Patent Publication Number: US-2005134108-A1

Title: Protective cover for a vehicle wheel and shaping method therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a protective cover for a vehicle wheel. In particular, the present invention relates to a metal protective cover having improved engaging reliability with a vehicle wheel while providing improved safety. The present invention also relates to a method for shaping the protective cover.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Vehicle wheels generally include steep plate type, steel spoke type, and aluminum alloy type. Aluminum alloy wheels are widely used, as they are light and have a greater cross-section and greater radius while providing excellent heat conductivity as well as a shining appearance. A typical aluminum alloy wheel is formed by gravity casting and then subject to several procedures of grinding and polishing to obtain a shining appearance. However, after a period of time, the shine of the appearance of the aluminum alloy wheel fades, particularly at an inner wall of a front portion of the rim and at a front circumferential surface of a flange on the front end of the rim, and the appearance of the aluminum alloy wheel is apt to be damaged. As a result, the protective cover no longer provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle wheel  10  and a conventional protective cover  18 .  FIG. 2  is a partial sectional view of the vehicle wheel  10  and the conventional protective cover  18 . The wheel  10  is made of aluminum alloy by gravity casting and includes a central hub  11 , a plurality of spokes  12  extending radially outward from the central hub  11 , and a rim  13  having a front portion  15 , a rear portion  16 , and an intermediate portion  14 . A front annular flange  17  projects outward from the front portion  15  of the rim  13  and includes a front circumferential surface  171  and an outer circumferential edge  172 . The protective cover  18  is made of stainless steel and includes, from inside to outside in sequence, an annular insertion section  181  and an enveloping section  182  for enveloping the front circumferential surface  171  of the front annular flange  17 . The protective cover  18  further includes a rearward extending portion  183  that extends rearward from an annular distal portion of the enveloping section  18  and envelops the outer circumferential edge  172  of the front annular flange  17 .  
      The protective cover  18  assures required shining effect and improved surface strength for the wheel  10 . Nevertheless, the rearward extending portion  183  of the protective cover  18  is formed by means of direct rolling and thus has insufficient strength. Namely, the rolled material may restore its shape under the action of its inherent elasticity. Thus, the protective cover  18  is neither reliable nor durable.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide a method for shaping a rearward extending portion of a protective cover so that the rearward extending portion of the protective cover that will not restore its shape before shaping. Thus, the rearward extending portion of the protective cover can be reliably engaged with a wheel and is thus durable.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for shaping a rearward extending portion of a protective cover, wherein a sharp distal portion of the rearward extending portion is hidden and thus provides improved safety during use.  
      A method for shaping a rearward extending portion of a protective cover for a wheel of a vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes: 
          providing a metal protective cover including an annular insertion section and an enveloping section, the protective cover further including a rearward extending portion that extends rearward from the enveloping section, the rearward extending portion including an annular extension projecting radially outward;     forming an inwardly facing stepped portion on an outer circumferential edge of a front annular flange of a rim of a wheel of a vehicle;     placing the metal protective cover on a turntable and placing the wheel on top of the metal protective cover;     lowering a pressing member above the turntable to securely press against the wheel and the protective cover, with the annular insertion section enveloping an inner face of a front portion of a rim of a wheel, and with the enveloping section enveloping a front circumferential surface of a front annular flange that projects outward from the front portion of the rim of the wheel, and with the annular extension being located outside the turntable;     turning the turntable;     moving a first roll toward a side of the rotating turntable until the first roll presses against the annular extension, thereby forming a semi-fold;     disengaging the first roll from the turntable; and     moving a second roll toward another side of the rotating turntable until the second roll presses against the semi-fold, thereby forming a fold that presses against and is thus securely retained in the stepped portion of the wheel.        

      A protective cover for a wheel of a vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes an annular insertion section and an enveloping section, with the annular insertion section enveloping an inner wall of a front portion of a rim of a wheel, and with the enveloping section enveloping a front circumferential surface of a front annular flange of the wheel. The protective cover further includes a rearward extending portion that envelops an outer circumferential edge of the front annular flange of the rim of the wheel. The rearward extending portion includes an extension that is processed and thus shaped to form a fold that presses against a stepped portion of the outer circumferential edge of the front annular flange of the rim of the wheel.  
      Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle wheel and a conventional protective cover.  
       FIG. 2  is a partial sectional view of the vehicle wheel and the conventional protective cover in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view of a vehicle wheel and a protective cover in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the protective cover in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an apparatus for shaping the protective cover in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the apparatus and the protective cover in  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 7  is a side view similar to  FIG. 6 , wherein a vehicle wheel is securely engaged with the protective cover and wherein the protective cover is in a position ready for shaping.  
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged view, partly sectioned, of the apparatus, the vehicle wheel, and the protective cover in  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 9  is a further enlarged sectional view illustrating a step for shaping a rearward extending portion of the protective cover.  
       FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 9 , illustrating result of the step for shaping.  
       FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 10 , illustrating another step of shaping the rearward extending portion of the protective cover.  
       FIG. 12  is a view similar to  FIG. 11 , illustrating the protective cover after shaping. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a wheel  30  includes central hub (not labeled), a plurality of spokes (not labeled) extending radially outward from the central hub, and a rim  33  having a front portion  35 , a rear portion  36 , and an intermediate portion  34 . The rim  33  further includes a front annular flange  37  projecting outward from the front portion  15 . The front annular flange  37  includes a front circumferential surface  371  and an outer circumferential edge  372 . The outer circumferential edge  372  includes a stepped portion  373  that faces inward.  
      A protective cover  50  made of metal (preferably stainless steel) is attached to the wheel  30  and includes, from inside to outside in sequence, an annular insertion section  51  and an enveloping section  52 , with the annular insertion section  51  enveloping an inner face of the front portion  35  of the rim  33 , and with the enveloping section  52  enveloping the front circumferential surface  371  of the front annular flange  37 . Further, the protective cover  50  includes a rearward extending portion  53  that a rearward extending portion that envelops an outer circumferential edge  372  of the front annular flange  37 . The rearward extending portion  53  includes an extension  550  that is processed and thus shaped to form a fold  55  that presses against the stepped portion  373 . Silicon rubber  54  is applied to an outer face of the annular insertion section  51  for bonding with the inner face of the front portion  35  of the rim  33 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates an apparatus for shaping the rearward extending portion  53  of the protective cover  50  in accordance with the present invention. The protective cover  50  is pre-pressed to provide an annular extension  550  that is subsequently processed by the apparatus to form a fold  55  that presses against the stepped portion  373  of the rim  33 .  
      As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the apparatus includes a turntable  70 , a vertically movable and rotatable pressing member  71  above the turntable  70 , and two roll mechanisms  72  and  73  respectively located on two sides of the turntable  70 . Each roll mechanism  72 ,  73  includes a freely rotatable roll  74 ,  75 .  
      The protective cover  50  with an annular extension  550  is placed on the turntable  70  of the apparatus, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Then, the wheel  30  is placed on top of the protective cover  50 , and the pressing member  71  is lowered to press against the wheel  30 . The wheel  30  is thus engaged with the protective cover  50 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Before engagement between the wheel  30  and the protective cover  50 , silicon rubber  54  is applied to an outer face of the annular insertion section  51  for bonding with the inner face of the front portion  35  of the rim  33 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the annular extension  550  of the protective cover  50  is located outside the turntable  70  for subsequent shaping.  
      The turntable  70  is turned, and the roll mechanism  72  is actuated to move the roll  74  toward the turntable  70  until the roll  74  presses against the annular extension  550  of the protective cover  50 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . An annular semi-fold formed from the annular extension  550  of the protective cover  50  is thus shaped under the action of the pressing force while the turntable  70  and the freely rotatable roll  74  are turning, as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
      Next, the roll  74  is moved away from the turntable  70 , and the roll mechanism  73  is actuated to move the roll  75  toward the turntable  70  until the roll  75  presses against the annular extension  550  of the protective cover  50 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . An annular fold  55  on the protective cover  50  is thus shaped under the action of the pressing force while the turntable  70  and the freely rotatable roll  75  are turning, as shown in  FIG. 12 . It is noted that the fold  55  presses against and is thus retained in the stepped portion  373  of the rim  33 .  
      The rearward extending portion  53  of the protective cover  50  shaped by the method in accordance with the present invention will not restore its shape before shaping. The fold  55  of the protective cover  50  securely engages the stepped portion  373  of the rim  33 . Thus, the rearward extending portion  53  of the protective cover can be reliably engaged with a wheel. A durable and reliable protective cover  50  is thus provided. Further, a sharp distal portion of the fold  55  of the rearward extending portion  53  of the protective cover  50  is hidden in the stepped portion  373  of the rim  33 . Improved safety during use is provided.  
      Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.