US 2003/0067210 A1 · System and method of preventing rim corrosion

Abstract

A system and method for preventing rim corrosion on vehicles of all types that have rims and hubs made of dissimilar metal. Rim corrosion occurs because of loss of metal from the rim which acts as an anode in the resulting electrical circuit when water, salt, and other dirt or road contaminants work their way in between the rim and hub surfaces. The invention is a system and method for preventing electrical current to flow between these surfaces. The system can be a gasket or other electrical insulator that is inserted or bonded between the rim and hub surfaces. Because the electrical insulator prevents current from flowing off the anode or rim surface, rim corrosion is greatly reduced or eliminated. The insulator can be made of any electrically insulating material that can withstand the stress of being pressed between the rim and hub of a vehicle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for preventing rim corrosion on vehicles where a rim is bolted to a hub of dissimilar metal comprising:

a metal vehicle rim having a first mating surface and a first electronegativity value;
a metal vehicle hub having a second mating surface and a second electronegativity value, said second electronegativity value being less than said first electronegativity value;
a disk of electrically insulating material sandwiched between said first and second mating surfaces, said disk preventing metal ion current flow from said first mating surface to said second mating surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method of preventing rim corrosion

Life of this patent

System and method of preventing rim corrosion

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20