US Patent 7537289 Vehicle wheel assembly with transition ring member

A vehicle wheel assembly comprises a wheel having a central axis, an annular rim portion having outboard and inboard bead seats for mounting a pneumatic tire thereon and disk portion including a central hub portion provided with a plurality of lug mounting apertures. The rim portion defines an annular outboard and inboard rim flanges extending radially outwardly from the outboard and inboard bead seats, respectively. The outboard rim flange has an annular inner peripheral surface facing the inboard rim flange and an annular outer peripheral surface disposed opposite the inner peripheral surface and facing away from the inboard rim flange. The outboard rim flange has an annular retention groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outboard rim flange concentrically to the central axis. The wheel assembly further comprises an annular transition member mounted in the annular retention groove in the outboard rim flange of the wheel.