Abstract:
A bowl shaped member having a peripheral edge for positioning proximate a wheel rim to prevent dirt from entering therebetween and a central region having a set of lug bolt openings to permit mounting the wheel cover over the axle shaft and proximate the wheel hub so that the lug bolt holds the wheel cover in a rotatable position to allow dirt and debris to fall off the wheel cover without having an opportunity to adhere to the wheel rim.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates generally to wheel covers and, more specifically, to mud covers for attachment to the inside of a rear wheel of a vehicle to prevent track material from adhering to the wheel rim and thereby cause the wheel to become unbalanced.  
         CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0002]    None  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0003]    None  
         REFERENCETO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
         [0004]    None  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The concept of covers for wheels for decorative purposes as well as for preventing dirt and other materials from adhering to the cover is known in the art. In the art of dirt track racing, where the vehicles race around an oval or round track, the outer wheels of the vehicle slide radially outward due to the centrifugal force on the vehicle. As a result the track material, which is usually soil, is forced against the rims of the wheel resulting in at least some of the soil adhering to the rim causing the wheel to become unbalanced. In contrast the rear wheels experience track material impinging on the inside of the rims which when accumulated thereon can also throw the wheel out of balance and produce unwanted vibration.  
           [0006]    While various mud covers have been proposed, the mud covers need to shed any soil that impacts thereon as well as mountable to existing wheel rims in a sufficiently securable condition to maintain the mud cover thereon as the vehicle encounters the forces and stresses produces by the tires and wheels sliding on the track. Vehicle sliding is particular acute as the vehicle races around a curved track. That is, as the vehicle circles a race track the outer wheels slide radially outward across the track causing soil on the track to impact the outer wheel rim while the rear wheels are impacted with track material on the inside of the wheel. If the soil is moist or otherwise sticky the soil can adhere to the wheel rim creating an unbalanced wheel condition on either rear or front wheels.  
           [0007]    In my copending application Ser. No. 10/093,996 Title Mud Cover Assembly filed Mar. 11, 2002 I disclose a mud cover assembly for an exterior portion of a wheel rim with the mud cover providing interlocking engagement with the wheel rim and without the necessity to altar the wheel rim. In particular the invention is suitable for use on the exterior of front wheels of a dirt track racing vehicle or other vehicles that are driven in conditions where mud or the like can produce an unbalanced wheel condition.  
           [0008]    In contrast to the exterior wheel cover, the present invention is a mud cover and method of making a mud cover for use on the inside of a wheel of a dirt track racing car and partially the inside rear wheel of the dirt track racing car. The cover comprises a concave bowl-like shield that mounts on the axle shaft between the rim and the hub with the shield extending out radially to inhibit dirt and debris from coming into contact with the rim.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Briefly, the invention comprises a concave shaped member having a radially and peripheral region for positioning proximate a wheel rim to prevent dirt from entering therebetween and a central region having a set of lug bolt openings to permit mounting the wheel cover on a flanged axle shaft so that the lug bolt pressure exerted on the wheel hub and the flanged axle shaft holds the wheel cover in a rotatable position to allow dirt and debris to fall off the wheel cover without having an opportunity to adhere to the wheel rim. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a side view sectional of a wheel with my mud cover mounted thereon;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a layout view of my mud cover prior to formation into a concave member;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a side view of my mud cover;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 shows a partial detail view of radial fins with a tab securing adjacent radial fins to each other 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a wheel assembly  10  with a tire  11  having a mud cover  15  mounted on hub  16  of axle  17 . Mud cover  15  forms a bowl-like covering over a major portion on the inside of the rim to prevent debris and dirt from adhering to the rim or coming into contact with the inside of the rim.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1 showing mud cover  15  having a peripheral edge  15   c  centrally positioned with respect to rim  12 . A set of elongated rectangular radial slots  15   a  separate a set of radial fins  15   b , which are located around the outer peripheral portion of the mud cover  15 . Mud cover  15  includes a set of wheel stud openings  18  to permit mounting of the mud cover on the existing wheel studs without having to alter the wheel.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 shows a layout of the mud cover  15  wherein the mud cover  15  is shown in plane view and in an unformed condition. In the unformed condition a flat piece of metal of substantially uniform thickness is cut into a generally circular shape having a peripheral edge  15   c  with the outer radial portion of the mud cover  15  formed from a set of triangular shaped radial fins  15   b  that are each separated by elongated slots  15   a . In the embodiment shown each of the radial fins  15   b  are formed with a lateral tab  15   d , which is to be used to hold the radial fins  15   b  as an integral one-piece mud cover. The wheel stud openings  18   a  are located on a bolt circle in the center region  15   h  of the mud cover  15  and are circumferentially spaced to accommodate a particular make and model vehicle. A central opening  15   e  is included in mud cover  15  to provide a central relief area so the mud cover  15  can fit over a central hub protrusion found on most hubs. As can be seen in FIG. 3 the entire mud wheel cover  15  can be cut from a single piece of flat deformable material. The preferred deformable material is steel since the regions of the mud cover proximate the wheel stud act as washers and are squeezed by the lug nuts that hold the wheel hub on the axle shaft. That is the mud cover is sandwiched between the wheel hub and the axle shaft and is held in pressure engagement therebetween to permit the mud cover to rotate as the wheel rotates.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 4 the mud cover  15  shown in FIG. 3 has been formed into a concave or bowl-like member having a flat central area  15   g  and an upraised peripheral region bounded by a peripheral edge  15   c.    
         [0019]    A reference to FIG. 5 reveals a detail of two adjacent radial fins  15   b  which have been secured to each other by tab  15   d . In the embodiment shown tab  15   d  has been spot welded to the adjacent radial fin  15   b  after forming a curved radius into the tab. That is, once the radial fins  15   b  have been bent upward as illustrated in FIG. 4 each of the tabs  15   d  are secured to an adjacent fin other to hold the concave or bowl-like shape to mud cover  15 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 illustrates that the slots  15   a  are generally rectangular and elongated with the tab being cut from the material between the radial fins. When the fins are bowed upward as illustrated in FIG. 4 the elongated slots decrease in size toward the edge. That is the elongated slots permit one to fold the radial fins into a bowl-like member without buckling the material since the spacing between the radial fins permits the fins  15   b  to altar their spacing as the fins are formed into a curved the mud cover. Consequently, one can form the bowl shape mud cover out of a single sheet of metal without introducing crimps or irregular folds into the metal through the use of radial relief areas.  
         [0021]    Although the method of formation of a mud cover leaves elongated tapered slots in the mud cover the slots do not permit mud or dirt to enter since the mud cover rotates with the wheel thus offering minimal opportunity for dirt and debris to enter the rim. A further advantage of the present arrangement is that the slots permit air circulation to cool the brakes.  
         [0022]    In the embodiment shown the mud cover is included with the elongated slot for the dual purpose of providing air vents in the mud cover as well as to facilitate the forming of the mud cover. In certain applications one may not need the air vents and one may not be concerned with the curved formation of the mud cover. That is, the mud cover without elongated relief slots can be formed into a concave shape through a hydraulic press deforming the mud cover within a die.  
         [0023]    While the tabs are shown integral to the radial fins  15   b  it is understood that the tabs can be separately attached to adjacent fins to hold the fins in position. However, the use of integral tabs greatly simplifies the assembly process.