Patent ID: 7703859
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: B60B

Abstract:
1. A wheel configured to be mounted to a vehicle, the wheel comprising: (a) an inboard rim flange on an inboard side of the wheel; (b) an outboard rim flange on an outboard side of the wheel; (c) a wheel barrel comprising a radially inner surface with a wheel width extending between the inboard and outboard rim flanges; (d) a curved wheel center attached to the wheel barrel at a junction, the wheel center comprising a generally convex shape when viewed from the outboard side, or a generally concave shape when viewed from the inboard side; and (e) the radially inner surface of the wheel barrel comprising a region with a generally smooth and generally frustoconical surface extending from a point on the radially inner surface near the outboard side of the wheel to the junction, wherein a first diameter of the radially inner surface near the outboard side of the wheel is greater than a second diameter of the inner surface immediately adjacent to an outboard side of the junction, wherein at least a portion of the radially inner surface of the wheel barrel from the junction to the inboard rim flange is visible from the outboard side of the wheel, wherein the radially inner surface of the wheel barrel comprises a region with a generally smooth and generally frustoconical surface extending from the junction to a point on the radially inner surface near the inboard side of the wheel, and wherein a third diameter of the radially inner surface immediately adjacent to an inboard side of the junction is greater than a fourth diameter near the inboard side of the wheel.