Patent ID: 6370777
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: B21D,B23P,B60B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for producing a full face vehicle wheel comprising the steps of:(a) providing a vehicle wheel assembly having a wheel rim and a wheel disc joined together and defining a generally horizontal wheel axis, the wheel rim including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, a well, and an outboard tire bead seat, the inboard tire bead seat including an inner surface and an outer surface, the inboard tire bead seat retaining flange including an inner surface and an outer surface, the wheel disc including a wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion, the wheel mounting portion provided with a center pilot aperture and a plurality of lug bolt receiving holes circumferentially spaced around the center pilot aperture, the wheel mounting portion including an inboard mounting surface which defines a vertical wheel axis which is generally perpendicular to the horizontal wheel axis, the outer annular portion of the wheel disc including an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the vehicle wheel; (b) supporting the vehicle wheel assembly on a vehicle wheel fixturing and press apparatus, the vehicle wheel fixturing and press apparatus including a wheel fixturing member and a wheel press member, the wheel fixturing member adapted to pilot the vehicle wheel assembly on the center pilot hole of the wheel disc, the wheel press member adapted to be piloted relative to the wheel fixturing member, the wheel fixturing member including an outer portion having a predetermined profile which is effective to locate laterally on at least a portion of the outer surface of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel disc, the wheel press member including a stepped outer portion defining a first outer portion and a second outer portion, the first outer portion effective to locate radially on at least a portion of the inner surface of the inboard tire bead seat of the wheel rim, and the second outer portion effective to locate laterally on at least a portion of the inner surface of the inboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel rim; and (c) selectively moving at least one of the wheel fixturing member and the wheel press member toward one another so as to engage and squeeze the inboard tire bead seat radially so as to expand the inboard tire bead seat in the radial direction to round up the radial runout of the inboard tire bead seat whereby the inner surface of the inboard tire bead seat is oriented and located at a desired radial distance relative to the horizontal wheel axis and in a generally concentric relationship therewith.