Patent ID: 7464995
Filing Date: 2008-12-16
Classification: B60B

Abstract:
1. A fabricated vehicle wheel comprising: a wheel rim including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inner tire bead seat, a well, an outer tire bead seat, and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange; a fabricated single piece wheel disc joined to said wheel rim and defining a wheel axis, said wheel disc including an inner wheel mounting pad, an outer annular rim connecting flange and a plurality of radial spokes connecting said inner wheel mounting pad to said rim connecting flange, said inner wheel mounting pad provided with a centrally located pilot aperture and a plurality of lug bolt receiving holes circumferentially spaced around said pilot aperture, said rim connecting flange extending in an axial direction and including a side edge surface extending between each pair of adjacent spokes and facing in a generally axial outboard direction, wherein each of said spokes defines a radial line intersecting said wheel axis and each of said spokes is symmetrical with respect to said radial line, and wherein each of said lug bolt holes is located along said radial line of each of said spokes; and a separate window formed in said wheel disc between each pair of adjacent spokes, each window having a predetermined shape defined by said adjacent spokes and said side edge surface of said rim connecting flange such that each window extends to an outermost periphery of said wheel disc; wherein said inner wheel mounting pad includes only one rib provided therein between each pair of said lug bolt receiving holes, said rib having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein said outer surface of said rib includes a pair of side portions a center portion, said side portions being generally curved surfaces and said center portion being a generally planar surface, wherein said center portion of said rib includes an inner end portion and an outer end portion, said inner end portion originating in said inner wheel mounting pad adjacent said pilot aperture, said outer end portion extending into said wheel disc near a nose portion of said window, wherein said inner end portion extends generally parallel with respect to an axis of said inner wheel mounting pad and generally perpendicular with respect to said wheel axis and extends a first distance, and wherein said outer end portion extends at an angle relative to said wheel axis and extends a second distance.