Abstract:
A freely rotating hubcap is mounted onto an existing wheel using a bearing assembly that is bolted into holes tapped into the lug nuts of the wheel. Balancing weights are added to the hubcap to ensure that it easily rotates when the wheel rotates, and can continue to rotate for a short period of time after the wheel has stopped rotating.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 10/849,889, filed May 24, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention generally relates to automobile accessories. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to freely rotating hubcaps, commonly referred to as “spinner” hubcaps.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     The use of spinner hubcaps is well known and is well represented in the related art. However, none have been found entirely satisfactory. There is a need for a decorative, freely rotating hubcap that can be securely mounted onto an existing wheel or hub with little modification and is properly balanced so as to insure proper rotation without wobble. Thus, a spinner hubcap solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention is directed to a spinner hubcap. More particularly, the spinner hubcap can be installed on existing standard hubs by modifying each of the wheel studs on the standard hub to include a tapped hole that can receive a respective mounting bolt from the spinner hubcap. The spinner hubcap includes a bearing connecting it to the wheel, as well as balancing weights to ensure that it easily rotates when the wheel is in motion and that it comes to rest eventually after the wheel comes to rest.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, the invention incorporates a spinner hubcap that is mounted onto a wheel of an automobile with a bearing and mounting bolts. The mounting bolts fit into modified wheel studs. The wheel studs are each tapped with a hole for receiving a respective mounting bolt. Balancing weights are employed to ensure that the hubcap quickly and easily rotates without wobble when the wheel rotates, and also eventually comes to rest after the wheel comes to rest. The invention provides improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.  
         [0008]     A clear understanding of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a spinner hubcap according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the spinner hubcap showing the bearing and additional support plates according to the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a partial, exploded view showing the lock washer shaft arrangement according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a partial sectional view of a wheel stud having internal threads.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a wheel having a spinner hubcap bearing mounted thereon according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of the spinner hubcap assembly, including the bearing and support plates, as seen from the rear side of the hubcap according to the present invention. 
     
    
       [0015]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a vehicle wheel and tire  12  with the spinning hubcap installed. The decorative exterior hubcap shell  20  is mounted onto an outer plate  24  of a bearing assembly by means of bolts  22 .  
         [0017]     Details of the spinning hubcap assembly are best shown in  FIGS. 2, 2A  and  2 B. The hubcap shell  20  is selected to be slightly undersized in comparison with the size of the wheel  90 , i.e., by approximately one inch. For example, a fourteen-inch diameter hubcap would be used on a fifteen-inch diameter wheel.  
         [0018]     The wheel  90  is normally mounted on wheel studs  26  which extend from the hub, and the wheel is secured by fastening lug nuts onto the studs  26 . For use with the present invention, the wheel studs  26  are modified by tapping threaded hole  26   a  axially into the ends of the wheel studs  26  to a depth sufficient to receive mounting bolts that secure the bearing assembly to the wheel.  
         [0019]     The bearing assembly includes a disk-shaped base plate  40  that is mounted to the wheel by bolts  42  that extend through holes  44  and are threaded into the bores defined in wheel studs  26 . Shaft  50  has a smooth-faced central portion with an inner end  52  and an outer end  54  of smaller diameter than the central portion. The inner end  52  and outer end  54  are separated from the central portion by shoulders. The inner end  52  and outer end  54  of shaft  50  also have internally threaded bores  54   a ,  48   a  defined therein. The inner end  52  is externally threaded at  48  to comprise a stud. The external surface of outer end  54  is smooth. Shaft  50  is secured to base plate  40  by threading stud  52  into a threaded hole  48   b  defined in the center of base plate  40 , and by securing the shaft  50  with bolt  46 , which bolt is fastened into the internal bore defined in the stud  52 . Pin  51   a  protrudes from outer end  54  and extends through aperture  79   a  defined in washer  79 . Pin  51   b , which is inserted after stud  52  has been threaded into hole  48   b , protrudes from the shoulder of the central portion of shaft  50  and extends parallel to the threaded surface of inner end  52 . Opening  48   c  receives pin  51   b . Pins  51   a  and  51   b  further stabilize shaft  50  and prevent independent rotation.  
         [0020]     Disk-shaped outer plate  24  has a smooth bore  78  defined through its center. Outer plate  24  is secured to the outer end  54  of shaft  50  by sliding outer plate  24  onto the outer end  54  of shaft  50 , and by securing the plate to the shaft by bolt  76 , which is threaded into the internally threaded bore defined in outer end  54  of shaft  50 . Bolt  76  does not tighten into shaft  50  so firmly that outer plate  24  is clamped to shaft  50 , but merely retains outer plate  24  on the smooth outer end  54  of shaft  50  due to its flanged head, or by a washer  79  placed under the head of the bolt  76 , so that outer plate  24  rotates with bearing  30 . Outer plate  24  has a cylindrical well defined therein that receives bearing  30 . The bearing  30  is secured in the well by bearing retainer plate  60 , which also has a cylindrical well  66  defined therein for receiving the opposite side of bearing  30 . Retainer plate  60  is secured to outer plate  24  by bolts  62  which extend through holes  64  defined in the periphery of retainer plate  60  and are secured in threaded holes  74  provided in the outer plate  24  for that purpose. Bearing  30  does not rotate within the wells defined in outer plate  24  and retainer plate  60 , but freely rotates about the central portion of shaft  50 .  
         [0021]     Bearing  30  is preferably a ball bearing that permits outer plate  24  to rotate freely about shaft  50  in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction for a full 360 degrees. Hubcap shell  20  is fastened to outer plate  24  by bolts  22 , which bolts engage threaded holes  72  provided in outer plate  24  so that hubcap  20  rotates with outer plate  24  about shaft  50 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows the bearing assembly mounted on wheel  90  with hubcap shell  20  removed.  FIG. 4  shows the rear side of hubcap shell  20  (the side normally facing wheel  90 ) with the bearing assembly attached for purposes of illustration. The drawing shows outer plate  24  adjacent hubcap shell  20 , base plate  40  parallel to outer plate  24 , and retainer plate  60  disposed between the outer plate  24  and base plate  40 . The drawing also shows the head of bolt  46 , which secures shaft  50  to base plate  40 . Also seen are the ends of bolts  42 , which would otherwise extend into the bores defined in wheel studs  26 .  
         [0023]     In practice, the spinner hubcap is balanced to provide for smooth rotation in much the same fashion as the wheels  90  are balanced after mounting new tires  12  on the wheels  90 , i.e., by adding weights to the periphery of the hubcap shell  20 . One such weight  92  is shown in  FIG. 4 , it being understood that a plurality of such weights may be added if required. The weights  92  may be secured to hubcap shell  20  by rivets or other appropriate fasteners. Balancing the hubcap spinner reduces friction and wear on the bearing  30 .  
         [0024]     The dimensions of the plates  40 ,  60 ,  24  and bearing  30  are selected so that they adequately fit in the corresponding opening in the wheel  90 . Thus, the hubcap  20  will be capable of rotating near the rim of the wheel.  
         [0025]     Although materials for the various parts of the spinner hubcap are preferably high strength metal, e.g., plate or cast steel, any material having suitable strength is contemplated. Alternatively, the plates  24 ,  40  and  60  and hubcap shell  20  may be made from a high strength aluminum alloy for lighter weight. Further, various components, for example, the hubcap shell  20 , can be made from a hard plastic or composite material.  
         [0026]     When the hubcap is adequately balanced, the hubcap  20  will rotate after sufficient rotation of the wheel  90  due to the effects of wind drag and inertia, thereby giving a visual effect of a slowly rotating wheel. Then, when the wheel  90  stops rotating, as when the vehicle comes to a stop, the hubcap  20  continues to rotate for a short period of time by inertia, thereby giving the visual effect of a wheel that continues to rotate.  
         [0027]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.