Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – With wheel cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-29
2001-11-20
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
With wheel cover
C188S21800R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318809
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to brake covers adapted for use with automobile wheels, and in particular to brake covers which improve appearance and reduce the accumulation of harmful brake dust on alloy wheels.
BACKGROUND
Automobile wheels come in two basic kinds: steel wheels and alloy wheels. Steel wheels are standard equipment for cars, because they are inexpensive. Unfortunately, steel wheel are utilitarian in appearance and use, and are often covered with hub caps to disguise their utilitarian appearance. Alloy wheels are usually not offered as standard equipment because they are expensive, so if car owners want to improve the appearance of their cars, they must buy alloy wheels from the car dealer or from after-market sellers. In addition to their functional use as wheels, alloy wheels dramatically improve the vehicle's appearance.
Despite their improvement of a vehicle's appearance, alloy wheels suffer from a couple of problems. First, alloy wheels typically have large open vents. The open vent designs allow for more intricate wheel styles, but they also allow unsightly brake mechanisms to be seen through the alloy wheel, including the brake drums, brake discs and overall braking mechanisms. Depending upon the vehicle, some use brake drums and others use disc brakes. Through daily use, braking mechanisms often have rust on their surfaces. This rust does not impair the vehicles ability to reduce speed, however, the rusty brake drums and discs are not attractive when seen through the open vents of an alloy wheel. Since consumers purchase alloy wheels mainly for their cosmetic looks, visibility of the unsightly rusty brake drums and discs defeats the purpose of the alloy wheels.
Second, braking mechanisms such as disc brakes create significant amounts of brake dust. Brake dust is corrosive and can damage the finish of an alloy wheel, which is both unsightly and damaging to alloy wheels if not washed away frequently. Although brake dust will cover both steel and alloy wheels, it is more of a problem with alloy wheels. Gradually over many years, the alloy wheel finish may become pitted or dull from the brake dust's corrosive nature. Since alloy wheels are expensive relative to steel wheels, consumers do not want brake dust damaging their alloy wheels. Additionally, the brake dust makes the alloy wheels look dirty. Through the course of daily driving, a vehicle and its wheels will become dirty from the dirt and grime found on roads. However, the brake dust significantly exacerbates the appearance of dirt on the alloy wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A brake cover and a process for using the brake cover are disclosed. The brake cover comprises a circular plate having a front surface, a back surface, a perimeter, a centrally located axle hole, and a plurality of lug holes surrounding the axle hole, and a sidewall integrally formed along the perimeter of the circular plate and projecting from the circular plate at a selected angle relative to a plane defined by the circular plate. The process comprises mounting the brake cover on a hub and an axle of the vehicle, the brake cover being designed to cover the brake components, mounting a wheel on the hub and axle of the vehicle, such that the brake cover is sandwiched between the wheel and the hub, and securing the wheel onto the hub.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4484667 (1984-11-01), Bottieri, Jr.
patent: 6047796 (2000-04-01), Fitzgerald
patent: 6089671 (2000-07-01), Iacovelli et al.
patent: 204433 (1986-12-01), None
patent: 81/03530 (1981-12-01), None
Kleen Wheels Advertismen, Dic. 1984, No Page No., Dec. 1984.*
JC Whitney Catalog, p. 56, Jan. 1996.*
Auto Accessory. Com; Web Page/Sales Info Kleen Wheels Dust Shields, Jul. 26, 2000.
Davis , Wright, Tremaine, LLP
Pacific Rim and Trim International, Inc.
Stormer Russell D.
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