GB2581186A

GB2581186A - Security device

Info

Publication number: GB2581186A
Application number: GB1901701.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kerr Steve
Original assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Current assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Priority date: 2019-02-07
Filing date: 2019-02-07
Publication date: 2020-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2039-02-07
Also published as: GB2581186B; GB201901701D0

Abstract

A security device 10, comprising a cup 12 and a cover 14 extending from cup 12, is provided for hindering unauthorised removal of a wheel 2 from a mounting bracket. Cup 12 has a body for insertion through a central bore of wheel 2 from an outer face towards the mounting bracket, with a wheel engagement portion at one end which engages a surface of wheel 2 adjacent to the central bore, and also a base distal from the wheel engagement portion with a mounting bracket engagement means 15 for releasably securing device 10 to the mounting bracket. Cover 14 extends across the outer face of wheel 2 so as to cover at least one mounting bore of wheel 2 when cup 12 is inserted into the central bore of the wheel. Suitably, a cap 40 may be provided to snap-fit into and end of cup 12 distal the base, and a lock plug (25, Figure 6) may be provided in cup 12. A mounting bracket, spare wheel assembly and vehicle are also claimed.

Description

Security device

Field of the invention

The present invention is concerned with providing an improved means for securing a wheel, such as a spare wheel, to a mounting bracket, particularly but not exclusively a wheel mounting bracket for a vehicle. Aspects of the invention relate to a security device, to a mounting bracket, to a spare wheel assembly and to a vehicle.

Background of the invention

It is common practice for a vehicle such as a truck, a car, or a trailer, to carry a spare wheel, in case of puncture or other damage that may occur during normal use. The spare wheel is often relatively bulky and can be quite heavy, so needs to be mounted to the vehicle in such a way as to be readily accessible to the user when needed and yet not obtrusive, or otherwise in the way, when not required.

For some vehicles, for example motorised vehicles such as cars or trucks, especially those with an off-road bias, it is relatively common to mount the spare wheel to the vehicle tailgate, vehicle side, or even the hood or bonnet via a suitable mounting bracket. This arrangement keeps the spare wheel readily accessible when required, but without taking up valuable storage space within the luggage area or occupant compartment. The same is also the case for non-motorised vehicles such as trailers, which are arranged to be towed by a motorised tow-vehicle. These trailers may commonly have wheels of a different size than those used by the tow-vehicle and so this necessitates the trailer carries its own spare wheel. Commonly, the spare wheel of the trailer is mounted to the trailer via a mounting bracket on the rear face of the trailer, the side of the trailer, or sometimes at the front of the trailer adjacent the trailer hitch. Again, this approach keeps the spare wheel readily accessible when needed without taking up valuable space in the trailer itself.

However, mounting spare wheels on the exterior of the vehicle using such a mounting bracket has the drawback that they are also vulnerable to theft unless suitable measures are taken to fasten the spare wheel to the bracket in a secure manner.

Unfortunately, incidences of theft of spare wheels from vehicles are all too common and so the present invention seeks to improve the security of the spare wheel without compromising on the accessibility of the spare wheel when needed and without adding unnecessary bulk or weight.

A common approach used by thieves in removing an externally mounted spare wheel from a vehicle is to directly attack the threaded fasteners used to secure the spare wheel to the mounting bracket. Their attack typically takes the form of the application of a tool such a wrench to a lug nut or lug stud securing the wheel to the bracket. If the fastener used to secure the wheel to the bracket is a special security fastener that requires a special tool, thieves will often improvise by attacking the head of the fastener with a hammer and chisel to undo the fastener so as to remove the wheel.

Aspects of the invention relate to a security device, to a mounting bracket, to a spare wheel assembly and to a vehicle. The security device of the present invention requires minimal packaging space, maintains a low profile exterior appearance in use, whilst greatly reducing any chance of unauthorised access to means by which the spare wheel is secured to the mounting bracket fitted to the vehicle. Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, claims and drawings.

Summary of the invention

According to an aspect of the present invention for which protection is sought there is provided, a security device for hindering unauthorised removal of a wheel from a mounting bracket, the security device comprising: a cover portion; and a cup portion, the cup portion having a body arranged for insertion through a central bore of the wheel from an outer face of the wheel towards the mounting bracket, the body having at one end a wheel engagement portion, arranged to engage a surface of the wheel adjacent to the central bore, the cup portion further having a base portion, distal from the wheel engagement portion, the base portion having mounting bracket engagement means for releasably securing the security device to the mounting bracket and, wherein the cover portion extends from the cup portion and is arranged to extend across the outer face of the wheel to cover at least one mounting bore of the wheel when the cup portion is inserted into said central bore.

Advantageously, the security device not only provides a secondary means of attachment for the wheel to the mounting bracket via the central mounting bore, but in addition, when fitted through the central bore of the wheel to the mounting bracket, the cover portion extends across at least a portion of the outer face of the wheel to block access to a threaded fastener used to secure the wheel directly to the mounting bracket via a mounting bore in the wheel. With the use of this security device, there is a secondary fastener to contend with, located beneath the central bore of the wheel, but access to the one or more lug nuts or lug bolts as may be used to secure the wheel directly to the mounting bracket are entirely obscured by the cover portion, significantly adding to the time and effort that will be required to defeat the security device.

In an example, the mounting bracket engagement means comprises a through-hole and a security mounting fastener arranged to be accommodated within the through-hole and engage the mounting bracket so as to releasably secure the security device to the mounting bracket. This security mounting fastener may take the form of a threaded nut, bolt or stud, it may have a tool engagement portion in the form of a standard hex head or may have a coded or keyed security head arranged to be engaged with an appropriately coded or keyed tool.

In an example, the security device further comprises a removable plug arranged to be accommodated within the cup portion and arranged to selectively block access to the mounting bracket engagement means when the plug is received into the cup portion. Additionally or alternatively, the removable plug may further comprise surface formations arranged to engage with cooperating formations provided on the interior surface of the body of the cup portion to selectively lock the plug into the cup portion of the of the security device. The plug may further comprise a key-operated locking device and, in dependence on the operation of the key-operated locking device whose operation controls, at least in part, the engagement of the cooperating formations provided on the plug, the plug may be selectively locked into the cup portion or unlocked to facilitate removal of the plug from the cup portion. Additionally or alternatively, the cooperating formations of the body of the cup portion and the plug may be arranged to provide a bayonet type means of engagement of the plug into the cup portion. In an example, the key-operated locking device is configured to be operated using a vehicle access key or ignition key associated with the vehicle to which the mounting bracket is mounted.

Advantageously, the provision of a removable plug to cover the mounting bracket engagement means, further restricts unauthorised access to all the fasteners necessary to remove the security device from the wheel and mounting bracket and further serves to frustrate any attempt to steal the wheel from the vehicle by greatly adding to the time and effort necessary to defeat the security device.

In an example, when the wheel engagement portion is in engagement with an outer surface of the central bore of the wheel, the cup portion is configured to extend towards but not touch the mounting bracket, such that, upon tightening of the mounting bracket engagement means, the wheel is urged into a pre-determined orientation relative to the mounting bracket in use.

Advantageously, by using the wheel engagement portion in concert with the mounting bracket engagement means, to effectively clamp the centre of the wheel to the mounting bracket, rattles and vibration may be mitigated between the spare wheel and the bracket, even when traversing rough terrain. In addition, this approach makes direct access to, and thus an attack on the mounting bracket engagement means, by the application of a bending or twisting force to the wheel relative to the bracket less effective, as it greatly increases the forces needed to successfully defeat the security device.

In an example, the cover portion is arranged to cover at least one predefined mounting bore of the wheel, such that the orientation of the security device relative to the wheel is also predefined. In an example, the cover portion is arranged to cover all the mounting bores of the wheel.

In an example, the cup portion is arranged to accommodate a cap feature substantially co-axial with the wheel engagement portion and, wherein the cap feature is provided with exterior formations corresponding to formations provided in the cup distal the base portion, the cooperation of these formations providing a snap-fit between the cap feature and the cup portion.

Advantageously, such a cap feature greatly improves the overall appearance on the spare wheel mounted to the vehicle and further serves to hide the means by which the spare wheel is held to the vehicle. Additionally, the provision of features that serve to dictate the orientation of the spare wheel and the security device relative to one another and thus to the vehicle, provide the additional benefit that if the cap is used to bear the brand or logo of the manufacturer then it is relatively straightforward to ensure that the cap will also be correctly orientated in use, further improving the appearance.

In an example, when the wheel engagement portion is in engagement with an outer surface of the central bore of the wheel, the base portion of the cup portion extends beyond an innermost mounting surface of the hub of the wheel, such that a tool-engagement portion of the mounting bracket engagement means is below or beyond the level of the innermost mounting surface of the wheel hub when the wheel is mounted to the mounting bracket and the security device is secured therebetween.

Advantageously, development of this security device has highlighted that recessing the means by which the wheel is held to the mounting bracket, not only has the benefit of improved aesthetics, but greatly reduces access to the perimeter of the mounting bracket engagement means, which may take the form of a threaded fastener, available to a would-be thief with improvised tools such as a chisel and a hammer. The more recessed the mounting bracket engagement means, such as a threaded fastener, is relative to the front face of the wheel, the less angle can be applied to the head of that fastener via a chisel, greatly reducing the chances of one being used to impinge upon, and apply sufficient torque to undo the mounting bracket engagement means.

In an example, the depth of the cup portion, defined as the distance from the wheel engagement portion to the base portion, is arranged to be at least twice the depth of the mounting bore of the wheel. In an example, the depth of the cup portion is arranged to be at least three times the depth of the mounting bore of the wheel. Advantageously, increasing the ratio in depth between the mounting bore of the wheel and the depth of the cup greatly reduces unauthorised access to the mounting bracket engagement means, making the use of a hammer and chisel, or other forms of makeshift tools, ineffective as a means to separate the spare wheel from the mounting bracket.

In another aspect for which protection is sought, there is provided a mounting bracket for mounting a wheel to a vehicle, the mounting bracket comprising: a support body; wheel mounting means; a security device receiver; and vehicle mounting means, the vehicle mounting means being configured to secure an inner face of the mounting bracket to the vehicle, the wheel mounting means comprising at least one threaded fastener configured to align with and cooperate with a respective mounting bore of the wheel, and, wherein the security device receiver is arranged to align with a central bore of the wheel when the wheel mounting device is aligned with said respective mounting bore of the wheel.

In an example, the support body is further provided with at least one wheel support surface, facing away from the inner face of the mounting bracket, on or against which the wheel will rest in use, and which extends substantially across the diameter of the wheel so as to support the wheel either side of the wheel mounting means. Additionally or alternatively, the security device receiver extends away from the wheel when secured to the wheel mounting means.

In a further aspect for which protection is sought, there is provided a mounting assembly comprising a security device according to any preceding paragraph and further comprising a mounting bracket of according to any preceding paragraph.

In still another aspect for which protection is sought, there is provided spare wheel assembly for a vehicle, the spare wheel assembly comprising: a wheel; a mounting bracket, arranged to mount the wheel to the vehicle; and a security device according to an aspect of the invention wherein, the wheel is mounted directly to the mounting bracket and secured using at least one threaded fastener therebetween, and additionally, the wheel is further secured indirectly to the mounting bracket via the security device, such that access to the threaded fastener securing the wheel to the mounting bracket is substantially prevented until the security device is removed from the wheel.

In still a further aspect for which protection is sought, there is provided a spare wheel assembly for a vehicle, the spare wheel assembly comprising: a wheel, in the form of a road engagement wheel provided with an associated tyre; a mounting bracket, arranged to mount the wheel to the vehicle; and a security device according to an aspect of the invention wherein, the wheel is mounted directly to the mounting bracket and secured thereto using at least one threaded fastener therebetween, and additionally, the wheel is further secured indirectly to the mounting bracket via the security device, such that access to the at least one threaded fastener securing the wheel directly to the mounting bracket is substantially prevented until the security device is removed from the wheel.

In a further aspect for which protection is sought there is provided a vehicle comprising a security device, a mounting bracket, or a spare wheel assembly according to any preceding paragraph.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective exterior view of a wheel secured using a security device according to an aspect of the present invention and mounted to a bracket according to another aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective interior view of the mounting bracket and wheel of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a detailed cross-section view of the wheel, mounting bracket and security device of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a detailed cross-section view of the wheel, mounting bracket and an alternative embodiment of the security device; Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the security device shown in Figure 4 further provided with a cap feature fitted to substantially seal a cup portion of the security device; Figure 6 shows a detailed cross-section view of an alternative embodiment of the security device further provided with a removable plug being inserted into the cup portion of the security device; Figure 7 shows the arrangement of Figure 6 with the removable plug locked into the cup portion of the security device; Figures 8a and 8b shows perspective exterior and interiors view respectively of the security device fitted with the cap feature of Figure 5; Figure 9 shows a detailed perspective view of the removable plug of Figure 6; Figure 10 shows a detailed perspective interior view of a body portion of a security device provided with cooperating formations with which to engage with the removable plug of Figure 9; Figure 11 shows a cross-section view through a wheel secured to a mounting bracket with a security device according to an aspect of the present invention, the security device being fitted with a removable plug of Figures 6 and 7; Figures 12a -12d show multiple perspective views of an alternative example of a security device according to an aspect of the present invention; and Figure 13 shows examples of vehicles comprising the security device, mounting bracket and spare wheel assemblies according to aspects of the present invention.

Detailed description

A security device 10 in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1. Figures 1, 2 and 3 show views of a wheel 2, such as a spare wheel of a vehicle 200 (shown in Figure 13), mounted to a mounting bracket 100 according to an aspect of the present invention. The wheel 2 is secured, as least in part, to the mounting bracket 100 using the security device 10 according to an aspect of the present invention.

The security device 10 is arranged to hinder unauthorised removal of the wheel 2 from the mounting bracket 100 where the mounting bracket 100 is arranged to be secured to a vehicle 200. The vehicle 200 may be a motorised vehicle 210 such as a car or truck, or may be a non-motorised vehicle 220 such as trailer. Examples of vehicles using a spare wheel assembly 202 comprising the security device 10 to retain a wheel 2 onto a vehicle mounted bracket 100 are provided on Figure 13. The mounting bracket 100 may be mounted to a vehicle 200 on a vehicle tailgate, an exterior vehicle panel such as a side panel or roof or a vehicle hood (bonnet). Alternatively, the mounting bracket 100 may be mounted on a front panel, side panel, vehicle frame or rear panel such as a rear door of a trailer.

Viewing Figures 1, 2 and 3 together, it may be seen that the security device 10 comprises: a cover portion 14 and a cup portion 12. The cup portion 12 has a body 13 arranged for insertion through a central bore 4 of the wheel 2 from an outer face 3 of the wheel 2 towards the mounting bracket 100. In the example shown, the mounting bracket 100 is provided with a security device receiver 120, the purpose of which is to accommodate at least a portion of the cup portion 12 of the security device 10 and to provide means for securing the security device 10 to the mounting bracket 100 in such a way as to deny any unauthorised user tool access to the means by which the security device 10, and thus the wheel 2, is held to the mounting bracket 100.

The body 13 of the security device 10 has at one end, a wheel engagement portion 18, arranged to engage a surface of the wheel 2 adjacent to the central bore 4 of the wheel 2. The wheel engagement portion 18 is larger in diameter than the central bore 4 of the wheel 2 such that it prevents the cup portion 12 being over inserted into the central bore 4 when the security device 10 is being installed. The cup portion 12 also has a base portion 19 distal from the wheel engagement portion 18 in which is formed a through-hole 9. The base portion 19 is arranged to be received within the security device receiver 120 in use. The base portion 19 has mounting bracket engagement means 11 which, in this example, comprise a security mounting fastener 15 on the security device side arranged to cooperate with a security device engagement means 111 on the mounting bracket side. In the example shown, the security mounting fastener 15 is arranged to extend through the through-hole 9 in the base portion 19 and, when in threaded engagement with the security device engagement means 111 means, provides a releasable means for securing the security device 10 to the mounting bracket 100.

It will be appreciated that, depending on available packaging space, the male and female components of the mounting bracket engagement means 11, namely the security mounting fastener 15 and the security device engagement means 111, may be reversed, such that the security mounting fastener 15 shown as a threaded bolt, is replaced by a threaded nut, and the security device engagement means 111, shown as a threaded captive nut, is replaced with a captive threaded stud arranged to cooperate with the threaded nut within the cup portion 12, as may be desired. The cover portion 14 and the cup portion 12 may be formed separately or integrally. The cover portion 14, cup portion 12 and mounting bracket 100 may be formed from pressed steel, cast aluminium or other suitable metal alloy, or alternatively, they may be formed from a plastics material such as fibre reinforced plastic.

The cover portion 14 extends from the cup portion 12 and is arranged to extend across the outer face 3 of the wheel 2 to cover at least one mounting bore 6 of the wheel 2 when the cup portion 12 is inserted into the central bore 4 of the wheel 2. In the example shown in Figure 3, the cover portion 14 is arranged to cover a single, predefined mounting bore 6 of the wheel 2, such that the orientation of the security device 10 relative to the wheel 2 is also predefined. However, from Figures 8, 10 and 12 it may be seen that, in an alternative embodiment, the cover portion 14 is arranged to cover all of the mounting bores 6 provided in the wheel and so the present invention is not limited to a variant that covers only a single mounting bore 6.

In the example shown in Figure 2, the mounting bracket 100 comprises: a support body 110; wheel mounting means 150 in the form of threaded fasteners such as wheel lug studs 150; and a security device receiver 120. The support body may be formed from pressed steel or cast from aluminium alloy. Alternatively, the support body may be formed from a plastics material such as fibre reinforced plastic. The wheel mounting means 150 of the mounting bracket 100 are configured to align with and cooperate with one or more respective mounting bore(s) 6 of the wheel 2. In addition, the mounting bracket 100 further comprises vehicle mounting means 140, configured to secure an inner face 105 of the mounting bracket 100 to the vehicle (as shown in Figure 13).

It may be seen from the Figures that the wheel 2 is secured with a primary and secondary means to the mounting bracket. The primary means takes the form of one or more wheel lug stud or similar threaded fastener that cooperates with one or more mounting bores 6 in the wheel and which, when tightened, secures the wheel 2, at a wheel hub 2h, directly to the mounting bracket. The secondary means is provided by the security device 10 itself, the cup portion 12 is inserted into the central mounting bore 4 of the wheel 2 once the wheel 2 is secured to the mounting bracket 100 until the wheel engagement portion 18 abuts or otherwise engages an outer surface of the wheel 2 surrounding the central bore 4. Once the wheel engagement portion 18 abuts the wheel, a threaded fastener is inserted by the user into the cup portion 12 and engages, via the through-hole 9 at the bottom of the base portion, with a cooperating threaded fastener provided in the mounting bracket 100. The security device 10 thus not only provides a secondary means of attachment for the wheel 2 to the mounting bracket 100 via the central mounting bore 4, but in addition, when fitted through the central bore 4 of the wheel 2 to the mounting bracket 100, the cover portion 14 extends across at least a portion of the outer face 3 of the wheel 2 to block access to a threaded fastener, such as a wheel lug stud 150 and/or wheel lug nut 151, used to secure the wheel 2 directly to the mounting bracket 100 via a mounting bore 6 in the wheel 2.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the mounting bracket engagement means 11 comprises the through-hole 9 and the security mounting fastener 15 arranged to be accommodated within the through-hole 9 and engage the mounting bracket 100 so as to releasably secure the security device 10 and thus the wheel 2 to the mounting bracket 100.

From Figure 3 it may be seen that the depth of the cup portion 12, defined as the distance from the wheel engagement portion 18 to the base portion 19, is arranged to ensure that the mounting bracket engagement means 11 is below the level of an inner abutment face 5h of the wheel hub 2h. In some examples, the mounting bracket engagement means 11 is recessed below the level of the wheel and into the mounting bracket itself, so as to be below the level of an outermost face 103 of the mounting bracket 100. This outermost face 103 comprises a wheel support surface 155 arranged to abut an abutment face 5h provided on an inner face of the wheel hub 2h and which replicates the wheel abutment surface that would otherwise be provided by the vehicle hub when the wheel is in use. In the example shown in Figures 3-7, the base portion 19 of the cup portion 12 extends beyond this innermost mounting surface 5h, such that a tool-engagement portion 1St of the mounting fastener 15 is below or beyond the level of the innermost abutment surface 5h of the wheel hub 2h when the wheel 2 is mounted to the mounting bracket 100. In the example shown in Figure 3, this is at least twice the depth of the mounting bore of the wheel.

The security device receiver 120 is arranged to align with the central bore 4 of the wheel 2 when the wheel mounting means is/are aligned with respective mounting bore(s) 6 of the wheel 2. The support body 110 is further provided with at least one wheel support surface 155 (as shown in Figure 3) facing away from the inner face 105, on which the wheel 2 or at least a part of an inner face of the wheel rim 5, and in some cases a tyre 7, will rest in use. It can be seen in Figure 2 that this wheel support surface 155 extends substantially across the diameter of the wheel 2 so as to support the wheel 2 either side of the wheel mounting means. In the example shown in Figure 2, the wheel support surface 155 also extends downwards from the wheel mounting means so as to form an inverted T shape, supporting the wheel rim and/or tyre 7 at three points around their perimeters. This arrangement helps to reduce relative movement of the wheel on the mounting bracket, even when the vehicle 200 is travelling across rough terrain.

Also shown in Figure 2 is the security device receiver 120, which is arranged to extend away from the wheel 2 when secured to the wheel mounting means. This is to ensure that there is sufficient space for the security device 10 between the wheel 2 and the mounting bracket 100 and, additionally, to further protect the security device 10 from unauthorised access by preventing unauthorised access to the mounting bracket engagement means by effectively covering it with the mounting bracket 100 itself.

It may be seen from Figure 3, that when the wheel engagement portion 18 is in engagement with an outer surface of the central bore 4 of the wheel 2, the cup portion 12 is configured to extend towards but not touch the mounting bracket 100 such that, upon tightening of the mounting bracket engagement means 11, in this example when the security mounting fastener 15 is screwed into the security device engagement means 111 of the security device receiver 120, the wheel 2 is urged into a pre-determined orientation relative to the mounting bracket 100 in use. This is useful to minimise rattling between the wheel, the security device and the mounting bracket in use, and is particularly useful when a uniform orientation of a cap is required for aesthetic purposes as may be demonstrated in Figures 5 and 8a.

A known approach used by thieves in removing an externally mounted spare wheel 2 from a vehicle is to directly attack the threaded fasteners 150, 151 used to secure the spare wheel 2 to the mounting bracket 100. Their attack typically takes the form of the application of a tool such a wrench to a lug nut or lug stud securing the wheel 2 to the bracket 100. If the fastener used to secure the wheel 2 to the bracket 100 is a special security fastener that requires a special tool, thieves will often improvise by attacking a tool engagement head of the fastener with a hammer and chisel to undo the fastener so as to remove the wheel. With the use of this security device 10, not only is there a secondary fastener, the mounting bracket engagement means 11, (in the form of the security mounting fastener 15 in threaded engagement with the security device engagement means 111), which are located relatively deep beneath the central bore 4 of the wheel 2, but additionally, access to the one or more lug nuts or lug bolts used to secure the wheel directly to the mounting bracket 100, are entirely obscured by the cover portion 14. This two-stage approach to securing the wheel to the mounting bracket significantly adds to the time and effort required to defeat the mounting arrangement to gain unauthorised possession of the spare wheel.

Figure 4 shows an alternative example of a security device 100 with a cover portion 14 that is arranged to extend across more than one mounting bore 6. Covering more than a single mounting bore 6 further enhances the security of the wheel 2 mounted to the mounting bracket 100. The examples shown in Figures 8, 10, 11 and 12 all have a cover portion 14 that covers all of the mounting bores 6 of the wheel 2. By covering all of the mounting bores 6, it will not be clear from the outside, which mounting bore contains a threaded fastener 151 engaging the wheel mounting means 150, further increasing the time necessary to overcome the security device 10 in an unauthorised manner.

The security device 10 of Figure 5 has a cup portion 12 arranged to accommodate a cap feature 40 substantially co-axial with the wheel engagement portion 18. The cap feature 40 is provided with exterior formations 42 corresponding to formations 44 provided in the cup 12 distal the base portion 19, the cooperation of these formations providing a snap-fit between the cap feature 40 and the cup portion 12. The cooperating formations 42,44 may be arranged to only permit a snap-fit of the cap 40 when it is in a pre-determined orientation with the security device 10. In this way it is possible to ensure any design feature or manufacturer's brand logo is correctly orientated in use.

In the example shown in Figures 6 and 7, the security device 10 further comprises a removable plug 20, arranged to be accommodated within the cup portion 12. The removable plug 20 is arranged, in use, to selectively block access to the mounting bracket engagement means 11 when the plug 20 is received into the cup portion 12. It may be seen from Figures 9 and 10 that the removable plug 20 comprises surface formations 22 arranged to engage with cooperating formations 23 provided on the interior surface of the body 13 of the cup portion 12 to selectively lock the plug 20 into the cup portion 12. It should be noted that the version of the plug 20 shown in Figure 9 has four surface formations 22 or locking lugs, whereas the version of the cup portion 12 shown in Figure 10 is arranged to accept a plug 20 having only two such surface formations 22, as it has only a pair of cooperating formations 23 or locking slots. In the example shown in Figure 10, the detailed arrangement of the cooperating formations 23 of the cup portion 12 are arranged to provide a bayonet type means of engagement of the plug 20 into the cup portion 12, such that the user aligns the cooperating formations between the plug and the cup portion and then inserts the plug 20 into the cup portion 12 and once the plug is inserted as far as the cooperating formations will allow, the user secures the plug 20 with a part turn such as a 90° clockwise twist of the plug relative to the cup portion 12. Figure 9 shows the plug 20 being provided with gripping formations 26 to facilitate the user handling the plug and twisting into and out of engagement via the bayonet type fastener. These gripping formations also serve to indicate to the user which end to hold and which end of the plug to insert into the cup portion 12 of the security device 10.

In the example shown in Figures 6 and 7, the removable plug 20 further comprises a key-operated locking device 25, this is shown in detailed cross-section in Figure 11. Operation of the key-operated locking device 25 controls, at least in part, the engagement of the cooperating formations 22 provided on the plug 20. In this way, the plug 20 may be selectively locked into the cup portion 12 or unlocked to facilitate removal of the plug 20 from the cup portion 12.

In the example illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the key-operated locking device 25 is configured to be operated using a vehicle access key 30 or ignition key associated with the vehicle (not shown) to which the mounting bracket 100 is mounted. It will be appreciated that any suitable key may be chosen to cooperate with the key-operated locking device 25. However, if the spare wheel assembly 202, that is to say the spare wheel 2, the mounting bracket 100 and security device 10, are to be supplied with the vehicle 200 from the manufacturer, then using the same vehicle access key 30 as is provided to access and/or operate the vehicle as that for the key-operated locking device 25, keeps parts complexity to a minimum and makes operation of the security device more intuitive.

A key operated locking device 25 can secure the plug 20 into the cup portion 12 more securely than the bayonet locking arrangement alone. In the example shown in Figures 6, 7 and 11, the user can only insert the plug 20 into the cup portion with the key 30 inserted into the plug. With the key inserted into the plug 30, additional cooperating formations 22L in the plug 20 (as shown in Figure 9) are drawn into the plug 20 and do not extend beyond the sides of the plug, nor engage or cooperate with the cooperating formations 23 or locking slots in the cup portion 12. Once the user inserts the plug into the cup portion and locks it in place with the bayonet style engagement means, the user removes the key 30 from the plug 20. Removal of the key 30 causes the additional cooperating formations 22L to extend radially from the plug 20 and insert themselves into the cooperating formations 23 or locking slots in the cup portion 12. With these additional cooperating formations 22L engaged into one or more locking slot 23, removal of the plug 20 is substantially prevented. This is because these additional cooperating formations 22L prevent the plug 20 from being rotated back anti-clockwise through 90° to reverse the steps taken to insert the plug into the cup portion 12. Other arrangements of locking arrangements and cooperating formations between the removable plug 20 and the cup portion 12 are useful.

Figures 8a and 8b show respective exterior and interior views of a security device 10 whose shape and form are arranged to fit closely with the exterior surface of a cast alloy wheel. Such a wheel often has a relatively flat exterior face to the wheel hub 2h, at least when fitted with a complementary trim piece. As such, this security device 10 and, in particular, the shape of the cover portions 14 and the wheel engagement portion 18 are shaped so as to follow, as closely as possible, the exterior surface of the alloy wheel, to avoid any gaps between the cover portion 14 and the wheel 2. Such gaps may be unsightly and may reduce the effectiveness of the security device 10 in use. The result of this form fitting is a security device 10 whose appearance, when fitted to a spare wheel, appears to be very similar to the complementary trim piece fitted to cover the central bore 4 of the wheels on the vehicle 200. It will be noted from Figure 8b that the cover portions 14 not only cover the outer entrance of the mounting bores 6, but also extend into each bore to surround the head of the lug nut 151 (or lug stud as may be the case), to deny any unauthorised access to the threaded fasteners securing the wheel 2 to the mounting bracket 100.

Figures 12a through 12d show multiple perspective views of an alternative example of a security device 10 arranged to secure a different type of wheel 2. The security device 10 of Figures 8a and 8b are so formed to provide a close fit with a cast alloy wheel, whereas the form of the example shown in Figure 12 are dictated by the desire to fit closely to the exterior face of a pressed steel wheel. The exterior face of a pressed steel wheel often features deep formations used to improve wheel stiffness in use. Figure 12 also shows a bore fill feature 61 arranged to act as a poka-yoke feature, to ensure the user only attempts to orientate the cover portion 14 of the security device in a single pre-determined orientation relative to the mounting bracket 100. With the wheel 2 secured to the mounting bracket 100 using the threaded fasteners 150, 151, these bore fill features 61 will only fit into an empty mounting bore and not one currently accommodating a wheel lug nut 151 or bolt head. Thus it may be seen from Figure 12 that the example shown is arranged to be used with a mounting bracket with three cooperating pairs of threaded fasteners 150, 151, one pair at the top and two at the bottom, so these bore fill features 61 force the user to orientate the cover portion 14 accordingly in order to get a secure fit between the wheel engagement portion 18 and the central bore 4.

It will be noted that in the examples shown in Figures 8, 10 and 12, there is a small recess formed in the lower central region of the cover portion 14 surrounding the central bore 4. This small recess, or cap removal feature 45, is arranged to facilitate the removal of the central cap 40 using the tip of the vehicle key 30 or other suitable small flat tool which may be used to apply a light force between the underside of the cap 40 and the cover portion 14 to urge the cap 40 away from its snap-fit securing means. Other features such as drainage holes may be provided in the cup portion 12 to make the security device 10 as resistant as possible to the environment conditions and corrosion as may be desired.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made to the apparatus and method described herein without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A security device for hindering unauthorised removal of a wheel from a mounting bracket, the security device comprising: a cover portion; and a cup portion, the cup portion having a body arranged for insertion through a central bore of the wheel from an outer face of the wheel towards the mounting bracket, the body having at one end a wheel engagement portion, arranged to engage a surface of the wheel adjacent to the central bore, the cup portion further having a base portion, distal from the wheel engagement portion, the base portion having mounting bracket engagement means for releasably securing the security device to the mounting bracket and, wherein the cover portion extends from the cup portion and is arranged to extend across the outer face of the wheel to cover at least one mounting bore of the wheel when the cup portion is inserted into said central bore.
2. A security device according to Claim 1; wherein the mounting bracket engagement means comprises a through-hole and a security mounting fastener arranged to be accommodated within the through-hole and engage the mounting bracket so as to releasably secure the security device to the mounting bracket.
3. A security device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the security device further comprises a removable plug arranged to be accommodated within the cup portion and arranged to selectively block access to the mounting bracket engagement means when the plug is received into the cup portion.
4. A security device according to Claim 3, wherein the removable plug comprises surface formations arranged to engage with cooperating formations provided on the interior surface of the body of the cup portion to selectively lock the plug into the cup portion of the of the security device.
5. A security device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the plug further comprises a key-operated locking device and, in dependence on the operation of the key-operated locking device whose operation controls, at least in part, the engagement of the cooperating formations provided on the plug, the plug may be selectively locked into the cup portion or unlocked to facilitate removal of the plug from the cup portion.
6. A security device according to Claim 5, wherein the key-operated locking device is configured to be operated using a vehicle access key or ignition key associated with the vehicle to which the mounting bracket is mounted.
7. A security device according to any preceding claim when dependent on Claim 4, wherein the cooperating formations of the body of the cup portion and the plug are arranged to provide a bayonet type means of engagement of the plug into the cup portion.
8. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein, when the wheel engagement portion is in engagement with an outer surface of the central bore of the wheel, the cup portion is configured to extend towards but not touch the mounting bracket, such that, upon tightening of the mounting bracket engagement means, the wheel is urged into a pre-determined orientation relative to the mounting bracket in use.
9. A security device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cup portion is arranged to accommodate a cap feature substantially co-axial with the wheel engagement portion and, wherein the cap feature is provided with exterior formations corresponding to formations provided in the cup distal the base portion, the cooperation of these formations providing a snap-fit between the cap feature and the cup portion.
10. A security device according to any preceding claim, wherein, the cover portion is arranged to cover at least one predefined mounting bore of the wheel, such that the orientation of the security device relative to the wheel is also predefined.
11. A security device according to any preceding claim, wherein, when the wheel engagement portion is in engagement with an outer surface of the central bore of the wheel, the base portion of the cup portion extends beyond an innermost mounting surface of the hub of the wheel, such that a tool-engagement portion of the mounting bracket engagement means is below or beyond the level of the innermost mounting surface of the wheel hub when the wheel is mounted to the mounting bracket and the security device is secured therebetween.
12. A security device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the depth of the cup portion, defined as the distance from the wheel engagement portion to the base portion, is arranged to be at least twice the depth of the mounting bore of the wheel.
13. A mounting bracket for mounting a wheel to a vehicle, the mounting bracket comprising: a support body; wheel mounting means; a security device receiver; and vehicle mounting means, the vehicle mounting means being configured to secure an inner face of the mounting bracket to the vehicle, the wheel mounting means comprising at least one threaded fastener configured to align with and cooperate with a respective mounting bore of the wheel, and wherein the security device receiver is arranged to align with a central bore of the wheel when the wheel mounting device is aligned with said respective mounting bore of the wheel.
14. A mounting bracket according to Claim 13, wherein the support body is further provided with at least one wheel support surface, facing away from the inner face of the mounting bracket, against which the wheel will rest in use and which extends substantially across the diameter of the wheel so as to support the wheel either side of the wheel mounting means.
15. A mounting bracket according to Claim 13 or Claim 14, wherein the security device receiver extends away from the wheel when secured to the wheel mounting means.
16. Mounting assembly comprising a security device according to any of Claims 1 to 12 comprising a mounting bracket of according to any of Claims 13 to 15.
17. A spare wheel assembly for a vehicle, the spare wheel assembly comprising: a wheel; a mounting bracket, arranged to mount the wheel to the vehicle; and a security device according to any of Claims 1 to 12 wherein, the wheel is mounted directly to the mounting bracket and secured using at least one threaded fastener therebetween, and additionally, the wheel is further secured indirectly to the mounting bracket via the security device, such that access to the threaded fastener securing the wheel to the mounting bracket is substantially prevented until the security device is removed from the wheel.
18. A spare wheel assembly according to Claim 17, wherein the wheel is a road engagement wheel and that wheel has an associated tyre fitted thereto.
19. A vehicle comprising a security device according to any of Claims 1 to 12 and/or a mounting bracket according to any of Claims 13 to 15 or a spare wheel assembly according to Claim 17 or Claim 18.