Vehicle wheel having a connection between a wheel rim and a wheel disc and method for the production thereof

Abstract

A vehicle wheel may include a wheel rim and a wheel disc connected to an inner side of the wheel rim. The wheel disc may be connected to the wheel rim by a connecting element that is guided through a through-hole of the rim base and inserted in the wheel disc. The through-hole is arranged in the tire seat of the rim base and the connecting element is joined substantially in the direction of the radial extension of the wheel disc which is associated to the tire seat on the inner side of the rim. In the method for producing the wheel the connection between wheel rim and wheel disc is produced in the region of the tire seat of the rim base, and, after the insertion of the connecting element into the wheel disc, a portion of the connecting element protruding the contour of the outer side of the rim of the tire seat is shaped so that the connecting element conforms to the contour of the outer side of the rim of the tire seat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel rim including:
 a rim flange, 
 a rim shoulder spaced apart from the rim flange, and 
 a tire seat extending between the rim flange and the rim shoulder, the tire seat including a through-hole formed therethrough; 
   a wheel disc connected to an inner side of the wheel rim; and   a connecting element disposed through the through-hole and radially extending into and joined to the wheel disc.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 1  wherein said wheel disc includes a blind hole comprising a receiving channel through which the connecting element is guided and a joining channel in which the connecting element is joined. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 2  wherein a length of the receiving channel is the same as a length of the joining channel. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 2  wherein the receiving channel is twice as long as the joining channel. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 1  wherein a length of the connecting element is two or three times a diameter of the connecting element. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 5  wherein the length of the connecting element is six times the diameter of the connecting element. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 1  wherein the connecting element is part of a connection arrangement that comprises at least one bushing part in which the connecting element is mounted. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 1  wherein the connecting element or a connection arrangement that comprises at least one bushing part in which the connecting element is mounted is arranged countersunk in a recess of the through-hole on an outer side of the rim such that a head of the connecting element and/or an edge of the at least one bushing part on the outer side of the rim is flush with a contour of the tire seat on the outer side of the rim or forms a recess in relation to the contour of the tire seat on the outer side of the rim. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 1  wherein the connecting element or a connection arrangement that comprises at least one bushing part in which the connecting element is mounted is covered with a sealant on an outer side of the rim. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 9  wherein the sealant is a coating layer. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 9  wherein the sealant fills a cavity of a recess of the through-hole on the outer side of the rim. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 1  wherein the connecting element or a connection arrangement which comprises at least one bushing pair in which the connecting element is mounted is finished to match a contour of the tire seat on an outer side of the rim. 
     
     
         13 . A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel rim including:
 a rim flange, 
 a rim shoulder spaced apart from the rim flange, and 
 a tire seat extending between the rim flange and the rim shoulder, the tire seat including a through-hole formed therethrough; 
   a wheel disc connected to an inner side of the wheel rim; and   a connecting element extending through the through-hole and into and threadedly engaged with the wheel disc.   
     
     
         14 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 13  wherein a length of elongation of the connecting element is at least six times a diameter of the connecting element. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 13  wherein an engaged thread length of the connecting element is at least 2.5 times a diameter of the connecting element. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 15  wherein an unengaged portion of the connecting element is at least twice as long as the engaged thread length. 
     
     
         17 . A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel rim including:
 a rim flange, 
 a rim shoulder spaced apart from the rim flange, and 
 a tire seat extending between the rim flange and the rim shoulder, the tire seat including a through-hole formed therethrough; 
   a wheel disc connected to an inner side of the wheel rim; and   a connecting element extending through the through-hole and into and engaged with a vertically-extending portion of the wheel disc.   
     
     
         18 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 17  wherein a length of elongation of the connecting element is at least six times a diameter of the connecting element. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 17  wherein a length of the connecting element that is engaged with the vertically-extending portion of the wheel disc is at least 2.5 times a diameter of the connecting element. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle wheel of  claim 19  wherein an unengaged portion of the connecting element is at least twice as long as the length that is engaged with the vertically-extending portion of the wheel disc.