Wheel cover

Details Wheel cover Wheel cover

2002-07-24

2003-11-04

Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)

Land vehicles: wheels and axles

Wheel

With wheel cover

C301S037320, C301S037340, C301S037420

Reexamination Certificate

active

06641226

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wheel cover whose whirl-stop structure is improved.
A wheel cover shown in
FIG. 13
has been ordinarily used as a wheel cover for use in a vehicle, for example, an automobile. This wheel cover
1
has a cover body
2
made of a synthetic resin. A plurality of mounting claws
3
and a plurality of ring supporters
4
are provided on a rear-surface-side peripheral part of this cover body
2
in such a way as to be integral therewith. A wire ring
5
formed like an endless ring from a metallic wire is moved forward from the rear side of the cover body
2
. Then, the wire ring
5
is inserted into between the mounting claws
3
and the ring supporters
4
and provided on a portion located inwardly in the radial direction of the mounting claws
3
.
On the other hand, in a disc wheel
6
of the automobile shown in
FIG. 14
, a concave portion
8
serving as an annular engaged part is formed in a rim
7
. When the wheel cover is attached to the disc wheel, the wheel cover
1
is engaged with the concave portion
8
by pushing the mounting claws
3
into the concave portion
8
. At that time, the wire ring
5
restrains the mounting claws
3
from deforming radially and inwardly, that is, in a direction in which the mounting claws
3
are disengaged. Consequently, the mounting claws
3
are firmly engaged with the concave portion
8
of the rim
7
. Thus, the wheel cover
1
is attached to the disc wheel
6
. The cover body
2
covers an outer surface part of the disc wheel
6
. Incidentally, in
FIG. 14
, reference numeral
9
designates a tire attached to the disc wheel
6
.
Regarding a whirl-stop for the wheel cover
1
, a suitable rib (not shown) is formed on the wheel cover
1
. A stopper is formed on the rim
7
of the disc wheel
6
. The rib formed on the wheel cover
1
is stopped by this stopper by being latched thereon in the direction of rotation of the wheel cover
1
. Consequently, the rotation of the wheel cover
1
is prevented.
However, according to a whirl-stop structure of the conventional wheel cover
1
, the cost of the disc wheel
6
is high owing to the stopper formed on the rim
7
of the disc wheel
6
.
Further, a die for forming the wheel cover
1
is complex owing to the rib formed on the wheel cover
1
. Thus, the cost of the wheel cover
1
becomes high.
Moreover, because of such a stopper, which is formed on the rim
7
of the disc wheel
6
, and such a rib formed on the wheel cover
1
, the mass distribution thereof is uneven. Thus, the rotational balance of a rotating element composed of the disc wheel
6
, the tire
9
, and the wheel cover
1
is deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a wheel cover enabled to perform a necessary whirl-stop operation without increasing the cost thereof and deteriorating the rotational balance.
To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a wheel cover (hereunder referred to as a first wheel cover of the invention) that comprises a synthetic resin cover body disposed on a vehicle disc wheel, which has an annular engaged part, in such a way as to cover an outer surface part thereof, mounting claws, each of which is provided on a rear surface of this cover body in such a manner as to be integral therewith and engaged with an engaged part of the disc wheel, for mounting the cover body onto the disc wheel, a wire ring, which is located inwardly in the radial direction of the mounting claws, for restraining the mounting claws from deforming radially and inwardly, and a projecting part provided on an engaging surface of the mounting claw in such a way as to project therefrom toward the engaged part of the disc wheel and as to be integral with the mounting claw.
According to the first wheel cover of the invention, the contact area between the wheel cover and the engaged part of the disc wheel is increased by the projecting part provided on the engaging surface of each of the mounting claws. Moreover, the friction therebetween is increased. Thus, an operation of hindering rotation of the wheel cover can be performed without forming a rib on the wheel cover and without forming a stopper on the disc wheel.
In this case, according to an embodiment (hereunder referred to as a second wheel cover of the invention) of the first wheel cover of the invention, preferably, the projecting part is provided on the central part of the engaging surface of each of the mounting claws, and constituted by a projection to be press-crushed by engaging the mounting claws with the engaged part of the disc wheel.
According to the second wheel cover of the invention, the contact area between the engaged part of the disc wheel and each of the mounting claws is increased by press-collapsing the projection. Thus, the friction therebetween is increased.
Further, according to an embodiment (hereunder referred to as a third wheel cover of the invention) of the first wheel cover of the invention, the projecting part may be constituted by an uplift part provided on the engaging surface of each of the mounting claws so that the projecting height of the central portion thereof is more than the projecting height of each of both side end portions thereof.
According to the third wheel cover of the invention, the contact area between the engaged part of the disc wheel and each of the mounting claws is increased by the entire surface of the uplift part.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2903300 (1959-09-01), Hurd
patent: 4709967 (1987-12-01), Sakamoto
patent: 4826253 (1989-05-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 4995674 (1991-02-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 5161860 (1992-11-01), Sakane
patent: 6099082 (2000-08-01), Wang
patent: 6139114 (2000-10-01), Wang
patent: 6371570 (2002-04-01), Wang
patent: 6425640 (2002-07-01), Hussaini

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