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US 12,545,050 B2Granted
Adaptive wheel assembly with interchangeable decorative faces
OwnerMichael Raveloinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel assembly that provides a simulated center lock wheel look that also enables exchanging of ornamental face plates with a center hub attachment device that will allow car enthusiasts to easily change the look of their automotive wheels while maintaining a center lock wheel appearance. The assembly includes three components: a base wheel, a plurality of ornamental face plates, and a center hub attachment extending from one of either the hub or the ornamental face plate.
Claims18
A wheel assembly for use on a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising:
- a barrel having a sidewall with an internal surface that circumscribes a hollow interior having a first end and a second end and a rotational axis about which the barrel rotates, the sidewall having an outboard flange;
- a hub located in an interior of the barrel and having an exterior side and an interior side that is capable of coupling the barrel to the vehicle, the hub having an attachment mechanism point formed along a longitudinal axis of the hub;
- a plurality of barrel spokes extending from the hub and terminating at the barrel;
- and
- an ornamental face plate sized and shaped to be removably coupled directly to the hub to cover at least a portion of the hub and a portion of the interior surface of the barrel on the exterior side of the hub, the ornamental face plate including a plurality of ornamental spokes that are structured to be received over the barrel spokes, two or more ornamental spokes of the plurality of ornamental spokes each having a distal end configured to bear against a distal rim of the barrel, the ornamental face plate selected from a plurality of ornamental face plates, the plurality of ornamental face plates each configured to cooperate with the attachment mechanism on the hub such that each ornamental face plate of the plurality of ornamental face plates is positioned at different positions along the rotational axis of the barrel to create different angles between respective ornamental spokes and the barrel.
2 more elements
A vehicle, comprising:
- a wheel assembly for use on a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising:
- a barrel having a sidewall with an internal surface that circumscribes a hollow interior having a first end and a second end and a rotational axis about which the barrel rotates, the sidewall having an outboard flange;
- a hub located in an interior of the barrel and having an exterior side and an interior side that is capable of coupling the barrel to the vehicle, the hub having an attachment mechanism formed along a longitudinal axis of the hub;
- a plurality of barrel spokes extending from the hub and terminating at the barrel;
- and
- at least one ornamental face plate sized and shaped to be removably coupled directly to the hub to cover at least a portion of the hub and a portion of the interior surface of the barrel on the exterior side of the hub, the at least one ornamental face plate including a plurality of ornamental spokes that are structured to be received over the barrel spokes, two or more ornamental spokes of the plurality of ornamental spokes each having a distal end configured to bear against a distal rim of the barrel, the at least one ornamental face plate selected from a plurality of ornamental face plates, the plurality of ornamental face plates each configured to cooperate with the attachment mechanism on the hub, such that each ornamental face plate of the plurality of ornamental face plates is positioned at different positions along the rotational axis of the barrel to create different angles between respective ornamental spokes and the barrel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.