Wheel painting mask

A molded plastic ring having a mounting flange and a shield flange which collectively mask an automotive or truck tire during the painting of a supporting wheel. A beveled edge of the mounting flange is fitted to the wheel. The mounting flange projects from the shield flange in the range of 95 to 130 degrees. The shield flange extends from the mounting flange in a plane parallel to the wheel and overlies the tire sidewall. The ring is molded from polyethylene or other flexible materials impervious to encountered solvents, cleaners, thinners and curing temperatures. Radial slits or notches can be provided at the mounting flange to facilitate attachment and the mounting and shield flanges can exhibit arcuate curvatures, when viewed on edge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a painting mask for masking an automotive 
or truck tire during the painting of a supporting wheel. 
A frequent task performed in automotive body shops and large equipment 
paint shops is the re-painting of the steel vehicle wheels. The need can 
arise during collision repair work, general touch-up work or maintenance 
to prevent corrosion of exposed metal surfaces at the wheel. Once sprayed, 
the paint can be baked onto the wheel in an oven at a suitable temperature 
or be allowed to air cure in a relatively dust free setting. 
Normal spray painting techniques permit painting the wheel without 
overspray striking the vehicle. Without masking the tire, however, it is 
impossible to prevent paint overspray from covering portions of the tires, 
which can produce an unsightly work product. 
Where appearances are a consideration, normal practice is to attempt to 
mask off the tire sidewalls before painting. Conventional techniques are 
to use tape and disposeable media, such as paper or film coverings to mask 
the tire. Such masking efforts require a good deal of time, due to the 
contours of the wheel and tire and the necessity of masking each wheel of 
a vehicle. 
A prepared shield may also be supported to each tire or wheel to 
appropriately mask off the tire sidewall and expose the wheel. U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,854,448 discloses a cardboard shield which mounts to the tire at 
tread engaging portions and to the sidewall with double sided tape. A free 
standing mask is shown at U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,331. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,794 discloses a mask which includes a stiff center 
annulus that aligns to the juncture between the wheel and tire. A ring 
extends to cover the sidewall and end hooks at a pair of elastic cords 
mount over the tread surface to adhere to the back of the tire. Once the 
cords and hooks are set, the position of the mask can be adjusted, which 
position is retained through the painting operation. The stiff center 
annulus otherwise is not secured to the wheel or tire. 
Other shields with active retainers are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,192,896; 
4,844,005; 4,874,206; and 5,058,958 . A semi-circular hand held shield is 
shown at U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,858. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,362 discloses a sidewall shield for protecting a tire 
against sidewall punctures. The shield is constructed of a number of 
layers and permanently mounts between the bead of the tire and the wheel. 
Comparable accessory, whitewall covers are also known which are used to 
create the appearance of a whitewalled tire for tires of unusual sizes. 
No simple assembly exists which mounts to the wheel upon merely pressing 
the shield to the wheel at the juncture between the tire bead and rim and 
slightly rotating the shield to seat the shield. The subject invention was 
developed with the foregoing mounting in mind and to provide a durable, 
low cost shield which press fits to the wheel to obtain a secure mounting, 
without obscuring any visible region at the wheel. The cover is durably 
constructed to withstand exposure to solvents, thinners and heat. The 
cover may also be flexed to facilitate removal of dry paint or fitting of 
the cover around wheel weights. The process and time to mask each tire of 
a four wheel vehicle is reduced with the present cover to a mere matter of 
minutes for all four wheels of a four wheel vehicle. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide a molded 
plastic cover or mask which mounts to an automotive or truck tire to mask 
the exposed tire sidewall and prevent the accumulation of paint on the 
tire during painting of the wheel. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mask molded from 
polyethylene and having a tapered mounting flange and a shield flange. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mounting flange having 
a beveled mounting edge, which fits between the tire bead and wheel to 
passively retain the shield to the wheel. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a discontinuous shield 
having ends which can be overlapped to fit multiple wheel diameters and 
which may also include fasteners to retain the ends. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mask which may include 
a number of radial slits or notches at the peripheral edge of the mounting 
flange. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mask having a beveled 
edge at the mounting flange and which flange extends from the shield 
flange in the range of 95 to 130 degrees. 
Various of the foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the 
invention are obtained in a preferred mask which provides a continuous 
annular ring molded from a polyethylene material. A mounting flange 
provides a beveled edge which press fits between the wheel rim and tire. 
The mounting flange tapers outward to a shield flange which overlays the 
tire. 
In an alternative construction, the ring is cut to provide overlapping 
ends. Mating fasteners can be provided at the ends and the mounting edge 
can include radial slits or notches to flex and accommodate wheel weights, 
valve stems etc. 
Still other objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention will 
become more apparent from the following description with respect to the 
appended drawings. To the extent various modifications and improvements 
have been considered, they are described as appropriate. The description 
should not be strictly construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, 
the invention should be interpreted within the scope of the further 
appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective drawing is shown in exploded assembly of 
the painting mask 2 of the invention in relation to a vehicle wheel 4 and 
tire 6. The mask 2 is molded as a continuous annular ring from a durable, 
flexible plastic. FIGS. 2 through 5 show various planar views of the mask 
2. 
The mask 2 includes a mounting flange 8 and a shield flange 10. The 
mounting flange 8 tapers outward from an inner peripheral mounting edge 12 
to the shield flange 10. The shield flange generally overlies the sidewall 
of the tire 6 in coplanar relation thereto. The mounting flange 8 projects 
at an outward taper and angle "A" in the range of 15 to 40 degrees from an 
axis 14 perpendicular to the wheel 4 and to the shield flange 10 or in the 
range of 95 to 140 degrees from the shield flange, reference FIG. 5. An 
optimal angle for automotive wheels is believed to be 20 degrees. 
The mounting flange 8 extends a sufficient distance to displace the shield 
flange 10 and accommodate the curvature of the sidewall at the tire 6, 
typically 11/2 to 2 inches. The shield flange 10 is typically sized to 
extend in the range of 3 to 5 inches, although might completely cover the 
tire sidewall. The flanges 8, 10 can be constructed to exhibit an arcuate 
profile when viewed on edge, which increases the stiffness of the mask. 
Preferrably, the mask must exhibit sufficient rigidity to facilitate the 
pressing and twisting forces required to facilitate mounting. 
The transition 15 from the mounting flange 8 to the shield flange 10 can be 
relatively abrubt as shown in FIG. 5. The transition between the flanges 
can also exhibit an arcuate curvature, reference FIG. 7. A radius 60 on 
the order of 1/4 to 11/2 inches is believed sufficient to accomodate most 
wheels. A larger radius also promotes rigidity at the mask 2. 
The mounting edge 12 includes a single taper bevel 16, which facilitates 
the mounting of the edge 12 between the tire 6 and the bead 18 of the 
wheel 4. Upon positioning the edge 12 at the bead 18, pressing and 
slightly turning the mask 2, the bevel 16 is fitted between the tire 6 and 
wheel 4. A friction fit is obtained which retains the mask 2 to shield the 
wheel 4 during painting. No other retainers are required. A double taper 
bevel might also be used, reference FIG. 7. 
The mask 2 is presently molded from a polyethylene plastic, although a 
variety of other materials might be used to equal advantage. A 
polyethylene material is tolerant to thinners and solvents used with 
typical vehicle paints. The material can be subjected to the temperatures 
of conventional paint booths. Once the vehicle is painted, the mask 2 can 
remain in place, until the paint is baked, which prevents possible marring 
that might arise during mask removal. The material flexes to both 
accommodate mounting and facilitate paint removal. 
The mask 2 can be molded using a variety of conventional molding techniques 
from vacuum forming to blow molding to injection molding. The material 
thickness can be varied relative to the mask diameter, for example, a 
range of 0.060 to 0.100 inches is believed adequate for masks sized to fit 
wheel diameters from 13 to 22 inches. 
FIG. 6 depicts a painting mask 30 that is constructed to fit a range of 
wheels of differing diameters. The mask 30 is formed in a split 
configuration. That is, the mask 30 has discrete ends 32, 34. Upon being 
fit to a wheel 4, the ends 32, 34 overlap one another to differing 
degrees, depending upon the wheel diameter. Nominally, each mask 30 is 
sized to fit wheels having a 2 inch difference in diameter. The mask 30 
might therefore fit 13 to 15 inch diameter wheels, which are most commonly 
found on automobiles. 
A mounting flange 36 extends to a shield flange 38. The mounting flange 36 
includes a number of radial slits 40 and/or notches 42 that are radially 
inlet at a mounting edge 44 an appropriate distance to sustain necessary 
rigidity at the mounting flange 36, promote mask mounting, yet flex to 
accomodate wheel weights or intermittent rough edges at the wheel rim as 
the mask is fitted to the wheel. The numbers and locations of slits 40 and 
notches 42 can be varied as desired. The mounting edge 44 can provide a 
single or double beveled taper. 
Mating fasteners 46, only one of which is shown, are provided at the 
overlapping ends 32, 34. The fasteners 46 mate with one another to retain 
the ends 32, 34 to one another during painting and prevent paint spray 
from penetrating between the ends. Depending upon the amount of overlap, 
the fasteners 46 may not be required. A VELCRO material is presently 
preferred, although a variety of other fasteners might be used to equal 
advantage. 
FIG. 7 depicts a mask 50 having a double tapered mounting flange 52 and a 
shield flange 54. Beveled surfaces 56 and 58 extend to an apex or knife 
edge 59 to facilitate attachment of the mask 50. The mask 50 can be 
constructed to include radial slits 40 or notches 42 to further facilitate 
the mounting of the mask 50 to a wheel. The mounting flange 52 arcuately 
extends into the shield flange 54. Reliefs can also be provided at the 
transition region between the mounting and shield flanges to improve the 
rigidity of the mask 50. Similarly, the flanges 52, 54 can be constructed 
to exhibit an arcuate profile when viewed on edge, which increases also 
the stiffness of the mask. 
While the invention has been described with respect to a number of 
presently preferred constructions and various considered modifications and 
improvements, it is to be appreciated still other constructions may 
suggest themselves to others skilled in the art. The appended claims 
should therefore be construed to include all those equivalent embodiments 
within the spirit and scope thereof.