Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
  • B60B7/06—Fastening arrangements therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B3/00—Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body
  • B60B3/14—Attaching disc body to hub ; Wheel adapters
  • B60B3/16—Attaching disc body to hub ; Wheel adapters by bolts or the like
  • B60B3/165—Attaching disc body to hub ; Wheel adapters by bolts or the like with locking devices for the fixing means, e.g. screw or nut covers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
  • B60B7/06—Fastening arrangements therefor
  • B60B7/061—Fastening arrangements therefor characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted
  • B60B7/068—Fastening arrangements therefor characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted to the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
  • B60B7/06—Fastening arrangements therefor
  • B60B7/14—Fastening arrangements therefor comprising screw-threaded means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
  • F16B37/00—Nuts or like thread-engaging members
  • F16B37/14—Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
  • F16B5/00—Joining sheets or plates, e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them
  • F16B5/06—Joining sheets or plates, e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them by means of clamps or clips
  • F16B5/0607—Joining sheets or plates, e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them by means of clamps or clips joining sheets or plates to each other
  • F16B5/0621—Joining sheets or plates, e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them by means of clamps or clips joining sheets or plates to each other in parallel relationship
  • F16B5/065—Joining sheets or plates, e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them by means of clamps or clips joining sheets or plates to each other in parallel relationship the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to wheel trim and more particularly to a lug nut engaging retention system which resists degradation at elevated wheel temperatures.
• Plastic wheel trim have been employed for several years. Among the attributes of plastic wheel trim are resistance to water, road salt and other environmental factors, which effected corrosion in metal wheel trim.
• plastic wheel trim A primary advantage of plastic wheel trim was that it was light in weight and thus did not significantly contribute to total vehicle weight. As such, the employment of plastic wheel trim was one of several factors contributing to increased vehicle mileage efficiency.
• plastic wheel trim was moldable into a variety of attractive configurations and was susceptible to any of a variety of outer finishes including metal plating and painting. A significant problem with respect to plastic wheel trim was obtaining satisfactory retention to the wheel. A variety of systems have been proposed for retaining plastic wheel trim with varying degrees of success.
• Wheel trim have been secured to the outer wheel weight rim of a wheel, however, metal barbs were required which had a tendency to scratch the wheel and induce wheel corrosion. It has been found that plastic wheel trim retention systems which engage a wheel lug nut have proven most effective.
• Patent No. 4,998,780 issued to Martin E. Russell, et al, disclosed a wheel trim retention comprised a series of plastic caps which were captured in apertures extending through the wheel trim. The caps included internal threads which engaged specially configured wheel lug nuts having mating external threads.
• Push on retention systems have been preferred because of their simplicity in mounting and dismounting the wheel trim, however, the engagement between a plastic retention and a lug nut suffered significant problems because wheel heat, generated by the vehicle braking system, resulted in elevated temperatures not only of the wheel disc, rotor or brake drum, but additionally, the lugs and the lug nuts.
• the plastic retainers which were in contact with the lug nuts were thus subject to elevated temperatures, which resulted in degraded retentivity and the loss of the wheel trim on a highway, freeway or other roadway and concomitant hazards to motorists attempting to avoid the road debris.
• a push on plastic wheel trim includes plastic lug nut caps seated in apertures formed through the disc of the wheel trim.
• Each cap includes at least one arcuate panel having a lug nut engaging surface projecting from its inner face and at least one aperture engaging concentric arcuate leg, having a flange projecting from its outer face.
• the lug nut engaging surface may comprise a partial thread segment configured to snap into the roots of external threads formed on the lug nuts or a lip which snaps over a lug nut flange, in the event flanged lug nuts are employed.
• the caps are retained in the apertures by the leg flange engaging the inner face of the wheel cover disc and an annular flange which engages the outer face of the wheel cove disc.
• a metal ring engages the outer faces of the panel and the inner faces of the leg to urge the lug nut engaging surface of the panel against the lug nuts and to urge the leg flange against the inner faces of the disc.
• a feature of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim which maintains high retentivity in the presence of elevated temperatures.
• a consideration of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim of the general character described which is relatively low in cost.
• Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim of the general character described which avoids metal-to-metal contact.
• a still further feature of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim of the general character described which includes freely rotatable lug nut engaging caps.
• An additional consideration of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim of the general character described which is well adapted for economical mass production fabrication.
• a further aspect of the present invention is to provide a plastic wheel trim of the general character described which is capable of being affixed to and removed from a wheel without the use of tools.
• Another feature of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim which is sturdy and durable.
• a still further consideration of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim of the general character described which facilitates simple mounting and removal of the wheel trim.
• Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a push on retention system for plastic wheel trim of the general character described which is well suited for implementation with thermoplastic molded wheel trim having reduced thickness.
• FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a wheel having push on wheel trim mounted thereto in accordance with the present invention, with a tire, axle, rotor and wheel lugs omitted for clarity of illustration;
• FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale isometric axially inner view of a lug nut cap in accordance with the present invention showing partial thread segments for engagement with externally threaded portions of a lug nut;
• FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale isometric view of the of the lug nut cap showing flanges for captively retaining the cap within an aperture of the wheel trim;
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged scale fragmentary sectional view through the wheel trim and the wheel, taken substantially along the plane 4— 4 of FIG. 1 and through a lug nut cap and showing the engagement between a partial thread segment and the externally threaded portion of a lug nut;
• FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the lug nut cap showing a lip which snaps over the flange of a flanged lug nut;
• FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the wheel trim and the wheel, similar to FIG. 4, but through the alternate embodiment lug nut cap and showing the engagement between a lip and the axially interior surface of the lug nut flange; and
• FIG. 7 is an enlarged scale isometric view of an alternate lug nut cap, wherein the cap does not include a hexagonal configuration in simulation of a lug nut.
• the reference numeral 10 denotes generally a push on plastic wheel trim, e.g. wheel cover, constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.
• the wheel trim 10 includes a disc 12, configured to substantially cover the axially outer face 14 of a wheel 16 having a rim 18.
• the disc 12 includes a plurality of apertures 20 formed at the bases of recesses or wells 22, with the apertures 20 arrayed for registration with wheel lugs 24 and lug nuts 26.
• a like plurality of lug nut caps 28 are captively retained within the apertures 20.
• the lug nut caps 28 include an annular peripheral flange 30 which overlies the axially outer face of the disc wells surrounding the apertures 20.
• the lug nut caps 28 are provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced legs 32 extending axially inwardly from the flange 30, with each leg 32 including a radially outwardly projecting flange 34 having an abutment face 36 which engages the axially inner face of the disc 12 surrounding the apertures 20 so as to capture the cap 28 between the peripheral flange 30 and the abutment face 36 of the leg flanges 34. Axial movement of the disc 12 relative to the caps 28 is thus restricted, while the caps are permitted to rotate relative to the disc 12.
• each panel 38 positioned between the legs 32 and spaced radially inwardly from the legs 32 are concentric axially inwardly extending arcuate panels 38. Extending radially inwardly from the inner face of each panel 38 are a plurality of axially spaced partial thread segments 40, 42, each dimensioned to mate with the external threads of the lug nut 26.
• the axially inner ends of the panels 38 include a chamfer 44 to assist in alignment of the caps 28 with the lug nuts 26.
• the radially outer surfaces of the panels 38 include a radially outwardly extending flange 46 having an abutment face 48.
• a spring wire ring 50 is positioned in engagement with the radially outer surface of the panels 38 and the radially inner surface of the legs 32. The ring 50 is fixed against axial movement between the abutment face 48 and a radially inwardly extending rib 52 formed on the inner surface of the leg 32.
• the spring wire ring 50 serves to prevent the legs 32 from deflecting radially inwardly after the caps 28are seated within the apertures 20 so that the caps 28 will not move axially relative to the disc 12 and also serves to maintain the thread fragment 40, 42 in tight engagement with the lug nut threads to preclude axial movement between the lug nuts and the caps, thus retaining the disc 12 in its mounted position.
• the disc 12 is held generally parallel to the outer face 14 and the lug nut caps 28 are registered with the lug nuts 26.
• the disc 12 is then manually pushed against the wheel until the outer edge of the disc 12 seats against the wheel rim flange.
• the panels 38 sequentially flex radially outward and inward, such that the thread segments pass over the crests of the lug nut threads and snap back into the roots of the lug nut threads.
• Engagement between the ring 50 and the panels 38 assures that the thread segment or segments are tightly seated within a thread root for proper retention of the disc 12.
• the trim 10 can be removed from the wheel 16 by grasping the outer periphery of then disc and pulling the disc axially outwardly away from the wheel.
• each panel 38 engages the lug nut threads.
• the exemplary segments 40, 42 are preferably axially spaced from one another such that a range of lug nut positions and wheel configurations may be accommodated.
• the disc 12 may be fabricated of a relatively low softening temperature thermoplastic and need not be thick, since no preload is required.
• the nut caps 28, however, are preferably fabricated of a high softening temperature plastic and serve as a heat insulating barrier between the lug nuts and the disc.
• An alternate embodiment of a wheel trim 10A includes a disc 12A configured to substantially cover the axially outer face 14A of a wheel 16A having a rim 18 A.
• the disc 12A includes a plurality of apertures 20 A formed at the bases of recesses or wells 22A, with the apertures 20A arrayed for registration with wheel lug nuts 26A having annular peripheral flanges 27A.
• a like plurality of lug nut caps 28A are captively retained within the plurality of apertures 20A.
• the lug nut caps 28A include an annular peripheral flange 30A which overlies the axially outer face of the disc wells surrounding the apertures 20A.
• the lug nut caps 28A are provided with a cylindrical skirt 32A extending axially inwardly from the flange 30A.
• the skirt 32A includes radially outwardly projecting flanges 34A having abutment faces 36A which engage the axially inner face of the disc 12A surrounding the apertures 20A so as to capture the cap 28 A between the peripheral flange 30A and abutment faces 36A of the flanges 34A. Axial movement of the disc 12A relative to the caps 28 A is thus restricted, while the caps are permitted to rotate relative to the disc 12 A.
• the skirt 32A is configured with a gap 54A.
• a concentric axially inwardly extending arcuate panel 38 A Extending radially inwardly from the inner face of the panel 38A at the axially inner end thereof is a lip 40A.
• the lip 40A is dimensioned to engage a portion of the lug nut 26A which is spaced axially inwardly of the annular flange 27A, as illustrated in FIG.6.
• the lip 40A includes a chamfer 44A to assist in alignment of the caps 28A with the lug nuts 26A.
• a radially outwardly extending flange 46A Spaced axially inwardly from each flange 34A on the skirt 32A is a radially outwardly extending flange 46A having an abutment face 48A.
• a spring wire ring 50A is positioned in engagement with the radially outer surface of the skirt 32A and panel 38A. The ring 50A is fixed against axial movement between the abutment face 48A and an abutment stop 51A of a radially outwardly extending rib 52A formed on the skirt 32A.
• the discl2A is held generally parallel to the outer face 14A and the lug nut caps 28 A are registered with the lug nuts 26A.
• the disc 12A is then manually pushed against the wheel until the outer edge of the disc 12A seats against the wheel rim flange.
• the panel 38A flexes radially outward guided by the chamfer 44A, such that the lip passes over the annular flange 27A and snaps back against the lug nut portion spaced axially inwardly of the flange 27A.
• the caps are preferably contoured with a hexagonal configuration larger than that of the lug nuts such that the lug nut wrench supplied with a vehicle will not fit.
• the caps can be contoured without a hexagonal nut configuration, such as the lug nut cap 28B, illustrated in FIG. 7.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Connection Of Plates (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Insertion Pins And Rivets (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=50841892

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (9)

Citations (10)

Family Cites Families (15)

• 2013
  • 2013-03-12 US US13/796,230 patent/US9409441B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2014
  • 2014-03-12 CN CN201480015505.3A patent/CN105102237B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-03-12 JP JP2015562369A patent/JP6304900B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-03-12 WO PCT/IB2014/000642 patent/WO2014140793A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-03-12 CA CA2905115A patent/CA2905115A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-03-12 MX MX2015012897A patent/MX2015012897A/es unknown

Patent Citations (10)

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