Valve hole flare for vehicle wheels

Abstract

Exemplary illustrations of a method of making a wheel may include stamping a wheel blank, and forming a lip extending about a periphery of an aperture defined by the wheel blank. The aperture may be configured to receive a valve stem. The method may further include refining the lip about the periphery of the aperture. The lip may define an axial thickness greater than a baseline thickness of the wheel blank adjacent the aperture. In some exemplary approaches, a method further includes providing a second wheel blank having a second aperture configured to receive a valve stem. The second aperture may define an axial thickness greater than the baseline thickness of the first wheel blank, while the lip axial thickness of the first wheel blank is substantially equal to axial thickness of the second aperture

What is claimed, is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 stamping a wheel blank;   forming a lip extending about a periphery of an aperture defined by the wheel blank, the aperture configured to receive a valve stem; and   refining the lip about the periphery of the aperture, the lip defining an axial thickness greater than a baseline thickness of the wheel blank adjacent the aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the lip includes flaring the wheel blank. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising piercing the wheel blank to define the aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein refining the lip includes coining the lip. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein refining the lip includes inducing a plastic flow along a surface of the wheel blank. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein refining the lip includes smoothing a surface of the wheel blank along the lip. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing a valve stem to the lip. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising abutting first and second shoulders defined by the valve stem against corresponding first and second lip surfaces of the lip. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising establishing the first and second shoulders as extending substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising establishing the first and second shoulders of the valve stem as compliant relative to the first and second lip surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the valve stem is a snap-in valve stem. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing the wheel blank as a first wheel blank;   providing a second wheel blank defining a second aperture configured to receive a valve stem; the second aperture defining an axial thickness;   wherein the axial thickness of the second aperture is greater than the baseline thickness of the first wheel blank; and   wherein the lip axial thickness of the first wheel blank is substantially equal to axial thickness of the second aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising installing first and second valve stems to the first and second wheel blanks, wherein the first and second valve stems each have substantially identical installation thicknesses. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a rim portion in the wheel blank, the rim portion defining an interior side configured to receive a tire for securing to the wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the lip extends into the interior side of the rim. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the lip extends away from the interior side of the rim. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 stamping a first wheel blank;   forming a lip extending about a periphery of a first aperture defined by the first wheel blank, the first aperture configured to receive a valve stem;   refining the lip about the periphery of the first aperture, the lip defining an axial thickness greater than a baseline thickness of the first wheel blank adjacent the aperture;   establishing the wheel blank as a first wheel blank;   providing a second wheel blank defining a second aperture configured to receive a valve stem; the second aperture defining an axial thickness;   wherein the axial thickness of the second aperture is greater than the baseline thickness of the first wheel blank; and   wherein the lip axial thickness of the first wheel blank is substantially equal to axial thickness of the second aperture.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising installing first and second valve stems to the first and second wheel blanks, wherein the first and second valve stems each have substantially identical installation thicknesses. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming a rim portion in the wheel blank, the rim portion defining an interior side configured to receive a tire for securing to the wheel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the lip extends away from the interior side of the rim.