Patent ID: 8528991

Claim:
A vehicle wheel, comprising: a peripheral rim including a radially outboard spoke bed portion and an apex region radially inboard from said spoke bed portion; a central hub with a hub flange; an axial axis of rotation; a plurality of spokes extending between the peripheral rim and central hub, wherein said spokes have a second portion with a direct structural connection to said spoke bed portion and a first portion opposed to said second portion and connected to said central hub; wherein said apex region includes a first apex portion and a second apex portion adjacent said first apex portion and a seam between said first apex portion and said second apex portion and including a first sidewall portion extending between said spoke bed portion and said first apex portion and a second sidewall portion extending between said spoke bed portion and said second apex portion; wherein said first apex portion is adjacent said second apex portion at said seam to enclose a circumferential internal cavity radially inboard of said spoke bed portion; wherein said peripheral rim constitutes an assembly including: (i) at least one outer rim element that includes said spoke bed portion and (ii) at least one rim shell element that includes at least one of said first apex portion and said second apex portion discreet from said first apex portion, wherein said outer rim element is connected to said rim shell element at an outer joining interface; wherein said seam is independent of said outer joining interface; including an inner joining interface at said seam, wherein said first apex portion is joined to said second apex portion at said inner joining interface; including a plurality of said rim shell elements, wherein a first of said rim shell elements includes said first apex portion and wherein a second of said rim shell elements includes said second apex portion; and wherein said inner joining interface includes a generally axial overlapping interface.