GB2642271A

GB2642271A - A method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel

Info

Publication number: GB2642271A
Application number: GB2409352.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jensen Dain; Houghton James
Original assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Current assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Priority date: 2024-06-28
Filing date: 2024-06-28
Publication date: 2026-01-07
Also published as: GB202409352D0

Abstract

The method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel 100 includes using a lathe to remove a first layer of material from a first surface 102 of the wheel and using a multi-axis machining tool to remove a second layer of material from a second surface 104 of the wheel. The second surface may not be co-planar with the first surface. The second surface may not be co-planar with a hub 108 of the wheel. The wheel has an axis 116 about which the wheel rotates during operation; an axis perpendicular to the second surface may not lie in a plane containing the wheel axis. A notional circumferential path may be centred on the wheel axis, oriented in a plane that is perpendicular to the wheel axis and intersects the first and second surfaces. The wheel may have spokes 114, with the first and second surfaces on at least one of the spokes. The spokes may be asymmetrical. The first and/or second layers may be up to 0.5mm thick. After the layers have been removed, the average roughness of the first surface may be within 10 microns of the average roughness of the second surface. A 5-axis machining tool may be used.

Description

[0001] A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A VEHICLE WHEEL

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel. Aspects of the invention relate to a method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel, to a vehicle wheel, and to a vehicle.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] It is known to machine the surfaces of a vehicle wheel to provide a desired surface finish. However, as the form of vehicle wheels become more complex in accordance with design considerations, it becomes more challenging to provide a uniform surface finish across certain features of the vehicle wheel.

[0006] It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel, a vehicle wheel and a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims.

[0009] According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel comprising using a first process to remove a first layer of material from a first surface of said wheel, and using a second process that is distinct from the first process to remove a second layer of material from a second surface of said wheel.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel comprising using a lathe to remove a first layer of material from a first surface of said wheel, and using a multi-axis machining tool to remove a second layer of material from a second surface of said wheel. Two distinct machining processes (i.e. use of the lathe and use of the multi-axis machining tool) may be used to provide surface finishes to the first and second surfaces of the vehicle wheel. The surface finishes may or may not provide the same visual appearance as one another. The use of the multi-axis machining tool may exclusively machine the second surface, where exclusive machining of the second surface with a lathe would not be possible due to the relative form and orientation of first and second surfaces. The method still requires machining of the first surface with the lathe and, since use of a lathe is less costly than use of a multi-axis machining tool, the method makes use of the more cost effective process for machining of the first surface.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention the vehicle wheel comprises one or more metallic materials (e.g. a metallic alloy). In certain embodiments, the vehicle wheel comprises an aluminium alloy.

[0012] In certain embodiments, the second surface is not co-planar with the first surface. In such embodiments, it may not be possible to exclusively machine the second surface, so use of the multi-axis machining tool provides a means for achieving this.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the wheel comprises a wheel axis about which the wheel rotates during operation and an axis perpendicular to the second surface does not lie in a plane containing the wheel axis. In such embodiments, it may not be possible to exclusively machine the second surface, so use of the multi-axis machining tool provides a means for achieving this.

[0014] In certain embodiments, a notional circumferential path centred on the wheel axis and oriented in a plane that is perpendicular to the wheel axis intersects the first surface and the second surface. In such embodiments, a lathe machining along the circumferential path may not be capable of machining the second surface without undesirably also machining the first surface. Therefore, it may not be possible to exclusively machine the second surface, so use of the multi-axis machining tool provides a means for achieving this.

[0015] In certain embodiments, the wheel comprises a hub and wherein the second surface is not co-planar with the hub. In such embodiments, a lathe machining along the circumferential path may not be capable of machining the second surface without undesirably also machining the first surface. Therefore, it may not be possible to exclusively machine the second surface, so use of the multi-axis machining tool provides a means for achieving this.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the wheel comprises a plurality of spokes, and the first surface and the second surface are on at least one of the plurality of spokes. It is often desirable to provide a particular surface finish to the spokes of a vehicle wheel. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are particularly suited to machining surfaces of such spokes. In certain embodiments each of the plurality of spokes is an asymmetrical spoke. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are particularly suited to machining surfaces of such complex geometries.

[0017] In certain embodiments, wherein the first layer and/or the second layer is up to 0.5mm thick. Removal of such thickness may produce a desirable surface finish.

[0018] In certain embodiments, after said first and second layers have been removed the average roughness of the first surface is within 10 microns of the average roughness of the second surface. In this manner, the surface finish of the first surface may have substantially the same visual appearance as the surface finish of the second surface.

[0019] In certain embodiments, the multi-axis machining tool is a 5-axis machining tool. A 5-axis machining tool is a particularly well-suited multi-axis machining tool for providing a desirable surface finish to a vehicle wheel.

[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle wheel made according to the method described above.

[0021] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising a vehicle wheel made according to the method described above.

[0022] Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

[0023] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a vehicle wheel according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a detailed view of a part of the vehicle wheel of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] A vehicle wheel 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying Figure 1. A detailed view of part of the wheel 100 is shown in Figure 2. The wheel 100 comprises one or more metallic materials (e.g. a metallic alloy). In certain embodiments, the wheel 100 comprises an aluminium alloy.

[0027] In manufacturing the wheel 100, the wheel 100 is initially formed (e.g. by casting) and subsequently undergoes further processes to form certain features and/or create desired surface finishes. Figure 1 shows the wheel 100 in a finished form after such further processes have taken place. The structure of the wheel 100 and methods of manufacturing the wheel 100 are described below.

[0028] The wheel 100 comprises a hub 108 centred on a wheel axis 116 and a rim 112 extending circumferentially about the hub 108 and the wheel axis 116. A plurality of spokes 114 extend radially between the hub 108 and the rim 112. In the non-limiting embodiment, the hub 108 comprises a plurality of bores 110 for receiving wheel studs and lug nuts to facilitate attachment of the wheel 100 to a vehicle. The rim 112 is configured to receive and retain a tyre (not shown) and the spokes 114 maintain the rim 112 about the hub 108 and provide a force path therebetween. In operation, the wheel 100 rotates on the vehicle about the wheel axis 116. Optionally, the wheel 100 may additionally comprise a plurality of trim components. For example, each of the plurality of trim components may be mounted to a part of one of the spokes 114.

[0029] The vehicle wheel 100 has an external surface which is visible when the wheel 100 is attached to a vehicle.

[0030] This visible or 'A' surface of the wheel 100 includes parts of the spokes 114, the rim 112 and the hub 108.

[0031] In the example embodiment shown, each spoke 114 includes several distinct surfaces, a first surface 102, a second surface 104 and a third surface 106. In certain embodiments, only the first surface 102 and second surface 104 may be present. Each of the first surface 102 and the second surface 104 is planar and the first surface 102 and the second surface 104 are not co-planar with one another (such that the second surface 104 and the first surface 102 extend in different planes to one another). Put another way, the second surface 104 is oriented differently from the first surface 102 such that the plane of the second surface 104 is inclined relative to the plane of the first surface 102. The second surface 104 is distinct from the first surface 102 in that the second 104 is recessed relative to the first surface 102 along a direction that is parallel to the wheel axis 116.

[0032] That is to say, the first surface 102 is proud of the second surface 104 along a direction that is parallel to the wheel axis 116. A first axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the first surface 102 is substantially parallel to the wheel axis 116. However, a second axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the second surface 104 is not substantially parallel to the wheel axis 116 (and therefore not substantially parallel to the first axis). Consequently, the second axis does not lie in a plane that contains the wheel axis 116.

[0033] Similarly, the hub 108 generally extends in a plane, and this plane is not co-planar with the second surface 104.

[0034] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the third surface 106 of each spoke 114 is located between the first surface 102 of that spoke 114 and the first surface 102 of an adjacent spoke 114. The second surface 104 is recessed relative to each of the first surface 102 and the third surface 106 along a direction that is parallel to the wheel axis 116.

[0035] In the non-limiting embodiment shown in the figures, each spoke is asymmetrical in that there is no plane of symmetry for any individual spoke.

[0036] A method of manufacturing the vehicle wheel 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes removing a small amount of material from the first surface 102 using a lathe tool (otherwise simply referred to as a lathe) in order to provide a desired surface finish. This process involves rotating the wheel 100 about the wheel axis 116 and simultaneously moving a circumferentially stationary lathe tool into contact with the surface to be machined (e.g. by moving either or both of the wheel 100 or the lathe tool along an axis parallel to the wheel axis 116). The path of travel of the lathe tool relative to the wheel 100 is a circumferential path 118 along the circumference of a notional circle that is centred on the wheel axis 116 and is oriented in a plane that is perpendicular to the wheel axis 116. As the skilled reader will appreciate, the lathe tool may be circumferentially static, and the rotating wheel 100 causes the lathe tool to traverse the circumferential path 118 relative to the rotating wheel 100. A surface of the wheel 100 that is machined by the lathe tool lies exclusively in a plane that is perpendicular to the wheel axis 116. The lathe tool therefore can only contact the proudest or most protruding portions of the wheel 100 on a given circumferential path 118. As such, if it is required to remove material from a surface that is recessed rather than proud relative to a surface located on that circumferential path 118, the lathe cannot be used (without machining additional surfaces undesirably). The lathe tool may be moved along a radial direction (relative to the wheel axis 116) to determine the circumference of the circumferential path 118. That is, the lathe tool may be moveable parallel to the wheel axis 116 to determine the thickness of material that is removed from a surface, and radially relative to the wheel axis 116 to determine the circumference of the circumferential path 118, but may be otherwise stationary relative to the wheel axis 116 (i.e. not moveable circumferentially relative thereto). Once a surface has been machined along a given circumferential path, the lathe tool may be radially moved so that machining subsequently takes place along a circumferential path 118 that is immediately adjacent to the former circumferential path 118 or overlaps therewith.

[0037] In certain embodiments, the lathe tool may comprise a diamond tip, such that the machining process undertaken by the lathe tool is the process known in the art as diamond turning In the example embodiment shown in Figure 1, the second surfaces 104 are located such that a lathe tool, when travelling along the circumferential path 118, cannot contact the second surfaces 104 without also traversing over either or both of the first surfaces 102 and the third surfaces 106. The second surface 104 must therefore subsequently or previously be machined using a separate process. In embodiments of the present invention, the separate process is a multi-axis machining method such as 5-axis machining, wherein a multi-axis machining tool can be used to remove a small amount of material from the second surface 104. As the skilled reader will appreciate, multi-axis machining tools are able to machine surfaces without the need for relative rotation between the workpiece and the tool. Multi-axis machining is therefore not restricted to machining along a circumferential path as lathe tool machining is. Consequently, unlike lathe machining, multi-axis machining may be used to exclusively machine surfaces that are circumferentially aligned with other surfaces that are not intended for machining in a given process.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the multi-axis machine may be controlled to remove the same thickness or amount per unit area of material from the second surface 104 as the lathe removes from the first surface 102. In certain embodiments, the multi-axis machine may be controlled to provide the second surface 104 with an average surface roughness within 10 microns of the average surface roughness of the first surface 102. By providing a similar surface roughness and/or by removing a similar amount of material from each of the first surface 102 and the second surface 104, each will appear to have been manufactured by a single process, enhancing the visual appeal of the wheel 100. In certain embodiments, the average surface roughness of either or both of the first surface 102 and the second surface 104 is between 55 and 75 microns, and optionally about 64 microns.

[0039] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of a portion of the vehicle wheel 100. In the example embodiment shown in Figure 2, the wheel 100 may be painted prior to machining. The first surface 102, indicated by the dashed line, and the rim 112 of the wheel 100 are coplanar with one another and are formed by machining with a lathe to remove the paint layer Of present) and a small amount of the material (e.g. metal) from which the wheel 100 is formed. Such machining produces a desired finish on the machined surfaces. The second surface 104, indicated by a dotted line, is recessed relative to the first surface 102 and the third surface 106, and as such cannot be worked by a lathe without undesirably machining parts of the first surface 102 which lie on the circumferential path 118 of travel of the lathe tool relative to the wheel 100. Instead, as described above, a multi-axis machining tool is used to remove material from the second surface 104 in order to produce a desired finish. In certain embodiments, an effect of using these two distinct processes may be to provide an indistinguishable finish on the first surface 102 and the second surface 104. In other embodiments, it may be desirable to produce different finishes. Additionally, methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention allow the use of a relatively inexpensive and fast lathe to machine at least a portion of the surface of the wheel and allows the use of the relatively slower, more complex and more expensive multi-axis machine only for remaining portions that cannot be machined using the lathe due their orientation.

[0040] In the embodiments described above, the first surface 102 and the second surface 104 are surfaces of each spoke 114 and intersect the circumferential path 118. In other embodiments, either or both of the first surface 102 and the second surface 104 may form other surfaces of the wheel 100 (but still intersect the circumferential path 118).

[0041] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method 300 of manufacturing a vehicle wheel 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At block 302 a first process is used, wherein the process comprises using a lathe to remove a first layer of material from a first surface 102 of the wheel 100. At block 304 a second process comprises using a multi-axis machining tool to remove a second layer of material from a second surface 104 of the wheel 100.

[0042] In certain embodiments, the first layer and/or the second layer may be up to 0.5mm thick (i.e. in a direction parallel to the wheel axis 116). In certain embodiments, after the first and second layers have been removed, the average roughness of the first surface may be within 10 microns of the average roughness of the second surface.

[0043] Figure 4 illustrates a vehicle 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 400 comprises the wheel 100 described above.

[0044] It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. CLAIMS1. A method of manufacturing a vehicle wheel comprising: using a lathe to remove a first layer of material from a first surface of said wheel; and using a multi-axis machining tool to remove a second layer of material from a second surface of said wheel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface is not co-planar with the first surface.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the wheel comprises a wheel axis about which the wheel rotates during operation and an axis perpendicular to the second surface does not lie in a plane containing the wheel axis.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a notional circumferential path centred on the wheel axis and oriented in a plane that is perpendicular to the wheel axis intersects the first surface and the second surface.

5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the wheel comprises a hub and wherein the second surface is not co-planar with the hub.

6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the wheel comprises a plurality of spokes, and the first surface and the second surface are on at least one of the plurality of spokes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of spokes is an asymmetrical spoke.

8. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first layer and/or the second layer is up to 0.5mm thick.

9. The method of any preceding claim, wherein after said first and second layers have been removed the average roughness of the first surface is within 10 microns of the average roughness of the second surface.

10. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the multi-axis machining tool is a 5-axis machining tool.

11. A vehicle wheel made according to the method of any preceding claim.

12. A vehicle comprising a vehicle wheel made according to the method of any of claims 1 to 10.