Chromium-plated composite wheel

An overlay for a wheel having an outer surface and an axis, said overlay comprising:

• a plastic panel member having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface, at least a portion of said second surface mating with at least a portion of said outer surface of said wheel and said first surface closely corresponding to said second surface such that said first surface closely conforms to an adjacent portion of said outer surface of said wheel;
• and
• a metal layer electrochemically plated onto said first surface of said plastic panel member;
• whereby said overlay is attached directly to said outer surface of said wheel such that said layer is substantially flush with said adjacent portion of said outer surface of said wheel and such that said overlay appears to comprise said portion of said outer surface of said wheel.

A composite vehicle wheel having an ornamental metal-plated plastic cover, said composite vehicle wheel comprising:

• a wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an outboard surface of said wheel;
• and
• an overlay attached to said disk portion of said wheel, said overlay comprising:
• a plastic panel having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface for mating with at least a portion of said outboard surface of said wheel, said first surface closely and uniformly conforming to an adjacent portion of said outboard surface of said wheel;
• and
• a metal layer electrochemically plated onto said first surface of said plastic panel;
• whereby said overlay is attached directly to said outboard surface of said wheel such that said metal layer is substantially flush with said adjacent portion of said outboard surface of said wheel and such that said overlay appears to comprise said portion of said outboard surface of said wheel.

In a composite vehicle wheel having a wheel with a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an outboard surface of said composite vehicle wheel, an ornamental metal-plated plastic overlay attached to said outboard surface of said disk portion, said ornamental metal-plated plastic overlay having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface, said second surface mating with at least a portion of said outboard surface of said wheel, the improvement comprising:

• said ornamental metal-plated plastic overlay being a thin plastic panel;
• and
• said first surface uniformly and closely conforming to an adjacent portion of said outboard surface of said wheel;
• whereby said ornamental metal-plated plastic overlay permits said metal layer to be substantially flush with said adjacent portion of said outboard surface of said wheel and such that said ornamental metal-plated plastic overlay appears to comprise said portion of said outboard surface of said wheel.

A method for providing a decorative surface on an outer surface of a wheel, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a thin solid plastic panel having an interior and exterior surface, said solid plastic panel being shaped to mate to said wheel and to substantially conform said exterior surface to contours of said wheel;
• plating a layer on said exterior surface of said solid plastic panel;
• applying an adhesive to said outer surface of said wheel;
• and
• positioning said interior surface of said solid plastic panel against said adhesive so as to adhere said solid plastic panel to said wheel;
• whereby said layer is substantially flush with said adjacent portions of said outer surface of said wheel such that said solid plastic panel appears to constitute an integral portion of said outer surface of said wheel.