Abstract:
There is an apparatus comprising a two-part hub system that can be used to make decorative wheel designs customizable, easier to assemble, and in a more cost effective way to manufacture. By splitting the hub into two parts, each individual hub part can be economically molded with simpler molds and be made from two separate processes; specifically, the first hub part could be made from a plastic injection molding process, and the second hub part could be made from a die-casting or plastic injection molding process combined with a vacuum metalizing process.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Appl. No. 61/060,453, filed on Jun. 10, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the structure and the manufacture of skate and skateboard wheels with customizable non-metal, metal, metalized, or non-metalized decorative face designs. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventional skate wheels incorporated wheel face designs by molding the decorative face design into the visible face of the hub. This method did not allow the user to customize the design without purchasing a separate wheel. 
     Another method used decorative hub-caps, which were applied over the hub and fastened to the hub. This method made tightening the wheel nut more difficult as the user would have to first remove the hub-cap. 
     Another method mounted decorative hub-caps by mechanically fastening hub-caps to the outer tire surrounding the hub. This method was also more difficult to tighten the tires as the hub-cap would have to first be removed. 
     From the preceding descriptions, it is apparent that the devices currently being used have significant disadvantages. Thus, important aspects of the technology used in the field of invention remain amenable to useful refinement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a two-part or multiple part hub system that can be used to make wheels and decorative wheel designs customizable, easier to assemble, and in a more cost effective way to manufacture. 
     This wheel apparatus and method of manufacturing have several aspects or facets that can be used independently, although they are preferably employed together to optimize their benefits. All of the foregoing operational principles and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated upon consideration of the following detailed description, with reference to the appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows the front plan view of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 2  shows the cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 3  shows the isometric view of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 4  shows the exploded isometric view of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 5  shows the plan view of hub part A of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 6  shows the cross-sectional view of hub part A of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 7  shows the exploded cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the wheel. 
         FIG. 8  shows an isometric view of one embodiment of the wheel (52 mm version). 
         FIG. 9  shows an exploded isometric view of another embodiment of the wheel (52 mm version) and shows the teethed connection between the hubs. 
         FIG. 10  is a front plan view of one embodiment of the wheel (52 mm version). 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of one embodiment of the wheel (52 mm version). 
         FIG. 12  shows a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the wheel (52 mm version) and shows the teeth connection between the hubs. 
         FIG. 13  shows an isometric view of one embodiment of the wheel (60 mm version). 
         FIG. 14  shows an exploded isometric view of one embodiment of the wheel (60 mm version). 
         FIG. 15  shows a front plan view of one embodiment of the wheel (60 mm version). 
         FIG. 16  shows a side view of one embodiment of the wheel (60 mm version). 
         FIG. 17  shows the cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the wheel (60 mm version). 
     
    
    
     The size indications are not intended to be limiting and are for example only. 
     PARTS LISTING 
     
         
           10  wheel 
           12  truck axle 
           14  bearing 
           16  first hub or inner hub 
           18  second hub or outer hub 
           20  nut 
           22  tire 
           24  holes or recessed structures on flange of 1st hub 
           26  thicker reinforced section on 1st hub (see  FIG. 6 ) 
           28  flange or rim on 1st hub 
           30  keyed or toothed engagement area between the 1st and 2nd hubs 
       
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated an assembly of a skate wheel  10 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated the components of the assembly. Starting from left to right, this assembly comprises the axle portion of a skate truck  12  or generic truck axle, which has a center axle member that telescopes and passes through the first bearing  14 , the first hub  16  (inner hub), the tire  22 , the second hub  18  (outer hub), the second bearing  14 , and the fastening nut  20 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated an isometric view showing the assembly  10 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated an isometric exploded view showing the assembly, wherein the axle  12  of the truck receives and engages the first bearing  14 . The first hub  16  comprises: two sides (first and second sides); a structure with minimal undercuts or holes  24  for mold-ability; and a centrally located through-hole that penetrates through the center of the first and second side to receive or engage the truck axle. 
     The first hub  16  on the first side comprises a receptacle or space to receive the first bearing  14 . The first hub  16  on the second side comprises a flange, a flanged structure or a rim  28  that incorporates at least one through-hole  24  and/or one recessed structure or indentation and/or one protruding structure (such as stalks or engaging appendages) to receive a co-molded bond with the tire  22 . The flanged structure  28  of the first hub  16  also creates a structural point of interference with the second hub  18 . The flange or rim can have a diameter wider than the width of the axle or the bearing or even the second or outer hub. 
     The tire  22  comprises two sides and a through-hole that penetrates through the center of the first side and second side. The first side of the tire  22  comprises a co-molded mate with the tire and the first side of the first hub  16 . The second side of the tire  22  comprises a female receptacle or space that receives the second hub  18 . 
     The second hub  18  comprises: two sides (first and second sides of the second hub); a structure with minimal undercuts for mold-ability; and a through-hole that penetrates through the center of the first and second side. The first side of the second hub  18  comprises a male end, which mates with the second side of the tire  22  and interferes with the second side of the first hub  16 . 
     The mating of the first side of the second hub  18  and the second side of the tire  22  can comprise keying or toothed elements on the surface of the male and female structures (see  FIGS. 9 ,  12 ,  14 ,  17 ). The second side of the second hub  18  comprises a receptacle to receive the second bearing  14 . Surrounding the receptacle on the second side of the second hub  18 , there is a molded decorative wheel design that comprises or does not comprise the through-holes. 
     The second bearing  14  is inserted into the receptacle of the second side of the second hub  18 . A fastening nut  20  or securing device is screwed on or fastened onto the axle  12  end of the truck to lock the assembly together. Other threaded or non-threaded securing devices can be used. 
     In  FIG. 5 , there is illustrated the second side of the first hub  16  that comprises a flanged structure  28  that incorporates at least one through-hole or opening  24 , and/or one recessed structure, and/or one protruding structure to receive a co-molded bond with the tire  22 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , there is illustrated the split side view of the first hub  16  that comprises a thicker reinforced section  26 , which creates increased strength to the wheel assembly  10 . 
     In  FIG. 7 , there is illustrated the exploded view of the wheel assembly  10 . 
     Manufacturing Techniques: 
     Traditionally, to mount or to put a rim onto a skate tire, a single hub would be used with a wheel design, and an elastomer or elastomeric material would be molded around this part. The present manufacturing method is significantly different because there is a modular system, which makes it possible to lower the cost of manufacturing, as well as make the wheel design interchangeable. 
     A load bearing hub consists of two sides. The first side of the hub comprises a receptacle for inserting a bearing. The second side of the hub comprises a thick ring construction for load bearing purposes. Surrounding this load bearing section is a flange with perforations or holes. 
     An elastomer wheel or tire body is co-molded around and into the inner hub, where one side of the wheel is flush to the hub. The opposite side of the wheel is molded with a receptacle to receive a second hub. The outer or second hub has a male connection to insert into the tire molded around the first hub. The second side comprises a receptacle to receive a second bearing. Surrounding the receptacle on the hub is a wheel design. All parts are sandwiched in between a truck axle and a fastening nut. 
     This structure and manufacturing technique employ two hubs in the wheel assembly, which provide the following advantages: 
     (1) Co-mold elastomer around the first hub without worrying about temperature complications and or precision of mold design; 
     (2) To create a standard wheel mold (i.e. tire molded around the first or inner hub) and a separate wheel design mold (i.e. second or outer hub)—this separation of the molds is more economical during manufacturing and allows for a greater range of treatments for the outer hub. 
     (3) We can make the second hub from a variety of manufacturing processes, such as diecasting or injection molding with vacuum metalizing, and we do not have to worry about compatibility of processes such as co-molding with vacuum metalized parts. 
     This manufacturing process avoids complications of introducing metalized parts during the molding process and avoids having to introduce heat and liquids, which could damage the coatings and the metalized parts. 
     There is an apparatus for a wheel comprising: an axle; an inner hub removably connected to an outer hub; a first bearing and a second bearing; the inner hub has a first inner hub side and a second inner hub side; the first inner hub side engages the first bearing; the second inner hub side has a flange; the flange extends beyond a diameter of the bearings; a tire is molded around the flange of the inner hub; the outer hub engages the second bearing; a nut secures the first and the second bearings and the inner and the outer hubs against the axle; the flange has at least one hole or indentation for engaging the tire; the inner hub removably connects to the outer hub using a keying or a teethed connection. 
     The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term coupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. 
     Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments, and it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. 
     Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specific function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, Paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, Paragraph 6.