiment, the rock guard comprises a separate reinforcement or rock guard plate secured between the front rim half and the rear rim half and having a central opening aligned with central openings in the front and rear rim halves. Rock guard portions project radially inwardly from the central opening in the plate to form shields which substantially fill any opening or space which would otherwise extend through the wheel after attachment of the wheel to the hub. The rim halves and separate reinforcement plate can be secured together by welding or the like, thereby integrating the rock guard plate with the wheel as a unitary structure. In other embodiments the rock guard portions are formed integrally with an end wall of the rear or front rim half through which the central opening extends, and project radially inwardly from the central opening in the end wall. The inner edges of the rock guard portions or formations in the reinforcement plate or in the end wall may have an arcuate shape, a V-shape, or other shapes, depending on the shapes of recesses in the hub which is to be attached to the wheel.
- Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
- The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
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FIG. 1A illustrates an end view of a prior art wheel with no rock guard; -
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the prior art wheel on thelines 1B-1B ofFIG. 1A ; -
FIG. 1C illustrates an end elevation view of the prior art wheel ofFIGS. 1A and 1B with a hub attached to the wheel; -
FIG. 2A is a front view of one embodiment of a reinforcement plate with an integral rock guard for integrating into a wheel; -
FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a second embodiment of a combined rock guard and reinforcement plate for use in a wheel; -
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a wheel with the combined rock guard and reinforcement plate ofFIG. 2A positioned between the front and rear rim halves; -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wheel ofFIG. 3 in an assembled condition with the reinforcement plate installed between the rim halves, taken generally on the lines 4-4 ofFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 5 is an end view of a wheel assembled as inFIGS. 3 and 4 but with the reinforcement plate ofFIG. 2B replacing the reinforcement plate shown inFIGS. 2A and 4 ; -
FIG. 6 is an end view of the wheel ofFIG. 5 with the wheel secured to a hub; -
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of separate rim halves of a second embodiment of a wheel with a built-in rock guard; -
FIG. 8A is an end view of the rear rim half ofFIG. 7 ; -
FIG. 8B is an end view similar toFIG. 8A illustrating a modified rear rim half with rock guard portions of a different shape; -
FIG. 9 is an end view of the wheel ofFIGS. 7 and 8A secured to a hub; -
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the wheel on the lines 10-10 ofFIG. 8A ; -
FIG. 11 is an end view of a rear wheel rim half with integral wheel guard portions of different shape; -
FIG. 12A is an end view of a wheel similar toFIG. 9 but with the rear wheel rim half ofFIG. 11 secured to the front rim half ofFIG. 9 and a first hub attached to the wheel; -
FIG. 12B is an end view of the wheel ofFIG. 12A attached to a different hub; -
FIG. 13 is an end view of a reinforcement plate with modified wheel guard portions of different shape; and -
FIG. 14 is an end view similar toFIG. 6 but with the reinforcement plate ofFIG. 13 installed between the wheel rim halves and a first hub attached to the wheel. - After reading this description it will become apparent to one skilled in the art how to implement the invention in various alternative embodiments and alternative applications. However, although various embodiments of the present invention will be described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example only, and not limitation. As such, this detailed description of various alternative embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope or breadth of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.
-
FIGS. 1A to 1C illustrate a prior art ATV or offroad vehicle wheel 100 with no rock guard. In this embodiment thewheel 100 comprises an outer orfront rim half 110 and a rear orinner rim half 116. The rim halves are of conventional cup-like shape and have flat inner end faces or walls which are welded together to provide an annular recess or rim 119 (FIG. 1B ) over which a tire can be seated. The rim halves have alignedcentral openings 105 for receiving the central part of a wheel hub andapertures 106 for receiving fasteners, for example, for mounting the wheel hub, such as bolts or studs which project from spokes of the wheel hub. -
FIG. 1C illustrates an end elevation view of theprior art wheel 100 with ahub 120 secured to the hub face on the inner side ofwheel 100. As illustrated,hub 120 has acentral portion 121 and outwardly projecting portions orspokes 122 which extend over the fastener apertures in therim half 116. Each spoke has a bolt orstud 124 aligned with theunderlying fastener aperture 106. Bolts orstuds 124 or the like extend from each spoke through the aligned openings and are secured by nuts (not illustrated) on their outer ends, at the outside or nut face of the wheel. A generally arcuate indent orrecess 125 is located on the outer edge of the hub between each adjacent pair ofspokes 122. Thecentral openings 105 of wheels such as ATV wheels and other off road vehicle wheels commonly have a clover leaf shaped central opening, as illustrated inFIG. 1A , with arcuate shapedrecesses 102 spaced about the periphery of each opening forming a clover leaf shape. These recesses are provided for ornamental reasons, and also to reduce the weight of the wheel. There may be four such recesses, as illustrated in the drawings, or three recesses in some cases. - When the
hub 120 is mounted on thewheel 100, thecentral opening 105 is not completely filled by the hub, leaving gaps oropenings 115 between eachrecess 102 in the wheel and the opposingrecess 125 in the wheel hub, as seen inFIG. 1C , which extend completely through the wheel. The spacedopenings 115 are vulnerable to rocks and debris that may be thrown through the openings in the wheel and potentially cause damage to the steering assembly, brake assembly, wheel or other parts. Such damage to the steering or brake assembly may cause failure with resultant loss of control by the driver, which could potentially cause an accident. It is known in the prior art to mount a separate rock guard plate on the hub bolts or studs between the wheel and wheel hub to cover theopenings 115, using the same fasteners which secure the hub to the wheel. This arrangement has disadvantages, since it requires an additional part which the installer must remember to position between the wheel and hub when mounting the hub. This arrangement also makes the hub assembly more difficult to mount, and requires more material and additional manufacturing steps. -
FIGS. 2 to 6 illustrate one embodiment of awheel 200 with a built in rock guard comprising a rock guard plate or reinforcement plate. Twoalternative plates FIGS. 2A and 2B .FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate awheel 200 incorporatingplate 245 ofFIG. 2A , whileFIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate awheel 201 incorporatingplate 246 ofFIG. 2B . -
Wheel 200 includes afront rim half 235 and arear rim half 240 that can be secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire. In one embodiment, thefront rim half 235 and therear rim half 240 are cup-shaped and have flatinner end walls reinforcement plate 245 sandwiched between theinner end walls FIGS. 3 and 4 . The front and rear rim halves 235 and 240 are similar or identical in shape to the rim halves of the prior art wheel ofFIGS. 1A to 1C , and haverims inner end walls FIG. 4 ) for receiving a tire. Aligned clover leaf-shapedopenings 405 witharcuate recesses 406 are provided in eachend wall fastener openings 420 for receiving bolts or other fasteners to secure the wheel to a wheel hub at the outer or hub face of the rearwheel rim half 240. -
FIG. 2A illustrates one embodiment of a rock guard orreinforcement plate 245 which is also shown positioned between the wheel rim halves inFIG. 4 .Plate 245 is generally circular in shape and has a diameter which substantially matches the diameter of the wheel rimend walls central opening 305 aligned with therim half openings 405.Fastener openings 320 inplate 245 are positioned for alignment with thefastener openings 420 in the end walls of the two rim halves when assembled, as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4 . Thecentral opening 305 has inwardly projecting, arcuate rock guard portions orformations 315 spaced around the periphery of theopening 305 and positioned to substantially fillopenings 115 when ahub 120 of the shape illustrated inFIG. 1C is mounted on the inside of the wheel. The rock guard formations orportions 315 form shields over at least most of the area of any openings through the wheel when a hub is secured to the wheel, so as to block at least larger debris from passing through the wheel, but have pluralsmall openings 316 which allow air to circulate for cooling of the wheel and the braking system. Theinner edge 318 of eachrock guard portion 315 is arcuate in shape, substantially matching the shape of therecesses 125 in thehub 120 inFIG. 1C . Thewheel 200 with built in rockguard reinforcement plate 245 has no large gaps or openings extending through the wheel when ahub 120 of the shape illustrated inFIG. 1C is installed on the rear wheel rim half, sinceopenings 115 ofFIG. 1C are at least substantially filled by therock guard formations 315. Large debris is therefore blocked from passing through the wheel, reducing the risk of damage. At the same time, the wheel is reinforced and strengthened by the presence of thereinforcement plate 245. Once the rim halves are secured together with the reinforcement plate sandwiched between their inner end walls, an integral wheel structure with a built-in rock guard is formed. The installer therefore does not have to remember to install a separate wheel guard plate between the wheel and hub. - Not all hubs have
recesses 125 of arcuate shape.FIG. 2B illustrates a modified rockguard reinforcement plate 246 which may be mounted between the wheel rim halves 235, 240 as inFIG. 5 to form a modified wheel for use with ahub 605 as illustrated inFIG. 6 which has generally square or V-shaped indents or recesses 606.Reinforcement plate 246 has modified rock guard portions orformations 340 which have V-shaped or square shapedinner edges 248. Thereinforcement plate 246 is otherwise identical toplate 245, and like reference numbers are used for like parts as appropriate. - The modified
wheel 201 ofFIGS. 5 and 6 is identical towheel 200 except thatreinforcement plate 245 is replaced withreinforcement plate 246 with V-shapedrock guard formations 340.Plate 246 is mounted between the wheel rim halves 235, 240 in the same way as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4 . When welded or otherwise secured betweenrim halves reinforcement plate 246 is positioned exactly as shown forplate 245 inFIG. 4 .FIG. 5 is a front view of thewheel 201 before installation on the hub and wheel axle, andFIG. 6 illustrateshub 605 with square or V-shaped indents orrecesses 606 secured inside the wheel using nuts and bolts. As can be seen inFIG. 6 , therock guard formations 340 are configured to shield and substantially cover any openings which would otherwise be left between thearcuate recesses 406 in the clover leaf shaped openings in the front and rear rim halves and the opposing square or V-shapedindents 606 in the hub. - The angle of the V-shaped rim in
FIG. 2B may vary and may be greater than 90 degrees or less than 90 degrees in other embodiments. It should be noted that the shape ofrock guard plates rock guard formations rock guard plates wheel 200, In the illustrated embodiments, therock guard formations rock guard formations -
FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate a second embodiment of awheel 500 with integral rock guard portions or formations. As in the first embodiment, thewheel 500 has front and rear rim halves 235 and 502, but the reinforcement plate of the previous embodiment is omitted. Instead, in this embodiment,rock guard portions 504 are formed integrally in theend wall 505 ofrear rim half 502. Thefront rim half 235 is identical to the first embodiment, and like reference numerals are used for like parts as appropriate. The rock guard portions can also be integrated into the end wall of thefront rim half 235 in an alternative embodiment.Front rim half 235 andrear rim half 502 are secured together by welding, bolting or the like to form an annularouter rim 540 for receiving a tire, as illustrated inFIG. 7 . -
FIG. 7 illustrates theseparate rim halves inner end walls FIG. 10 .Inner end wall 250 has a clover leaf shapedcentral opening 405, as in the previous embodiment.Inner end wall 505 has a modifiedcentral opening 508 for alignment withopening 405. As best illustrated inFIG. 8A , opening 508 has arcuate, inwardly projectingrock guard portions 504 similar to theportions 315 ofrock guard plate 245 ofFIG. 2A . However, in this case, therock guard portions 504 are formed integrally withend wall 505 of the rear rim half.End wall 505 also hasfastener openings 420 for alignment with the correspondingopenings 420 in theend wall 250 of the front rim half when the rim halves are assembled together.FIG. 9 illustrates awheel hub 120 witharcuate recesses 125 secured to thewheel 500. As seen inFIG. 9 ,rock guard portions 504 are configured to at least substantially fill up the gaps or openings which would otherwise be formed between thearcuate recesses 406 of theclover leaf openings 405 inend wall 250 and thearcuate recesses 125 of thehub 120, as seen for a conventional wheel with no rock guard as inFIG. 1C . As in the previous embodiment, therock guard portions 504 includemultiple holes 510 forming a mesh to screen out debris from passing through wheel while allowing airflow. The size and number of the holes may vary and in some embodiments, the rock guard formations may have no holes. -
FIG. 8B illustrates an end view of a modifiedrear rim half 520 with integral rock guard portions orformations 522 in itsend wall 524.Rim half 520 may be used in place ofrim half 502 when a different shaped hub is to be attached to the wheel, such as ahub 605 with square or V-shapedrecesses 606 as inFIG. 6 . The rock guard portions orformations 522 in the embodiment ofFIG. 8B are similar or identical in shape to the rock guard formations of thereinforcement plate 246 illustrated inFIG. 2B , and have square or V-shaped inner edges 525.Multiple holes 510 are formed in eachrock guard portion 522, as in the previous embodiments. The size of the holes may vary, and in some embodimentsrock guard portion 522 may be solid with no holes. In an alternative embodiment, the square or V-shape rock guard formations may be formed integrally in theend wall 250 of thefront rim half 235 rather than the end wall of the rear rim half. When ahub 605 is secured to a wheel incorporatingrim half 520, the rock guard formations substantially block any opening which would otherwise extend through the wheel due to clearances between the outer periphery of the hub and the inner surface of the opening through a wheel which does not include any built-in wheel guard. Wheel guard formations of other shapes may be formed in the central opening of either wheel rim half in alternative embodiments, so as to match the indents or recesses of hubs of different shapes. In either of the rim halves 502 or 520, the rock guard portions may be made thinner than the remainder of theend wall - In the embodiments of
FIGS. 7 to 10 , rock guard formations are integral with the end wall of a wheel rim half, so the wheels will be of less weight than the wheel ofFIGS. 2 to 6 which has a separate rock guard reinforcement plate sandwiched between the rim halves. Where a stronger structure is desired, the wheel ofFIGS. 2 to 6 may be used since the reinforcement plate will add strength to the wheel and to the connection between the wheel and wheel hub. In either case, most or all debris which might cause damage, such as rocks, stones or the like, is blocked, due to the small size of the screen openings in the rock guard formations. The wheels of the above embodiments with a built-in rock guards avoid the need for separate rock guard plates to be installed between the hub and wheel and the problems of leaving openings in the wheels when an installer forgets to install a separate rock guard plate. These embodiments also reduce the expense and complexity of wheel installation and the amount of material required. -
FIG. 11 illustrates a modifiedwheel rim half 550 with integralrock guard portions 554 which may be used in place ofwheel rim half 502 ofFIGS. 7 to 10 . Rear rimhalf 550 has acentral opening 552 having inwardly extendingrock guard portions 554 which are similar to therock guard portions 504 inFIG. 8A , but which have a different shape innerperipheral edge 555. Rock guard edges 555 are each generally arcuate but are shorter in length and have a larger radius of curvature than the edges ofrock guard portions 504 ofFIG. 8A . As in the previous embodiments, each rock guard portion has a plurality ofsmall openings 533 forming a mesh or filter for air flow and to block large debris. The advantage ofrock guard portions 554 is that they substantially fill wheel openings formed when a wheel is attached to a number of different hubs. In other words, whenrear rim half 550 is assembled into a wheel in place ofrear rim half 502 ofFIGS. 7 , 9 and 10, it can form a rock guard when the wheel is secured to any selected hub of a plurality of different hubs with recesses of varying shapes. -
FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate thewheel rim half 550 assembled withfront rim half 235 in place of therear rim half 502 ofFIG. 9 , withFIG. 12A illustrating afirst hub 556 attached to the wheel andFIG. 12B illustrating asecond hub 558 attached to the wheel. Thefirst hub 556 hasarcuate recesses 560 between adjacent spokes, and is similar or identical to a hub made by Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA. Thesecond hub 558 has V-shapedrecesses 562 between adjacent spokes, and is similar or identical to a hub made by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. As illustrated inFIG. 12A ,rock guard portions 554 substantially fill the space between the inner edge of anindent 406 in a wheel opening and the inner edge of therespective hub recess 560, leaving only asmall gap 564. Similarly, inFIG. 12B , therock guard portions 554 substantially fill the space between theinner edge 555 of eachrock guard portion 554 and the inner edge of therespective hub recess 562, leaving only asmall gap 565. - The shape and dimensions of
rock guard portions 554 are designed so that any resultant gaps betweenedges 555 and the opposing hub recesses are relatively small and block larger debris from passing through the wheel, while allowing some airflow.Rock guard portions 554 may alternatively be formed integrally with a reinforcement plate to replace the rockguard reinforcement plate FIGS. 2 to 6 . -
FIG. 13 illustrates a modified rockguard reinforcement plate 580 which may be used in place of any of the reinforcement plates of the previous embodiments. As in the previous embodiments,plate 580 is generally circular in shape, with acentral opening 582 having inwardly extendingrock guard portions 584 which are similar to the rock guard portions inFIGS. 2A and 2B , but which have a different shape innerperipheral edge 585. Other parts ofplate 580 are identical to the previous embodiments and like reference numbers are used as appropriate.Rock guard portions 585 are each of generally gear-tooth like shape. As in the previous embodiments, each rock guard portion has a plurality ofsmall openings 586 forming a mesh or filter for air flow and to block large debris. Thereinforcement plate 580 ofFIG. 13 is designed to mount between wheel rim halves to form a wheel with an integral rock guard designed for use with a differentshape wheel hub 588, as illustrated inFIG. 14 . -
FIG. 14 illustrates therock guard plate 580 assembled between wheel rim halves 235 and 240 in place of therock guard plate FIGS. 4 to 6 , withhub 588 attached to the wheel. Thehub 588 hasrecesses 590 between adjacent spokes which substantially match the shape of therock guard portions 585, so thatrock guard portions 585 substantially fill the space between theedge 590 of hub recess and theinner edge 406 of the wheel opening, leaving only a small gap. The shape and dimensions ofrock guard portions 585 are designed so that any resultant gaps between edges and the opposing hub recesses are relatively small and block larger debris from passing through the wheel, while allowing some airflow.Rock guard portions 554 may alternatively be formed integrally with a wheel rim half to replace therock guard portions wheel 500. - In each of the above embodiments, a rock guard is built into the wheel. No separate rock guard plate outside the wheel is needed, avoiding the problem of an installer potentially forgetting the rock guard plate when attaching the wheel to a hub, and reducing the difficulty of installation. The amount of material and the number of parts are also reduced. Rock guard reinforcement plates for mounting between the rim halves and rock guard portions built into a wheel rim half can be provided in a range of different shapes and dimensions so as to at least substantially fill any space between indents in a wheel opening and opposing recesses in a range of different wheel hubs. The embodiment of
FIGS. 11 and 12 has the added advantage that it can be used with a range of different hubs. - The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is further understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.
Claims (20)
1. A wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a wheel having a front rim half and a rear rim half secured together to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire, each rim half having an end wall facing the end wall in the other rim half;
the end walls of the front and rear rim halves having aligned central openings for receiving a hub and aligned apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting a wheel hub on a hub face of the rear rim half;
the central opening in the end wall of at least one of the rim halves having a plurality of spaced recesses around its periphery;
a reinforcement plate secured between the end walls of the front and rear rim halves and having a central opening aligned with the central openings in the rim halves; and
the reinforcement plate having a plurality of rock guard portions each forming a shield which substantially fills any space between a respective recess and an attached wheel hub to block at least some debris from passing through the wheel, the rock guard portions helping to define an outer periphery of the central opening in the reinforcement plate.
2. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement plate has a plurality of fastener openings aligned with the fastener apertures in the end walls of the front and rear rim halves.
3. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rock guard portions each have a peripheral edge forming part of the outer periphery of the central opening which substantially matches an edge shape of a recess in a wheel hub secured to the wheel.
4. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rock guard portions each have an arcuate inner edge which forms part of the central opening in the reinforcement plate.
5. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rock guard portions each have a V-shaped edge which forms part of the central opening in the reinforcement plate.
6. The wheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rock guard portions each have a plurality of small openings in a mesh-like configuration.
7. A wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
a first rim half having an inner end wall and an outwardly projecting annular rim portion;
a second rim half having an inner end wall and an outwardly projecting annular rim portion, the second rim half secured to the first rim half with the inner end walls facing towards one another to form an annular outer rim for receiving a tire;
a reinforcement plate sandwiched between the inner end walls of the first and second rim halves;
the first and second rim halves and the reinforcement plate have aligned central openings for receiving a wheel hub and aligned apertures for receiving fasteners for attaching the wheel to a wheel hub, each central opening having a peripheral edge; and
the central opening of the reinforcement plate having a plurality of rock guard portions which project radially inwardly relative to the central opening in at least one of the rim halves, each rock guard portion having an inner edge forming part of the peripheral edge of the central opening of the reinforcement plate, the inner edge of each rock guard portion being at least an approximate match with the shape of a recess in a hub secured over the central opening in the second rim half and the rock guard portion filling at least a major portion of a gap which would otherwise be formed between a respective recess in the hub and the peripheral edges of the central openings in the wheel rim halves.
8. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the reinforcement plate is permanently secured between the first and second rim halves.
9. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the reinforcement plate has a circular outer periphery and a diameter which substantially matches the diameter of the end walls of the rim halves.
10. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the inner edges of the rock guard portions are arcuate.
11. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the inner edges of the rock guard portions are V-shaped.
12. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein the rock guard portions each have a plurality of small openings in a mesh-like configuration.
13. The wheel of claim 7 , wherein each rock guard portion is of predetermined shape and dimensions to fill at least a major portion of a gap which would otherwise be formed between the peripheral edges of the central openings in the wheel rim halves and the hub recesses of a plurality of different hubs when secured to the wheel.
14. A wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a wheel having a front rim portion and a rear rim potion forming an annular outer rim for receiving a tire;
the wheel having a central opening for receiving a wheel axle and apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting a wheel hub on a front face of the front rim portion;
a wheel hub mounted on the wheel, the hub having outwardly projecting portions extending over part of the opening, and outwardly facing recesses between the outwardly projecting portions, and
a rock guard in the wheel having a plurality of rock guard portions spaced behind the wheel hub recesses and each forming a shield which blocks at least some debris from passing through the recesses in the hub and central opening in the wheel.
15. The wheel assembly of claim 14 , wherein the front rim portion comprises a first rim half having an inner end wall and an outwardly projecting annular rim portion, and the second rim portion comprises a second rim half having an inner end wall and an outwardly projecting annular rim portion, and the wheel further comprises a reinforcement plate sandwiched between the inner end walls of the first and second rim halves, the reinforcement plate comprising said rock guard.
16. The wheel assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second rim half is secured to the first rim half with the inner end walls facing towards one another and the reinforcement plate is sandwiched between the inner end walls, the rim halves and reinforcement plate together forming an annular outer rim for receiving a tire, and the reinforcement plate having an opening incorporating the rock guard portions and forming part of the central opening through the wheel, each rock guard portion forming a shield which fills at least a major portion of any space between a respective hub recess and the periphery of the central opening of each rim half to block at least some debris from passing through the wheel.
17. The wheel assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inner edges of the rock guard portions are arcuate.
18. The wheel assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inner edges of the rock guard portions are V-shaped.
19. The wheel assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inner edges of the rock guard portions of the reinforcement plate and the outwardly facing recesses of the wheel hub are of matching shape.
20. The wheel assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inner edges of the rock guard portions in the reinforcement plate and the outwardly facing recesses of the wheel hub are of different shapes.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US12/833,748 US20100270851A1 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2010-07-09 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US12/191,056 US7775605B2 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2008-08-13 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
US12/833,748 US20100270851A1 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2010-07-09 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
Related Parent Applications (1)
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US12/191,056 Division US7775605B2 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2008-08-13 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
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US20100270851A1 true US20100270851A1 (en) | 2010-10-28 |
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US12/191,056 Active 2028-12-23 US7775605B2 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2008-08-13 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
US12/833,748 Abandoned US20100270851A1 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2010-07-09 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
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US12/191,056 Active 2028-12-23 US7775605B2 (en) | 2008-08-13 | 2008-08-13 | Vehicle wheel with rock guard |
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EP (1) | EP2323855A4 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2733914A1 (en) |
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Cited By (1)
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CN111283382A (en) * | 2019-12-10 | 2020-06-16 | 王正清 | Light-weight high-strength aluminum hub and manufacturing process |
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DE102012016834B4 (en) * | 2012-08-27 | 2022-05-19 | Mann+Hummel Gmbh | Automotive brake dust collector and filter element |
US20140239704A1 (en) * | 2013-02-28 | 2014-08-28 | Scotty Vann Bass | Reversible Wheel and Methods of Making and Using the Same |
US20160039251A1 (en) * | 2014-08-05 | 2016-02-11 | Manar Ashak | Tire Assembly |
FR3051142B1 (en) * | 2016-05-11 | 2018-05-25 | Safran Landing Systems | AIRCRAFT WHEEL |
US10847063B2 (en) * | 2017-10-07 | 2020-11-24 | Kimel Webber | Dual vehicle rim with logo apparatus and a method of making same |
US10675911B2 (en) * | 2018-02-13 | 2020-06-09 | Gm Global Technology Operations | Vehicle wheel isolator |
EP4253085A3 (en) * | 2018-07-27 | 2023-11-01 | Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC | Reusable rim for non-pneumatic tires |
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- 2009-06-30 EP EP09807020A patent/EP2323855A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2009-06-30 CA CA2733914A patent/CA2733914A1/en not_active Abandoned
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EP2323855A4 (en) | 2012-02-29 |
EP2323855A1 (en) | 2011-05-25 |
US7775605B2 (en) | 2010-08-17 |
CA2733914A1 (en) | 2010-02-18 |
US20100038957A1 (en) | 2010-02-18 |
WO2010019325A1 (en) | 2010-02-18 |
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Owner name: DOUGLAS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HENLINE, DOUGLAS E.;REEL/FRAME:025060/0659 Effective date: 20080812 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |