Abstract:
A wheel cover system comprising a first bearing element mountable to a vehicle&#39;s wheel or rim, and a second bearing element rotatable on the first element supportive of a wheel cover assembly that, when mounted to the vehicle, is non-symmetrical in appearance about a first vertical plane extending through the axis of rotation and containing the gravitational direction. The wheel cover itself is also non-symmetrical in shape and/or mass about a second plane extending through the pivot axis of the wheel cover and coincident with the first plane. Balance is provided by weights to the wheel cover on opposite sides of the second plane at differing radial distances from the center of rotation. The weights may differ in mass. In a currently preferred embodiment, the asymmetrical shape of a wheel cover is in the form of an indicium such as a number, alphabetic letter, abstract symbol, or combinations thereof.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to wheel covers for vehicles; more particularly, to wheel covers that are independently rotatable relative to their corresponding vehicle wheels and are counter-weighted to appear stationary while the supporting wheel is rotating; and most particularly, to a wheel cover system (method and apparatus) wherein an assymetric wheel cover rotatable relative to its corresponding vehicle wheel is rendered stationary at a preferred angular orientation during rotation of the wheel by a asymmetric placement of a plurality of counterweights on the wheel cover on opposite sides of the gravitational direction from the wheel axis.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Vehicle wheel covers that do not rotate relative to their corresponding vehicle wheels are well known in the art.  
         [0003]     In a first prior art wheel cover arrangement, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,548,070, the wheel cover assembly is attached directly to a non-rotatable axial vehicle element such as a stub axle, and the wheel and tire rim rotate around and behind the cover when the vehicle is in motion, the cover remaining stationary with respect to the wheel and rim. This arrangement is not useful with modern wheel assemblies, and especially rear wheel assemblies, wherein non-rotatable vehicle elements are not available for mounting. In the wheel assemblies of driven wheels, the wheel axle rotates and therefore no stationary axle is present.  
         [0004]     In a second prior art wheel cover arrangement, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989, the wheel cover assembly includes a coaxial bearing system wherein one bearing race is attached to rotatable elements of a vehicle wheel, such as a wheel hub or tire rim, and the other bearing race is attached to the wheel cover. The wheel cover is symmetrical about a vertical plane containing both the wheel axis and the gravitational direction extending therefrom. Symmetrical wheel covers in the prior art are prevented from rotation by addition of one or more weights to lower the center of mass below the center of rotation to cause the wheel cover to assume a predetermined angular position with respect to the vertical plane.  
         [0005]     It is known to use a single weight, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,432,274; 2,130,220; and 5,659,989. It is further known to use two equal weights disposed symmetrically at equal radial distances from the wheel axis on either side of the vertical plane, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,262.  
         [0006]     A prior art wheel cover is typically a simple disc, either flat as disclosed in, for example, either of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,432,274 and 2,869,262, or domed as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,130,220. A prior art symmetrical wheel cover may not cover the entire wheel surface and may comprise a symmetrical filigree pattern as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989.  
         [0007]     A serious shortcoming of all prior art stationary wheel cover disclosures is that they are suited only to either non-ornamented designs such as plain discs or symmetrical designs.  
         [0008]     What is needed in the art is a wheel cover system wherein a wheel cover design may be of any form, may be symmetrical or non-symmetrical, may be filigreed to cover part or all of a wheel, and may be positioned at any desired angular orientation consistent with the laws of gravity.  
         [0009]     It is a principal object of the present invention to position any stationary wheel cover at any desired angular position.  
         [0010]     It is a further object of the invention to facilitate the stationary mounting and angular positioning of non-symmetrical wheel covers which may be filigreed and may be in the form of indicia.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Briefly described, a wheel cover system in accordance with the invention comprises an axial bearing mount wherein a first bearing element is mountable to a rotatable element of a vehicle, such as a wheel hub or a tire rim, and a second bearing element rotatable on the first bearing element is supportive of a wheel cover assembly that, when mounted to the vehicle, is non-symmetrical about a first vertical plane extending through the axis of rotation and containing the gravitational direction. The term “non-symmetrical” as used herein means unequal in at least one of shape, mass, and combinations thereof. As formed, the wheel cover is also non-symmetrical about a second plane extending through the axis of the second bearing element. To cause the wheel cover to assume a preferred stationary equilibrium orientation with respect to its supportive wheel, the mass of the wheel cover must be balanced such that the second plane is coincident with the first plane. Such balance is provided by the asymmetric addition of one or more weights to the wheel cover, preferably on the obverse side thereof. The one or more weights do not fall on the second plane but rather to one side and/or the other thereof. Where a plurality of weights are selected, weights may fall on opposite sides of the second plane and may be placed at differing radial distances from the center of rotation. Further, the weights may differ in mass. In a currently preferred embodiment, the asymmetrical shape of a wheel cover is in the form of an indicium such as a number, alphabetic letter, symbol, or combinations thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are an elevational view and an elevational cross-sectional view, respectively, of a first prior art stationary wheel cover assembly, substantially as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are an elevational view and an elevational cross-sectional view, respectively, of a second prior art stationary wheel cover assembly, substantially as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,262;  
         [0015]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are an elevational view and an elevational cross-sectional view, respectively, of a third prior art stationary wheel cover assembly, substantially as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989;  
         [0016]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are an elevational view and an elevational cross-sectional view, respectively, of a stationary wheel cover assembly in accordance with the invention, showing alphabetic indicia;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a stationary wheel cover assembly in accordance with the invention, showing second alphabetic indicia;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a stationary wheel cover assembly in accordance with the invention, showing numeric indicia;  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is an elevational view of a stationary wheel cover assembly in accordance with the invention, showing an abstract symbolic indicium; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is an elevational view of a stationary wheel cover assembly in accordance with the invention, showing combined alphabetic and symbolic indicia. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     The distinctions and benefits of the present invention may be better appreciated by first considering the elements and limitations of three prior art examples of stationary wheel cover systems employing wheel covers mounted on bearing assemblies.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first prior art stationary wheel cover system  10 , substantially as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989, is provided for mounting to a vehicle wheel  12 , also known as a tire rim, which is itself mounted via studs and nuts  14  to a wheel hub  16 . Wheel  12  is supportive of a vehicle inflatable tire  18 .  
         [0023]     System  10  comprises a substantially cylindrical base hub  20  having a centrally disposed protrusion  22  formed therethrough to operatively receive and support thereon an inner bearing race  24  of a ball bearing assembly  26 . Outer bearing race  28  receives and supports an outer hub portion  30  of a wheel cover  32 .  
         [0024]     Wheel cover  32  is filigreed, by which is meant that portions of an otherwise continuous disc-shaped cover are not present, giving rise to a shape in silhouette. The filigreed shape of wheel cover  32  is equilaterally triangular and is symmetrical about a vertical plane  34  coincident with the direction of gravity and containing the axis of rotation  36  of wheel  12  and hub  16 . A single weight  38  is mounted to the rear of one of three arms  40  of wheel cover  32 , the center of mass  41  of weight  38  being at a radial distance  42  from axis  36 . Center of mass  41  is contained in plane  34 . Thus, by means of bearing assembly  26  and weight  38 , wheel cover  32  does not rotate (remains stationary by gravitational force and maintains a fixed and predetermined angular orientation to gravity) when wheel  12  and inner hub  20  are rotated, and the silhouette of wheel cover  32  remains symmetrically disposed with respect to plane  34 .  
         [0025]     The wheel cover system as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989, having a single weight disposed in a single arm  40  of wheel cover  32 , is incapable of angularly orienting symmetrical wheel cover  32  in any stationary attitude other than that shown in  FIG. 1 . Further, this wheel cover system cannot angularly orient an asymmetrical wheel cover at a predetermined stationary attitude wherein the center of mass of a single weight does not fall on vertical plane  34 .  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a second prior art stationary wheel cover system  10 ′ is provided for mounting to a hubcap  44  of a vehicle wheel  12 . Wheel  12  is supportive of a vehicle inflatable tire  18 .  
         [0027]     System  10 ′ comprises a substantially cylindrical base hub  20 ′ received in a central threaded opening  46  in hubcap  44  and retained therein by a nut  48 . Base hub  20 ′ includes a threaded axial bore  50  for receiving a binder screw  52  for attaching system  10 ′ to hubcap  44 . A ball bearing assembly  26 ′ includes an inner bearing race  24 ′ which is retained between first and second washers  54 , 56  and captured by screw  52 . Outer bearing race  28 ′ receives and supports a wheel cover  32 ′.  
         [0028]     Wheel cover  32 ′ is non-filigreed, by which is meant that the disc-shaped cover is continuous. First and second identical weights  38 ′ are mounted to the rear of cover  32 ′, the centers of mass  41 ′ of weights  38 ′ being at equal radial distance  42 ′ from axis  36 . Centers of mass  41 ′ are disposed at equal central angles  35  from gravitational plane  34  and are therefore symmetrical about plane  34 . Thus, by means of bearing assembly  26 ′ and weights  38 ′, wheel cover  32 ′ does not rotate when wheel  12  is rotated.  
         [0029]     The wheel cover system as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,262, having a uniform disc-shaped wheel cover  32 ′ and having first and second identical weights  38 ′ disposed symmetrically at identical radial distances  42 ′ is incapable of angularly orienting symmetrical wheel cover  32 ′ in any stationary attitude other than that shown in  FIG. 3  wherein weights  38 ′ are disposed at identical and opposite central angles  35  from vertical plane  34 . Further, this wheel cover system cannot angularly orient an asymmetrical wheel cover at a predetermined stationary attitude wherein the centers of mass of first and second weights are disposed asymmetrically at differing central angles from vertical plane  34 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a third prior art stationary wheel cover system  10 ″ is provided for mounting to a vehicle wheel  12 . Wheel  12  is supportive of a vehicle inflatable tire  18 .  
         [0031]     System  10 ″ comprises a base hub  20 ″ attached to wheel  12  via wheel studs  14 . A ball bearing assembly  26 ″ attached to base hub  20 ″ includes an outer bearing race  28 ″. Inner bearing race  24 ″ receives and supports a wheel cover  32 ″. A shield element  27  is attached to base hub  20 ″ and extends radially outward to cover a portion of wheel  12 .  
         [0032]     Wheel cover  32 ″ is non-filigreed. A plurality of identical weights  38 ″ are mounted into wells formed in cover  32 ′. As in prior art system  10 ′ described above, the centers of mass of weights  38 ″ are positioned symmetrically about plane  34  at equal radial distances from axis  36  and are disposed at equal central angles from gravitational plane  34 . Thus, by means of bearing assembly  26 ″ and weights  38 ″, wheel cover  32 ″ does not rotate when wheel  12  is rotated.  
         [0033]     The prior art wheel cover system as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989, having a uniform disc-shaped wheel cover  32 ″ and having a plurality of identical weights  38 ″ disposed symmetrically at identical radial distances is incapable of angularly orienting symmetrical wheel cover  32 ″ in any stationary attitude other than that shown in  FIG. 5 . Further, this wheel cover system cannot angularly orient an asymmetrical wheel cover at a predetermined stationary attitude wherein the centers of mass of a plurality of weights are disposed asymmetrically at differing central angles from vertical plane  34 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an improved wheel cover system  110  in accordance with the invention is shown for providing stationary, non-rotating orientation of an asymmetrical wheel cover in a preferred angular orientation with respect to gravity when system  110  is mounted on a vehicle  13 .  
         [0035]     System  110  comprises a base hub  120  attached to wheel  12  via wheel studs  14 . A ball bearing assembly  126  attached to base hub  120  includes an outer bearing race  128 . Inner bearing race  124  receives and supports a first wheel cover assembly  129  comprising an outer hub  130  and a first wheel cover  132 . An optional shield element  127  is attached to base hub  120  and extends radially outward to cover a portion of wheel  12 .  
         [0036]     Wheel cover assembly  129  is asymmetrical in shape and mass about an assembly plane  131  which, in the preferred stationary angular orientation, coincides with vertical plane  34 . Wheel cover  132  comprises first and second indicial elements  134 , 136  in the form of exemplary first lower case alphabetic letters “m” and “v” attached to outer hub  130 . Hub  130  and elements  134 , 136  are preferably formed of metal, for example, stainless steel, and may be formed, for example, by cutting from sheet stock or by molding and/or machining in known fashion.  
         [0037]     To cause plane  131  to coincide with plane  34 , at least a first weight  138   a  and preferably a second weight  138   b  having first and second centers of mass  141   a , 141   b  are attached asymmetrically to indicial elements  134 , 136 , respectively, at locations thereupon corresponding to first and second radial distances  142   a , 142   b  and first and second central angles  135   a , 135   b , respectively. The selected locations for weights  138   a , 138   b  are below a horizontal plane  139  containing wheel axis  36  such that the center of mass of the overall wheel cover assembly  129  is below axis  36 . As distinct from prior art systems  10 ′ and  10 ″, the first and second radial distances  142   a , 142   b  may be unequal, and the first and second central angles  135   a , 135   b  may be unequal as required to cause plane  131  to coincide with plane  34 . Weights  138   a , 138   b  preferably are formed of a material having a higher specific gravity than the material of indicial elements  134 , 136 , for example, lead.  
         [0038]     It should be noted that in wheel covers that are very highly asymmetric, only one weight  138   a  may be required to balance the mass of the wheel cover on the opposite side of plane  131 . However, even in such cases it may be desirable to use first and second weights as described above, having a net balance weight, to apply more gravitational force onto bearing unit  126  and to increase the overall mass and rotational inertia of the wheel cover assembly to further stabilize the wheel cover assembly in a stationary mode during rotation of wheel  12 .  
         [0039]     The primary purpose of a wheel cover assembly in accordance with the invention is decorative. Wheel cover  132  may be personalized in the form of, for example, the initials of an owner&#39;s name or a player&#39;s jersey number. Further, wheel cover  132  and shield  127  may be finished in contrasting colors, for example, gold and black, respectively, to emphasize the appearance of the wheel cover. In a typical installation on a vehicle, all four wheels are provided with wheel cover systems in accordance with the invention; the four systems may be identical or may differ.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a second wheel cover  232  in accordance with the invention comprises first and second indicial elements  234 , 236  in the form of exemplary upper case second alphabetic letters “J” and “C” attached asymmetrically to outer hub  230 . Weights  238   a , 238   b  are attached to indicial elements  234 , 236  to cause the wheel cover to assume a predetermined, desired, stationary angular orientation during rotation of wheel  12 .  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a third wheel cover  332  in accordance with the invention comprises first and second indicial elements  334 , 336  in the form of exemplary arabic numerals “2” and “3” attached to outer hub  330 . Weights  338   a , 338   b  are attached asymmetrically to indicial elements  334 , 336  to cause the wheel cover to assume a predetermined, desired, stationary angular orientation during rotation of wheel  12 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a fourth wheel cover  432  in accordance with the invention comprises a single indicial element  434  in the form of an abstract shape attached to outer hub  430 . Weights  438   a , 438   b  are attached asymmetrically to indicial element  434  at first and second radial distances  442   a , 442   b  and first and second central angles  435   a , 435   b  with respect to wheel cover plane  431  to cause the wheel cover to assume a predetermined, desired, stationary angular orientation during rotation of wheel  12 .  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a fifth wheel cover  532  in accordance with the invention comprises a combination of an indicial element  534  in the form of an abstract shape and a plurality of alphabetic letters  536  attached to outer hub  530 . Weights  538   a , 538   b  are attached asymmetrically to indicial elements  536  at first and second radial distances  542   a , 542   b  and first and second central angles  535   a , 535   b  with respect to wheel cover plane  531  to cause the wheel cover to assume a predetermined, desired, stationary angular orientation during rotation of wheel  12 .  
         [0044]     While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.