METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MOTOR VEHICLE RIM MADE OF ALUMINIUM OR AN ALUMINIUM ALLOY FOR A WHEEL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE AND CORRESPONDING MOTOR VEHICLE RIM

Abstract

A method for producing a motor vehicle rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a motor vehicle wheel. The motor vehicle rim has a rim base delimited on opposite sides by an outer horn and an inner horn, a hub with a central recess and a hole circle and a rim center connecting the rim base and the hub to one another and acting eccentrically on the rim base in longitudinal section. The motor vehicle rim is produced in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by vacuum die casting of a casting material, wherein the motor vehicle rim has a small wall thickness of at most 15 mm at least in some regions and/or a curvature with a small radius of curvature of at most 4 mm.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a motor vehicle wheel, wherein the motor vehicle rim has a rim base delimited on opposite sides by an outer horn and an inner horn, a hub with a central recess and a hole circle as well as a rim center connecting the rim base and the hub to one another and acting eccentrically on the rim base in longitudinal section, wherein the motor vehicle rim is manufactured in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by vacuum die casting of a casting material, wherein the motor vehicle rim has a small wall thickness of at most 15 mm at least in some regions, and/or has a curvature with a small radius of curvature of at most 4 mm, and/or has a demolding surface running in the axial direction and in the radial direction and/or in the axial direction and in the tangential direction with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim, which surface completely lies in an imaginary plane, wherein the plane encloses an angle of at least 0° and at most 4° with the longitudinal central axis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the rim center is formed with a plurality of spokes, which are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle rim is manufactured, in regions, with a first wall thickness greater than 15 mm and in regions with a second thickness corresponding to the small thickness.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the small thickness is used in a region positioned between two spokes in the circumferential direction, so that the two spokes are connected to one another by an intermediate spoke element manufactured during the vacuum die casting, which element has the small thickness, at least in regions.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the small thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein, during the vacuum die casting, an annular groove is formed in the motor vehicle rim and or a hump is formed in the rim base.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle rim is made of AlSi10MnMgZn.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle rim is heat treated after the vacuum die casting.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the casting mold used in the vacuum die casting is part of a pressure die tool and the casting material is injected into the casting mold through at least one injection opening.

20. A motor vehicle rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a wheel of a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle rim has a rim base delimited on opposite sides by an outer horn and an inner horn, a hub with a central recess and a hole circle as well as a rim center connecting the rim base and the hub to one another and acting eccentrically on the rim base in longitudinal section, wherein the motor vehicle rim is manufactured in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by vacuum die casting of a casting material, wherein the motor vehicle rim has a small wall thickness of at most 15 mm at least in some regions, and/or has a curvature with a small radius of curvature of at most 4 mm, and/or has a demolding surface running in the axial direction and in the radial direction and/or in the axial direction and in the tangential direction with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim, which surface completely lies in an imaginary plane, wherein the plane encloses an angle of at least 0° and at most 4° with the longitudinal central axis.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the motor vehicle rim is manufactured, in regions, with a first wall thickness greater than 15 mm and in regions with a second thickness corresponding to the small thickness.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the small thickness is used in a region positioned between two spokes in the circumferential direction, so that the two spokes are connected to one another by an intermediate spoke element manufactured during the vacuum die casting, which element has the small thickness, at least in regions.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the small thickness is used in a region positioned between two spokes in the circumferential direction, so that the two spokes are connected to one another by an intermediate spoke element manufactured during the vacuum die casting, which element has the small thickness, at least in regions.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the small thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the small thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the small thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein, during the vacuum die casting, an annular groove is formed in the motor vehicle rim and or a hump is formed in the rim base.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein, during the vacuum die casting, an annular groove is formed in the motor vehicle rim and or a hump is formed in the rim base.

29. The method of claim 14, wherein, during the vacuum die casting, an annular groove is formed in the motor vehicle rim and or a hump is formed in the rim base.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein, during the vacuum die casting, an annular groove is formed in the motor vehicle rim and or a hump is formed in the rim base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0052] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing, without the invention being restricted. In particular:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a motor vehicle rim along a longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim,

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a section through a spoke of a rim center of the motor vehicle rim in a first exemplary embodiment, as base as

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a schematic section through a spoke in a second exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a motor vehicle rim 1 for a wheel of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle rim 1 has, as essential components, a rim base 2, a rim center 3 and a hub 4. The motor vehicle rim 1 is shown in a longitudinal section with respect to a longitudinal central axis 5 of the motor vehicle rim 1. The rim base 2 is limited in the axial direction on the one hand by an outer horn 6 and on the other hand by an inner horn 7, which, starting from the rim base 2, extend outwards in the radial direction with respect to the longitudinal central axis 5. Furthermore it should be noted that the axial extent of the rim base 2 extends to a respective outside end of the outer horn 6 or the inner horn 7. The axial extension of the rim base 2 thus includes the axial extensions of the outer horn 6 and the inner horn 7.

[0057] The rim base 2 and the hub 4 are connected to one another via the rim center 3. The rim center 3 thus engages both the rim base 2 and the hub 4 and extends, starting from the hub 4 to the rim base 2. The hub 4 has a central recess 8 which, with respect to the longitudinal central axis 5, is disposed centrally in the hub 4 and completely penetrates it in the axial direction. In addition, the hub 4 has a hole circle 9 with a plurality of bores 10, each of which serves to receive a fastener by means of which the motor vehicle rim 1 can be fastened or is fastened to a wheel hub of the motor vehicle.

[0058] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the rim center 3 has a plurality of spokes 11 (not shown) which are arranged spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction. Each of the spokes 11 extends, starting from the hub 4 up to the rim base 2. In the circumferential direction between the spokes 11 there is an intermediate spoke region, which is delimited in the circumferential direction by the spokes 11, in the radial direction inwards by the hub 4 and in the radial direction outwards by the rim base 2.

[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, an intermediate spoke element 12 is formed in this intermediate spoke region, which element completely fills the intermediate spoke region, for example. At least the intermediate spoke element 12 has a small wall thickness of at most 15 mm, at most 10 mm, at most 7.5 mm or at most 5 mm. In order to realize this, the motor vehicle rim 1 is produced in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by vacuum die casting of a casting material. Aluminum or an aluminum alloy is used as the casting material.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows one of the spokes 11 in a schematic cross-sectional view along a longitudinal central axis of the spoke 11. The longitudinal central axis here extends from the rim base 2 to the hub 4. It preferably intersects the longitudinal central axis 5 of the motor vehicle rim 1, in particular at right angles thereto. The spoke 11 consists, viewed in cross section, of an essentially rectangular front cover 13, in which a radial groove 14 is embossed on one side. On the other side, a support element 15 extends from the front cover 13 and tapers, starting from the front cover 13, again viewed in cross section. The front cover 13 is disposed, as seen in the axial direction with respect to the longitudinal central axis 5 on the side of the support element 15 facing the inner horn 7. The support element 15 is positioned correspondingly on the side of the front cover 13 facing the outer horn 6.

[0061] The radial groove 14 is preferably designed to be continuous in the radial direction, it thus extends from the hub 4 to the rim base 2. The radial groove 14 can, however, also be designed to be discontinuous. The radial groove 14 is formed on an inner side of the motor vehicle rim 1 and is therefore not readily visible after the motor vehicle rim 1 has been mounted on the motor vehicle. The support element 15 has a wall thickness a on its side facing away from the front cover 13, which corresponds to the small wall thickness. The wall thickness a is therefore at most 15 mm, but is preferably less than 15 mm. On the support element 15 there is formed a demolding surface 16, which lies entirely in an imaginary plane. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the demolding surface 16 extends in the axial direction from the front cover 13 to the end of the support element 15 facing away from the front cover 13.

[0062] The demolding surface 16 extends both in the axial direction and in the radial direction, but not necessarily in the circumferential direction, in each case with respect to the longitudinal central axis 5 of the motor vehicle rim 1. The imaginary plane in which the demolding surface 16 lies encloses an angle of more than 0° and at most at least 4° with the longitudinal central axis 5 of the motor vehicle rim 1 or an axis parallel thereto. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the demolding surface 16 extends at an angle of 1.5° to the longitudinal central axis 5, so that the demolding surface 16 is demolded almost parallel thereto.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows the spoke 11 in a second embodiment, which can be used instead of the first embodiment for the motor vehicle rim 1. In the second embodiment, the spoke 11 consists of three webs 17, 18 and 19 which are arranged essentially in a U-shape relative to one another. This means that the webs 17 and 19 are connected to each other only through the web 18, which engages the ends of the webs 17 and 19 respectively. The webs 17 and 19 extend from the web 18 in the same axial direction. A demolding surface 16 is positioned both on the web 17 and the web 19, respectively. The demolding surfaces 16 or the planes that completely accommodate them each enclose an angle α with the longitudinal central axis, where α is again greater than 0° and is at most 4°. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, the angle α is greater than 0°, for example it is approximately or exactly equal to 3°.

[0064] The described configuration of the motor vehicle rim 1 achieves an extremely filigree appearance and at the same time ensures cost-effective and rapid production of the motor vehicle rim 1 due to the production of the motor vehicle rim 1 by vacuum pressure casting. In addition, by vacuum die casting of the aluminum or aluminum alloy excellent strength values are achieved.

REFERENCE LIST

[0065] 1 motor vehicle rim

[0066] 2 rim base

[0067] 3 rim center

[0068] 4 hub

[0069] 5 longitudinal central axis

[0070] 6 outer horn

[0071] 7 inner horn

[0072] 8 central recess

[0073] 9 hole circle

[0074] 10 bore

[0075] 11 spoke

[0076] 12 intermediate spoke element

[0077] 13 front cover

[0078] 14 radial groove

[0079] 15 support element

[0080] 16 demolding surface

[0081] 17 web

[0082] 18 web

[0083] 19 web