Abstract:
A wheel assembly includes a decorative member mounted on an outer race of a bearing carried in a holder with an inner race mounted on a spindle and secured by an attachment fastener. The bearing holder is carried on the spindle projecting from a coupler hub fixed to an axle cap secured to a vehicle axle hub. Set screw fasteners are employed to retain securement fasteners to the spindle and to retain the coupler hub fasteners with the axle cap. The wheel mounting assembly permits the movably mounted decorative member carried on the rotatable vehicle axle hub to remain static or to rotate while the wheel is turning as a vehicle travels along a roadway.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of automotive accessories, and more particularly to a novel wheel assembly that employs interchangeable decorative members which rotate with or remain or appear static as the wheel rotates. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     In the past, the conventional aluminum wheel design has employed elaborate “center” decorations and designs which require removal of substantial material from the wheel itself in order to create the design. The most limiting factor to the creative expression or enhancement of the “center” of the wheel is the direct effect material removal has on the strength of the wheel to create the design. Therefore, problems and difficulties have been encountered with employing conventional wheel design, which stem largely from the fact that the design enhancement is greatly limited due to the required removal of wheel material which then greatly weakens the strength of the wheel. Also, wheel center design is generally unchangeable and requires the placement of new wheels with different designs to achieve design change. 
     Furthermore, some prior centers for wheel visual enhancement are integral, non-removable members requiring structures fixedly secured to the wheel so as to rotate with the wheel as the vehicle mounting the wheels moves along a roadway. Thus, the variety of design and decorative options are greatly limited. For example, any design center enhanced by static viewing cannot be read or understood as a wheel rotates since such indicia becomes blurred. Decorative members or covers mounted on a wheel are disclosed in U.S. Letters Patents 5,845,972 and 6,517,167. 
     Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a novel wheel design member or decorative member arrangement which includes a coupler that permits a variety of design configurations to be placed in the central area of the wheel and which may rotate with or appear to be or is stationary while the wheel rotates. Strength of the wheel will not be adversely affected and interchange ability of different designs should be accommodated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a wheel assembly that includes a decorative member incorporating a given design and which is not a load-bearing member and, therefore, creative expression is unlimited. In one form, the decorative member is mounted on the outer race of a bearing carried in a holder with an inner race mounted on a spindle and secured by an attachment means. The bearing holder is carried on the spindle projecting from a coupler hub fixed to an axle cap secured to a vehicle axle hub. Set screw fasteners are employed to retain securement fasteners to the spindle and to retain the coupler hub fasteners with the axle cap. 
     Furthermore, since the front and rear wheels are mounted on different axles, the coupler hub is configured so as to be acceptable for installation for either axle. The decorative member may rotate with the wheel in a static position since it is secured to the vehicle axle. 
     The inventive concept incorporates a wheel installation or mounting assembly permitting a movably mounted decorative member on a rotatable vehicle axle hub to remain static or to rotate while the wheel is turning as a vehicle travels along a roadway. 
     Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel wheel assembly having at least one decorative member having a design area which is not subjected to loads and stresses normally encountered during road conditions. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel decorative member and mounting assembly which can be attached to a conventional wheel and which allows the wheel to rotate while the decorative member remains in either a static or stationary position or rotates when the wheel is static. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel decorative wheel member mounting assembly which will permit quick interchangeability of the member. 
     Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel wheel which has a mounting for a decorative member permitting interchangeability of and which provides for the decorative member to be static while the wheel turns or permits the decorative member to rotate while the wheel rotates or remains stationary. 
     A further object resides in providing a wheel having a mounting assembly for a decorative member, wherein one member in one structure permits the member to rotate with the wheel while another member in another structure permits the member to remain in a static or stationary orientation as the wheel turns. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a vehicle wheel incorporating the present invention including a bearing mount assembly for a wheel mounted decorative member; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the major components comprising the bearing mount assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded sectional view illustrating all of the components in the bearing mount assembly for wheel mounted decorative members, as taken in the direction of arrows  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary sectional view of a nut set screw holding construction used in the assembly shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view illustrating major components of the mounting assembly employed in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded sectional view taken in the direction of arrows  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary sectional view of a set screw construction for retaining nut on bolt in the assembly shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the novel bearing mount assembly for a wheel mounted decorative member is illustrated in the general direction of arrow  10  and includes a decorative member  11  which, in the present embodiment, will remain in a spinning or rotating condition when the wheel rim  12  is at rest. A rim flange  13  is carried on the rim  12  and is secured to the vehicle axle hub by a plurality of bolts and nuts, such as indicated by numeral  15 . A tire  14  is carried on the wheel rim  12  and the vehicle axle hub (not shown) is connected to the rim flange  13  by a web  16 . A coupler hub  17  carries a bearing holder  18  on which the decorative member  11  is mounted. A plurality of bolt and nut fasteners  20  secure the coupler hub to an axle cap  22  that is attached to the vehicle axle hub. A cover  21  finishes the end of the assembly and is attached to the decorative member. 
     Referring now in detail to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the coupler hub  17  is secured to an axle cap  22  by means of bolt and nut fasteners  20 . Also, it can be seen that the bolt of the fastener arrangement  20  projects into the vehicle axle hub underneath a plate  23  which is integrally formed with the axle cap  22 . It is to be particularly noted that the coupler hub  17  includes a plurality of holes, such as hole  24 , which accepts and passes the bolt, such as bolt  25 , carried on the plate  23 . The nut is then run on the bolt to secure the hub in position on the axle cap. The holes  24  are at the end of an open channel  26  in the peripheral edge marginal region of the coupler hub. 
     Also, it is to be noted that the coupler hub  17  includes an outwardly projecting spindle  27  which includes a bore having internal threads  28  and a set screw  29 . The outer surface of spindle  27  receives the inner race of a bearing in holder  18  when assembled. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that the vehicle axle hub is identified by numeral  30  and that the web  16  outwardly radiates therefrom to terminate in a peripheral portion  31  that is attached to the rim  13  by nut and bolt fasteners  15 . The axle cap  22  is secured to the vehicle axle hub by a plurality of bolts, such as bolt  32 , that is recessed into the axle hub  30 . The bolt  25  also outwardly projects from the opposite side of plate  23  in order to receive the nut for the fastener  20  after the bolt has passed through the opening  24  in the coupler hub  17 . 
     Also, it can be seen that the opposite side of the coupler hub  17  mounts the outwardly projecting spindle  27  on which the bearing holder  18  is supported. The bearing holder supports a bearing having outer race  34  and an inner race  35  which is supported on the spindle  27 . Since the decorative member  11  is carried on the bearing holder  18 , the decorative member can rotate as the outer bearing  34  rotatably supports the decorative member. The bearing holder  18  is supported in the decorative member  11  by means of a flange  36  that fits into recess  37  in the decorative member so that the major length of the bearing holder passes through opening  38  in the center of the decorative member whereby the inner race  35  slips over the spindle  27 . The bearing holder  18  is retained on the decorative member  11  by means of screws, such as screw  40 . A securement fastener  41  includes a threaded shaft  42  that passes through the center of the bearing for threadable engagement with the threaded bore  28  on spindle  27 . Washers  44  are inserted into recess  45  so that the securement fastener  41  is seated properly. The threaded shaft  42  includes a circular slot  46  receiving set screw  29  in order to complete retention of the bearing assembly. Cover  21  is fastened to the decorative member by screws  47 . 
     Referring now in detail to  FIG. 4 , it can be seen that the nut of the nut and bolt fastener  20  is retained in position on the bolt by a set screw  50  which is introduced through a threaded bore provided in a channel  51  in the coupler hub  17 . A stainless steel sleeve  59  is located in the bore for receiving the bolt of combination  20  which resists wear and is useful in transferring loads. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5-8 , another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the general direction of arrow  60 . In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it can be seen that a tire  61  is carried on the periphery of a rim  63  having a flange  64  that is secured to an axle hub  65  by means of a plurality of nut and bolt arrangements  66 . A coupler hub  67  is similar to the hub  17  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  inclusive and is mounted on an axle cap  68  by means of bolt and nut fasteners  70 . The coupler hub  67  includes an outwardly projecting spindle  71 , as shown more clearly in  FIG. 6 , and spindle  71  is identical to spindle  27  shown with respect to hub  17 . The spindle includes an internal threaded bore into which a threaded shaft on a securement fastener  72  is coupled and the securement fastener  72  is shown more clearly in  FIG. 7 . The edge marginal region of the coupler hub  67  includes a plurality of cut-outs, such as cut-out  79  in  FIG. 6 , in order to permit the presence of a bolt for accepting a nut with respect to a bolt and nut fastener  78 . The coupler hub further includes a deep recess  73  for receiving other fasteners, such as bolt and nut fastener  70 . 
     Referring now in detail to  FIG. 7 , it can be seen that the axle cap  68  is carried on the end of an axle  74  and that the nut and bolt fastener plurality, represented by numeral  70 , passes through a flange on the axle cap in order to connect and secure with the coupler hub  67 . The web  64  of the wheel rim is connected to the axle hub  65  by the nut and bolt arrangement  66 . It is noted that the decorative member  75  is rotatably supported on bearing holder  76  so that the inner race  77  of the bearing rests on the spindle  71 . The securement fastener  72  is received on the threaded bore of spindle  71  and the threaded shaft includes a slot  78  for receiving set screw  80  to complete securement. 
     As used in the embodiment identified by numeral  60 , a cover  81  is fastened to the decorative member  75 . 
     Referring now in detail to  FIG. 8 , it can be seen that the nut of the nut and bolt combination  66  is maintained in a locked position by means of a set screw  82  which passes through hole  83  in one of the legs of the adapter coupler hub. The set screw bears against the nut of the nut and bolt combination  66  so that it will not loosen and is locked in position. Also,  FIG. 8  illustrates that a stainless steel sleeve  84  is located in the bore for receiving the bolt of the bolt and nut combination  66  which resists wear and is useful in transferring loads. 
     In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the decorative member  75  is free to rotate on its bearing mounting carried on the adapter coupler hub or if it is desired that the decorative member be stationary as the wheel turns, a weight may be attached to the decorative member so that it resists the tendency to rotate. Rotation of the decorative member usually appears after the wheel has stopped, such as when the vehicle is at a stop signal so that the decorative member will continue rotating. On the other hand, when the vehicle, and therefore the wheels have stopped rotating, and an eccentric decorative member  75  is employed, the decorative member will remain static. It is also to be understood that graphic representations, pictorial subject matter or any alpha/numeric information may be carried on the external surface of the decorative member or may be built into the construction, per se. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.