GB2485214A

GB2485214A - Wheel cover

Info

Publication number: GB2485214A
Application number: GB1018729.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pandora Vaughan-Melly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-05
Filing date: 2010-11-05
Publication date: 2012-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2030-11-05
Also published as: GB201018729D0; GB2485214B

Abstract

In order to prevent contamination of carpets, car seats or other surfaces by a dirty wheel of a child carrier, bicycle, golf trolley &c, a flexible cover 1, e.g. of waterproof material, is removably fitted to such wheel. The periphery of the cover 1 has a channel containing a draw cord formed by a nylon monofilament 3 which extends through eyelets 4 and has a cleat 5 at one end accepting and locking the other end to retain the cover around the wheel; this enables single-handed placing of the cover on the wheel and the drawing in of its periphery.

Description

Wheelwraps

Patent Specification

Many modem prams or pushchairs are very convenient and comfortable to use, being provided with folding means which make it easy to stow them in cars, sometimes on the back seat, or to take them into the owner's or their friends' homes.

A problem with all such prams, however, is that in the course of their normal use in the street and in the park or other places, their wheels tend to become contaminated with mud, chewing gum, human phlegm, dog excrement, discarded food, bird droppings, and other materials. Consequentially, these contaminants may be transferred onto the car or into the house.

Similar problems are encountered with children's bicycles, golf trolleys and the like, and my intention is intended to be equally applicable to them, Conventional approaches to this problem are to ignore the problem, to try to avoid contamination, or to wash or wipe the wheels after use.

Another attempt at a solution has been the use of elasticated covers similar to shower caps, but these are time-consuming and fiddly to fit, and there is a tendency when fitting them for the hand to touch the tyre of the wheel to which such a device is being applied. This is particularly if one is attempting to fit them with one hand, as is often the case with prams.

The aim of this invention is to solve some or all of the above problems, while providing an effective means of avoiding the transfer of contamination from tyre to surfaces.

My invention consists of device which is capable of being readily fitted into an operative position on the wheels of a pram, child's bicycle or other wheeled equipment, so that when fitted, it is the device, and not the potentially contaminated wheels which come into contact with carpets, car seats or other surfaces on which prams and other vehicles may be placed.

The device consists of a layer of material such as plastic, or plastic-coated cloth, which is adapted to be drawn around the wheel or wheels and fitted with a positive closure means so as to cover the tyre when the pram or other vehicle is not in use.

The attached Figure 1 illustrates the way of giving effect to the invention.

Figure 1 consists of a layer of flexible, waterproof material (1) with a channel (2) at its periphery containing drawing means (3)(5)(6) protruding through eyelets (4), whereby it may be laid around the wheel's tyre and drawn tight by means of a flexible nylon monofilament (3) provided at one end with a suitable fixing means shown, and the fixing means is in the nature of a cleat, into which the monofilament may be locked after being drawn tight. The use of a monofilament has the advantage of being sufficiently stiff enough to hold the device open, which enables it to be single-handedly slipped over a wheel or wheels before tightening it up. The use of tightening of this kind further insures that even if there is a fork that prevents the whole of the drawing rod from being located behind the wheel, it can still be pulled sufficiently tight to make it difficult or impossible to remove from the wheel.

Preferably, the device when removed from the wheel will be so configured that the outer periphery containing the drawing means has, or is drawn into a smaller diameter than the ring of textile or the like to which it is fitted. In this way the device will in its unfitted state be somewhat bag-shaped, rather than flat, which will make it easier to slip one-handed onto a wheel, and also to contain any detritus removed from the wheel for ease of emptying.

Claims

What I claim is: 1. A device which is capable of being readily fitted with one hand into an operative position on the wheels of a pram, bicycle, golf trolley or the like, so that when in such an operative position, it is the device, and not the potentially contaminated parts of the wheels which come into contact with carpets, car seats or other surfaces on which such vehicles may be placed after use.
2. A device in which the device consists of a layer of material such as plastic or plastic-coated cloth, which is adapted to be drawn around the wheel or wheels when the vehicle is not in use and which is provided with covering means so as to cover those parts of the tyre which might otherwise contact and contaminate other surfaces, and with holding means to retain the cover in place.
3. A device in which the device consists of a disc or annulus of greater diameter than the vehicle wheel to which it is intended to be fitted, and provided with fixing means to enable it to be removably fitted to the vehicle wheel, such disc and such fixing means having sufficient rigidity to prevent contact between contaminated parts of the wheel and a surface upon which the vehicle is laid.
4. A method of protecting surfaces such as carpets or car seats from contamination by contact with the wheels of prams and the like, by the use of the device claimed above.