Process for making seamless alloy wheel rim with reinforced outboard flange

Abstract

A process for making seamless alloy wheel rim includes curving an outboard flange inwardly centripetally to be welded to a bead seat portion adjacent to the outboard flange of the wheel rim to thereby seal an annular interior confined by the inwardly curved outboard flange. The strength of the outboard flange of the wheel rim will then be reinforced.

1 . A process for making a seamless alloy wheel rim comprising the steps of: 
 A. Forming a cylinder-shaped piece by deep drawing and cutting a closed bottom portion of the cylinder-shaped piece to form a first peripheral portion and a second peripheral portion respectively disposed on opposite end portions of said cylinder-shaped piece, said second peripheral portion formed by punching out said closed bottom portion of said cylinder-shaped piece;    B. Forming a preliminary wheel rim from said cylinder-shaped piece having an outer flare portion protruding outwardly flaredly from said second peripheral portion of said cylinder-shaped piece and diverging centrifugally from a longitudinal axis defined at a longitudinal center of said cylinder-shaped piece and said preliminary wheel rim, an inboard flange formed on said first peripheral portion of said cylinder-shaped piece opposite to said outer flare portion, and a deep well formed in an intermediate portion in said cylinder-shaped piece between said outer flare portion and said inboard flange; and    C. Forming a reinforced outboard flange on said preliminary wheel rim by curving said outer flare portion inwardly centripetally towards said longitudinal axis of said prelimary wheel rim to crimp a free edge portion of said outer flare portion on an outer bead seat portion of said preliminary wheel rim, and welding said free edge portion of said outer flare portion to said outer bead seat portion for forming a welding line between said free edge portion of said outer flare portion and said outer bead seat portion of said preliminary wheel rim to seal an annular interior confined by said outer flare portion as curved inwardly centripetally to be crimped on said outer bead seat portion to form a reinforced outboard flange, opposite to said inboard flange, on said preliminary wheel rim, which is further trimmed and subjected to surface treatment to form a seamless alloy wheel rim.    
   
   
       2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein said seamless alloy wheel rim is made of aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       3 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein said step for forming said preliminary wheel rim is performed by inserting said cylinder-shaped piece in a female mold disposed around said cylinder-shaped piece, an upper male mold inserted in an upper hollow portion in said cylinder-shaped piece, and a lower male mold inserted in a lower hollow portion of said cylinder-shaped piece to form said prelimary wheel rim having said inboard flange, said outer flare portion on opposite end portions of said preliminary wheel rim, and said deep well in an intermediate portion of said preliminary wheel rim.  
   
   
       4 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein said outer flare portion is curved inwardly centripetally to form said outboard flange by cold working or cold forming.  
   
   
       5 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein said cylinder-shaped piece is formed by deep drawing a circular plate in a deep-drawing die to form said closed bottom portion on said bottom portion of said cylinder-shaped piece.  
   
   
       6 . A process for making a seamless aluminum alloy wheel rim comprising the steps of: 
 A. Forming a shallow cylinder-shaped piece by deep drawing, having an outer flare portion formed on an upper portion of said cylinder-shaped piece and an annular bottom flange formed on a bottom portion of said cylinder-shaped piece;    B. Forming an outboard flange member by curving said outer flare portion inwardly centripetally towards a longitudinal axis defined at a longitudinal center of said shallow cylinder-shaped piece to crimp a free edge portion of said outer flare portion on an outer bead seat portion of said shallow cylinder-shaped piece, and welding the free edge portion to said outer bead seat portion to form a welding line between the free edge portion and the outer bead seat portion to form a reinforced outboard flange on an outer portion of said shallow cylinder-shaped piece, to thereby form an outboard flange member having said annular flange formed on a bottom portion of said outboard flange member; and    C. Forming a wheel rim body containing an inboard flange and an intermediate annular flange opposite to said inboard flange; and    D. Fastening said annular bottom flange of said outboard flange member with said intermediate annular flange of said wheel rim body in combination with a disc for forming a three-piece wheel rim including said outboard flange member having said reinforced outboard flange formed thereon, said disc, and said wheel rim body having said inboard flange formed thereon.    
   
   
       7 . A process according to  claim 6 , wherein said shallow cylinder-shaped piece is formed by deep drawing a plate in a deep-drawing die having a cylindrical cavity formed in said die and an upper flared port flared upwardly outwardly from the cylindrical cavity, whereby upon releasing of said shallow cylinder-shaped piece from said die, an outer flared portion, as corresponding to said upper flared port, is formed on an upper portion of said shallow cylinder-shaped piece.  
   
   
       8 . A process for making a seamless aluminum alloy wheel rim comprising the steps of: 
 A. Forming a hollow cylinder piece;    B. Forming a preliminary wheel rim from said cylinder piece having an outer flare portion protruding outwardly flaredly from said second peripheral portion of said cylinder-shaped piece and diverging centrifugally from a longitudinal axis defined at a longitudinal center of said cylinder-shaped piece and said preliminary wheel rim, an inboard flange formed on said first peripheral portion of said cylinder-shaped piece opposite to said outer flare portion, and a deep well formed in an intermediate portion in said cylinder-shaped piece between said outer flare portion and said inboard flange; and    C. Forming a reinforced outboard flange on said preliminary wheel rim by curving said outer flare portion inwardly centripetally towards said longitudinal center of said prelimary wheel rim to crimp a free edge portion of said outer flare portion on an outer bead seat portion of said preliminary wheel rim, and welding said free edge portion of said outer flare portion to said outer bead seat portion for forming a welding line between said free edge portion of said outer flare portion and said outer bead seat portion of said preliminary wheel rim to seal an annular interior confined by said outer flare portion as curved inwardly centripetally to be crimped on said outer bead seat portion to form a reinforced outboard flange, opposite to said inboard flange, on said preliminary wheel rim, which is further trimmed and subjected to surface treatment to form a seamless alloy wheel rim.    
   
   
       9 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein said step for forming said preliminary wheel rim is performed by inserting said cylinder-shaped piece in a female mold disposed around said cylinder-shaped piece, an upper male mold inserted in an upper hollow portion in said cylinder-shaped piece, and a lower male mold inserted in a lower hollow portion of said cylinder-shaped piece to form said prelimary wheel rim having said inboard flange, said outer flare portion on opposite end portions of said preliminary wheel rim, and said deep well in an intermediate portion of said preliminary wheel rim.  
   
   
       10 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein said outer flare portion is curved inwardly centripetally to form said outboard flange by cold working or cold forming.  
   
   
       11 . A process according to  claim 8  comprising the steps of: 
 A. Forming said hollow cylinder piece;    B. Forming said hollow cylinder piece as an outboard flange member and an inboard flange member; said outboard flange member having an outer flare portion formed on an upper portion thereof;    C. Curving said outer flare portion of said outboard flange member inwardly centripetally towards a longitudinal axis defined at a longitudinal center of said outboard flange member to crimp a free edge portion of said outer flare portion on an outer bead seat portion of said outboard flange member, and welding the free edge portion to said outer bead seat portion to form a welding line between the free edge portion and the outer bead seat portion to form a reinforced outboard flange on an outer portion of said outboard flange member; and    D. Fastening said outboard flange member with said inboard flange member in combination with a disc for forming a three-piece wheel rim including said outboard flange member having said reinforced outboard flange formed thereon, said disc, and said inboard flange member.