Abstract:
A custom wheel assembly for use in mounting spinners to hub centric wheels. This is accomplished through the use of a mandrel hub that is placed through the center bore of a hub centric wheel. This mandrel hub incorporates a shaft that permits the attachment of a spinner to the wheel.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/516,005 filed Oct. 31, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     Applicant&#39;s invention relates to custom wheels and more particularly a custom wheel assembly that incorporates a mandrel hub for attaching wheel spinners to hub centric wheels.  
         [0004]     2. Background Information  
         [0005]     Nowadays, there is a general trend among vehicle owners to make their vehicles more attractive by the addition of custom wheel spinners. Unfortunately, not only are custom wheel spinners expensive, but many currently do not fit appropriately with some hub centric wheels. In many instances, in order to secure the spinners to these hub centric wheels, techniques are used which can lead to faulty vehicle operation and/or extensive vibration.  
         [0006]     There is no known art which secures the spinner to the hub centric wheel without sacrificing vehicle safety and operation and/or without extensive vibration. The present invention was designed to satisfy this need in the art. The benefit of the present invention is accomplished through the use of a mandrel hub which is placed behind the wheel and through the wheel bore before placement of the wheel onto the wheel hub. The mandrel hub incorporates a shaft on to which the wheel spinner can be attached. The mandrel hub of the present invention is particularly designed to work in coordination with the custom wheel assembly of the present invention and can be adapted for use with all vehicles and wheel hub types. In addition, with obvious modifications the mandrel hub can be adapted to conform to any known or obvious custom wheel assemblies as well as any newly developed vehicles and wheel hub types.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that can be used to attach wheel spinners to hub centric wheels.  
         [0008]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that can be used to reduce and/or eliminate vibration in wheels that incorporate spinners.  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that incorporates a mandrel hub designed to fit within the wheel bore.  
         [0010]     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that includes a mandrel spacer for attachment over the mandrel hub.  
         [0011]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that incorporates a spinner for attachment to the mandrel hub.  
         [0012]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide novel custom wheel assembly that is designed to keep the spinner within the depth of the wheel for visual appeal.  
         [0013]     Still an additional object of the present invention is to provide novel custom wheel assembly that incorporates a ring within the mandrel hub having an outer diameter to fit within the mandrel hub, but an inner diameter that varies so the wheel can be attached to any size wheel hub to make the wheel hub-centric.  
         [0014]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that incorporates a lip at the base of the mandrel hub.  
         [0015]     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a novel custom wheel assembly that includes a spindle sleeve with an encased bearing that can be placed over the mandrel hub to permit independent rotation of the spinner.  
         [0016]     In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant&#39;s present invention provides a custom wheel assembly that incorporates a mandrel hub for attaching spinners to hub centric wheels and for reduction and/or elimination of vibration in vehicles incorporating such hub centric wheels with spinners. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a general exploded view of a custom wheel assembly incorporating a hub ring as disclosed by the present inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,311.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a more detailed illustration showing additional components that can be added to the custom wheel assembly to provide clarification as to the scope of application of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,311.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the custom wheel assembly of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the mandrel hub of the custom wheel assembly of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the mandrel spacer of the custom wheel assembly of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of the mandrel hub in relation to a spindle sleeve and the spinner. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a general exploded view of a custom wheel assembly incorporating a hub ring  105  as disclosed by the present inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,311. This hub ring  105  was used to render non-hubcentric wheels hub centric to reduce and/or eliminate vibration on vehicles incorporating non-hubcentric wheels. In this  FIG. 1 , there is shown a vehicle wheel assembly  100  having a vehicle wheel hub  106 , being circular and of appropriate dimensions and of appropriate material for the vehicle of interest, with a plurality of lugs  102  and an equal amount of lug nuts  101 . The lugs  102  are preferably spaced equally apart in a circle around the center of vehicle wheel hub  106  with lug nuts  101  placed thereon. The hub ring  105  is placed over a center hub  108  located at the center of vehicle wheel hub  106 . The hub ring  105  is made from a material suitable for its purpose and of appropriate dimensions for the vehicle of interest which can vary with hub manufacturer and hub size. The hub ring  105  has a material thickness suitable for the vehicle of interest and is preferably threaded at a first side  105   b  having preferably a first lip  105   a  that preferably lays flat against vehicle wheel hub  106  with a radius lip portion (not shown) fitting into the wheel  111  to hold ring  105  in place. The threads of hub ring  105  extend preferably approximately ½ inch from first side  105   b.    
         [0024]     The first side  105   b  of said hub ring  105  is inserted into the central bore  104  of a first side  111   a  of a wheel  111 . The wheel  111  is conventional for the make and model of the applicable vehicle and contains a plurality of openings  110  for accessing air to the brake drums. This insertion of hub ring  105  into central bore  104  renders the wheel  111  hub-centric on the vehicle. The threaded portion of the hub ring  105  will protrude through the wheel  111  and out of the central bore  104  of the wheel  111  allowing for a center cap  107  to be installed over the center hub  108 . Center cap  107  is of appropriate dimension to be placed over center hub  108  to complete the custom wheel assembly  100 . Center cap  107  is preferably threaded inside and frictionally attaches, but preferably screws onto the threaded portion of hub ring  105 . The hub ring  105  and the center cap  107  are threaded in the appropriate direction to permit tightening of the assembly each time the vehicle is in motion. The inside diameter of center cap  107  varies according to the make and model of the vehicle. Center cap  107  is preferably made from aluminum or plastic, but may be made from any suitable material. Once center cap  107  is in place, second lip  109  lays flat against wheel  111 . Center cap  107  is held in place preferably with a screw, and most preferably with a black torx headed set screw. The center cap  107  may contain indicia and/or design elements for various custom wheel assemblies.  
         [0025]     In a more detailed illustration shown in  FIG. 2 , additional components are added to the custom wheel assembly  100  to provide clarification as to the scope of application of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,311. Positioned in front of hub ring  105  is spinner  204 . A first washer  206  is next positioned over spinner  204  followed by a locking nut  208 . The locking nut  208  is designed to lock the spinner  204  to the hub ring  105 . Center cap  107  is then placed over the locking nut  208 .  
         [0026]     While the hub ring  105  has been useful for rendering non-hubcentric wheels hub centric to reduce and/or eliminate vibration, this hub ring  105  has also been found to reduce and/or eliminate vibration even in hub centric wheels particularly where additional components have been added to the wheels such as spinners. However, there are some types of hub centric wheels which do not permit the placement of hub ring  105 . It is for these types of wheels that the present invention was designed.  
         [0027]     In  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the custom wheel assembly  300  of the present invention is shown. There is shown a custom wheel assembly  300  having a vehicle wheel hub  302 , being circular and of appropriate dimensions and of appropriate material for the vehicle of interest, with a plurality of lugs  320 . The lugs  320  are preferably spaced equally apart in a circle around the center of vehicle wheel hub  302 . A mandrel hub  304 , having first end  332  and second end  334 , is placed through the wheel bore  324  of wheel  306  to form a snug fit against wheel bore  324  at point  326 . The second end  334  of mandrel hub  304  can include a lip (not shown) similar to first lip  105   a  ( FIG. 1 ) of hub ring  105  ( FIG. 1 ). The mandrel hub  304  is made from a material suitable for its purpose and of appropriate dimensions for the vehicle of interest which can vary with hub manufacturer and hub size. The mandrel hub  304  has a material thickness suitable for the vehicle of interest. The wheel  306  is conventional for the make and model of the applicable vehicle and may contain a plurality of openings (not shown) for accessing air to the brake drums. The wheel bore  324  of the wheel  306  can be of any diameter, but is defined as the same diameter as the center hub  322  for hub centric wheels. Wheel  306  having lug openings  328  is then placed over vehicle wheel hub  302  and secured to vehicle wheel hub  302  with lug nuts  330 . Once wheel  306  is secured to vehicle wheel hub  302 , second end  334  of mandrel hub  304  is centered over center hub  322  located at the center of vehicle wheel hub  302 . First end  332  which is preferably threaded extends to the front  336  of wheel  306 .  
         [0028]     The first end  332  of mandrel hub  304  is positioned on a shaft  338  extending from a base  340 . This shaft  338  allows for a mandrel spacer  308  to slide over the shaft  338  and fit down onto the base  340  of mandrel hub  304 . A first washer or spacer  310  is provided and added to the shaft  338  of mandrel hub  304 . A spinner sleeve  360  ( FIG. 6 ) next slides over shaft  338 . Spinner sleeve  360  ( FIG. 6 ) has an encased bearing and incorporates alignment grooves  364  (See  FIG. 6 ) on its exterior which are designed to align with mating alignment notches  362  ( FIG. 6 ) on spinner  312 . Spinner  312 , which has a central opening, is then placed over shaft  338  of mandrel hub  304  and alignment notches  362  ( FIG. 6 ) mate with alignment grooves  364  ( FIG. 6 ) of spinner sleeve. Once mated, the spinner  312  can rotate freely on the shaft  338  with spinner sleeve  360  ( FIG. 6 ) aiding in the stabilization of spinner  312  on wheel  306 . The assembly  300  is inspected for proper spinner  312  to wheel  306  clearance. With spinner  312  in place over shaft  338 , a second washer  314  is placed over spinner  312 . Locking nut  316  is then threaded onto the threads of first end  332  of mandrel hub  304 . A center cap  318  of appropriate dimension is placed over locking nut  316  to complete the custom wheel assembly  300 . The inside diameter of center cap  318  varies according to the spinner type. Center cap  318  is preferably made from aluminum or plastic, but may be made from any suitable material. The center cap  318  may contain indicia and/or design elements for various custom wheel assemblies. The overall design of the present invention can keep the spinner  312  within the depth of the wheel  306  for visual appeal. While each part has been discussed separately, it is understood that many if not all of the parts described herein can be attached prior to assembly to other parts described herein and would be considered obvious to those skilled in the art.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the mandrel hub  304  of the custom wheel assembly  300  of the present invention. Mandrel hub  304  is provided having first end  332  and second end  334 . First end  332  is designed to be placed through the wheel bore  324  (See  FIG. 3 ) of wheel  306  (See  FIG. 3 ) to form a snug fit against wheel bore  324  (See  FIG. 3 ) at point  326  of mandrel hub  304 . The second end  334  of mandrel hub  304  can include a lip (not shown) similar to first lip  105   a  ( FIG. 1 ) of hub ring  105  ( FIG. 1 ). Mandrel hub  304  can have a hollow interior that can incorporate a ring (not shown) having an outer diameter to fit against the inner walls of mandrel hub  304 , but an inner diameter that varies so the wheel  306  can be attached to any size wheel hub  302  to render wheel  306  hub centric, if necessary. Once wheel  306  (See  FIG. 3 ) is secured to vehicle wheel hub  302  (See  FIG. 3 ), second end  334  of mandrel hub  304  is centered over center hub  322  (See  FIG. 3 ) located at the center of vehicle wheel hub  302  (See  FIG. 3 ). First end  332  which is preferably threaded extends to the front  336  (See  FIG. 3 ) of wheel  306  (See  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0030]     The first end  332  of mandrel hub  304  is positioned on a shaft  338  extending from a base  340 . This shaft  338  allows for a mandrel spacer  308  (See  FIG. 3 ) to slide over the shaft  338  and fit down onto the base  340  of mandrel hub  304 . A first lip  346  is provided at the base of shaft  338  over which mandrel spacer  308  (See  FIG. 3 ) is placed. A second lip  348  is also provided.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the mandrel spacer  308  of the custom wheel assembly  300  of the present invention. The mandrel spacer  308  has a central opening intended to be placed over shaft  338  (See  FIG. 4 ) of mandrel hub  304  (See  FIG. 4 ). Mandrel spacer  308  includes a front side  350  and a back side  352  with a lip  354 .  
         [0032]     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.