Abstract:
A cover for a vehicle wheel having a drop center is generally complementary in shape to the wheel and has a plurality of connectors spaced around the inside surface thereof. Each connector has a moveable hook and an adjusting bolt. Rotation of the adjusting bolt in one direction extends the hook until it engages the shoulder in the cylindrical portion of the wheel formed by the drop center to thereby retain the cover to the wheel. Rotation of the adjusting bolt in the opposite direction withdraws the hook out of engagement with the shoulder such that the cover can be removed from or reinstalled to the wheel.

Description:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for retaining a cover or liner to a wheel where the wheel has a dropped center. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The manufacturers of trucks, recreational vehicles, tow trucks, buses and other large vehicles generally do not provide covers for the central portion of the wheels of the vehicles they manufacture. Nonetheless, it has become common in recent years for the owners of large vehicles, even large semi-tractors, to improve the appearance of their respective vehicles by covering the unsightly central portion of the wheel with wheel covers provided by a number of after market manufacturers. 
     Since large vehicles are not provided with wheel covers by their respective manufacturers, the wheels for such vehicles do not have ridges or clamps to which the wheel cover can be attached and wheel cover manufactures have, therefore, been required to develop products which attach to the functional portions of the wheel. The most common method for installing the wheel covers to such wheels is to provide holes in the cover or holes in an adapter which is attachable to the cover, where the holes are positioned to receive the studs which retain the wheel to the hub of the vehicle. The wheel liner is, therefore, retained to the wheel by the same lug nuts which retain the wheel to the hub. 
     Certain states, such as California, require that trucks traveling on open roads be subject to having the webs of their wheels routinely examined for cracks in the vicinity of the lug nuts. The inspection requires removal of any wheel covers or retainers which are fitted under the lug nuts. The lug nuts of such large vehicles are generally tightened by pneumatic machines which are not available on the open road and, therefore, the inspection of truck wheels having covers attached by the lug nuts must be taken off the open road to a location where the lug nuts can be removed. 
     Wheel covers have also been attached to vehicle wheels by providing a retainer which is attached under the bolts retaining an oil cover across the distal end of the hub which extends through the center of the wheel. Such retainers, however, require that portions of the oil cover at the distal end of the hub be removed to attach the retainer. One such attachment is disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,313. 
     Besides the bolts retaining the oil cover to the axle hub and the lug nuts which retain the wheel to the axle, there are other functional elements to which a wheel cover can be attached. In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,635, I disclosed a method and apparatus whereby a wheel cover or wheel liner is attachable to a wheel having hand holes. 
     Although lug nuts are a standard functional element common to all wheels, not every wheel has hand holes. Wheels which mount tubeless tires, however, all have dropped centers between the open end of the wheel and the web of the wheel to facilitate attachment of the tire thereto. Since tires come in common sizes, wheels which retain liked-size tires have similar dropped centers. Accordingly, an attachment for retaining a wheel cover to a wheel which engages the dropped center thereof will be retainable to any wheel intended to receive a given size tire. It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide an attachment which utilizes the dropped center of a wheel to retain the cover thereto. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the present invention is embodied in a cover for a vehicle wheel of the type having a generally tubular body with a first open end and a second end with a web having holes suitable for attachment to the hub of an axle, and a dropped center positioned midway between the first end and the second end of the wheel, the drop center forming an inner annular shoulder. 
     The cover for attachment thereto has a generally cylindrical body with an open end and a web end. The inner surface of the web end is adapted to fit against the web of the wheel, and a plurality of retainers are spaced around the inner surface of the web of the cover to retain the cover to the wheel. Each retainer includes a moveable hook having a first end, a second end and a central body extending from the first end to the second end. A guide on each of the retainers retains the hook oriented with the first end directed toward the axis of the wheel cover and the second end extending radially outward therefrom. Each hook is axially moveable with respect to the wheel cover with the movement of the central body of the hook being restricted by a U-shaped guide attached to the cover. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the U-shaped guide serves as a fulcrum around which the central body of a hook is pivotable. An adjustment bolt between the web of the wheel cover and the hook is used to axially move the central body of the hook with respect to the wheel cover. Rotation of the adjusting bolt in one direction brings the hook into engagement with the drop center of the wheel for retaining the wheel cover to the wheel and rotation the bolt in the opposite direction brings the hook out of engagement with the drop center, thereby releasing the cover from the wheel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better understanding of the present invention will be had after a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a truck wheel and cover therefore with the cover exploded off of the wheel; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the wheel shown in FIG. 1 with the cover detached therefrom; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the cover shown in FIG. 1 for attachment to the wheel shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the cover shown in FIG. 3 taken through line  4 — 4  thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the wheel and cover assembled thereto taken through line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1 so as to show two retainers, one with the hook disengaged from the drop center such that the wheel cover can be removed from the wheel, and the other engaged with the shoulder of the drop center for retaining the wheel cover to the wheel; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the wheel and cover shown in FIG. 5 taken through line  6 — 6  thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged isometric view of a mounting bracket and guide for use with the wheel cover shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of a hook which is retained on the mounting bracket shown in FIG. 7; 
     Fig. 9 a  is an enlarged cross sectional view of one of the retainers assembled to the wheel shown in FIG.  2  and showing the hook in the withdrawn orientation whereby the wheel cover shown in FIG. 4 can be installed into or removed from the wheel; 
     FIG. 9 b  is a second cross sectional view the retainer and wheel shown in FIG. 9 a  with the hook released from the retracted position and floating within the inner cavity of the wheel formed by the dropped center; 
     FIG. 9 c  is a third cross sectional view of the retainer and wheel shown in FIG. 9 a  with the hook wedged against the inner shoulder of the dropped center of the wheel for retaining the cover to the wheel; and 
     FIG. 10 is a further enlarged cross sectional view of the adjusting bolt the rotation of which changes the orientation of the hook with respect to the wheel cover. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a truck wheel  10  is configured to receive a given-sized tubeless truck tire  12 . The wheel  10  has a generally tubular body  14  having an open end defined by a rim  16  and at the opposite end therefore is a web  18 . The web  18  has a central opening  20  for fitting around the hub  22  of a truck axle and is retained to the axle by a plurality of studs, not visible, spaced around the hub  22  which extend through a plurality of complimentary holes  26  in the web  18  of the wheel  10  and are retained in place by lug nuts  28 . The tubular portion  14  of the wheel  10  is contoured to receive the tire  12  and, accordingly, has a dropped center  30  which forms an inner annular shoulder  32 . 
     Referring to FIGS.  1  and  3 - 6 , fitted over the wheel  10  is a wheel cover  34  having a tubular body  36  sized to fit within the tubular body  14  of the wheel  10 . The tubular body  36  has an axis  37 , an open end defined by an annular rim  38  and a closed end defined by a web  40  shaped and sized to generally fit against the web  18  of the wheel as best shown in FIG.  5 . Centrally located within the wheel cover  34  is a tubular high-hat  42  having a closed outer end  44  for surrounding the distal end of the hub  22 . The appearance of the outer surface of the wheel cover  34  is enhanced by any suitable means such as buffing, polishing or coating with suitable materials such as chrome or the like. Spaced around the inner surface of the web  40  are a plurality of retainers  48  in accordance with the present invention for retaining the wheel cover  34  to the wheel  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, each retainer  48  has a mounting plate  50  and each mounting plate  50  has a mounting portion  52 , a central portion  54  and a guide portion  56 . The mounting portion  52  has a plurality of mounting holes  58  therein which are positioned to be complimentary to decorative holes  60  in the web  40  of the cover  34  and to be retained by bolts extending through the holes  58 ,  60  and retained by nuts  62  at the end thereof. The mid portion  54  of the mounting plate  50  is angled with respect to the mounting portion  52  to generally conform to the contouring of the transition between the web  40  and the tubular central body  36  of the wheel cover. The guide portion  56  extends from the central portion  54  and is angled at approximately ninety degrees with respect to the mounting portion  52  so as to extend substantially parallel to the axis  37 . As best shown in FIG. 6, the outer edges  64  of the guide portions  56  define a cylinder having a diameter a little less than diameter of the tubular body  14  of the wheel  10  to facilitate the alignment of the wheel cover with respect to the wheel  10  as it is assembled thereto. 
     Referring further to FIG. 7, the mounting plate  50  further includes a rectangular shaped hook guide  66  extending rearwardly of the mounting portion  52 , parallel to the axis  37  of the wheel cover  34 . The hook guide has a generally rectangular window defined by sides  68 ,  70  and an outer end  72 . Extending from mounting portion  52  opposite the hook guide  66  is a U-shaped boot  74  having a rearwardly extending back  76  and parallel rearwardly extending sides  78 ,  80 . Between the hook guide  66  and the boot  70  is a rearwardly extending dimple  82  having a central hole  84  therein. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3, and  8 , each attachment  48  further includes a moveable hook  86 . Each hook  86  is preferably made of steel plate and has an elongate center arm  88 , at one end of which is an angled hook end  90  and the opposite end from which is a perpendicularly oriented pivot end  94 . Centrally located in the arm  88  is a hole  95  and behind the hole  95  is a box enclosure  96  for loosely capturing a nut as further described below. In the preferred embodiment the hook end  90  has an extension  91  atachable thereto by bolts  92  and nuts  93  extending through holes  97  and  99  in the hook end  90  and the extension  91  respectively. The extension  91  permits the length of the hook  90  to be longitudinally extendable so that the cover  34  can be attached to either of two different types of wheel configurations of the same diameter. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7,  8 ,  9   a ,  9   b ,  9   c , and  10 , the hook  86  is assembled to the retaining bracket  50  by a bolt  100  extending through the hole  84  in the dimple  82  and through a coil spring  102 , through the hole  95  in the hook  86  and into a complimentary threaded nut  104  which is loosely captured in the enclosure  96  of the hook  86 . The central portion of the arm  88  extends between the sides  68 ,  70  of the hook guide  66  such that movement of the hook  86  in a direction parallel to the axis  37  and towards the web  18  of the wheel  10  is limited by the outer end  72  thereof. Also, the pivot end  92  of the hook  86  is trapped between the sides  78 ,  80  of the boot  74  such that the boot  74  and hook guide  66  maintain the orientation of the hook  86  with the hook end  90  extending radially outward with respect to the axis  37 . 
     Referring FIG. 10, the dimple  82  in the mounting plate  50  is sufficiently large to receive the entire head  106  of the bolt  100  such that the bolt  100  is rotatable even though the forward surface of the mounting plate  50  is secured to the rearward surface of the web  40  of the cover  34 . A hole  108  is provided in the web  40  of the cover through which a screwdriver can be inserted to engage the head  106  of the bolt  100 . It should be noted that the hole  108  has a diameter which is less than the diameter of the head  106  such that the head of the bolt is captured within the dimple by the rear surface of the web  40 . 
     The coil spring  102  is biased to urge the hook away from the mounting plate  50 . Accordingly, a screwdriver can be inserted through the hole  108  to rotate the bolt  100  and thereby urge the central portion of the hook parallel to the axis  37  through a plurality of positions shown in FIGS. 9 a ,  9   b , and  9   c . FIG. 9 a  depicts the bolt  100  adjusted with the nut  104  at the furthest extension thereof. When in this configuration, the hook  86  has been moved axially to its furthest rearward position. In this orientation, the central portion of the hook is abutting the outer end  72  of the hook guide  66  and has been pivoted around the outer end  72  until the pivot end  92  extends rearward and the hook end  90  is thrust against the outer surface of the guide portion  56  of the mounting plate  50 . In this orientation, the hook end  90  will not contact the inner surface of the wheel  10 , thereby permitting the wheel cover  34  to be inserted or withdrawn from the tubular body  14  of the wheel. 
     Referring to FIG. 9 b , once the wheel cover  34  is inserted within the tubular body  14  of the wheel cover, as shown in FIG. 5, the bolt  100  can be rotated within the nut  104  to draw the nut downward along the length of the bolt. As the nut is drawn downward, the arm of the hook  86  will rotate within the outer end  72  of the hook guide  66  with the pivot end  92  moving towards the web  40  of wheel cover  34  and the hook end  90  swinging outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 9 b . When in this orientation the hook end  90  floats within the cavity of the wheel formed behind the drop center  30 . 
     As the rotation of the bolt  100  continues, the nut  104  is further drawn towards the head  106  thereof until the pivot end  92  of the hook  86  contacts the surface of the mounting plate  50 . Further rotation of the bolt  100  will cause the hook  86  to pivot around the pivot end  92  and cause the hook end  90  to swing forward until it encounters the inner shoulder  32  of the dropped center  30  as shown in FIG. 9 c . Further rotation of the bolt  100  tightens and locks the wheel cover  34  within the wheel  10 . 
     When the wheel cover is removed, the bolt  100  is rotated in the opposite direction. Rotation of the bolt causes the nut  104  to move outward of the head  106  from the position shown in FIG. 9 c  towards the position in FIG. 9 b . As it does so, the hook end  90  becomes disengaged from the inner shoulder  32  of the dropped center  30  and the hook  86  floats between the sides  68 ,  70  of the hook guide  66 . With the continuing rotation of the bolt, the central arm  88  continues to move away from the mounting plate  50  until the outer surface thereof engages the outer end  72  of the hook guide  66 , which is the position shown in FIG. 9 b . Continued rotation of the bolt causes the hook  86  to pivot around the outer end  72  and causes the hook end  90  to swing inwardly until it abuts against the outer surface of the guide portion  56  which is the position shown in FIG. 9 a.    
     As can be seen, there has therefore been disclosed an apparatus for retaining a wheel cover to a wheel employing a plurality of retainers  48 , each of which has a hook  86  for engaging the inner shoulder  32  of a dropped center  30  of a wheel  10 . 
     While the present invention is depicted with respect to a single embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, the intension of the appended claims to cover all such modifications and variations which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.