Snap-on retention device and system for wheel cover

A retention device for releasably securing a disc to a wheel, said retention device comprising:

• a snap-on, snap-lock fastening means made of a strip of spring metal and adapted to be attached to and extend along the face of a wheel, said fastening means including
• a hook portion having a turned lip and a first bend of about 180 degrees to said lip for hooking over a rim section of a wheel,
• a neck portion connected at a second bend to said hook portion and extending away from said hook portion for extending along an outer radial section of said wheel and
• a base portion connected at a third bend of about 90 degrees and extending transverse to said neck portion and opposite said hook portion for extending along an outer axial section of said wheel,
• a cantilever-like movable arm connected to said base portion at a fourth bend of about 180 degrees to said base portion and extending axially out from said bend, said movable arm extending in a spaced relation to said base portion for extending in a direction substantially axially of said wheel and having a movable end portion opposite said third bend on said lower arm portion that moves in a direction along said fastening means substantially axially of said wheel from an outer at rest position to an inner retracted position when a force is applied thereto that widens the space between said base portion and lower arm portion and returns to said at rest position when the force is removed as a result of the spring action at said fourth bend, said base portion and movable arm being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said fourth bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said fourth bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction substantially radially of said wheel against an axial section of said disc,
• connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to a mating coupling portion on a disc to releasably fasten said disc to said connecting means, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc, and
• retaining means for holding said fastening means to said connecting means.

In a retention system for securing a disc to a wheel including a plurality of circumferentially spaced retention devices connected between said wheel and disc, each said retention device comprising:

• fastening means adapted to be attached to and extend along the face of a wheel, said fastening means including
• a hook portion for hooking over a rim section of a wheel and
• a base portion connected to said hook portion and shaped to extend along an outer axial section of said wheel, said base portion being arranged for engaging said outer axial section to retain said hook and base portions on said wheel,
• a cantilever-like movable arm connected to said base portion at an axially inner end to said base portion at a bend and extending axially out from said bend in spaced relation to said base portion for extending in a direction substantially axially of said wheel, said movable arm having a movable end portion that is movable in a direction along said fastening means substantially axially of said wheel between a disc hold position and a disc release position, said base portion and movable arm being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction substantially radially of said wheel against an axial section of said disc, and
• connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to a mating coupling portion on a disc in said disc hold position and releases said disc from said connecting means in said disc release position, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc.

A combination wheel and disc assembly comprising:

• a wheel,
• a disc secured to an outer face of said wheel, said disc having a coupling portion with an axial section,
• at least one retention device releasably securing said disc to said wheel, said retention device including
• fastening means attached to and extending along an outer face and extending substantially radially of said wheel, said fastening means including
• a hook portion for hooking over a rim section of a wheel and
• a base portion connected to said hook portion and shaped to extend along an outer axial section of said wheel, said base portion being arranged for engaging said outer axial section to retain said hook and base portions on said wheel,
• a cantilever-like movable arm connected to an axially inner end of said base portion at a bend and extending axially out from said bend and extending in spaced relation to said base portion, said movable arm having a movable end portion opposite said bend that is movable in a direction along said fastening means for extending in a direction axially of said wheel between a disc hold position and a disc release position, said base portion and movable arm portion being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction radially of said wheel, and
• connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to said coupling portion on said disc, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc.