Multi-Piece Rim Structure for Wheel

Abstract

A multi-piece rim structure for a wheel includes a rim base 10, a bead seat ring 20 (ring member) and a lock ring 30. The bead seat ring 20 receives a load in a radial direction and an axial direction from a bead portion of a tire. An annular ridge 35 of the lock ring 30 can be received in an annular lock ring groove 15 of the rim base 10. A receiving groove 15a is formed in an inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 of the rim base 10. A sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 15a. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 includes metal such as zinc and aluminum that has a greater ionization tendency than iron that is a base material of the rim base 10 and the lock ring 30. Corrosion of the rim base 10 and the lock ring 30 can be suppressed by ionization of the sacrificial anticorrosion material 80.

Claims

1. A multi-piece rim structure for a wheel comprising: a rim base comprising an annular lock ring groove in an outer periphery of an end portion thereof in an axial direction; a ring member disposed in an outside of the rim base in a radial direction, the ring member receiving a load from a bead portion of a tire in the radial direction and the axial direction; and a lock ring comprising an annular ridge in an inner periphery thereof, the ridge being able to be received in the lock ring groove, thereby the lock ring being attached to the rim base, the lock ring catching the ring member and receiving a load from the ring member in the radial direction and the axial direction, wherein at least one of surfaces of the rim base and the lock ring opposed to each other has a sacrificial anticorrosion material disposed therein, the sacrificial anticorrosion material comprising a metal having a greater ionization tendency than a base material of the rim base and the lock ring.

2. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of the surfaces of the rim base and the lock ring opposed to each other has a receiving groove extending in a circumferential direction formed therein; and the sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in the receiving groove.

3. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 2, wherein the receiving groove is formed in a portion of an inner surface of the lock ring groove located inside in the axial direction or in a bottom portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove.

4. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 2, wherein the receiving groove is formed in a portion of an outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring located inside in the axial direction or in a top portion of the outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring.

5. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein: a play in the axial direction is provided between the lock ring groove and the ridge of the lock ring; a portion of an inner surface of the lock ring groove located inside in the axial direction and a portion of an outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring located inside in the axial direction are spaced from each other even when the lock ring is located inside in the axial direction to a maximum extent; and at least one of the portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove located inside in the axial direction and the portion of the outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring located inside in the axial direction has the sacrificial anticorrosion material disposed therein.

6. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein: a bottom portion of an inner surface of the lock ring groove and a top portion of an outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring are spaced from each other; and at least one of the bottom portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove and the top portion of the outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring has the sacrificial anticorrosion material disposed therein.

7. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein: the base material of the rim base and the lock ring comprises iron; and the sacrificial anticorrosion material comprises zinc, aluminum, or an alloy of zinc and aluminum as the metal having the greater ionization tendency than the iron.

8. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial anticorrosion material comprises the said metal that is thermal sprayed or plated.

9. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial anticorrosion material comprises a mixture of a resin and the said metal that is applied.

10. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an entirety of an inner surface of the lock ring groove of the rim base.

11. The multi-piece rim structure for the wheel according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an entirety of an outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring.

12. A rim base of a multi-piece rim structure for a wheel comprising a gutter band portion disposed in one end portion thereof in an axial direction, a lock ring groove formed in an outer periphery of the gutter band portion, the lock ring groove adopted to receive an annular ridge of a lock ring, wherein a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an inner surface of the lock ring groove, the sacrificial anticorrosion material comprising a metal having a greater ionization tendency than a base material of the rim base and the lock ring.

13. The rim base according to claim 12, wherein the sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an entirety of the inner surface of the lock ring groove.

14. A lock ring of a multi-piece rim structure for a wheel comprising an annular ridge adopted to be received in a lock ring groove formed in an outer periphery of a gutter band portion, the gutter band portion disposed in one end portion of a rim base in an axial direction, wherein a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an outer surface of the ridge, the sacrificial anticorrosion material comprising a metal having a greater ionization tendency than a base material of the rim base and the lock ring.

15. The lock ring according to claim 14, wherein the sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an entirety of the outer surface of the ridge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] FIG. 1A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of a multi-piece rim structure according to the present invention, showing an embodiment in which a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in a receiving groove formed in an inner surface of a lock ring groove of a gutter band portion.

[0043] FIG. 1B is a view corresponding to FIG. 1A, in which a position of the sacrificial anticorrosion material is changed.

[0044] FIG. 1C is a view corresponding to FIG. 1A, in which the position of the sacrificial anticorrosion material is changed.

[0045] FIG. 2A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of the multi-piece rim structure according to the present invention, showing another embodiment in which a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in a receiving groove formed in an outer surface of a ridge of a lock ring.

[0046] FIG. 2B is a view corresponding to FIG. 2A, in which a position of the sacrificial anticorrosion material is changed.

[0047] FIG. 2C is a view corresponding to FIG. 2A, in which the position of the sacrificial anticorrosion material is changed.

[0048] FIG. 3A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of another embodiment of the present invention in which a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an inner surface of a lock ring groove without forming a receiving groove, showing a normal state in which a lock ring is moved outward in the axial direction to a maximum extent.

[0049] FIG. 3B is a view showing the embodiment of FIG. 3A in a state in which the lock ring is moved inward in the axial direction to a maximum extent when the air pressure of a tire is reduced.

[0050] FIG. 4A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of another embodiment of the present invention in which a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an outer surface of a ridge of a lock ring without forming a receiving groove, showing a normal state in which the lock ring is moved outward in the axial direction to a maximum extent.

[0051] FIG. 4B is a view showing the embodiment of FIG. 4A in a state in which the lock ring is moved inward in the axial direction to a maximum extent when the air pressure of the tire is reduced.

[0052] FIG. 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of another embodiment of the present invention in which a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in an abutment surface of a lock ring adjacent to a ridge.

[0053] FIG. 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of another embodiment of the present invention in which a sacrificial anticorrosion material is disposed in a receiving surface of a gutter band portion adjacent to a lock ring groove.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a well-known multi-piece rim structure composed of five pieces.

[0055] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a well-known multi-piece rim structure composed of three pieces.

[0056] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a well-known multi-piece rim structure mounted in a dual-wheel type vehicle.

[0057] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of a well-known multi-piece rim structure.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0058] Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Basic features of a multi-piece rim structure according to the present invention are similar to those of the rim structures 1, 1′, 1A, 1B shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, and therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. A major portion only of the multi-piece rim structure will be described below.

[0059] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, an annular receiving groove 15a is formed in an inner surface of a lock ring groove 15 of a gutter band portion 11. The receiving groove 15a extends in the circumferential direction in a lower portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 located inside in the axial direction. A sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 15a by thermal spraying. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is made of zinc or aluminum or an alloy of 50 weight percent of zinc and 50 weight percent of aluminum that have greater ionization tendency than iron that is a base material of a rim base 10 and a lock ring 30. Preferably, the receiving groove 15a is formed by rolling a strip steel corresponding to the gutter band portion 11 and then trimming the rolled strip steel.

[0060] According to the features mentioned above, the sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 that may be contacted with water pooled in a gap 70 may be ionized and oxidized, and thereby, ionization of iron that is the base material of the rim base 10 and the lock ring 30 may be suppressed. As a result, corrosion thinning particularly of surface contact regions R1, R3 adjacent to the gap 70 can be suppressed. Moreover, in the surface contact region R3, promotion of fretting fatigue by corrosion can be avoided, and breakages by cracking can be avoided for a long period of time.

[0061] While a vehicle is moving, the lock ring 30 may be swung greatly in the axial direction and may come close to a portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 located inside in the axial direction. The lock ring 30 may be moved inward in the axial direction when the air pressure of the tire is reduced. However, breakages of the sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 by the lock ring 30 can be avoided since the sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is received in the receiving groove 15a.

[0062] In an embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, a receiving groove 15a is formed near a first receiving surface, more spaced from a bottom portion than in FIG. 1A. Since other features are similar to those shown in FIG. 1A, description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] In an embodiment shown in FIG. 1C, a receiving groove 15a is formed in a bottom portion of an inner surface of a lock ring groove 15. A sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 15a. Since other features are similar to those shown in FIG. 1A, description thereof will be omitted.

[0064] In an embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, a receiving groove 35a is formed in a surface region of an outer surface of a ridge 35 of a lock ring 30 located inside in the axial direction. A sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 35a. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is facing a gap 70.

[0065] In an embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, a receiving groove 35a is formed in a skirt portion of a ridge 35, more spaced from a top portion of the ridge 35 than in FIG. 2A. Since other features are similar to those shown in FIG. 2A, description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] In an embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, a receiving groove 35a is formed in a top portion (portion opposed to a bottom portion of an inner surface of a lock ring groove 15) of an outer surface of a ridge 35 of a lock ring 30. A sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 35a. Since other features are similar to those shown in FIG. 2A, description thereof will be omitted.

[0067] In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a receiving groove is not formed in an inner surface of a lock ring groove 15. A surface shape of a portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 located outside in the axial direction and a surface shape of a portion of an outer surface of a ridge 35 of a lock ring 30 located outside in the axial direction coincide with each other, and thereby a contact region R3 is secured. However, a surface shape of a portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 located inside in the axial direction and a portion of the outer surface of the ridge 35 located inside in the axial direction do not coincide with each other.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 3A, the lock ring 30 is located outside in the axial direction in a normal state. When an air pressure is reduced in tire, the lock ring 30 may be moved inward in the axial direction as shown in FIG. 3B. However, even if the lock ring 30 is moved inward in the axial direction to a maximum extent, the portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 located inside in the axial direction and the portion of the outer surface of the ridge 35 of the lock ring 30 located inside in the axial direction are spaced from each other and a bottom portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 and a top portion of an outer surface of the lock ring 30 are spaced from each other. A surface region at which the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 and the outer surface of the ridge 35 of the lock ring 30 are opposed to each other constantly spaced from each other is referred to by reference numeral R0′.

[0069] A sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is disposed in the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 at the surface region R0′ by thermal spraying. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 fills a part or an entirety of a gap between the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 and the outer surface of the ridge 35 of the lock ring 30 in a state shown in FIG. 3B. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is facing the gap 70.

[0070] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 may be disposed only in the portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 located inside in the axial direction or only in the bottom portion of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15.

[0071] In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, configurations of a lock ring groove 15 and a ridge 35 of a lock ring 30 are same as those in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In this embodiment, a sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is disposed in an outer surface of the ridge 35 at the surface region R0′. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 fills a part or an entirety of a gap between an inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 and an outer surface of the ridge 35 of the lock ring 30 in a state shown in FIG. 4B. The sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is facing a gap 70.

[0072] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 may be disposed only in a portion of the outer surface of the ridge 35 located inside in the axial direction or only in a top portion of the outer surface of the ridge 35.

[0073] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the sacrificial anticorrosion material may be disposed in an entirety of the inner surface of the lock ring groove 15 or in an entirety of the outer surface of the ridge 35. The movement of the lock ring 30 inward in the axial direction during the reduction of the air pressure of the tire may cause a part of the sacrificial anticorrosion material to be detached. However, the remaining portion of the sacrificial anticorrosion material may be unaffected.

[0074] In FIG. 5A, a receiving groove 37a is formed in a first abutment surface 37 of a lock ring 30, and a sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 37a.

[0075] In FIG. 5B, a receiving groove 17a is formed in a first receiving surface 17 of a gutter band portion 11, and a sacrificial anticorrosion material 80 is embedded in the receiving groove 17a.

[0076] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted.

[0077] The sacrificial anticorrosion material may be made by plating.

[0078] The sacrificial anticorrosion material may be formed as a stick, a wire, a band or the like made of zinc, aluminum, or an alloy of zinc and aluminum, and embedded in the receiving groove.

[0079] The sacrificial anticorrosion material may take a form of the metal mentioned above contained in a resin, which may be applied into the receiving groove or painted on the inner surface of the lock ring groove or the outer surface of the ridge of the lock ring. This sacrificial anticorrosion material contained in the resin can be easily applied to the multi-piece rim structure when the tire is exchanged or attached or detached for maintenance.

[0080] In addition to the sacrificial anticorrosion material, a hardened layer may be formed on the inner surface of the lock ring groove by high-frequency hardening, ion nitriding, or the like.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0081] The present invention may be applied to a multi-piece rim structure for a wheel of a large vehicle.