Wheel trim retention system

A wheel trim for a vehicle wheel comprising:

• a trim member;
• at least one radially elongated radially outwardly opening cavity provided in said trim member;
• a clip member movably disposed within said cavity, said clip member including an elongated body portion, an integrally formed flange portion at one end of said body portion, a pair of integral spaced tooth portions adjacent said flange portion adapted to bitingly engage a portion of said vehicle wheel, and integral movement limiting means for limiting movement of said clip means in a radially outward direction;
• and
• biasing means extending between a portion of said cavity and said flange portion, and being operative to urge said movement limiting means into engagement with a portion of said cavity.

A wheel trim retention clip for securing a wheel trim to a vehicle wheel, said retention clip comprising:

• an elongated body portion having sidewalls;
• a flange portion integral with said body portion and positioned between said sidewalls;
• a toothed portion integral with said body portion, said toothed portion being adapted to bitingly engage a portion of said vehicle wheel when said clip is assembled to said wheel trim and said wheel trim is installed on a vehicle wheel;
• and
• movement limiting means integrally provided on said sidewalls, said movement limiting means being elastically deformable so as to enable said clip to be inserted within a cavity provided in said wheel trim, said movement limiting means thereafter being adapted to cooperate with stop means provided in said cavity to limit movement of said clip in an outward direction with respect to said cavity and said flange portion being positioned on said body portion so as to engage biasing means urging said toothed portion into biting engagement with said vehicle wheel when said clip is installed in said wheel trim and said wheel trim is assembled to said vehicle wheel.

A wheel trim for a vehicle wheel comprising:

• a trim member;
• means defining a plurality of integrally formed radially outwardly opening elongated cavities in said trim member, each of said cavities having stop means provided therein;
• a plurality of retention clips, one of said plurality of retention clips being movably disposed in each of said cavities, each of said retention clips including
• an elongated body portion having sidewalls;
• a flange portion integral with said body portion and positioned between said sidewalls;
• a toothed portion integral with said body portion;
• and
• movement limiting means integrally formed on said sidewalls,
• said body portion being adapted to be movably disposed in and cooperate with said cavity provided in said wheel trim so as to guide longitudinal movement of said clip in a radial direction with respect to said wheel trim,
• said movement limiting means being elastically deformable so as to facilitate insertion of said clip into said cavity and thereafter cooperating with said stop means of said cavity to limit radially outward movement of said clip and
• said flange portion being positioned on said body portion so as to engage biasing means urging said toothed portion into biting engagement with said vehicle wheel when said wheel trim is installed on said vehicle wheel.