Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – With wheel cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-12
2001-05-29
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
With wheel cover
C301S037373
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238007
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to ornamentation for vehicular wheels. More specifically, the invention relates to a retaining article for wheel caps and covers to secure them to the vehicular wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheel ornamentation, such as wheel caps and covers (hereinafter “wheel covers”) are aesthetic devices used to enhance the look of the wheels to which they are attached. Wheel covers are used because the manufacture, finish and mounting of a wheel cover to a wheel is less expensive than manufacturing a wheel having the same quality finish of a wheel cover. A chrome surface on a wheel cover is an inexpensive alternative to a chrome plated or polished wheel. In addition, wheel covers provide various types of appearances and styling variations, all of which may be combined with a single wheel design. The desirability of wheel covers is, however, directly proportional to the ability to inexpensively attach the wheel covers to the wheel permanently while adding little weight to the overall composite wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,854, issued to Nielson et al. on Mar. 29, 1994, discloses a wheel cover retention system which incorporates a plurality of retainers secured to the wheel cover when it is mounted to a hollow protrusion extending out from the inboard surface of the wheel cover. The retainers receive lug nuts which hold the wheel in place. This system of wheel cover retention is undesirable because each retainer is an element independent of the other retainers. Inventory costs and assembly costs increase when dealing with so many pieces which fabricate a retention system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,257, issued to Wright et al. on Dec. 9, 1997, discloses a retention system for a wheel cover. This system includes a ring having a number of attachments secured thereto allowing the wheel cover and the wheel to be attached to the ring keeping the wheel cover secured to the wheel. This system relies on bolts, nuts and attachment brackets. This system is undesirable because there are several parts to the system which require alignment and threading and the system is cumbersome to install and remove from the wheel. More specifically, for a user to access the wheel, the user must unbolt the four bolts which are shown holding the wheel cover to the ring and the four nuts shown securing the ring to the wheel. This task is tedious and undesirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A retaining article is used to secure ornamentation, having an inboard surface defining a plurality of protrusions, to a wheel. The wheel is secured to a wheel hub with a plurality of lug nuts. The retaining article includes a ring defining an outer periphery and an inner periphery. A plurality of openings extend through the ring between the outer and inner diameters. The plurality of openings receive each of the plurality of protrusions extending out from the inboard surface of the ornamentation. The ring also includes a plurality of legs which extend out therefrom to engage the lug nuts securing the ornamentation to the wheel.
One advantage associated with the invention is the ability to secure ornamentation to a wheel of a motor vehicle. Another advantage associated with the invention is the ability to secure ornamentation to a wheel using a single element or article. Yet another advantage associated with the invention is the ability to secure the ornamentation to the wheel using a single element thus reducing the assembly time. Still another advantage associated with the invention is the ability to secure ornamentation to a wheel using a single element in a manner such that the orientation of the retaining element is predisposed eliminating any requirements for alignment or orientation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4007967 (1977-02-01), Buerger
patent: 4123111 (1978-10-01), Renz et al.
patent: 4316638 (1982-02-01), Spisak
patent: 4382635 (1983-05-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4410217 (1983-10-01), Loren
patent: 4460219 (1984-07-01), Sepanik
patent: 4470638 (1984-09-01), Bartyalla
patent: 4576415 (1986-03-01), Hemepelmann
patent: 4699434 (1987-10-01), Hempelmann
patent: 4723818 (1988-02-01), Beisch et al.
patent: 5163739 (1992-11-01), Stanlake
patent: 5181767 (1993-01-01), Hudgins et al.
patent: 5249845 (1993-10-01), Dubost
patent: 5286092 (1994-02-01), Maxwell, Jr.
patent: 5297854 (1994-03-01), Nielsen et al.
patent: 5443582 (1995-08-01), Ching
patent: 5520445 (1996-05-01), Toth
patent: 5542750 (1996-08-01), FitzGerald
patent: 5667281 (1997-09-01), Ladouceru
patent: 5695257 (1997-12-01), Wright et al.
patent: 5700062 (1997-12-01), Wang
patent: 5820225 (1998-10-01), Ferriss et al.
patent: 5842749 (1998-12-01), DiMarco
patent: 6039406 (2000-03-01), Sheu
patent: 6048036 (2000-04-01), Alaoui
patent: 6070947 (2000-06-01), Hoyle, Jr.
patent: 697677 (1931-01-01), None
DiMarco Robert J.
Eikhoff Ted E.
Jensen Eric E.
Wieczorek Ted John
Bliss McGlynn P.C.
McKechnie Vehicle Components (USA), Inc.
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bae
LandOfFree
Retaining article for wheel ornamentation and method of making does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Retaining article for wheel ornamentation and method of making, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Retaining article for wheel ornamentation and method of making will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2549542