Patent ID: 8668277
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: A63H,B60B

Abstract:
1. A shield to protect a vehicle rim and hubcap while a tire surrounding the rim and hubcap is being cleaned, comprising: a. a first panel having an exterior surface to which is mounted a first exterior handle assembly including a handle panel having at least one attachment member retaining at least one handle; b. a second panel opposite to said first panel, the second panel having an exterior surface, a gap between an interior surface of the first panel and an interior surface of the second panel; c. a blade assembly located within said gap, and a central shaft extending through the handle panel and fastening together said first panel, said second panel and said blade assembly, the shaft also acting as the axis about which the blade assembly rotates; d. a multiplicity of threaded bolts extending through respective threaded openings in the handle panel and first panel; e. a multiplicity of covering blades, each covering blade having a curved appendage at its proximal end and a nub at its distal end, a plane with a front single arcuate edge and a rear edge having a double arcuate edge, the front and rear edges located between the nub and curved appendage, three spaced apart slots including a first slot, second slot and third slot located within the plane and extending through the plane from a front side to a rear side, each slot having different lengths and curvatures, the curved appendage having a neck ending in a head with a pivot hole extending through each respective head, the curved appendage oriented so that it curls back on the rear edge side of the blade leaving a space between the head and neck f. a respective threaded bolt extending through a threaded opening in the handle panel and extending through the first panel, a pivot hole in a blade and a third interior panel, but does not reach the interior surface of the second panel; g. the second panel having a multiplicity of spaced apart retaining posts, each group of three adjacent blades arranged so that a respective pivot hole of the three adjacent blades each have a separate threaded bolt extending through a respective pivot hole to which the blades are pivotally affixed, each group of three blades are sandwiched together so that a blade closest to the rear panel has a joining post extending through a first slot in the blade closest to the rear panel, a middle blade has the same adjoining post extending through a middle or second slot in the middle blade and the blade closest to the first panel has the adjoining post extending through a third slot, the adjoining posts retained in a respective retaining post; h. the heads of the curved appendages are affixed to the third panel between the third panel and the first panel, the remainder of each blade is tucked under the third panel, the space between the neck of the curved appendage and the second arcuate edge allows the second arcuate edge to be tucked under the third panel and most of the rest of the plane of the middle blade to be thereunder and some portion of the front arcuate edge not under the third panel, but still covered by the first panel and the second panel, when in the fully retracted position; i. the shaft penetrating the center point of the first exterior surface, the first panel, the third panel, the second panel, and the second exterior surface, the shape of the rear edge of the blades is shaped to provide the length necessary for each of the three slots on the plane of each respective blade and yet be able to fit around and not be impeded by the shaft j. the place where the first arcuate edge and second arcuate edge of the rear edge meet is the part of the rear edge of the blade that curves around the shaft when the blades are in the fully refracted condition; k. each of the three slots in each blade trace out a different path to maximize coverage and alignment of the exterior blade edge of the shield regardless of how much of the blades have been extended; and l. a rotation of the at least one handle in one direction will cause the blades to open by the amount of rotation to provide a protective covering shield over the rim and hubcap while the tire is being cleaned and dressed, and rotation of the at least one handle in the opposite direction retracts and eventually conceals all of the blades.