Method of forming fiber reinforced synthetic material wheel

Claim 1

A method of making a fiber reinforced synthetic material automotive vehicle wheel, which method comprises: (A) providing a compression moldable pre-form of a synthetic material wheel, which pre-form comprises: a substantially planar spider portion comprising random, chopped fiber reinforced resin; a first tubular section comprising fiber reinforced resin sheet surrounding said spider portion about an axis substantially normal to the plane of said spider portion; and a second tubular section comprising fiber reinforced resin sheet surrounding and substantially coaxial with said first tubular section, extending axially in both directions beyond said first tubular section, said fiber reinforced resin sheet of said first tubular section and said second tubular section each comprising random, chopped fiber and continuous fiber; and (B) compression molding said pre-form at a temperature of about from 275° to 325° F., at a pressure of about from 700 to 1500 psi, for a time of about from 3 to 6 minutes.

Claim 2

A method of making a fiber reinforced synthetic material automotive vehicle wheel, which method comprises: (A) providing a compression moldable pre-form of a synthetic material wheel, which pre-form comprises: a substantially planar spider portion comprising random, chopped fiber reinforced resin; a first tubular section comprising fiber reinforced resin sheet surrounding said spider portion about an axis substantially normal to the plane of said spider portion; and a second tubular section comprising fiber reinforced resin sheet surrounding and substantially coaxial with said first tubular section, extending axially in both directions beyond said first tubular section, said fiber reinforced resin sheet of said first tubular section and said second tubular section each comprising random, chopped fiber and continuous fiber; and (B) compression molding said pre-form at a temperature of about from 275° to 325° F., at a pressure of about from 700 to 1500 psi, for a time of about from 3 to 6 minutes.

Claim 18

A method of making a fiber reinforced synthetic material automotive vehicle road wheel, which method comprises: (A) providing a compression moldable pre-form for an automotive vehicle road wheel comprising: a substantially planar spider portion comprising sheet molding compound comprising about from 45% to 55% by weight random, chopped glass roving, substantially all of which is about from 0.5 to 2 inches in length; a first tubular section comprising fiber reinforced resin sheet surrounding said spider portion about an axis substantially normal to the plane of said spider portion; and a second tubular section surrounding and substantially coaxial with said first tubular section, extending axially in both directions beyond said first tubular section, wherein said fiber reinforced resin sheet of said first and second tubular sections each comprises alternating sub-layers of fiber reinforced resin wherein each of a first set of one or more sub-layers comprises random, chopped glass roving, substantially all of which is about from 0.5 to 2 inches in length, and wherein each of a second set of one or more sub-layers comprises continuous glass roving, said continuous glass roving and said random, chopped glass roving being present in said fiber reinforced resin sheet in a weight ratio of about from 1:1 to 4:1, respectively, and in combined amount of about from 55% to 72% by weight, wherein the continuous glass roving within a sub-layer comprises a first set of continuous fibers substantially parallel each other and a second set of continuous fibers substantially parallel each other, said first set of fibers intersecting said second set of fibers at an acute angle of about from 10° to 50°, and wherein said continuous fibers of said first tubular section are approximately perpendicular to the continuous fibers of said second tubular section; and (B) compression molding said pre-form at a temperature of about from 275° to 325° F., at a pressure of about from 700 to 1500 psi, for a time of about from 3 to 6 minutes.

Claim 19

A method of making a fiber reinforced synthetic material automotive vehicle road wheel, which method comprises: (A) providing a compression moldable pre-form for an automotive vehicle road wheel comprising: a substantially planar spider portion comprising sheet molding compound comprising about from 45% to 55% by weight random, chopped glass roving, substantially all of which is about from 0.5 to 2 inches in length; a first tubular section comprising fiber reinforced resin sheet surrounding said spider portion about an axis substantially normal to the plane of said spider portion; and a second tubular section surrounding and substantially coaxial with said first tubular section, extending axially in both directions beyond said first tubular section, wherein said fiber reinforced resin sheet of said first and second tubular sections each comprises alternating sub-layers of fiber reinforced resin wherein each of a first set of one or more sub-layers comprises random, chopped glass roving, substantially all of which is about from 0.5 to 2 inches in length, and wherein each of a second set of one or more sub-layers comprises continuous glass roving, said continuous glass roving and said random, chopped glass roving being present in said fiber reinforced resin sheet in a weight ratio of about from 1:1 to 4:1, respectively, and in combined amount of about from 55% to 72% by weight, wherein the continuous glass roving within a sub-layer comprises a first set of continuous fibers substantially parallel each other and a second set of continuous fibers substantially parallel each other, said first set of fibers intersecting said second set of fibers at an acute angle of about from 10° to 50°, and wherein said continuous fibers of said first tubular section are approximately perpendicular to the continuous fibers of said second tubular section; and (B) compression molding said pre-form at a temperature of about from 275° to 325° F., at a pressure of about from 700 to 1500 psi, for a time of about from 3 to 6 minutes.