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US 4,792,191 AGranted
Automobile wheel protector
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorFrederick M. Farmer
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorFrederick M. Farmer
Estimating the term…
A disk is cut from thin sheet material such as cardstock or plastic. The disc includes a radial cut from the center to the periphery thereof. A plurality of short radial slits is cut in the periphery spaced apart from the radial cut, and a plurality of tabs for engaging any of the slits is cut in the periphery and spaced apart from the radial cut in the opposite circumferential direction. Engaging a tab with a slit forms a cone and the spacings therebetween are selected to form cone diameters to match automobile wheel diameters. Finger holes are provided around the apex of a formed cone to permit holding the cone over a wheel while cleaning a tire on the wheel.
A hand-held protector for a vehicle wheel comprising:
A device for protecting a vehicle wheel during cleaning of a tire on said wheel comprising:
A hand-held protector for vehicle wheels of varying diameters comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting , venting
Masking elements, i.e. elements defining uncoated areas on an object to be coated: specially adapted for vehicle wheels
Vehicle wheels
Spraying apparatus
Term ended 15 Jun 2007 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates toa protector for an automobile wheel for use during cleaning of the tires, and more particularly, to a low cost protector which can be adjusted for various size wheels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the wheel protector of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wheel protector of FIG. 1 formed into a shallow cone having a desired diameter; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the wheel protector of FIG. 1 folded into a 45.degree. segment for storage or mailing.
In FIG. 1, a plan view of the wheel protector 10 of my invention, is shown. A disc 12 is cut from a thin, stiff material such as cardboard, plastic sheet, or the like. Although not essential, I prefer to cut a 5.degree.-10.degree. segment 14 from the disc. Adjacent cutout segment 14 are three slits 17, 18, and 19 cut radially into the periphery of disc 12. Although not critical, the length of slits 17, 18, and 19 may be about 1". As will be noted, slits 17, 18, and 19 are labeled A, B, and C on the disc for reference.
Adjacent the opposite side of segment 14 are two tabs 21 and 23 formed by L-shaped slits 15 and 16, respectively. Tab 15 is numbered on disc 12 as "1" and tab 23 as "2". As will be understood, the labeling of slots and tabs permits simple instructions to be provided for forming various diameter cones.
Although not essential to the invention, I prefer to provide a plurality of radial score marks 20 equally spaced around disc 12. For example, a spacing of 45.degree. may be used. These score marks permit the disc 12 to be folded into a compact package by folding accordion fashion along score marks 20. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the protector 10 in the folded condition. For example, when a thin cardboard is used to form disc 12, the folded package as shown in FIG. 3 will be quite compact and the device may be mailed in a mailing envelope or easily packaged in a plastic wrap or the like for display purposes.