Heat-resistant overlay for an automotive steel wheel

An overlay and wheel assembly, said wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said wheel, said overlay comprising:

• a solid ornamental panel member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, said inboard surface having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said inboard surface of said solid ornamental panel member being configured to mate with a first portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed with said first portion of said axial surface;
• said second portion of said inboard surface of said solid ornamental panel member being configured to be spaced apart from a second portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, such that said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface form a void therebetween;
• a spacing member fixedly mounted in said void, said spacing member being contiguous said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel and thereby filling said void, said spacing member further being attached to said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel;
• and
• a metal layer electrochemically plated onto said outboard surface of said solid ornamental panel member;
• whereby said solid ornamental panel member is a unitary member which is mounted as a discrete independent unit to said wheel such that said first portion of said inboard surface of said solid ornamental panel member mates with and is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel, and such that said spacing member is intermediate said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel.

In a composite overlay and wheel assembly of the type wherein a wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribes said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said composite overlay and wheel assembly and a metal plated panel member attached to said axial surface of said disk portion, said metal plated panel, member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, a first portion of said inboard surface mating with a first portion of said axial surface, a second portion of said inboard surface being axially spaced apart from a second portion of said axial surface so as to form a void therebetween, the improvement comprising:

• a discrete spacing member mounted in said void contiguous said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface, said discrete spacing member substantially filling said void so as to prevent moisture and/or dirt from becoming trapped within said void between said metal plated panel member and said wheel, said discrete spacing member further being formed from a heat-resistant material;
• said metal plated panel member being a unitary plastic panel member secured as a discrete unit to said composite overlay and wheel assembly;
• said first portion of said inboard surface being juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface;
• and
• means for attaching said first portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member to said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel.

A method for making an overlay and wheel assembly, said wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said wheel, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a discrete solid ornamental panel member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, said inboard surface having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said inboard surface being configured to mate with a first portion of said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface, said second portion of said inboard surface being configured to be spaced apart from a second portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, such that said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface form a void therebetween;
• mounting a spacing member in said void, said spacing member being mounted so as to be contiguous with said second portion of said axial surface and said second portion of said inboard surface and thereby fill said void upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said axial surface of said wheel;
• and
• mounting said solid ornamental panel member as a discrete unit to said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel, and such that said spacing member is contiguous said second portion of said inboard surface of said solid ornamental panel member and said second portion of said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel so as to fill said void.

A method for making an overlay and wheel assembly, said wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said wheel, said overlay providing a decorative surface for said axial surface of said wheel, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a discrete solid ornamental panel member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, said inboard surface having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said inboard surface being configured to mate with a first portion of said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surfacer said second portion of said inboard surface being configured to be spaced apart from a second portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, such that said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface form a void therebetween;
• plating said outboard surface of said solid ornamental panel member;
• forming a spacing member which is configured to be mounted in said void between said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface so as to be contiguous said second portion of said axial surface and said second portion of said inboard surface upon assembling said solid ornamental panel member to said wheel, and thereby fill said void;
• mounting said spacing member in said void defined by said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel such that said second portion of said inboard surface is contiguous said spacing member;
• and
• assembling said solid ornamental panel member as a discrete unit to said axial surface of said wheel such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel, and such that said spacing member is contiguous said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface.

An overlay and wheel assembly, said wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said wheel, said axial surface having a first portion and a second portion complementary with said first portion, said overlay comprising:

• a metal plated panel member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, said inboard surface having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member being configured to mate with said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said overlay to said wheel, such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface;
• said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member being configured to be spaced apart from said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon attaching said metal plated panel member to said wheel, such that said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface define a void therebetween;
• a discrete spacing member attached to said metal plated panel member, said discrete spacing member being configured to be mounted between said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel and said second portion of said inboard surface and thereby substantially fill said void;
• means for securing said discrete spacing member to said metal plated panel member, said securing means interposed said metal plated panel member and said discrete spacing member such that as said metal plated panel member is placed on said wheel said discrete spacing member is contiguous said second portion of said axial surface to substantially fill said void;
• and
• means for attaching said metal plated panel member to said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel;
• whereby said metal plated panel member and said discrete spacing member are a single unit which can be assembled as a discrete unit to said wheel such that said first portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel, and such that said discrete spacing member is intermediate said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member and said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel to substantially fill said void whereby moisture and/or dirt is prevented from becoming trapped within said void between said metal plated panel member and said wheel.

An overlay and wheel assembly, said wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said wheel, said axial surface having a first portion and a second portion complementary with said first portion, said overlay comprising:

• a metal plated panel member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, said inboard surface having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member being configured to mate with said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said metal plated panel member to said wheel, such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface of said disk portion;
• said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member being configured to be spaced apart from said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said metal plated panel member to said wheel, such that said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface define a void therebetween;
• a discrete spacing member disposed in said void, said discrete spacing member being contiguous said second portion of said axial surface and said second portion of said inboard surface and thereby substantially filling said void, said discrete spacing member having an internal cavity;
• and
• means for securing said discrete spacing member in said void;
• whereby said discrete spacing member is a unitary member which is mounted as a discrete unit in said void of said wheel such that said first portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member is juxtaposed to said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel, and such that said discrete spacing member is intermediate said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member and said second portion of said axial surface of said disk portion so as to substantially fill said void as to prevent moisture and/or dirt from becoming trapped within said void between said metal plated panel member and said wheel.

An overlay and wheel assembly, said wheel having a disk portion and a rim portion circumscribing said disk portion, said disk portion defining an axial surface of said wheel, said axial surface having a first portion and a second portion complementary with said first portion, said overlay comprising:

• a metal plated panel member having an outboard surface and an inboard surface oppositely disposed from said outboard surface, said inboard surface having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member being configured to mate with said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said metal plated panel member to said wheel, such that said first portion of said inboard surface is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface;
• said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member being configured to be spaced apart from said second portion of said axial surface of said wheel upon assembling said metal plated panel member to said wheel, such that said second portion of said inboard surface and said second portion of said axial surface define a void therebetween;
• and
• a spacing member portion projecting from said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member, said spacing member portion having one side integrally formed with said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member to define a radially disposed spacing member or portion contiguous said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member, said spacing member portion being configured to mate with said second portion of said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel and thereby substantially fill said void;
• whereby said metal plated panel member is a unitary member which is mounted as a discrete unit to said wheel such that said first portion of said inboard surface of said overlay is juxtaposed said first portion of said axial surface of said wheel, and such that on assembly of said metal plated panel member to said wheel said spacing member portion projecting from said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member is intermediate said second portion of said inboard surface of said metal plated panel member and said second portion of said axial surface of said disk portion of said wheel to substantially fill said void so as to prevent moisture and/or dirt from becoming trapped within said void between said metal plated panel member and said wheel.