A vehicle wheel includes an annular rim defining an axis and inboard and outboard sides. The rim includes an outboard bead seat, an inboard bead seat, an outboard well flank connected to the outboard bead seat and extending radially inwardly and towards the inboard side of the rim, and an inboard well flank connected to the inboard bead seat and extending radially inwardly and towards the outboard side of the rim. The rim further includes a well portion defined between the outboard and inboard well flanks, wherein the well portion is formed by a plurality of curved and straight portions linked together. The well portion has at least three transition portions having varying thickness cross-sectional profiles. A wheel disc is secured to the rim. The wheel disc includes a hub located centrally within the wheel disc and has a plurality of bolt holes formed therein.

A method for manufacturing a one-piece wheel by forging includes: producing an integral forging comprising: a disc portion, a rim portion, and an annular protrusion protruding from one side of the disc portion in a forging method; producing an outer bend by bending the annular protrusion through a flow-forming process; and forming a hollow portion by welding one end of the outer bend to one side of the rim portion.

The method for the manufacture of a spoke for spoked wheels including a step of forming a head of the spoke at a longitudinal end of the shank thereof by equipment for the plastic deformation of the end of the shank, wherein the plastic deformation is obtained by maintaining the shank in relative rotation to the equipment.

A wheel structure for an automobile having a wheel rim, a central part, and spoke elements connected to the wheel rim and individually connected to the central part. Spoke elements have through-holes for wheel screws or bolts and the central part has holes for screwing in or pushing through same wheel screws or bolts. The through-holes of the spoke elements form a first hole circle and the holes in the central part form a second hole circle. The diameter of the first hole circle is smaller than the diameter of the second hole circle if the spoke elements are not connected to the central part, and the diameter of the first hole circle corresponds to the diameter of the second hole circle if the spoke elements are also connected to the central part.

Disclosed are a drive wheel bearing and a method of manufacturing the same. The drive wheel bearing includes: a wheel hub which is integrally and rotatably fastened to a vehicle wheel; an inner race which is fitted with the wheel hub and integrally and rotatably coupled to the wheel hub; an outer race which rotatably supports the wheel hub and the inner race in a state in which the wheel hub and the inner race are fitted into the outer race; rolling elements which are interposed between the outer race and the wheel hub and between the outer race and the inner race; and a constant velocity joint which is integrally and rotatably connected to the wheel hub or the inner race by means of a face spline in order to receive power from an engine and transmit the received power to the vehicle wheel, in which the face spline of each of the wheel hub and the constant velocity joint have a structure in which teeth having the same size and tooth grooves having the same size radially extend, and are alternately and continuously arranged in a circumferential direction, and as a result, it is possible to smoothly transmit rotational power of the engine to the vehicle wheel through the wheel bearing.

A method for forming an end part of a tube, such as a hollow shaft for use as a vehicle axle, is described. A rolling body having a rolling surface with an inwardly-curved contour rotates around a longitudinal axis with a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed. The rolling body and the tube rotate in the same direction. The longitudinal axis of the rolling body is arranged eccentrically to a longitudinal axis of the tube by a predetermined normal distance. The rolling body and the tube are brought into contact such that the rolling surface contacts the end part of the tube at a contact surface situated on an inner tube wall. The rolling body transfers a force to the inner tube wall by a relative movement between the rolling body and the tube such that the end part of the tube is formed radially outward.

A spoke including a metallic core covered, at least in its central portion, with a sheath of composite material comprised of an assembly of fibers embedded in a matrix, the core including an end portion adapted to be attached to the rim or the hub of a wheel, and a main body whose cross-sectional surface area is between 30% and 50% or, in a particular embodiment, between 35% and 45%, of the cross-sectional surface area of the aforementioned end portion. Furthermore, in the area of the main body, the sheath has a cross section between 150% and 500% or, in a particular embodiment, between 150% and 350%, of the cross section of the metallic core in the same area. The metal core includes two mechanical anchoring zones, positioned in the vicinity of its ends, on both sides of the main body.

A wheel disc for vehicle wheels manufactured by flow forming, in particular for passenger cars, which has a stretched disc transition surface subsequently provided with ventilation holes and a radial outer disc edge. All ventilation holes are located in the transition surface and are attached by punching or cutting. In order to improve the competitiveness of vehicle wheels made of steel or other materials suitable in particular for cold forming compared to cast vehicle wheels made of aluminium, the transition surface is provided with several changes in material thickness generated during flow forming by displacement of the tool and, viewed in the radial direction, effecting a wave structure on the surface facing the tool during flow forming. The surface provided with the wave structure can in particular form the non-visible inner side of a vehicle wheel, but can also form the visible side. In addition, the opposite surface can also be provided with a wave structure.

A wheel disc includes a hub located centrally within the wheel disc and defining a wheel axis. The wheel disc further includes an outer circumferential edge and a transition portion radially extending between the hub and the outer circumferential edge. The transition portion has a front surface and a rear surface such that the front surface has a relatively smooth profile and the rear surface has a plurality of concentric ring-shaped curvatures formed therein, thereby providing the transition portion with a variable thickness between the front and rear surfaces.

A vehicle wheel including a disc segment and a rim segment. The disc segment includes a wheel mounting surface for connecting the vehicle wheel to a vehicle hub and a transition element, wherein the transition element is arranged between the wheel mounting surface and an outer rim flange. The rim segment includes the outer rim flange and an inner rim flange as well as a drop center arranged between the two flanges. The segments of the vehicle wheel are integrally formed in order to shape a one-piece, continuously running vehicle wheel contour profile.