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US 12,011,951 B1Granted
Scratchless decorative cover
AssigneePhoenix USA, Inc.
InventorJohn Lawrence Bella
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed at decorative and protective covers for wheels, or wheel simulators for wheels. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed at an improved attachment between the wheel simulator and the wheel and a device and method for a decorative cover or trim over a motor vehicle wheel without scratching the main painted or polished wheel surface.
Claims18
A scratchless wheel cover system for a wheel on a vehicle, comprising:
- at least two nuts, each nut adapted to screw onto a respective stud of the wheel and having a grooved exterior surface, each groove of the grooved exterior surface being separate, independent, and spaced apart;
- and
- a wheel cover comprising at least two pods, each pod located on the cover to align with each of the at least two nuts when the cover is placed over the wheel studs, each pod including contours matching the grooved exterior surface of each nut of the at least two nuts and configured to frictionally engage the grooved exterior surface of each nut of the at least two nuts.
A scratchless wheel cover system for a wheel on a vehicle, comprising:
- first and second nuts, each of the first and second nuts adapted to screw onto a respective stud of the wheel and having a grooved exterior, each groove of the grooved exterior being separate, independent, and spaced apart;
- and
- a wheel cover comprising first and second pods, each of the first and second pods located on the cover to align with each of the first and second nuts when the cover is placed over the wheel studs, each of the first and second pods including contours matching the grooved exterior of each of the first and second nuts and configured to frictionally engage the grooved exterior of each of the first and second nuts.
A method for apply a wheel cover to a wheel of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- screwing a first nut onto a first wheel stud and a second nut onto a second wheel stud, the first and second nuts each having a grooved exterior surface, each groove of the grooved exterior surface being separate, independent, and spaced apart;
- aligning a cover comprising a first pod and a second pod over the wheel studs, such that the first pod is oriented over the first nut and the second pod is oriented over the second nut;
- and
- pressing the cover onto the nuts to frictionally engage the grooved exterior surface of the first nut within contours of the first pod and to frictionally engage the grooved exterior surface of the second nut within contours of the second pod, the contours of each of the first and second pods matching the grooved exterior surface of each of the first and second nuts.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.