Abstract:
A wheel center cap for a vehicle wheel includes a substantially planar body portion, and a plurality of flexibly resilient fingers extending substantially orthogonal to the body portion and adapted to be received within a central aperture of a wheel. Each finger includes a pair of sidewalls and an integrally formed outer wall, wherein the outer wall includes a centrally-located portion defining a first radius of curvature, and rounded abutment portions located proximate the sidewalls and having a second radius of curvature that is less than the first radius of curvature.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/427,678, filed Nov. 19, 2002, entitled CENTER CAP FOR VEHICLE WHEEL. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a center cap for a vehicle wheel, and in particular to the connection of a decorative wheel center cap to a vehicle wheel assembly.  
           [0003]    Ornamental outer coverings have been employed for providing a decorative surface to the exposed surface of wheels for many years. These outer coverings offer design flexibility in that various configurations may be used to cover a single style wheel. One aspect of some of these outer coverings has been the utilization of a center cap to cover the central hub aperture of an associated wheel. These center caps  2 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, have been held in connection with the wheel by various means, one of which incorporates a plurality of connecting tabs  4 . Typically, the tabs  4  of the shown design include sharp corners  6  that contact the associated wheel during the assembly of the center cap with the wheel. As these components are assembled, the sharp corners  6  of the tabs  4  dig into the surface of the wheel proximate the central hub, thereby increasing the force required to be exerted on the center cap  2  to assemble the cap  2  with the wheel, resulting in degradation to the corrosion barrier finish and a destruction of the aesthetic finish on the wheel. These problems are magnified when the wheel cap is constructed of a material that is significantly harder than the associated wheel, such as when the wheel cap is covered with a chrome finish and the wheel is constructed from aluminum and the like.  
           [0004]    A central cap is desired that reduces the force required to assemble the cap with an associated wheel, and that does not adversely effect the protective and aesthetic finish of the wheel during assembly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    One aspect of the present invention is to provide a wheel having an outer surface and a centrally located aperture extending through the wheel, and a wheel cap having a body portion and a plurality of flexibly resilient fingers extending substantially orthogonal to the body portion, wherein each finger has a pair of side walls and an integrally formed outer wall, and wherein the outer wall includes a centrally located portion and rounded abutment portions located proximate the side walls.  
           [0006]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a wheel center cap for a vehicle wheel that includes a substantially planar body portion, and a plurality of flexibly resilient fingers extending substantially orthogonal to the body portion and adapted to be received within a central aperture of a wheel. Each finger includes a pair of side walls and an integrally formed outer wall including a centrally located portion defining a first radius of curvature, and rounded abutment portions located proximate the side walls and having a second radius of curvature that is less than the first radius of curvature.  
           [0007]    Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling a wheel cap with a vehicle wheel that includes providing a wheel assembly having an outer surface and a centrally located hub aperture extending through the wheel assembly, wherein the hub aperture has a first radius, and providing a wheel cap having a body portion and a plurality of flexibly resilient fingers extending substantially orthogonal to the body portion, wherein each finger has a pair of side walls and an integrally formed outer wall including a centrally located portion having a second radius and rounded abutment portions located proximate the side walls and each having a third radius, wherein the third radius is less than the second radius. The method also includes aligning the fingers of the wheel cap with the hub aperture with the wheel, and providing an inwardly directed force to the body portion of the wheel cap, thereby forcing the legs to flex inwardly until the rounded abutment portions of the fingers abut the hub aperture of the wheel assembly.  
           [0008]    The present inventive center cap for vehicle wheels is efficient in use, economical to manufacture, easily assembled with an associated wheel assembly without the use of tools, results in a decrease in the force required to assemble the center cap with the associated wheel assembly, reduces the adverse effects of assembling the center cap with the associated wheel and is particularly well adapted for the proposed use.  
           [0009]    These and other advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims and appended drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a prior art wheel center cap;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the prior art wheel center cap;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of a wheel center cap embodying the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the wheel center cap embodying the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a vehicle wheel assembly; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a finger of the wheel center cap.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIGS. 3 and 4. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.  
         [0017]    The reference numeral  10  (FIGS. 3 and 4) generally designates a wheel center cap embodying the present invention. In the illustrated example, the center cap  10  is connectable to a vehicle wheel assembly  12  (FIG. 2). As illustrated, the wheel assembly  12  includes a wheel  14 , however, the wheel assembly  12  may also include a decorative wheel cladding (not shown) such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,564,791; 5,577,809; 5,597,213; 5,630,654; 5,636,906; 5,845,973; and 6,085,829, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The wheel  14  has an outer surface  16  and a centrally located hub aperture  18  extending through the wheel  14 . The center cap  10  includes a body portion  20  and a plurality of flexibly resilient fingers  22  extending substantially orthogonal to the body portion  20 . Each finger  22  (FIG. 6) has a pair of side walls  24  and an integrally formed outer wall  26  having a centrally located portion  28  and rounded abutment portions  30  located proximate the side walls  24 .  
         [0018]    The wheel  14  of wheel assembly  12  is made of aluminum, magnesium, steel, or other material conventionally used for manufacturing vehicle wheels. The cladding (not shown) may be bonded to the wheel  14  via an adhesive. The cladding is injection molded of a polymeric material, such as a combination of polycarbonate and ABS. The polcarbonate to ABS ratio ranges from about 60% to about 70% polycarbonate and about 40% to about 30% ABS, respectively. Other polymeric materials or composite polymeric materials may be also used. An outer decorative surface of the cladding is covered with a bright (highly reflective) or satin finished metal plating such as chrome as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/707,866, filed Nov. 7, 2000 and entitled METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR METALLIC FINISHES, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The outer surface  16  of wheel  14  and the outer surface of the cladding can also be painted, textured or otherwise finished for a particularly desired appearance. The hub aperture  18  of the wheel  14  defines an interior or aperture wall  32 . A locking ring  36  extends circumferentially about the hub aperture  18  and inwardly from the aperture wall  32 .  
         [0019]    The wheel assembly  12  also includes a plurality of exposed lug nut apertures  38  arranged in a circular pattern and spaced for the particular vehicle on which the wheel assembly  12  is to be employed. The lug nuts (not shown) as associated with the wheel assembly  12  are typically exposed once the wheel  14  is mounted to a vehicle.  
         [0020]    The body portion  20  of the center cap  10  is substantially planar having an outer surface  39 , and extends radially outward beyond the fingers  22 , thereby creating a rim or lip  40  having an inner surface  42 . Each finger is resiliently inwardly flexible in a direction as indicated by directional arrow  44 , between an unflexed position A, a flexed assembly position B, and a flexed assembled position C, as discussed below. Each finger  22  includes a raised nub  46  located along the length thereof, and that is adapted to abut the locking ring  36  of the wheel  14  as described below. The center cap  10  is preferably constructed of similar materials and with similar methods as the cladding as discussed above, including the bright (highly reflective) or satin finish metal plating such as chrome. The center cap  10  further includes a flexibly resilient biasing ring  48  located on the middle of and abutting an inner surface  50  of each of the fingers  22 , and biasing the fingers  22  outwardly in direction as indicated and represented by arrow  51 .  
         [0021]    In assembly, the cap  10  is placed within the hub aperture  18  of the wheel  14  by aligning the fingers  22  of the cap  10  with the hub aperture  18  and exerting a force to the outer surface  39  of the cap in a direction as indicated and represented by directional arrow  52 . As the fingers  22  are forced within the hub aperture  18 , a force is exerted on each finger  22  by the aperture wall  32 , thereby forcing the fingers to flex in an inward direction  44  until the nub  46  of each finger  22  is aligned with the locking ring  36  of the wheel  14 , and the fingers  22  are each located in the assembly position B. At this position the rounded abutment portions  30  of each finger  22  is in contact with the locking ring  36 . The force  52  is continued until the nub  46  of each finger  22  is located behind the locking ring  36  of the wheel  14 , and the fingers  22  are each located in the assembled position C. It should be noted that the fingers  22  are inwardly flexed when in the assembled position C and, therefore, continue to exert a force against the aperture wall  32  of the hub aperture  18 .  
         [0022]    The present inventive center cap for vehicle wheels is efficient in use, economical to manufacture, easily assembled with an associated wheel assembly without the use of tools, results in a decrease in the force required to assemble the center cap with the associated wheel assembly, reduces the adverse effects of assembling the center cap with the associated wheel and is particularly well adapted for the proposed use.  
         [0023]    In the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed herein. Such modifications are to be considered as included in the following claims, unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.