IP Library Granted Patent US 12,420,582
Granted Patent B2
US 12,420,582 · App. 17/788,126 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

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

Inventors: Jaan Mattes Reiling (Sassenberg, DE); Jan Gaugler (Neckarmühlbach, DE); Marc Hummel (Güglingen, DE); Detlef Kube (Sundern, DE); Michael Timm (Plettenberg, DE)
Assignees: AUDI AG; SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
B60B3/06B22D17/14B22D25/02B60B3/02B60B3/10C22C21/02B60B2310/202B60B2310/54B60B2360/104B60B2900/112B60B2900/113
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,420,582
App. No.
17/788,126
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
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 (29)

1. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a motor vehicle wheel, comprising:

vacuum die casting a casting material in a casting mold; and

forming the motor vehicle rim in the casting mold continuously and in one piece;

wherein the motor vehicle rim, as formed in the casting mold, 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 a longitudinal section, wherein the motor vehicle rim has at least one of:

a smallest wall thickness greater than 0 mm and of at most 15 mm at least in some regions,

a curvature with a smallest radius of curvature greater than 0 mm and of at most 4 mm, and

a demolding surface running in one or both of: an axial direction and in a radial direction, and in the axial direction and in a tangential direction, with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim, which surface completely lies in an imaginary plane, wherein the plane encloses an angle greater than 0° and of at most 4° with the longitudinal central axis.

2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising forming the rim center with a plurality of spokes, which are spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim.

3. The method of claim 2 , the method further comprising manufacturing the motor vehicle rim, in regions, with a first wall thickness greater than 15 mm and in regions with a second thickness corresponding to the smallest thickness.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the smallest thickness is used in a region positioned between two spokes in a 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 smallest thickness, at least in regions.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the smallest thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

6. The method of claim 2 , 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.

7. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising manufacturing the motor vehicle rim, in regions, with a first wall thickness greater than 15 mm and in regions with a second thickness corresponding to the smallest thickness.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the smallest thickness is used in a region positioned between two spokes in a 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 smallest thickness, at least in regions.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the smallest thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

10. The method of claim 7 , 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.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the smallest thickness is used in a region positioned between two spokes in a 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 smallest thickness, at least in regions.

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

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rim base is manufactured during the vacuum die casting with the smallest thickness and/or with the demolding surface on its radially inner side.

15. 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.

16. The method of claim 1 , 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 1 , wherein the motor vehicle rim is made of AlSi10MnMgZn.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle rim is heat treated after the vacuum die casting.

19. The method of claim 1 , 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 a 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 at least one of:

a smallest wall thickness greater than 0 mm and of at most 15 mm at least in some regions,

a curvature with a smallest radius of curvature greater than 0 mm and of at most 4 mm, and

a demolding surface running in one or both of: an axial direction and in a radial direction, and in the axial direction and in a tangential direction, with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the motor vehicle rim, which surface completely lies in an imaginary plane, wherein the plane encloses an angle greater than 0° and of at most 4° with the longitudinal central axis.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL, INC.; SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 075258/0813 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2024
From: SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069128/0898 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2022
From: REILING, JAAN MATTES; GAUGLER, JAN; HUMMEL, MARC; KUBE, DETLEF; TIMM, MICHAEL
To: AUDI AG; SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 061714/0816 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 102020100701.9 · Jan 14, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230042862A1 · Feb 9, 2023
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