A wheel disc for a disc wheel, especially for utility vehicles; with an essentially radially extending hub fitting flange and an essentially cylindrical disc edge which can be joined to a wheel rim, and with a transition region extending between the hub fitting flange and the disc edge, wherein the transition region is subdivided into at least five segments (Ai to v) passing into each other or into the hub fitting flange or the disc edge, each of which has an outer end situated closer to the hub fitting flange and an inner end situated closer to the disc edge, wherein neighbouring segments have curvatures with different directions and variable material thickness, with the ratios of the material thicknesses and the ratio of their lengths to heights are chosen as follows:

TABLE-US-00001 Material thickness of Length in axial inner end direction Material thickness of Height in radial outer end direction Segment A.sub.I 0.45-0.7  0.9-1.1 (between hub fitting flange and segment A.sub.II) Segment A.sub.II 0.7-1.0  1.6-1.9 (between A.sub.I and A.sub.III) Segment A.sub.III 0.9-1.25 2.5-2.8 (between A.sub.II and A.sub.IV) Segment A.sub.IV 0.9-1.25 2.8-3.1 (between A.sub.III and A.sub.V) Segment A.sub.V 0.7-1.15 6.0-6.8 (between A.sub.IV and disc edge)

Systems and methods for a heat-insulated wheel are disclosed herein. A wheel may comprise a wheel body comprising an outer diameter surface, an inner rim on an inboard side of the wheel body, an outer rim on an outboard side of the wheel body opposite the inner rim, and a heat insulator coupled to the outer diameter surface between the inner rim and the outer rim.

A wheel assembly comprising a wheel disk and a tread member disposed around the wheel disk. The wheel disk can have a substantially conical shape when in an unloaded state, but be flexible such that it can deform under load to optimize and/or maximize contact area between the tread member and a driving surface.

A wheel assembly comprising a wheel disk and a tread member disposed around the wheel disk. The wheel disk can have a substantially conical shape when in an unloaded state, but be flexible such that it can deform under load to optimize and/or maximize contact area between the tread member and a driving surface.

The invention is directed to a wheel (1) which comprises a rim (4) and a thereto connected spoke structure (3) made out of fiber reinforced plastic material. An insert (2) is embedded in the fiber reinforced material at the center of the spoke structure (3). The insert (2) protrudes in at least one region above the surface of the fiber reinforced plastic material (16) forming at least one contact area (10, 14, 5).

A cast aluminum wheel includes a rim element having an annular configuration defining an axis and a central element extending radially outwardly between the axis and the rim element. The rim element includes a wall extending circumferentially around the axis between a proximal bead and a distal bead. The central element includes a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly toward the proximal bead and meets proximate the axis with adjacent of the plurality of spokes defining a cooperative feature therebetween for providing stiffness to the wheel. The spokes progressively increase in volume in a direction toward the axis from the rim element thereby providing increased mass of the spokes proximate the axis relative to the rim element.

A cast aluminum wheel includes a rim element having an annular configuration defining an axis and a central element extending radially outwardly between the axis and the rim element. The rim element includes a wall extending circumferentially around the axis between a proximal bead and a distal bead. The central element includes a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly toward the proximal bead and meets proximate the axis with adjacent of the plurality of spokes defining a cooperative feature therebetween for providing stiffness to the wheel. The spokes progressively increase in volume in a direction toward the axis from the rim element thereby providing increased mass of the spokes proximate the axis relative to the rim element.

A method for manufacturing a light alloy wheel that includes a substantially annular rim part and a disc part that is joined to one edge of the rim part on an inner side and is to be attached to an axle. The method includes a molten metal pouring step for pouring a light alloy molten metal from a sprue opened into a mold cavity formed into a shape of the rim part, and a forced cooling step for, after the molten metal pouring step, forcibly cooling the light alloy molten metal poured into the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part such that one predetermined cooling unit of a plurality of cooling units provided along an entire circumference on an outer side or an inner side of the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part is first operated and an other cooling unit thereof is then operated.

A method for manufacturing a light alloy wheel that includes a substantially annular rim part and a disc part that is joined to one edge of the rim part on an inner side and is to be attached to an axle. The method includes a molten metal pouring step for pouring a light alloy molten metal from a sprue opened into a mold cavity formed into a shape of the rim part, and a forced cooling step for, after the molten metal pouring step, forcibly cooling the light alloy molten metal poured into the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part such that one predetermined cooling unit of a plurality of cooling units provided along an entire circumference on an outer side or an inner side of the mold cavity formed into the shape of the rim part is first operated and an other cooling unit thereof is then operated.

An alloy wheel is formed having a three dimensional configuration defining a face and recessed surfaces. The face of the wheel is machined providing a smooth surface at the face and defining an edge between the smooth surface of the face and the recessed surfaces. A nozzle element for projecting a plasma jet toward the wheel is provided. The plasma jet is projected toward the smooth surface of the face, the edge, and toward at least a portion of the recessed surfaces forming an alloy oxide at least on the face and the edge disposed between the face and the recessed surfaces. A first polymeric coating is applied over the face, the recessed surfaces and the edge disposed between the face and the recessed surfaces.