US4514013A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction
Assignee: Wachovia Capital Finance Corp Central
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Filing: 1983-12-12
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Granted: 1985-04-30
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Expires: 2003-12-12
Abstract
Abstract A fiber-reinforced composite vehicle wheel, and a method and apparatus for construction thereof. The wheel comprises a disc portion having reinforcing fibers in substantially random orientation disposed predominantly in planes perpendicular to the wheel axis, and a rim portion having directional first reinforcing fibers substantially parallel to each other and oriented circumferentially of or substantially parallel to the wheel axis, or both, and second reinforcing fibers which are substantially randomly oriented circumferentially of the wheel axis. The method includes formation of separate rim and disc charges from sheet molding plastic resin compound and compression molding of the charges to form an integral composite rim and disc structure of essentially homogeneous resin reinforced by the fibers. An apparatus for molding the wheel features radially movable rim mold sections and axially reciprocable disc mold sections all having mold surface contours for forming a molded composite wheel of desired configuration.
Inventors
- 👤 James A. Woelfel
- 👤 Richard W. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:23
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C53/00; B29C53/56; B29C53/58; B29C53/60; B29C70/00; B29C70/003; B29C70/04; B29C70/06; B29C70/08; B29C70/081; B29C70/10; B29C70/12; B29C70/14; B29C70/28; B29C70/30; B29C70/32; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/46; B29C70/462; B29C70/50; B29C70/504; B29C70/508; B29C70/54; B29C70/545; B60; B60B; B60B5/00; B60B5/02; B29B; B29B15/00; B29B15/08; B29B15/10; B29B15/12; B29B15/122; B29C2793/00; B29C2793/0081; B29K; B29K2309/00; B29K2309/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A composite wheel construction of fiber-reinforced resin comprising a disc portion wherein reinforcing fibers comprise discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion integral with said disc portion wherein reinforcing fibers include discontinuous fibers at least some of which are oriented substantially circumferentially of the wheel axis and in which said fibers are disposed predominantly in multiple essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
A composite wheel construction of fiber-reinforced resin comprising a disc portion wherein reinforcing fibers comprise discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion integral with said disc portion wherein reinforcing fibers include discontinuous fibers at least some of which are oriented substantially circumferentially of the wheel axis and in which said fibers are disposed predominantly in multiple essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 1 wherein at least some of said reinforcing fibers in said rim portion are oriented substantially parallel to the wheel axis, and wherein said substantially circumferentially oriented fibers and said fibers oriented substantially parallel to the wheel axis are disposed in respective essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said substantially circumferentially oriented fibers and said fibers oriented substantially parallel to the wheel axis are disposed in multiple respectively alternating circumferential layers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 3 wherein said rim portion of said wheel construction includes an integral bead retaining flange, and wherein said reinforcing fibers oriented substantially parallel to the wheel axis extend into said flange.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 4 wherein said reinforcing fibers are of glass construction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 3 wherein said rim portion includes reinforcing fibers which are substantially randomly oriented circumferentially of the wheel axis and disposed in said essentially distinct layers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction comprising a disc portion in which reinforcing fibers consist essentially of discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion having first reinforcing fibers oriented substantially randomly of the wheel axis and second reinforcing fibers oriented in preselected directions with respect to the wheel axis, with said first and second fibers being disposed predominantly in respective essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
A fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction comprising a disc portion in which reinforcing fibers consist essentially of discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion having first reinforcing fibers oriented substantially randomly of the wheel axis and second reinforcing fibers oriented in preselected directions with respect to the wheel axis, with said first and second fibers being disposed predominantly in respective essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 7 wherein said first and second reinforcing fibers in said rim portion are disposed in multiple respectively alternating essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 8 wherein said second reinforcing fibers in said rim portion comprise directional reinforcing fibers essentially parallel to the wheel axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 8 wherein said rim portion is integral with said disc portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 10 wherein said reinforcing fibers are of a construction selected from the group consisting of glass, aramid, graphite and carbon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 8 wherein said random fibers in said disc and rim portions are in the range of 1.25 cm to 10 cm in length.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 12 wherein said random fibers in said rim and disc portions are substantially 2.5 cm in length.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 12 wherein said directional fibers in said rim portion are in the range of 5 cm to 30 cm in length.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 14 wherein said directional fibers are substantially 20 cm in length.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 8 wherein said reinforcing fibers comprise less than eighty percent of the weight of said wheel construction.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The wheel construction set forth in claim 16 wherein said reinforcing fibers comprise substantially fifty percent of the weight of said wheel construction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
84 words
A fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction comprising a disc portion in which reinforcing fibers consist essentially of discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion having first reinforcing fibers oriented substantially randomly of the wheel axis and second intermittently discontinuous reinforcing fibers oriented essentially circumferentially of the wheel axis, with said first and second fibers being disposed predominantly in multiple respectively alternating essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
A fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction comprising a disc portion in which reinforcing fibers consist essentially of discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion having first reinforcing fibers oriented substantially randomly of the wheel axis and second intermittently discontinuous reinforcing fibers oriented essentially circumferentially of the wheel axis, with said first and second fibers being disposed predominantly in multiple respectively alternating essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
103 words
A fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction comprising a disc portion in which reinforcing fibers consist essentially of discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion having first reinforcing fibers oriented substantially randomly of the wheel axis and second reinforcing fibers oriented in preselected directions with respect to the wheel axis including fibers essentially parallel to the wheel axis and intermittently discontinuous fibers essentially circumferential to the wheel axis, with said first and second fibers being disposed predominantly in multiple respectively alternating essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
103 words
A fiber-reinforced composite wheel construction comprising a disc portion in which reinforcing fibers consist essentially of discontinuous fibers disposed predominantly in multiple axially distinct layers and oriented in each of said layers substantially randomly of the wheel axis, and a rim portion having first reinforcing fibers oriented substantially randomly of the wheel axis and second reinforcing fibers oriented in preselected directions with respect to the wheel axis including fibers essentially parallel to the wheel axis and intermittently discontinuous fibers essentially circumferential to the wheel axis, with said first and second fibers being disposed predominantly in multiple respectively alternating essentially radially distinct circumferential layers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-04-29 | 1988-10-29 | 1989-04-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-04-29 | 1992-10-29 | 1993-04-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-04-29 | 1996-10-29 | 1997-04-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |