A metal vehicle wheel

Abstract

The invention relates to a metal wheel with a rim 11 having an outer side wall region 15 and a disc 12 having a side wall 13. In order to provide a reliable, durable mounting option for wheel trim elements like hub caps, the outer side wall region 15 of the rim 11 and / or the disc side wall 13 is / are provided with a several fastening bolt elements 20 distributed over the circumference of the vehicle wheel 10 for such wheel trim element, which bolt elements 20 are arranged substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel 10 projecting from the disc side wall 13 or the side wall region 15 of the rim 11.

Description

[0001] A metal vehicle wheel

[0002] The invention relates to a metal vehicle wheel , in particular of steel , with a wheel rim for receiving a tyre and with a wheel disc connected to the wheel rim, which wheel disc has a disc s ide wall with a hub connection flange for fastening the vehicle wheel to a wheel hub of a vehicle , wherein the wheel rim has an outer s ide wall region with an outer rim flange , an outer rim shoulder and / or a rim well base side wall of a rim well base on the outside of the wheel . The invention is further directed to a vehicle wheel arrangement which essentially consists of a vehicle wheel according to the invention and a wheel trim element or an aerodynamic element , in particular a hub cap .

[0003] Metal vehicle wheels , in particular steel wheels , have long been used in passenger cars and trucks , wherein the outer sides of the wheels can very often be covered with removable hub caps or the li ke . The fastening of such wheel trim elements usually takes place by means of clamping elements that are provided on the hub caps and that grip in the radial direction behind a bead or the like provided on the vehicle wheel .

[0004] The known fastening techniques for hub caps not only require a corresponding design of the wheel dis c or wheel rim with suitable bead- like undercuts behind which the clamping elements of the hub cap can grip . It also limits the design options when shaping the wheel trim elements , in that it is not easy to cover the outside of the wheel of a vehicle wheel with a hub cap es sentially in a s ingle plane , e . g . flush with an outer rim flange . Furthermore , it can easily happen that the hub cap is not carefully attached to the vehicle wheel , so that the clamping connection between the hub cap and the vehicle wheel does not hold reliably and the cap comes off the wheel unintentionally . In addition, eccentricity or concentricity deviations of the wheel and hub cap can lead to an unaesthetic appearance during use .

[0005] It is the obj ect of the invention to provide a reliable , alternative fastening option for wheel trim elements , in particular for hub caps on vehicle wheels , which enables s imple and reliably durable mounting of the wheel trim elements , in particular also on large vehicle wheels for commercial vehicles .

[0006] This obj ect is solved by means of the invention in that the outer side wall region of the wheel rim and / or the dis c side wall of the wheel disc is / are provided with several fastening bolt elements for a wheel trim element or the like , in particular for a hub cap , arranged distributed over the circumference of the vehicle wheel , which are es sentially arranged proj ecting from the disc s ide wall or the side wall region of the wheel rim es sentially parallel to the axis of rotation of the vehicle wheel . A correspondingly designed vehicle wheel according to the invention can be combined with a wheel trim element , in particular a hub cap , to form a vehicle wheel arrangement , wherein the wheel trim element or the hub cap is provided with connection means adapted in position and shape to the fastening bolt elements formed on the vehicle wheel , whereby it is connected or can be connected to the fastening bolt elements .

[0007] According to the invention, several fastening bolt elements are thus provided on the outside of the vehicle wheel , preferably evenly distributed over the circumference , which are aligned parallel to the axis , so that the wheel trim element to be mounted can be attached axially to the vehicle wheel and secured to the bolt elements with the connection means provided for this purpose . Unlike known hub caps , it is not necessary to bring clamping elements acting in the radial direction into the rear grip provided for retaining on a bead formed on the wheel , but it is possible in a simple manner for the connecting means to provide , for example , fastening holes on the wheel trim element that are adapted in pos ition and number to the bolt elements provided on the wheel , through which fastening holes the bolt elements are accessible from the outside when mounting the hub cap or the like . The hub cap can thus be attached to the bolt elements in a simple manner, for example by inserting retaining screws or nuts through the fastening holes and s crewing them to the bolt elements , or by providing adapted locking plugs which can be connected to the fastening bolt elements in a suitable manner in a positive or friction-fitting manner . Such locking plugs can also be formed in one piece on the ins ide of the wheel trim element , for example in the case of hub caps made from plastic using the inj ection moulding proces s . In an advantageous manner , the fastening bolt elements can be welded to the wheel rim and / or to the wheel dis c, whereby it has proven to be particularly effective and reliable if the bolt elements are spot- welded .

[0008] In an advantageous design of the invention, it is provided that the fastening bolt elements are threaded bolts with an external thread or an internal thread, wherein, for fastening the wheel trim element , cylinder nuts with a retaining collar adapted to the external thread or retaining s crews adapted to the internal thread are inserted through the respective fastening hole and s crewed into the thread, wherein the retaining collar or the screw head of the retaining screw overlaps the edge of the relevant fastening hole and thus retains the wheel trim element securely at the vehicle wheel .

[0009] Expediently, at least three fastening bolt elements are arranged, preferably evenly distributed over the circumference , on the disc side wall and / or the side wall region of the wheel rim . For larger disc wheels , in particular those for commercial vehicles , it may be useful not only to provide more than three fastening bolt elements , for example five or ten bolts , but for a particularly reliable and torsionresistant fastening of a hub cap to the wheel , it is also pos sible to respectively arrange several bolt elements on different pitch circles , that is , at different radial distances from the axis of rotation of the wheel .

[0010] The fastening bolt elements can be arranged on the outs ide of the wheel on the disc s ide wall and / or on the s ide wall region of the wheel rim .

[0011] It is also possible to arrange the fastening bolt elements on the inside of the wheel on the disc side wall , which can be useful for twin tyres on commercial vehicles , where the outer wheels are mounted upside down so that the inside of the wheel is on the outs ide . Such a design can also be advantageous for passenger car applications where only one hub cover ( half cover ) can be mounted securely .

[0012] For most applications , the fastening bolt elements are conveniently welded to the outside of the wheel on the outer rim flange , on the outer rim shoulder or on the well base side wall of the rim well base on the outs ide of the wheel .

[0013] In an advantageous further development of the invention , the fastening bolt elements are stepped and form a stop collar for the trim element .

[0014] For assembly, this is then pushed onto the fastening bolt elements until it abuts the stop collar of the bolt elements with its rear or inner side . The hub cap thus has a defined position in the axial direction relative to the vehicle wheel , so that the appearance of the combination of hub cap and vehicle wheel remains the same each time the hub cap is reinstalled .

[0015] It is possible to provide the fastening bolt elements with bolt head formations for a positive connection with the trim element , in particular the hub cap . For example , such bolt head formations can have a radially recessed, circumferential groove and / or a collar proj ecting radially beyond the bolt diameter . The fastening holes provided in the wheel trim element can be provided with an elastic edge limitation, for example an elastomer ring , which then , when the hub cap is mounted, engages over the collar on the bolt or engages the groove on the bolt under elastic deformation . Of course , the collar formed on the bolt can also be elastic and can compres s when the wheel trim element is attached and then radially overlap the edge of the corresponding fastening hole on the outside .

[0016] In an advantageous design of the vehicle wheel arrangement according to the invention , the connection means ass igned to the wheel trim element can comprise fastening nuts or fastening screws that can be s crewed or are s crewed tightly to the threaded bolts or threaded s leeves through fastening holes formed on the wheel trim element . While separate fastening elements in the form of nuts or s crews are used as connection means in this embodiment , it is also possible according to a particularly advantageous des ign that the connection means comprise retaining elements arranged on the wheel trim element , which retaining elements are adapted in pos ition and shape to the bolt head formations of the fastening bolt elements and can be connected or are connected to them in a pos itive and detachable manner . This design has the advantage that the retaining elements remain attached to the wheel trim / the hub cap even in its dismantled state and therefore cannot be lost easily . It is possible that the retaining elements are arranged on at least one closure movably arranged on the wheel trim element , covering the fastening bolt elements in the closed state . The closure can thereby be pivotally mounted on the wheel trim element , wherein the retaining elements engage the bolt head formations of the fastening bolt elements in the closed state of the closure in the manner of a push button . For fastening to the vehicle wheel , the hub cap can then be attached to it in correct alignment with the bolt elements . The closures containing the retaining elements are then pivoted into the closed pos ition, whereby the retaining elements move onto or into the bolt elements . Elastically deformable securing elements , which are provided on the bolts or the retaining elements , then ensure a secure connection, for example in the manner of a push button .

[0017] It is advantageously also pos sible if the closure comprises a s liding piece which is preferably displaceable in the radial direction and has a locking groove forming an undercut , which the bolt head formation of the associated fastening bolt element engages in a positive manner in the locked state . In this embodiment , the s liding pieces displaceably mounted on the wheel trim element are moved into a closed pos ition after the trim element has been attached to the vehicle wheel , whereby a head formation formed on the bolt element then comes into pos itive engagement with the locking groove so that the wheel trim element cannot fall off unintentionally . It goes without saying that precautions are thereby preferably taken, which prevent an unintentional and / or automatic sliding back of the sliding piece . Suitable measures for this are familiar to the expert .

[0018] In a further alternative , the retaining elements can preferably comprise , for each fastening bolt element , a bayonet locking element which is rotatably mounted on the wheel trim element and which cooperates with the bolt head formation of the associated fastening bolt element for fastening the wheel trim element . Instead of a trans lational movement of a s liding piece , the locking in this embodiment is thus effected by a rotational movement of the bayonet locking element after it has been attached to the bolt head of the as sociated fastening bolt element . Further features and advantages of the invention result from the drawing and the following description, wherein preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail. It shows:

[0019] Fig. 1 a steel vehicle wheel according to the invention in a front view with fastening bolt elements arranged on three different pitch circles;

[0020] Fig.2 a detail according to fig.l in radial section;

[0021] Fig. 3a, b two different designs of fastening bolt elements provided according to the invention in a perspective representation;

[0022] Fig.4a, b two further designs of bolt elements with a hub cap connected thereto, in a simplified side view;

[0023] Fig. 5a, b a second embodiment of a vehicle wheel according to the invention, in a front view (fig. 5a) and in radial section ( f ig . 5b ) ;

[0024] Fig. 6a, b a third embodiment of a vehicle wheel according to the invention, in a rear view (fig. 5a) and in radial section ( f ig . 5b ) ,

[0025] Fig.7 a first embodiment of a vehicle wheel arrangement according to the invention in a partial radial section;

[0026] Fig.8 a second embodiment of a vehicle wheel arrangement according to the invention in a representation corresponding to fig. 7;

[0027] Fig.9 a third embodiment of a vehicle wheel arrangement according to the invention in a perspective detailed view; and

[0028] Fig.10 a fourth embodiment of a vehicle wheel arrangement according to the invention, also in a perspective detailed view.

[0029] Fig. 1 and 2 show a steel disc wheel designated in its entirety with 10, which in a known manner essentially consists of a wheel rim 11 for receiving a tyre (not shown) and a wheel disc 12 welded to the wheel rim 11. The wheel disc 12 has a disc side wall 13 with a hub connection flange 14 for fastening the vehicle wheel 10 to a wheel hub of a vehicle. The wheel rim 11 forms an outer side wall region 15 with an outer rim flange 16, an outer rim shoulder 17 and a well base side wall 18 of a rim well base 19 on the outside of the wheel (fig. 2) .

[0030] In order to be able to detachably fasten a hub cap (not shown in fig. 1 and 2) to the vehicle wheel 10 in an advantageous manner, the outer side wall region 15 of the wheel rim 11 is provided with several fastening bolt elements 20 distributed over the circumference of the vehicle wheel 10 in the first embodiment. In fig. 1 and 2, the bolt elements are shown at alternative connection regions of the side wall region 15 on differently sized pitch circles, namely as four bolt elements 20a evenly distributed over the circumference on a largest pitch circle 21a, which lies in the region of the outer rim flange 16, as bolt elements 20b on a medium pitch circle 21b, which lies in the region of the rim shoulder 17, or as a further alternative as bolt elements 20c with connection to the outer well base side wall 18, wherein the connection points of the bolts 20c on the vehicle wheel lie on an inner, smallest pitch circle 21c. It goes without saying that the bolt elements 20a, b and c shown are alternative designs, that is, the bolt elements are normally arranged on the vehicle wheel 10 either on the outside of the rim flange 16 (pitch circle 21a) or on the outside or underside of the rim shoulder 17 (pitch circle 21b) or the outside of the well base side wall 18 (pitch circle 21c) , namely they are preferably welded by means of a spot weld connection 22. In all cases, the arrangement is such that the bolt elements 20 are arranged at least substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 23 of the vehicle wheel 10, projecting from the disc side wall 13 or the side wall region 15 of the wheel rim 11, so that the wheel trim element to be mounted, in particular the hub cap, which is provided with fastening holes adapted in position to the bolt elements, can be pushed onto the bolt elements 20 in the axial direction and secured to them.

[0031] Fig.3 shows two embodiments of fastening bolt elements 20 that can be used in the invention: fig. 3a shows a threaded bolt 24 made of steel with an external thread 25 and fig. 3b shows an alternatively suitable threaded sleeve 26 with an internal thread 27. In order to be able to fix the hub cap to such bolt elements, collar nuts (not shown) are preferably used in the bolt embodiment according to fig. 3a, fastening screws with a screw head that overlaps the respective fastening hole in the hub cap in the embodiment according to fig . 3b . The arrangement can thereby also be made in such a manner that the outer diameter of the threaded sleeve 26 is larger than the diameter of the fastening hole in the hub cap , so that the edge region of the cap surrounding the fastening hole can be supported on the front side of the threaded sleeve . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the front side of the threaded sleeve 26 is designed as a truncated cone-shaped guide surface 28 , with which the attached hub cap can also be centered if it is provided with a correspondingly shaped counters ink in the edge region around the respective fastening hole . In a similar manner , the bolt elements designed as threaded bolts can be provided with a widened step (poss ibly also with a centering cone , not shown ) in order to create a defined stop for the attached hub cap in the axial direction .

[0032] Fig . 4 shows two further embodiments of fastening bolt elements 20 with which a hub cap 29 to be mounted, which is only indicated s chematically here with dash-dot lines , can be fixed to the vehicle wheel 10 . In the embodiment shown in fig . 4a , the bolt element 20 is provided with a rubber-elastic retaining head 30 which is moulded directly onto the bolt shaft 31 , which otherwise cons ists of steel . The hub cap 29 can be placed on the bolt with the respective fastening hole 32 adapted to the bolt element , whereby the elastic head can deform to such an extent that , with sufficient assembly force , it passes through the fastening hole 32 and widens again on the outside 33 of the hub cap 29 , as shown in the drawing . In the embodiment shown in fig . 4b , the bolt element 20 has a radially recessed , circumferential groove 34 , while the hub cap 29 is provided with an elastic collar 35 at the edge of the respective fastening hole 32 , which collar is compressed when the rad cap is placed on the bolt 20 and then widens again in the region of the groove and thus retains the hub cap firmly to the bolt element 20 .

[0033] In the embodiments shown in fig . 5 and 6 , the fastening bolt elements 20 are not provided in the region of the wheel rim, but on the wheel disc 12 , namely in the embodiment according to fig . 5 on the outside of the disc side wall 13 on the pitch circle of the fastening holes 36 of the hub connection flange 14 . The wheel shown in fig . 6 is provided as an external wheel for a twin tyre and is therefore mounted rotated so that the inside of the wheel disc is on the outside in the mounted state . The bolt elements 20 are thus welded to the inside 37 of the wheel disc 12 in this embodiment in order to form mounting elements for a hub cap inserted into the wheel dis c 12 from the outs ide of the vehicle .

[0034] Figures 7 to 10 show various embodiments of vehicle wheel arrangements in sections , which es sentially cons ist of a vehicle wheel 10 according to the invention and a hub cap 29 attached thereto , which are provided with suitable connection means 38 for this purpose .

[0035] In the embodiment shown in fig . 7 , the hub cap 29 is provided with fastening holes 32 which are adapted in number and position to the fastening bolt elements 20 welded to the vehicle 10 , of which only one is visible in the section shown . In this embodiment , the fastening bolt elements are designed as threaded bolts 24 with an external thread 25 . Here , the connection means 38 for fastening the hub cap 29 to the vehicle wheel 10 cons ist of fastening nuts 39 which are screwed onto the bolt elements 20 after the hub cap 29 with its fastening holes 32 has been placed onto the respectively associated threaded bolts 24 .

[0036] In the embodiment according to fig . 8 , the fastening bolt elements 20 are equipped with head formations according to fig . 4A. In this embodiment , the hub cap 29 has , as a connection means 38 , a series of retaining elements 40 arranged on the hub cap 29 in the form of push buttons pointing towards the bolt elements 20 , which are adapted in position and shape to the bolt head formations of the fastening bolt elements 20 . The retaining elements are thereby arranged on several closures 41 which are pivotably arranged on the hub cap 29 and cover the fastening bolt elements 20 in the closed state . In the closed state of the pivotable closures 41 , the retaining elements 40 engage the bolt head formations 30 of the fastening bolt elements 20 in the manner of a push button by overlapping the retaining heads 30 and gripping behind the retaining head 30 arranged on the bolt element with a retaining collar 42 formed in their interior .

[0037] The embodiment of a vehicle wheel arrangement shown in fig . 9 also uses fastening bolt elements 20 in such a manner as shown in fig . 4 . For fastening the hub cap 29 , it is provided with several closures in the form of sliding pieces 43 that can be displaced in the radial direction and that respectively have a locking groove 44 forming an undercut . When the sliding pieces 43 are moved radially outwards by hand or by means of a suitable tool after the hub cap 29 has been fitted to the vehicle wheel 10 , the retaining head 30 engages pos itively in the sliding piece on the associated bolt element 20 in that its proj ecting edge reaches in front of the undercut of the locking groove 44 . The sliding piece is secured against unintentional pushing back inwards in a suitable manner , for example by means of a latch element ( not shown ) , as is known to the person s killed in the art . It is also held in the radially outer, locking pos ition by the centrifugal forces acting during travel .

[0038] Finally, in the vehicle wheel arrangement shown in fig . 10 , the retaining elements 40 have a bayonet locking element 45 for each fastening bolt element 20 on the vehicle wheel 10 , which locking element is rotatably mounted on the hub cap 2 9 and which cooperates with the bolt head formation 30 of the associated fastening bolt element 20 for fastening the wheel trim element 29 . Unlike the embodiment according to fig . 9 , the locking is thus not effected here by a translational movement of a sliding piece , but by a rotary movement of the bayonet locking element 45 after it has been attached to the bolt head 30 of the as sociated fastening bolt element 20 .

[0039] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described, but various changes and additions are possible without departing from the scope of the invention . For example , it is possible in some cases that the wheel cover to be fastened can be reduced to a trim or aerodynamic ring that only covers the gap between the rim flange and the wheel disc . The invention can also be used advantageously for vehicle wheels made of a metal material other than steel , such as aluminium.

Claims

Claims :

1. A metal vehicle wheel, in particular of steel, with a wheel rim (11) for receiving a tyre and with a wheel disc (12) connected to the wheel rim (11) , which wheel disc has a disc side wall (13) with a hub connection flange (14) for fastening the vehicle wheel (10) to a wheel hub of a vehicle, wherein the wheel rim(11) has an outer side wall region (15) with an outer rim flange (16) , an outer rim shoulder (17) and / or a rim well base side wall (18) of a rim well bed (19) on the outside of the wheel, characterized in that the outer side wall region (15) of the wheel rim (11) and / or the disc side wall (13) of the wheel disc(12) is / are provided with a several fastening bolt elements (20) distributed over the circumference of the vehicle wheel (10) for a wheel trim element (29) or the like, in particular for a hub cap, which are arranged substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (23) of the vehicle wheel (10) projecting from the disc side wall (13) or the side wall region (15) of the wheel rim (11) •2. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are welded, in particular spot- welded, to the wheel rim (11) and / or to the wheel disc (12) .

3. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are threaded bolts (24) with an external thread (25) or threaded sleeves (26) with an internal thread (27) .

4. The vehicle wheel according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least three fastening bolt elements (20) are arranged preferably evenly distributed over the circumference on the disc side wall (13) and / or the side wall region (15) of the wheel rim (11) .

5. The vehicle wheel according to one of claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are arranged on the outside of the wheel on the disc side wall (13) and / or the side wall region (15) of the wheel rim (11) .

6. The vehicle wheel according to one of claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are arranged on the inside of the wheel on the disc side wall (13) .

7. The vehicle wheel according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are welded on the outside of the wheel to the outer rim flange (16) , to the outer rim shoulder (17) or to the rim well base side wall (18) of the rim well base (19) on the outside of the wheel.

8. The vehicle wheel according to one of claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are stepped and form a stop collar for the trim element (29) .

9. The vehicle wheel according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the fastening bolt elements (20) are provided with bolt head formations (30, 34) for positive connection to the decorative element, in particular the hub cap (29) .

10. The vehicle wheel according to claim 9, characterized in that the bolt head formations have a radially recessed, circumferential groove (34) and / or a collar (30) projecting radially beyond the bolt diameter.

11. A vehicle wheel arrangement, essentially consisting of a vehicle wheel (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and a wheel trim element or an aerodynamic element, in particular a hub cap (29) , which is / are provided with connection means (38) adapted in position and shape to the fastening bolt elements (20) formed on the vehicle wheel (10) , whereby it is connected or can be connected to the fastening bolt elements (20) .

12. The vehicle wheel arrangement according to claim 11 with reference to claim 3, characterized in that the connection means (38) comprise fastening nuts (39) or fastening screws which can be or are screwed tightly to fastening holes (32) formed on the wheel trim element (29) on the threaded bolts (24) or on the threaded sleeves (26) .

13. The vehicle wheel arrangement according to claim 12 with reference to claim 9, characterized in that the connection meanscomprise retaining elements (40) arranged on the wheel trim element (29) , which retaining elements are adapted in position and shape to the bolt head formations (30) of the fastening bolt elements (20) and can be connected or are connected to them in a positive detachable manner.

14. The vehicle wheel arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that the retaining elements (40) are arranged on at least one closure (41; 43) movably arranged on the wheel trim element (29) and coverings the fastening bolt elements (20) in the closed state.

15. The vehicle wheel arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the closure (41) is pivotally mounted on the wheel trim element (29) , wherein the retaining elements (40) engage the bolt head formations (30) of the fastening bolt elements (20) in the closed state of the closure in the manner of a push button.

16. The vehicle wheel arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the closure comprises a sliding piece (43) which is preferably displaceable in the radial direction and has a locking groove (44) forming an undercut, into which the bolt head formation (30) of the associated fastening bolt element (20) fits in a positive manner in the locked state.

17. The vehicle wheel arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that the retaining elements preferably comprise a bayonet locking element (45) for each fastening bolt element (20) , which locking element is rotatably mounted on the wheel trim element (29) and which cooperates with the bolt head formation (30) of the associated fastening bolt element (20) for fastening the wheel trim element (29) .

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