Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a wheel insert used with aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a milled, wheel, insert used to modify the original lug bolt pattern of a vehicle wheel to adapt the vehicle wheel for use with almost any vehicle regardless of the number or spacing of lug bolts located on the vehicle&#39;s hub.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed to a wheel insert used with aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels, wherein the wheel insert facilitates the modification of the lug bolt pattern of the vehicle wheel, thereby allowing virtually any vehicle wheel to be mounted to any vehicle, regardless of the original lug bolt pattern used with the vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Automobiles have always been dependent upon wheels for motion. Vehicle wheels are designed in such a manner that every wheel has a specific number and pattern of lug bolt receiving orifices located at the center portion of the wheel. Automobiles are equipped with wheel receiving members called hubs, and most vehicles have four hubs. Each vehicle hub is designed to mate with a specific vehicle wheel. Each hub includes a plurality of lug bolts, wherein the number and placement of the lug bolts creates a particular lug bolt pattern. The lug bolts protrude outwardly from the vehicle hub and are designed to penetrate and extend through the lug bolt receiving orifices in the vehicle wheel. Each lug bolt pattern on the hub has a specific number of lug bolts, i.e., 4, 5, 6 or 8 lug bolts and the lug bolts are arranged on the center portion of the hub in a variety of uniform patterns. Likewise, every vehicle wheel includes an original number and placement of lug bolt receiving orifices, through which the lug bolts of the hub are intended to engage. Once the lug bolts have penetrated and extend through the lug bolt receiving orifices of the wheel, a lug nut is threadedly fastened to the exposed end of each lug bolt to secure the wheel to the hub of the vehicle. 
         [0003]    When the vehicle wheel is properly mated with the corresponding lug bolts protruding from the hub of the vehicle, the wheel may then be properly mounted on to the hub. 
         [0004]    It is common for owners of vehicles to change or customize the wheels on their vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers often use very different lug bolt patterns to distinguish the wheels manufactured for their automobiles from the wheels manufactured for other vehicle manufacturers. For example, a wheel that mates with the lug bolt pattern of a hub on a GENERAL MOTORS® automobile, will likely not mate with the lug bolt pattern of a hub on a vehicle made by FORD®, CHRYSLER®, HONDA®, TOYOTA®, NISSAN®, etc. The same is true of the other manufacturers. 
         [0005]    Further, the owner of a TOYOTA® automobile may want to mount a set of wheels on his or her automobile that were originally intended to mate with a FORD® automobile. Typically, the lug bolt pattern of a TOYOTA® automobile will not align with a wheel intended to mate with a FORD® automobile. Often times a custom wheel manufacturer may not manufacture a particular style of its custom wheels to mate with every brand and/or make of automobile and therefore, some automobile owners are limited as to what type of wheel they can use with their automobile. Occasionally, the owner of an automobile will end up with an extra set of wheels that he or she would like to use on an alternate automobile, but the lug bolt pattern of these wheels does not match up with the lug bolt pattern of the particular automobile. In these instances, the automobile owner is left with an unusable set of automobile wheels, and the owner may have to greatly discount the price of these wheels in order to sell them, or trade them for wheels that he or she can use, or may simply dispose of the extra set of wheels in some other manner. 
         [0006]    The present invention wheel insert is used with existing aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels to modify the number and spacing of lug bolt receiving orifices, to allow the modified vehicle wheel to be used with virtually any automobile. This invention provides for the secondary or tertiary use of vehicle wheels, regardless of the make or model of the automobile for which the wheels are to be used. 
         [0007]    Therefore a need exists to provide an effective, cost-efficient, and easily installed, wheel insert which can be used to modify the lug bolt receiving orifices of any aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel to provide for the use of said vehicle wheel with virtually any make of automobile. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention is directed to a wheel insert for use with aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a wheel insert for use with aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels which are used to modify the placement and number of the lug bolt receiving orifices of the vehicle wheel to allow virtually any vehicle wheel to be used with any vehicle, regardless of the number of lug bolts and the pattern of the lug bolts, on the vehicle hub. The wheel inserts are comprised of a ring-shaped body, having an inner diameter surface, an outer diameter surface and a central annular opening. The inner diameter surface of the wheel insert further includes a first upper chamfer, a second lower chamfer and an axial mid-section which separates the first upper chamfer from the second lower chamfer. The outer diameter surface of the wheel insert also includes a knurled finish and a third lower chamfer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and together with a general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, and any alternative embodiment given below, serve to explain the principals of the invention. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel in combination with an end mill tool. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the lug bolt receiving orifice pattern of the aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view of the lug bolt receiving orifice pattern of the aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel shown in  FIG. 2 , in combination with an end mill tool. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the present invention wheel insert. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cut-away, perspective view of the modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel shown in  FIG. 3 , wherein a new lug bolt-receiving orifice has been counter bored into the vehicle wheel. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cut-away, perspective view of the modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel shown in  FIG. 5 , further illustrating the installation of the wheel insert into the newly counter-bored lug bolt-receiving orifice. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective, cross-section view of the present invention wheel insert. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a front view of an end mill tool illustrating the use of a counter bore bit. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  illustrates a wheel insert blank having the same dimensions and thickness as the present invention wheel insert. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  illustrates the modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel shown in  FIG. 6 , wherein a vehicle lug bolt has penetrated and is protruding through the wheel insert. A lug nut is additionally shown in  FIG. 10 , wherein the lug nut is in axial alignment to threadedly engage the exposed end of the lug nut. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a frontal view of a modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel illustrating a factory installed, dual-drilled,  5  lug set of original lug bolt receiving orifices and six new lug bolt receiving orifices that have been counter-bored into the vehicle wheel.  FIG. 11  also illustrates the insertion of the wheel insert into the  6  new lug bolt receiving orifices. 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a frontal view of a modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel illustrating the factory installed, single-drilled,  6  lug bolt set of original lug bolt receiving orifices and  5  new lug bolt receiving orifices that have been counter-bored into the vehicle wheel.  FIG. 12  also illustrates the insertion of the wheel insert into the  5  new lug bolt receiving orifices 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a frontal view of a modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel illustrating the factory installed, single-drilled,  6  lug set of original lug bolt receiving orifices and  6  new lug bolt receiving orifices that have been counter-bored into the vehicle wheel.  FIG. 13  also illustrates the insertion of the wheel insert into the  6  new lug bolt receiving orifices. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is a frontal view of a modified aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel illustrating the factory installed, single-drilled,  5  lug set of original lug bolt receiving orifices and  5  new lug bolt receiving orifices that have been counter-bored into the vehicle wheel.  FIG. 14  also illustrates the insertion of the wheel insert into the  5  new lug bolt receiving orifices. 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional, cutaway view of  15 - 15 ′ that illustrates the structure of the new lug bolt-receiving orifice in association with the factory installed original lug bolt-receiving orifice. 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional, cutaway view of  16 - 16 ′ that illustrates the structure of the new lug bolt-receiving orifice further illustrating the insertion of the wheel insert therein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    A preferred embodiment wheel insert  10  for use with an aluminum-alloy wheel  12  is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 7 . The wheel insert  10  is preferably comprised of 1018 hot rolled steel or similar hardened steel material that is a much harder material as compared to the relatively soft aluminum-alloy material comprising the wheel  12 . The wheel insert  10  generally includes a ring-shaped body  14 , having an inner diameter surface  16 , an outer diameter surface  18  and a central annular opening  20 . The inner diameter surface  16  of the wheel insert  10  further includes a first upper chamfer  22 , a second lower chamfer  24  and an axial mid-section  26  which separates the first upper chamfer  22  from the second lower chamfer  24 . The second lower chamfer  24  is formed during the polishing or de-burring process of manufacturing the wheel insert  10 . The outer diameter surface  18  of the wheel insert  10  includes a knurled finish  28  and a third lower chamfer  30 . The axial mid-section  26  of the inner diameter surface  16  of the wheel insert  10 , generally is in parallel, axial alignment with the outer diameter surface  18 . The diameter D 1  of the central annular opening  20  is approximately ⅝ inch, which is just slightly wider than the standard width of a common lug bolt  31  shown in  FIG. 10 . The outer diameter D 2  of the ring-shaped body  14  is approximately 1 inch. The length of the outer diameter D 2  of the ring-shaped body  14  is not as critical as the length of the diameter D 1  of the central annular opening  20 , however the narrower the outer diameter D 2  of the ring-shaped body  14 , the narrower a new bore  34  will be required to be made in the wheel  12 , and the smaller the bore diameter will result in less aluminum-alloy material being bored out of the wheel  12 . Removing as little as possible aluminum-alloy material during the boring and counter-boring process will result in preserving more integrity and strength of the wheel  12 . The preferred thickness T of the ring-shaped body  14  is in the range of ¼ inch to 5/16 inch, but can vary depending upon the particular application. 
         [0027]    As previously discussed herein, and illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and  FIGS. 11-14 , original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicle wheels  12  include an initial number and particular spacing of original lug bolt receiving orifices  32 . When it is desired that the vehicle wheel  12  is to be modified to add a new set of lug bolt receiving orifices  34  so that the wheel  12  will mate with a hub (not shown) of a different vehicle (not shown), the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  must be carefully counter-bored into the wheel  12 . 
         [0028]    The rotating head of an end mill machine  36 , shown in  FIG. 1 , is typically used to bore into the vehicle wheel  12  to create the new lug bolt-receiving orifice  34 . The end mill machine  36  employs a counter-bore tool  38 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , rather than a traditional, tapered drill bit (not shown). The counter-bore tool  38  has a flat-faced end  40 , instead of a tapered end commonly used with drill bits (not shown). The benefit of using a counter-bore tool  38  is that the flat-faced end  40  will not “walk” or “drift” with respect to the surface of the wheel  12 , while the a new lug bolt receiving orifice  34  is being bored. Due to the substantial expense of aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels  12  and the inability to remove or repair damage made to aluminum-alloy wheels, it is vitally important that the new lug bolt receiving orifice  34  be precisely bored into the wheel  12 , with as little damage to the wheel  12  as possible. 
         [0029]    In order to bore a new lug bolt receiving orifice  34 , a first or pilot bore  34 a is made into the wheel  12 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3  and  15 , wherein the diameter D 1  of the counter-bore tool  38  is approximately ⅝ inch and is generally slightly larger as compared to the diameter of the common lug bolt  31 . The first bore  34   a  completely penetrates the wheel  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 15-16 . Thereafter, a larger diameter, second bore or counter-bore  34   b  is made in an axial center  35  of the first bore  34   a,  wherein the counter-bore tool  38  used to make the second bore  3   b  is approximately 1 inch in diameter. The diameter of the second bore  34   b  can be in the range of 1-1.25 inch. The second bore  34   b  bores into the surface of the wheel  12  at a depth in the range R of 0.25 inch to 0.35 inch, thereby only partially penetrating the wheel  12 , in distinction to the first bore  34   a.  By the partial penetration of the second bore  34   b;  the second bore  34   b  creates a cylindrical gland area  42  having a cylindrical wall  41  and a seat portion  44  in the wheel  12 . 
         [0030]    Once the second bore  34   b  has been completed, the wheel insert  10  can then be inserted into the gland area  42  and thereafter the wheel insert  10  is mechanically pressed in flush contact with the seat portion  44  using a hydraulic press (not shown). The knurled finish  28  of the outer diameter  18  of the wheel insert  10 , includes a plurality of outwardly extending teeth  46 . The teeth  46  protrude outwardly, away from the outer diameter  18  surface approximately 0.015 inch. The teeth  46  are created during the knurling process of the manufacture of the wheel insert  10 . As the wheel insert  10  is pressed into the cylindrical gland area  42 , the teeth  46  “bite” or “wedge” into the wall area  41  of the gland  42  and anchor the wheel insert  10  against the seat portion  44  as shown in  FIG. 16 . With the wheel insert  10  engaged to the new lug bolt receiving orifice  34  of the wheel  12 , the lug bolt  31  can then be inserted into the first bore  34   a  and through the central annular opening  20  of the wheel insert  10  as depicted in  FIGS. 10 and 16 . Once the lug bolt  31  has been fully disposed through the new lug bolt-receiving orifice  34 , a lug nut  48  can then be threadedly affixed to the receiving end  33  of the lug nut  31  to secure the wheel  12  to the hub (not shown) of the automobile (not shown). The wheel insert  10  is inserted into each of the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  to allow a lug nut  48  to be mated against the first upper chamfer seating surface  22  of the wheel insert  10 , to avoid damage to the vehicle wheel  12 . If not for the implementation of the steel wheel insert  10 , the plurality of hardened steel grip edges  49  of the lug nut  48  would gouge and irreparably damage the much softer aluminum-alloy material comprising the wheel  12  and would deform and damage the new lug bolt receiving orifice  34 , ultimately rendering the vehicle wheel  12  unserviceable. 
         [0031]    The first upper chamfer  22  of the wheel insert  12  is generally milled at a 60-degree angle to mate with a receiving end  50  of the lug nut  48 . The third lower chamfer  30  is created during the manufacture of the wheel insert  10  when the milled wheel insert  10  is separated from the bar stock and provides no utilitarian function. 
         [0032]    The new lug bolt receiving orifice  34  is generally bored near or slightly off-set to the original lug bolt receiving orifice  32  as depicted in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  11 - 14 . Typically, original lug bolt receiving orifices  32  and new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  are located at intervals of 4.5 inches, 4.75 inches and 5 inches from a center point  52  of the wheel  12 , as depicted in  FIGS. 11-14 . For wheels  12  that include a center cap  53 , the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  are typically offset from the original lug bolt receiving orifices  32  in a side-by-side manner as shown in  FIGS. 11-13  and, in some instances, the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  may overlap a small portion of the original lug bolt receiving orifices  32 , as depicted in  FIGS. 5-6 , and  11 - 14 . 
         [0033]    Many aluminum-alloy vehicle wheels  12  require the use of the center cap  53  which “covers” or “hides” the lug bolt receiving orifices  32 ,  34  and lug nuts  48 . The center cap  53  is secured to the vehicle wheel  12  using a threaded bolt  55  wherein the threaded bolt  55  penetrates an orifice  57  in the center cap  53  and threadedly engages a center cap screw receiving hole  54 . The center cap screw receiving hole  54  is depicted on the vehicle wheel  12  in  FIGS. 2-3  and  11 - 14 . The center cap screw receiving hole  54  greatly limits the placement of the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34 , due to the necessity of keeping the center cap screw receiving hole  54  in tact and undamaged to secure the center cap  53  to the vehicle wheel  12 . 
         [0034]    Where the vehicle wheel  12  does not require the use of a center cap (not shown) as depicted in the wheels  12  illustrated in  FIGS. 11-14 , the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  can either be offset in a radial manner or a side-by-side manner as shown in  FIGS. 13-14 . 
         [0035]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 11-13 , many aftermarket aluminum-alloy wheels  12  often include dual sets  56  of originally manufactured lug bolt receiving orifices  32  which allow the wheel  12  to be mounted to multiple vehicles (not shown) having different sets and sizes of lug bolt patterns. The inclusion of multiple unused lug bolt receiving orifices  32 ,  34  in a center portion  58  of the wheel  12  may not, however, always be generally considered aesthetically pleasing. The creation of multiple new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  for the placement of the present invention wheel insert  10 , only adds to the un-aesthetic look of the center portion of the wheel  12  and generally requires the use of the center cap  53  to conceal the multiple sets of lug bolt receiving orifices  32 ,  34 . 
         [0036]    Another advantage to using the wheel insert  10  is that a wheel  12  which is manufactured and designed for use with a five lug bolt patterned hub (not shown) can be modified for use with a hub (not shown) having a six lug bolt pattern.  FIG. 11  specifically illustrates an originally manufactured, dual-drilled, five lug bolt patterned wheel  12  (having two distinct and separately sized sets  56  of five lug bolt receiving orifices), wherein six new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  have been bored into the wheel  12  and a wheel insert  10  has been pressed into each newly bored lug bolt receiving orifice  34 , in order to mate the wheel  12  with a six lug bolt patterned hub (not shown). After the wheel  12  has been appropriately modified with the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  and a wheel insert  10  has been pressed into each new lug bolt receiving orifice  34 , the wheel  12  is mounted onto the hub (not shown) of an automobile and lug nuts  48  are used to affix the wheel  12  to the lug bolts  31  of the hub (not shown). Afterwards, the center cap  53  is placed over the center portion  58  of the wheel  12  and the threaded fastener  55  is inserted through center cap  53  and threadedly engages the center cap screw receiving hole  54  of the wheel  12 , thereby affixing the center cap  53  to the wheel  12 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 12  illustrates a wheel  12  that has been originally manufactured with a single-drilled, six lug bolt pattern. The wheel  12 , in  FIG. 12 , has further been modified by boring five new lug bolt receiving orifices  34 , to allow the wheel  12  to be mounted on to a hub having a five lug bolt pattern. The wheel  12  shown in  FIG. 12  also requires the use of the center cap  53  to conceal the lug bolt receiving orifices  32 ,  34  after the wheel  12  has been mounted to a vehicle (not shown). 
         [0038]      FIG. 13  illustrates a wheel  12  that has been originally manufactured with a single-drilled, six lug bolt pattern, similar to the wheel in  FIG. 12 . The wheel  12 , illustrated in  FIG. 12 , has however been modified by boring six new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  to fit a smaller-radius, six lug bolt pattern, unlike the wheel  12  in  FIG. 12 . The six new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  illustrated in  FIG. 13  must be bored in radial alignment with the original lug bolt receiving orifices  32  due to the placement of the center cap screw receiving hole  54  of the wheel  12 . The location of the center cap screw receiving hole  54  does not allow the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  to be offset from the originally manufactured lug bolt receiving orifices  32 . To do so would damage the center cap screw receiving hole  54  and the center cap  53  would not be able to be affixed to the wheel  12 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 14  illustrates a wheel  12  that has been originally manufactured with a single-drilled, five-lug bolt pattern and has been modified by boring five new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  to fit a smaller radius five lug bolt pattern. This wheel  12  has five exposed original lug bolt receiving orifices  32 . This wheel  12  does not require the use of a center cap  53  and consequently does not include the center cap screw receiving hole  54 , unlike the wheels  12  shown in  FIGS. 11-13 . In attempting to maintain as much of the aesthetic attractiveness of the modified wheel  12  as possible and without the ability to conceal any of the lug bolt receiving orifices  32 ,  34  behind a center cap  53 , the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  are bored in radial alignment to, and generally overlapping with, the original lug bolt receiving orifices  32 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 9  illustrates a wheel insert blank  60 . The wheel insert blank  60  is constructed of same material as the wheel insert  10  and has the same general outer dimensions and thickness as the wheel insert  10 . The wheel insert blank  60  is a solid, disc-shaped body  60  and is designed for insertion into the new lug bolt receiving orifice  34  to fill the orifice  34  when it is no longer wanted or needed. The wheel insert blank  60  also includes a knurled outer diameter finish  28  having a plurality of teeth  46  which “bite” into the gland area  42  to secure and lock the wheel insert blank  60  in the new lug bolt receiving orifice  34 . The wheel insert blank  60  provides additional strength and integrity to the wheel  12  by “filling-in” the un-needed new lug bolt receiving orifices  34  when the originally drilled lug bolt receiving orifices  32  are used, rather than the new lug bolt receiving orifices  34 . 
         [0041]    Thus the use of the wheel insert  10  in combination with aluminum-alloy wheels  12 , can provide for up to three separate and distinct sets of lug bolt receiving orifices  32 , 34  for the mounting of a vehicle wheel  12  to virtually any vehicle (not shown). 
         [0042]    The method of machining the wheel insert  12  for use in the newly-bored lug bolt-receiving orifice  34  in the aluminum-alloy vehicle wheel  12 , includes the first step of “knurling” or adding the teeth  46  to the outer diameter surface  18  of a length of blank, round, 1018 hot rolled steel bar stock (not shown). The knurling process includes adding of a plurality of grooves (not shown) that are cut into the outer diameter surface  18  of the bar stock (not shown) in a twisted or rifling manner. The second step includes facing or grinding a flat top surface  17  of the wheel insert  10  to provide the 60 degree angled first upper chamfer  22 . The third step includes drilling the ⅝″ central, axial, annular opening  20  through the axial middle or center point of the bar stock member thereby producing an inner diameter surface  16  of the wheel insert  10 . The fourth step includes parting or separating the newly manufactured wheel insert  10  from the remaining portion of the knurled, blank, round bar stock (not shown) to separate the completed wheel insert  10  and creating a flat bottom surface  19  and also creating the third chamfer  30  during this step. The fifth step includes de-burring all of the rough edges of the completed wheel insert  10 . During the de-burring step, the second chamfer  24  is created. The sixth step includes plating the entire surface of the wheel insert  10  with a zinc coating to reduce the incidence of corrosion. 
         [0043]    It will be appreciated that these and other embodiments may be provided for a wheel insert  10  for use with aluminum-alloy wheels, and it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the apparatus might be practiced other than as specifically described herein. Having described the invention above, various modifications of the techniques, procedures and materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that all such variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims be embraced thereby.