Abstract:
A metal wheel which produces an unusual visual effect when rotated employs a disc member extending between a center hub and outermost rim in angular relationship to the wheel&#39;s axis of rotation. The rim is provided with a continuously varied weighting feature to neutralize the centrifugal imbalance that would otherwise be produced.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 12/459,077, filed Jun. 29, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,901,012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to wheels for vehicles intended for outdoor use upon roadways and pathways, and more particularly concerns wheels which support resilient tires as employed by motorized vehicles. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     It is well known that wheels can impart desirable aesthetic effects to the vehicle with which they are associated. In the case of automobiles and trucks, decorative hub caps are often removably emplaced upon the center portion of the wheel that includes an axle which secures the wheel. In other instances, the entire central portion of the wheel structure, extending from the centered axle to the outer perimeter or tire-mounting rim may be of a specialized design having high aesthetic appeal. 
     In many instances, the wheel design is intended to be attractive particularly when the vehicle is motionless. However, wheel designs are also employed wherein a special visual effect is produced during motion of the vehicle. Such movement effects usually employ a hub cap that rotates by inertial action. However, wheels which contain interactive moving components may have durability limitations and may present safety concerns. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,901,012 relates to a wheel which produces a novel eccentric visual effect upon rotation. However, its specialized construction presents fabrication difficulties. In particular, it is not amenable to fabrication by casting or hot shaping techniques generally employed for the manufacture of wheels for automotive vehicles. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a wheel which will provide an unusual visual effect. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a wheel as in the foregoing object which secures a resilient tire. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a wheel of the aforesaid nature intended for use on vehicles such as automobiles and motorcycles. 
     It is an additional object of this invention to provide a wheel of the aforesaid nature amenable to fabrication by way of metal casting methods. 
     These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a metal wheel of monolithic construction having opposed sides of equal diameter and comprised of:
     a) a hub having a centered axis of rotation, and provided with means for releasible attachment to an axle of a wheeled vehicle,   b) a disc member extending outwardly from said hub to a substantially circular outer boundary and centered upon a plane which intersects said axis at an angle between 47 and 87 degrees,   c) a rim member of generally circular configuration centered upon said axis and bounded in part by oppositely spaced apart side panels in substantially orthogonal relationship to said axis and embracing a circular cylindrical interior surface that joins with the outer boundary of said disc member as a continuous integral extension thereof while positioning said outer boundary to associate with said side panels at diametrically opposed distal sites, and an exterior surface surrounding said interior surface and having means for the mounting of a rubber tire, and   d) a continuously variable balancing zone bounded in part by said interior and exterior surfaces and having a radially measured thickness that progressively varies in the axial direction, the smallest thickness being associated with said distal sites,   e) said interior and exterior surfaces having linearly translatable configurations without re-entrant features.   

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the wheel of the present invention, shown in association with a tire in phantom outline. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view as in  FIG. 1  shown in association with mold components used for the production of the wheel by way of a casting operation. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with partial mold components. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the wheel in association with mold components. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , an embodiment of the wheel  10  of the present invention is shown comprised of disc member  12 , rim member  13 , and hub  11  having bore  14  centered upon axis  15 . Said several components of the wheel are shown as a single monolithic metallic shape produced by a molding operation, and wherein both opposed sides of the wheel are of identical but inverted appearance. 
     Hub  11  has means for securing the wheel onto an axle which may provide rotary driving force. Such axle, not a part of this invention, may be associated, for example, with a motor vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, truck, wagon or trailer. Suitable securing means may be in the form of a plurality of axially-directed bolt-accommodating bores  49  which can be drilled through the hub following the molding operation. Said bolts would align with bolt-receiving holes in a conventional flange secured to such axle. Other axle-securing means may, however by employed, especially with a motorcycle axle. 
     Disc member  12  extends outwardly from its emergence from hub  11 , terminating in a substantially circular outer boundary  16 . Said disc member is centered upon plane  30  that intersects axis  15  at an acute angle A of between 47 and 87 degrees. The smaller angles within such range apply to golf cart type wheels which are of small diameter and have a relatively wide rim or tread. Said disc member is further bounded by opposed surfaces  17 , which may be flat or contoured. 
     Rim member  13  is bounded in part by circular cylindrical interior surface  20  and exterior surface  19 , both surfaces centered upon axis  15 , and further bounded by oppositely spaced apart side panels  22  disposed in substantially orthogonal relationship to axis  15 . Interior surface  20  integrally merges with the outer boundary  16  of said disc member and positions said outer boundary to associate with said side panels at diametrically opposed distal sites  47 . The width of said rim member, measured laterally between side panels  22  is constant throughout the perimeter of the rim member. Whereas interior surface  20  has a circular cylindrical shape, exterior surface  19  has a precisely twisted configuration which serves to controllably vary the thickness of the intervening annular zone of metal  48  embraced by said interior and exterior surfaces. Specifically, the radially measured thickness of zone  48  progressively varies in the axial direction, the smallest thickness being associated with the aforesaid distal sites where disc member  12  contacts or most closely approaches a side panel  22 . Such variable thickness of zone  48  neutralizes centrifugal imbalances caused by the angled nature of disc member  12 . In the absence of said balancing feature, the wheel would vibrate with an intensity that would increase with the rotational speed of the wheel. 
     Although the wheel, when viewed in horizontal side profile, has a lopsided appearance, it is perfectly balanced with respect to centrifugal effect about axis  15 . During travel, the rotating wheel presents an extremely unusual eccentric or wobble effect which simulates the appearance of a wheel about to dislodge from its supporting axle. The unusual visual effect can be further enhanced by complimentary indicia placed upon surfaces  17  of the disc member. 
     Exterior surface  19  has associated tire mounting means comprised of opposed abutment flanges  32  adapted to interact with the bead portion of rubber tires. Said tire mounting means may be adapted to accommodate either a tubeless or tube-equipped tire  33  whose outermost tread  37  surrounds the wheel. 
     Said interior and exterior surfaces,  20  and  19 , respectively, have linearly translatable configurations having no re-entrant features. Such configurations enable the wheel to be cast from molten metal employing mold components which can be pulled straight away from the cast wheel. 
     An example of a suitable mold apparatus is shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 . The exemplified mold apparatus is comprised of paired side inserts  39  adapted to be brought together upon axis  15  so as to define disc member  12  and hub  11 . Circular cylindrical posts  40  of inserts  39  are intended to come into abutment so as to define bore  14  and also control the thickness of the resultant disc member  12 . 
     Opposed cup members  41  of the mold apparatus each have spaced apart retaining walls  42  of semi circular configuration terminating in ends  43 . A shaping wall  45  extends between said retaining walls. In operation, the paired inserts  39  are brought into contact with proper alignment. The cup members  41  are then brought together so that opposing ends  43  are in abutment and retaining walls  42  embrace portions of outermost faces  44  of inserts  39 . Provisions are made by way of standard molding technology for the alignment of the several mold components, introduction of molten metal, cooling, and removal of mold components from the molded wheel. It should be noted that the molding process, with the requisite straight away removal of the mold components is made possible only by virtue of the specialized configuration of the wheel wherein there are no re-entrant structural features in the axial or radial directions of the wheel. 
     The preferred metal for fabrication of the wheel of this invention is aluminum or aluminum alloys having a melting point below 700 deg. C. The mold components are preferably fabricated of iron or iron alloys, or specialized refractory compositions. The surfaces of the mold components that contact the molten metal during the casting process may be provided with specialized release coatings well known in the art. 
     While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.