Patent ID: 6932435
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: B60B

Abstract:
1. A method of securing a wheel cover to a wheel to form a wheel assembly which method comprises: providing a wheel having an outboard surface with a plurality of centrally located lug nut apertures formed in the outboard surface and a plurality of openings formed in the outboard surface and spaced radially outwardly from the lug nut apertures; providing a wheel cover having an inner surface and a plurality of centrally located lug nut apertures formed in the wheel cover which correspond to the lug nut apertures of the wheel, and a plurality of decorative openings formed in the wheel cover and spaced radially outwardly from the lug nut apertures, which plurality of openings correspond to the plurality of openings formed in the wheel cover; applying an adhesive pattern to at least one of the outboard of the wheel or the inner surface of the wheel cover, said adhesive pattern including at least one continuous, substantially circular portion which is concentric with at least one of the wheel or wheel cover; and assembling the wheel cover to the wheel to cause the adhesive to contact both the outboard surface of the wheel and the inner surface of the wheel cover and thereby enable the adhesive pattern to secure the wheel cover to the wheel and define a space between the wheel cover and wheel which is not filled with adhesive, said adhesive applied pattern including a configuration of beads of adhesive that after contacting both the outboard surface of the wheel and the inner surface of the wheel cover allows ambient fluids to enter throughout the space between the wheel cover and the wheel which is not filled with adhesive and exit the space.