Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – With wheel cover
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-25
2001-05-08
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
With wheel cover
C301S037109, C118S504000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227623
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to the field of temporary protective shields to cover the wheel rim of an automobile to allow application of a protectant/cleaner to the tire, while protecting the wheel rim.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a temporary, protective cover to overlie the wheel rim of an automobile when applying a protectant/cleaner to the tire. There are commercial products on the market for spraying, for example, onto the tires to clean, shine and protect the tires. Since such products may contain chemicals to dissolve dirt and grime, there is a need to find a way to cover the wheel rim against inadvertent spraying thereon which could cause a dulling of the polished wheel rim.
The prior art offers some proposals for protecting areas of automobiles during painting or other applications. Such prior art is described in the following U.S. patents:
a.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,191, to Farmer, teaches an automobile wheel protector comprising a disk cut from thin sheet material such as cardstock or plastic. The disk includes a radial cut from the center to the periphery thereof. A plurality of short radial slits is cut in the periphery spaced apart from the radial cut, and a plurality of tabs for engaging any of the slits is cut in the periphery and spaced apart from the radial cut in the opposite circumferential direction. Engaging a tab with a slit forms a cone and the spacings therebetween are selected to form cone diameters to match automobile wheel diameters. Finger holes are provided around the apex of a formed cone to permit holding the cone over a wheel while cleaning a tire on the wheel.
b.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,331, to Jarvis, relates to a protective shield for use during spray painting of automobile panels. The shield covers an automobile wheel and tire during the spray painting of panels adjacent the wheel. The shield comprises a circular disk larger than the tire, a segment removed from the disk along the bottom and a flange extending axially inward along the perimeter of the disk ending at the segment. The segment and the flange combine to make the shield free standing. A hand hold is provided comprising a U-shaped cut formed in the center of the disk producing a hinged flap for grasping the shield for moving it about.
c.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,440, to Fair, discloses a wheel shield for covering the wheel of an automobile so that the sidewall of the tire carried thereon can be sprayed with a protectant solution. The shield comprises a frusto-conical body having a circumferential rim on the large diameter open end thereof and a knob on the small diameter closed end thereof. On the top of the cylindrical rim a retainer member is provided having an angularly inwardly and outwardly extending free end portion. On the body adjacent the cylindrical rim and opposite the free end portion a reinforcing box structure is provided. When the shield is placed over the outer flange of the wheel, a manual push applied on the front surface of the box structure forces the free end portion into the crevice formed between the rim portion of the wheel and the tire to thereby detachably hold the shield on the wheel.
While the foregoing prior art offer some solutions for protecting portions of an automotive body or tires when performing work on the automobile, none present an inexpensive and convenient manner to protect the wheel rim while applying a protectant/cleanser to the side wall of a tire mounted on said wheel rim. The manner by which this is achieved by the present invention will become clearer from the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a protective shield for the wheel rim of an automobile, to be held against the wheel rim during the application of a protectant/cleanser to the side wall of a tire mounted on the wheel rim. The protective shield comprises a circular, generally flat body, preferably formed of plastic, of a size to overlie the wheel rim, where the generally flat body includes a first annular, outwardly extending rib, a second continuous, outwardly extending rib spaced radially inwardly therefrom to define an annular channel, and a continous, yieldable foam-like member positioned within the channel. The foam-like member preferably extends above the respective ribs to provide a moisture sealing barrier between the body and wheel rim. Further, the generally flat body may include a central hand gripping member to position, hold and remove the protective shield from the wheel rim.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a convenient, yet inexpensive protective shield to temporarily protect the wheel rim of an automobile when applying a protectant/cleanser to the tire side wall.
Another object hereof is the provision of a continuous, yieldable, foam-like member to ensure a moisture seal about the wheel rim while applying the protectant/cleanser to the tire side wall.
These and other objects will become more apparent, particularly to those skilled in the art, from a reading of the following description.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 20750 (1938-06-01), Hunt et al.
patent: 4784440 (1988-11-01), Fair
patent: 4787331 (1988-11-01), Jarvis
patent: 4792191 (1988-12-01), Farmer
patent: 4874206 (1989-10-01), Sampson
patent: 5423599 (1995-06-01), Sherod et al.
patent: 5435630 (1995-07-01), Tucker
patent: 5524972 (1996-06-01), Cailor et al.
patent: 6068345 (2000-05-01), Bressie
Bellinger Jason R.
Morano S. Joseph
Noll William B.
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