Floating wheel cover
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorJeffrey Paul Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a wheel cover that is coupled to a wheel of a vehicle utilizing a mounting assembly that has a bearing block. A retainer assembly in combination with the bearing block of the mounting assembly allows the wheel cover to be coupled to the wheel in a manner such that the wheel cover does not rotate with the forward and backward rotation of the wheel when the vehicle is being driven. The wheel cover covers the wheel and partially covers a gap or space between a tire of the wheel and a fender of the vehicle, which increases the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle. The retainer assembly provides at least one degree of freedom such that the wheel cover may move with the wheel when steering the vehicle in a leftward direction and a rightward direction.
Claims20
A wheel cover system, comprising:
- a wheel including a rim and a tire on the rim;
- a bearing block coupled to the wheel, the bearing block configured to rotate freely from a rotation of the wheel when a vehicle is moving forward or backward;
- a wheel cover coupled to the bearing block, the wheel cover including:
- a first portion that covers a first portion of the tire;
- a second portion that covers a second portion of the tire, the second portion of the wheel cover including:
- a first region configured to, in operation, contact a first portion of a fender of the vehicle when the vehicle turns in a first direction;
- and
- a second region configured to, in operation, contact a second portion of the fender of the vehicle when the vehicle turns in a second direction.
A wheel cover, comprising:
- an external surface;
- an internal surface opposite to the external surface;
- a first portion;
- and
- a second portion including:
- a first region of the internal surface configured to, in operation, contact a first portion of a fender of a vehicle when the vehicle turns in a first direction;
- and
- a second region of the internal surface configured to, in operation, contact a second portion of the fender of the vehicle when the vehicle turns in a second direction.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a fender including a wheel well;
- an anchor component;
- a wheel in the wheel well of the fender, the wheel including:
- a rim;
- and
- a tire on the rim;
- a bearing block on the rim of the wheel;
- a wheel cover coupled to the bearing block, the wheel cover having an outer surface and an inner surface opposite to the outer surface, the inner surface faces towards the wheel;
- a retainer assembly coupled to the anchor component and the inner surface of the wheel cover, the retainer assembly including:
- an anti-rotation member having a first end coupled to the anchor component and a second end having a receiver;
- and
- a sliding member coupled to the inner surface of the wheel cover, the sliding member slidably coupled to the receiver of the anti-rotation member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.