Abstract:
A protective pad which removably attaches to the rim of a wheel thereby protecting the wheel from damage during tire mounting and demounting when such mounting or demounting is performed manually using a tire working implement.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to a flexible, resilient wheel protecting pad. More particularly, the present invention relates to a folded, crimped, wheel protecting pad having at least two planar sections, one of which is inserted between a tire and a wheel during tire mounting in order to protect the wheel and tire from damage by tire irons and other tire mounting tools.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Pneumatic tires require repair or replacement from time to time because of sustained wear or damage. To effectuate such repair or replacement, it is generally required that the defective tire be removed from its associated wheel rim and a new or repaired tire may be mounted to the rim.  
           [0003]    A variety of tools of varying configurations have been developed for providing a user with mechanical advantage in mounting or demounting a tire to a wheel rim. Such tools typically comprise an elongate bar having a handle at one end and an opposite working end adapted for insertion between the bead of a tire and its associated wheel rim. The working end of the tool frequently has a flattened or tapered portion to facilitate insertion of the working end between the tire bead and the wheel rim. The working ends of known tools are configured, in profile, as either straight, curved, or angled.  
           [0004]    To utilize the demounting implement, the tool working portion is inserted manually by the user between the bead of the tire and its associate wheel rim. Thereafter, the user applies pressure on the handle, making a lever of the tool and utilizing the wheel rim as a fulcrum. Pressure upon the handle causes the tool to engage the tire bead and move a segment of the bead over the rim, thereby disengaging the bead segment from the rim. The tool is then redeployed along the tire to an adjacent location and the procedure is repeated upon a corresponding adjacent bead segment. Repeated redeployment and utilization of the tool about the periphery of the tire pulls a sufficient length of the tire bead over the rim until the tire is free for removal from the rim in its entirety. In more recent years, machines have been developed which rotate the tire in conjunction with the use of the tool to alleviate the need for moving the tool. However, mounting and demounting a tire to a commercial truck wheel is often performed manually.  
           [0005]    Use of the wheel rim as a fulcrum about which to lever a tire tool provides an opportunity for the tool, typically made of iron or steel, to damage the finish of the wheel. Whether a wheel&#39;s surface is painted steel, finished aluminum, or other chrome-like surface, the result of repeated tool contact with the wheel is scratches, dents and abrasions to the wheel rim. A typical commercial truck wheel is expensive, and when one considers all of the wheels on an 18-wheeler semi-truck, the cost can get extremely expensive. Considering that commercial trucks may cover 100,000 miles or more per year, tires must be changed at least several times per year, with each change presenting an opportunity to damage the wheel. Damage to wheels, apart from being cosmetically undesirable, can have functional effects on the serviceability of both the wheel and the tire. Dents and abrasions to the wheel rim can be detrimental to the balance of a wheel, thereby causing the wheel to vibrate and possibly damaging the vehicle suspension or causing loss of vehicle control. The wheel rim is also the site where an airtight seal with the tire bead is and must be formed. Damage or abrasion to the wheel rim can prevent the formation of such an airtight seal with the tire bead. Worse still, if the wheel rim is sufficiently damaged or abraded; it can actually cut or puncture the tire bead, thereby rendering the tire dangerous and useless.  
           [0006]    Certain known tire changing tools not only use the wheel rim as a fulcrum, but also contact the well of the wheel. Typically the well is painted or finished with a weather-resistant coating, intended to protect the underlying metal wheel from oxidation. Contact with a steel tire tool can abrade or scratch the finish, thereby exposing the metal to corrosion. Although not as immediately damaging to a wheel as physical bending or abrading of the rim, such resultant oxidative corrosion, if left unchecked, will lead to eventual rust-through of the wheel, rendering it useless and worthless.  
           [0007]    Similar concerns exist for passenger automobile wheels. Traditionally, automobile wheels were fairly inexpensive, as they were made of steel. The use of hard metal implements for the mounting and demounting of tires was necessary yet caused little concern relative to damaging the steel wheels.  
           [0008]    With the increasing use of light alloys, automobile wheels are now more susceptible to damage from hard metal implements used during the mounting and demounting of tires. The driving force behind the use of light alloy wheels in modern cars is the desire to improve traction and handling. Assuming that a car chassis is not modified, the rolling diameter of any tire/wheel combination installed on a car must remain constant. Wider and lower profile tires allow an increase in the size of the contact patch while maintaining a rolling diameter substantially the same as the manufacturer intended. A larger contact patch affords improved handling properties to the automobile. Such lower profile tires often have an increased speed rating relative to original equipment manufacturer&#39;s tires, and are often are available as aftermarket upgrades. In order to maintain a constant rolling diameter while improving handling properties, a tire having a lower profile must accompany a wheel having a correspondingly larger diameter.  
           [0009]    Not long ago, 13- or 14-inch wheels wrapped in 65 or 75 series tires were the norm. Today, very few, if any, passenger cars are equipped with less than 15-inch wheels. Many cars now have tires with low profile sidewalls and diameters upwards of 25″ standard, with 16-, 17- or even 18-inch diameter wheels standard. Wheel sizes up to 22-inches are available as aftermarket upgrades. As previously stated, these larger diameter tires having wider contact patches require larger diameter wheels to maintain a constant rolling diameter. Hence, aspect ratios of 55, 45, 35 and even 25 are now available. Light alloy wheels and the accompanying low profile, speed rated tires can get very expensive.  
           [0010]    In light of the expense of wheels and tires for both commercial and passenger vehicles and their susceptibility to damage during mounting and demounting, the motivation to protect both tires and wheels during mounting and demounting on today&#39;s cars is readily apparent.  
           [0011]    In the past, mechanics, both professionals and do-it-yourselfers, have developed home made solutions to the problem of wheel damage during tire mounting and demounting. A variety of imperfect solutions have been tried. Some have used heavy tape, such as duct tape or electrical tape to protect the rim of expensive alloy wheels from scratches incurred during tire mounting and demounting. Others have cut plastic beverage bottles into strips and wedged the strips into the gap between the wheel rim and tire bead to protect the wheel from damage. One more sophisticated attempt at protecting the wheel rim includes a hard plastic clip that slides over the rim edge and is provided with a rope to secure the clip in place. As a shop solution, many mechanics merely use a rag, another piece of cloth, or even a work glove. However, none of these items are specifically designed for the task at hand. None of these items are durable beyond a few uses. Moreover, these items are not readily fastened to the wheel rim in a secure manner that would allow the operator to devote his full attention to applying the careful attention and proper force required to mount or demount a tire to/from a wheel.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    Until now, no one has made a pad specifically intended to protect not only the rim of commercial and passenger vehicle wheels, but also the wheel well, and which is flexible, resilient, and grips the wheel rim edge.  
           [0013]    Broadly, the present invention relates to a lightweight, flexible, resilient protective pad which removably attaches to the rim of a wheel thereby protecting the wheel from damage during tire mounting and demounting when such mounting or demounting is performed with tire irons or the like.  
           [0014]    The advantages of the present invention over the known art relating to wheel protecting pads, which shall become apparent from the description and drawings that follow, are accomplished by the invention as hereinafter described and claimed.  
           [0015]    In general, one or more aspects of the present invention may be accomplished by a wheel protecting pad that includes a body, an attachment assembly that includes a foldover, a first crease, and a second crease, where the foldover defines an open bore adapted to receive the rim, wherein the body is attached to the attachment assembly and a flange attached to the attachment assembly opposite the body to receive the rim.  
           [0016]    A further aspect of the present invention may be accomplished with a wheel protecting pad, for protecting a wheel having a rim and a tire from a tire implement during tire mounting and demounting, the pad including a flange insertable between the tire and the wheel made of a soft flexible resilient material, and an attachment assembly attached to said flange, and adapted to grip the rim of the wheel thereby providing a barrier between the wheel and a tire iron.  
           [0017]    Yet another aspect of the present invention may be realized by a wheel protecting pad for protecting a wheel during mounting and demounting, that includes a piece of leather having a body, at least one foldover, and at least one flange, whereby a respective flange is attached to the body by a respective foldover, and wherein the body and the at least one flange are substantially planar and substantially parallel to one another, the foldover being adapted to urge the flange toward a configuration substantially parallel to the body. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a protecting pad according to the concepts of the present invention having a first attachment assembly at one end and an optionally formed second attachment assembly at an opposite end, where the optional second attachment assembly is formed symmetrically relative to the first attachment assembly;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1A is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 1, depicting an alternative arrangement of the second attachment assembly, where the second attachment assembly is formed on the opposite side of the pad;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the protecting pad depicted in FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the protecting pad depicted in FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a sectional side elevational view as might be seen along lines  4 - 4  in FIG. 1 depicting further details of the first attachment assembly; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a fragmental partially sectioned side elevational view of a wheel and a tire depicting the protecting pad located on a rim of the wheel during the removal of the tire by a tire working implement, where the body of the pad is shown in an extended position for purposes of illustration; and  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a fragmental partially sectioned side elevational view of a wheel and a tire similar to FIG. 5 depicting a protecting pad according to the concepts of the present invention located on a rim of the wheel during the removal of the tire by tire-working implement. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]    The present invention is directed toward a wheel protecting pad, generally indicated by the numeral  10  in the accompanying drawings. In general, pad  10  includes a body  11  and an attachment assembly, generally indicated by the numeral  15 .  
         [0026]    The body  11  may cover a portion, such as the well surface S, of the wheel W such that the tire working implement I may bear against the pad  10  as opposed to the surfaces of the wheel. The body  11  may be a substantially planar member having an inner surface  12  and an outer surface  13 . As shown in FIG. 5, during use of the pad  10 , the inner surface  12  may be located against the rim R with the outer surface  13  facing the bead removing implement I. In these circumstances, the tire working implement I may be inserted between the outer surface  13  and the bead B. The body  11  may have any length and may extend over the rim R or to a greater extent to cover at least a portion of the surface S of the wheel well (FIG. 6). As depicted in FIG. 5, some implements have specially contoured ends that cause the implement I to contact multiple portions of the wheel W including, for example, the rim R and well surface S. Body  11  may provide for such contact by extending to at least the point where the implement I ordinarily would contact the wheel W.  
         [0027]    The attachment assembly  15  is adapted to support the pad  10  at a selected position, such that the pad  10  may be fit to rim R before using a tire working implement I that might otherwise damage or mar the wheel W. Generally, attachment assembly  15  is adapted to grasp or otherwise fit over the rim R and may include, as shown, a foldover  14  that is attached to or extends from the body  11  at a first crease  16 . As shown, the foldover  14  may be arcuate and generally form a somewhat cylindrical body that defines an open bore  18  in which an edge of the rim R resides during use of pad  10 . It will be appreciated, however, that the shape of the foldover  14  is essentially arbitrary with the limitation that it suitably fit over the rim R. Thus, any number of foldover shapes or profiles may be used in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.  
         [0028]    To provide reliable securement of the pad  10 , the attachment assembly  15  may further include a second crease  17  that further acts to hold the pad  10  on the rim R. To grip the rim R between the creases  16 ,  17 , the creases  16 ,  17  may be opposed and/or extend inward of the bore  18  to neck the open end of bore  18 . The creases  16 ,  27  may be spaced longitudinally or, as shown, be aligned in a common plane.  
         [0029]    To protect the wheel W or further aid in securing the pad  10 , a flange, generally indicated by the numeral  20 , may be attached to or extend integrally from the foldover  14 . For sake of simplicity, reference to the flange  20  or other pad component being “attached” will be understood to include integrally forming that component, as well. The flange  20  may include a generally planar member  21  that faces the body  11  to define an opening  22  into which the rim R is inserted. As shown in the figures, the body  11  and flange  20  may oppose each other and further may be formed such that the flange  20  extends substantially parallel to the body  11 . To provide for an interference type fit or otherwise increase the pad&#39;s ability to grip the rim R, the flange  20  and body  11  may be closely arranged relative to each, for example, the opening  22  may be thinner than the thickness  23  of rim R.  
         [0030]    As an alternative means of facilitating a good grip between the pad  10  and the object to be protected, for example, wheel W, the pad  10  may be constructed so as to impart a tension or other force at foldover  14 , such that the flange  20  is biased or urged toward the rim R. For example, the attachment assembly may be formed to have a resting configuration, such as the configuration shown in FIG. 1, where the flange  20  has not yet been stretched over the rim R. When the attachment assembly is stretched, as shown in FIG. 5, the shape memory of the material may be used to generate a force that urges the attachment assembly  15  back toward the resting position (FIG. 1). As will be appreciated, since the rim R may prevent the attachment assembly  15  from returning to the resting position, this force is maintained and acts to grip the rim R. To facilitate slipping the pad  10  between the tire T and a wheel rim R, the flange  20  and/or body  11  may be provided with a beveled edge  25  (FIG. 5).  
         [0031]    While the pad  10 , depicted in the drawings, is shown as being generally flat across its width, it will be appreciated that the pad  10  may be curved or otherwise contoured across its width to help the pad  10  conform to the contour of the rim R. Similar contouring may be applied across the length of the pad  10 , as well. Given that the pad  10  may be made of a flexible material, the rim R may cause the pad  10  to bend or otherwise conform to its shape, as shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0032]    In selecting materials for the construction of the protecting pad  10 , any suitable material known in the art may be used including but not limited to leather, woven textiles, knitted textiles, corrugated paper or cardboard, and polymers. The pad  10  may be made of flexible resilient forms of such materials, and may further be made soft such that it provides a cushioning effect. Also, elastic forms of the above materials may be selected to provide extended life and shape memory properties.  
         [0033]    As shown, the pad  10  may be constructed from a sheet of such material with the attachment assembly  15  being formed into the sheet, as by molding, folding, or any other suitable sheet forming process. It will be appreciated that use of the terms planar and parallel in reference to the portions of pad  10  are not used strictly inasmuch as the material may be flexible and thus will not form idealized planes. For example, the large planar portion of the body  11  may have some bowing or other irregularity but otherwise maintain a generally planar configuration. In terms of relative material area, the foldover  14  and flange  20  may encompass a minor portion of the total area of the sheet of the material making up the pad  10  in the relation to body  11 . For example, this “minor portion” may include less than half of the area of the sheet, for example, about 1-49%, about 5-45%, about 10-40%, or about 15-35% of the area of the sheet. When using multiple attachment assemblies, for example, assemblies  15 ′ and  15 ″, this relative proportion between the attachment assemblies  15 ,  15 ′,  15 ″ and body  11  may be maintained.  
         [0034]    By providing additional attachment assemblies  15 , the useful life of the pad  10  may be extended. For example, when one end of the pad  10  or its associated attachment assembly  15  wears out, as may happen over several hundred uses, the opposite end may be provided with an additional attachment assembly, such a second attachment assembly  15 ′ or alternative second attachment assembly  15 ″, to allow continued use of the pad  10  in with another portion thereof.  
         [0035]    Since second attachment assemblies  15 ′ and  15 ″ generally may have the same components as attachment assembly  15 , like numerals have been used to designate like components with a single prime accompanying the first additional attachment assembly  15 ′ shown in FIG. 1, and a double-prime indicator used in connection with the components of the second additional attachment assembly  15 ″ depicted in FIG. 1A. As shown, these assemblies  15 ′,  15 ″ may be configured in a substantially identical fashion to first attachment assembly  15  or may be modified, as desired, for example, to facilitate use of the pad  10  with multiple articles. For example, it will be appreciated that the variations in such components discussed in reference to first attachment assembly  15  may be made irrespective of the particular configuration of the first attachment assembly  15 . Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1A the additional attachment assemblies  15 ′ and  15 ″ may have different orientations relative to the first attachment assembly  15 . For example, the second attachment assembly  15 ′, shown in FIG. 1, may be formed such that its flange  20 ′ is located on the same side as flange  20 . Alternatively as depicted in the alternative second attachment assembly  15 ″ of FIG. 1A, a flange  20 ″ may be located on the opposite side of body  11  relative to flange  20 . Due to this configuration, the alternative second attachment assembly  15 ″, shown in FIG. 1A, is attached to or extends from a body  11  and may form a first crease  16 ″ on the surface opposite first crease  16 . Similarly, the second crease  17 ″ is formed on the opposite side of body  11  relative to second crease  17  of first attachment assembly  15 .  
         [0036]    With reference to FIG. 3, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the surface of pad  10  may be provided with indicia, generally indicated at  30 . The indicia  30  may be applied to the relatively large surfaces  12 ,  13  of body  11  as depicted, for example, in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated that various indicia  30  may be used including for example, a manufacturer&#39;s part number, a trade name, or instructions for use of the pad  10  and/or implement I.  
         [0037]    In operation, the user would place the pad  10  on the rim R at a desired location, where the implement I would be used (FIGS. 5 and 6). To secure the pad  10  to the rim R, the attachment assembly  15  may be slid on to, stretched, or otherwise hung over the end of the rim R such that the rim R carries the pad  10 . Rim R may be graspingly received within the attachment assembly  15  as described above. As indicated previously, the small clearance  22  between the flange  20  and the body  11  of the pad  10  may facilitate grasping engagement of the rim R causing the body  11  to contact the rim R on it&#39;s outer face a first face F 1  and the flange  20  to contact the inner face of the rim R. Since the flange  20  may provide suitable area for use of the implement I, the inner and outer faces of rim R are somewhat arbitrary in that the user may invert the pad  10  from the configuration shown in FIG. 5. According to another aspect of the invention, the foldover  14  of attachment assembly  15  may be pre-tensioned such that it urges the flange  20  into contact with the inner face to better grasp the rim R.  
         [0038]    With the pad  10  in place, the implement I may be inserted between the bead B of the tire T and the rim R of wheel W with the tool end, generally indicated by the letter E bearing against the pad  10 , which overlies the rim R. The implement I may then be operated in a manner known to those of ordinary skill to remove the bead from the rim R. In some instances, to remove the bead B from the rim R, the implement I must be rotated around the edge of the rim R to cause the end E of the implement I to lift the bead B over the rim R, as shown for example in FIG. 6. In these instances, a portion of the implement I, such as its heel, may contact the finished surface of the rim R for the well surface S of the wheel W. With the pad  10  overlaying at least a portion of well surface S corresponding to the point of contact P, where the implement I would ordinarily contact the wheel W, the pad protects the wheel W from any deformation or marring that the implement I might otherwise cause.  
         [0039]    Since it is often necessary to successively remove the bead B at a number of radial positions, the user may remove the pad  10  and reattach it at a different radial position in a successive fashion, thereby protecting the wheel W as the bead B is progressively removed. After the bead removal operation is complete, the pad  10  may be released from the rim R, as by stretching the body  11  and flange  20  away from each other (FIG. 5) to open the creases  16 ,  17  sufficiently to pull the pad  10  away from the rim R. As previously discussed, if the one end of the pad  10  becomes sufficiently worn that it is no longer of use, a second end may be provided with an additional attachment assembly  15 ′ or  15 ″ that allows continued use of the pad  10  by merely attaching the pad  10  at the second attachment assembly  15 ′,  15 ″. While the second attachment assembly is shown at the opposite end relative to first attachment assembly  15 , it will be appreciated that the second attachment assembly may be located at other positions on the pad  10  and, if desirable, the pad  10  may be provided with more than two attachment assemblies to further extend its use.  
         [0040]    Based upon the foregoing disclosure, it should now be apparent that the pad and the method as described herein will carry out the objects of the present invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that any variations evident fall within the scope of the claimed invention and thus, the selection of specific component elements or exercises can be determined without departing from the spirit of the invention herein disclosed and described. Thus, the scope of the invention shall include all modifications and variations that may fall within the scope of the attached claims.