Patents by Inventor Bill Fowler

Bill Fowler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7587825
    Abstract: A method of forming a wheel disc starts with a flat blank. A plurality of windows are formed in the wheel disc, wherein each window has a respective outer edge proximate with a continuous outer band around a periphery of the wheel disc. The windows define a plurality of spokes between adjacent windows, and the angular size of each of the windows along the outer band is preferably greater than the angular size of each of the spokes. The outer band is partially closed toward a cylindrical shape by engaging a cam die against at least a portion of the outer band. The outer band is substantially fully closed into a cylindrical shape by axially wiping the outer band using a cylindrical die. The intermediate camming operation achieves the desired final shape after wiping without introducing stresses that would weaken or distort the wheel disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Coleman, Tom Czarniecki, Bill Fowler
  • Publication number: 20070175037
    Abstract: A method of forming a wheel disc starts with a flat blank. A plurality of windows are formed in the wheel disc, wherein each window has a respective outer edge proximate with a continuous outer band around a periphery of the wheel disc. The windows define a plurality of spokes between adjacent windows, and the angular size of each of the windows along the outer band is preferably greater than the angular size of each of the spokes. The outer band is partially closed toward a cylindrical shape by engaging a cam die against at least a portion of the outer band. The outer band is substantially fully closed into a cylindrical shape by axially wiping the outer band using a cylindrical die. The intermediate camming operation achieves the desired final shape after wiping without introducing stresses that would weaken or distort the wheel disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventors: Alan Coleman, Tom Czarniecki, Bill Fowler