Abstract: Aluminum wheels include a rim and a disc having a mounting portion. The mounting portion includes an inner mounting face and an outer mounting face. The mounting portion also includes a coarse grain region and a fine grain region. The coarse grain region can be adjacent, and at least partially form, one of the inner mounting face or the outer mounting face. The coarse grain region includes aluminum alloy grains of a first average grain length that is greater than 1 mm. The fine grain region extends between the coarse grain region and the other of the inner mounting face or the outer mounting face. The fine grain region includes aluminum alloy grains of a second average grain length that is less than 0.5 mm.

Abstract: Aluminum alloys described herein include silicon, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, and chromium. In various implementations, the aluminum alloys also include one or more of zinc and titanium. Typically, a total amount of iron and manganese in the aluminum alloys is no less than 0.28% by weight and no greater than 0.45% by weight, and the grains in the aluminum alloys have an average grain length of no greater than 6 mm. Aluminum alloy billets can be forged for wheel production at selected temperatures.

Abstract: A tire inflation apparatus includes a housing coupled for co-rotation with a vehicle wheel, which includes a rim and a tire. The apparatus also includes a pendulum coupled to the housing for relative rotation therewith, a mechanically actuated pump coupled to the housing and operated in response to relative rotation between the housing and the pendulum, a valve positioned downstream of the pump and movable between a closed position in which pressurized air generated by the pump is prevented from being transferred to an air chamber between the rim and the tire, and an open position in which the pressurized air may be transferred to the air chamber, an electrically powered actuator coupled to the valve for moving the valve to at least one of the open and closed positions, and a generator operable to convert rotational kinetic energy of the wheel to electrical energy to power the actuator.

Abstract: Wheel assemblies and valves for use with central tire inflation systems are provided. A wheel assembly may include a wheel having a rim and a wall extending radially inwardly from the rim. The wall may include an inboard side and an outboard side, and a central opening therethrough. The wheel may include a wheel duct for communicating pressurized fluid to a tire. A valve may be secured to the wheel wall. The valve may include an inboard side and an outboard side. The valve may include a hub interface adapted to extend from its inboard side. The hub interface may be adapted to extend around the wheel wall. The valve may include an inlet duct opening on the hub interface to communicate with a duct in a wheel hub on which the wheel is mounted. The valve may also include an outlet duct configured to communicate with the wheel duct.

Abstract: A method of forming a hole to a final specified dimension in a fiber reinforced wheel for a motor vehicle, and a fiber reinforced wheel with such a hole. Stud mounting holes, or a hub hole or a valve hole, are drilled through the wheel to an internal dimension larger than the final specified dimension, to sever and expose fiber ends in the wheel surrounding the hole. Thermoset resin with coupling and curing agents is applied to the hole internal surfaces by brushing or spraying, and is thereafter cured, and atomically and mechanically bonded to the internal hole surfaces with exposed fiber ends to form a thin smooth permanent protective layer on the hole internal surfaces defining the hole at final specified dimension. The hole may have frustoconical, spherical radius, and/or cylindrical portions.