US 6,554,371 B2Granted

Vehicle wheel cover retention system

AssigneeHayes Lemmerz International, Inc.

InventorsMichael V. Maloney, Thomas E. Heck, James A. Lumm, James H. Kemmerer

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Abstract

A vehicle wheel cover retention system wherein the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the associated wheel includes a unique construction for securing a wheel cover to the wheel. In particular, the vehicle wheel includes a disc which defines an outboard facing wheel surface and includes an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. The outboard tire bead seat retaining flange includes an outer surface having a circumferential, radially inwardly facing groove formed therein. A relatively thin wheel cover (which may or may not conform to the exact contour of the disc) covers at least a portion of the outboard facing wheel disc surface. In particular, the wheel cover includes an outer annular lip which extends into the groove.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:

a vehicle wheel including an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange and a wheel disc, said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange and said wheel disc cooperating to define an outboard surface of the vehicle wheel, said wheel disc having a plurality of windows formed therein;
and
a wheel cover joined to said vehicle wheel, said wheel cover having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of decorative openings formed therein, said wheel cover being formed so as to cover at least the portion of said wheel disc which includes said windows, at least some of said decorative openings in said wheel cover corresponding to said windows in said wheel disc;
wherein
said wheel cover is secured to said vehicle wheel by an adhesive applied to one of said vehicle wheel outboard surface and said wheel cover inner surface in a preassembly pattern which functions to secure said wheel cover to said vehicle wheel, said preassembly adhesive pattern including separate portions consisting of an inner portion of adhesive spaced inwardly from said windows for contact with an inner peripheral portion of said wheel cover, an outer portion of adhesive spaced outwardly from said windows for contact with an outer peripheral portion of said wheel cover, and at least one portion of adhesive between at least one pair of adjacent windows in said wheel disc for contact with an adjacent portion of said wheel cover, said outer portion of adhesive including a generally circumferential portion of adhesive spaced outwardly from each of said windows formed in said wheel disc.

2 more elements

A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:

a vehicle wheel including an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange and a wheel disc, said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange and said wheel disc cooperating to define an outboard surface of the vehicle wheel, said wheel disc having a plurality of windows and a plurality of lug bolt receiving holes formed therein;
and
a one-piece wheel cover joined to said vehicle wheel, said wheel cover having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of decorative openings formed therein, said wheel cover including an outer peripheral circular edge extending up to but not covering an outer exposed portion of said outboard tire bead retaining flange and an inner peripheral edge extending at least up to said lug bolt receiving holes but not covering an inner exposed center portion of the outboard surface of the vehicle wheel, wherein a center cap is adapted to be secured to the vehicle wheel to cover the exposed center portion of the vehicle wheel, at least some of said decorative openings in said wheel cover corresponding to said windows in said wheel disc;
wherein said wheel cover is permanently secured to said vehicle wheel by an adhesive applied in a preassembly pattern to one of said vehicle wheel outboard surface and said wheel cover inner surface;
and
at least some of said decorative openings formed in said wheel cover defining an edge that extends slightly past an adjacent edge of said wheel disc windows to effectively overlap said edge of said windows;
and
said wheel cover outer surface having a decorative finish and said exposed portion of said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange having a substantially matching decorative finish;
and
said outer peripheral circular edge of said wheel cover adapted to be disposed between and in contact with a conventional wheel balance weight and said wheel;
and
said outer peripheral circular edge of said wheel cover and said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of said vehicle wheel cooperating such that, when the balance weight is attached to said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange, said wheel balance weight will be positioned adjacent and in contact with at least a portion of said outer surface of said wheel cover and said wheel cover does not interfere with the attachment of said balance weight to said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange.

9 more elements

A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:

a vehicle wheel including an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange and a wheel disc, said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange and said wheel disc cooperating to define an outboard surface of the vehicle wheel, said wheel disc having a plurality of windows and a plurality of lug bolt receiving holes formed therein;
and
a one-piece wheel cover joined to said vehicle wheel, said wheel cover having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of decorative openings formed therein, said wheel cover including an outer peripheral circular edge extending up to but not covering an outer exposed portion of said outboard tire bead retaining flange and an inner peripheral edge extending at least up to said lug bolt receiving holes but not covering an inner exposed center portion of the outboard surface of the vehicle wheel, wherein a center cap is adapted to be secured to the vehicle wheel to cover the exposed center portion of the vehicle wheel, at least some of said decorative openings in said wheel cover corresponding to said windows in said wheel disc;
wherein said wheel cover is permanently secured to said vehicle wheel by an adhesive applied in a preassembly pattern to one of said vehicle wheel outboard surface and said wheel cover inner surface;
and
at least some of said decorative openings formed in said wheel cover defining an edge that extends slightly past an adjacent edge of said wheel disc windows to effectively overlap said edge of said windows;
and
said wheel cover outer surface having a decorative finish and said exposed portion of said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange having a substantially matching decorative finish;
and
said outer peripheral circular edge of said wheel cover and said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of said vehicle wheel cooperating such that, when a conventional wheel balance weight is attached to said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange, said wheel balance weight will be positioned adjacent said outer surface of said wheel cover and said wheel cover does not interfere with the attachment of said balance weight to said outboard tire bead seat retaining flange;
wherein said preassembly adhesive pattern includes separate portions consisting of an inner portion of adhesive spaced inwardly from said windows for contact with an inner peripheral portion of said wheel cover, an outer portion of adhesive spaced outwardly from said windows for contact with an outer peripheral portion of said wheel cover, and at least one portion of adhesive between at least one pair of adjacent windows in said wheel disc for contact with an adjacent portion of said wheel cover, said outer portion of adhesive including a generally circumferential portion of adhesive spaced outwardly from each of said windows formed in said wheel disc.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/008,041Filed 13 Nov 2001 · continuation
Priority: 28 Feb 1994
Published: US 2002/0050736 A12 May 2002
Granted: 29 Apr 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B60B 7/00
Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting , venting
B60B 7/0013
Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting , venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre…:…
B60B 7/004
The dominant aspect being the surface appearance: the surface being painted
B60B 7/02
Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting , venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre…:…

Family

Application08/203,058Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 28 Feb 1994
Application08/389,867Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Feb 1995
Application08/886,264Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jul 1997
Application09/473,737Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Dec 1999
Application09/730,029Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Dec 2000
US 2002/0050736 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 May 2002
US 6,386,642 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,286,908 B1Parent of this continuation
US 6,007,158 AParent of this continuation
US 5,664,845 AParent of this continuation
Application08/389,867Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,435,631 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 2001/0045769 A1Published application
US 6,306,837 B1Related patent
US 6,554,371 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.