Patent Publication Number: US-2007096545-A1

Title: Structure of wheel rim cover

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a structure of rim cover, especially for the wheel rim cover which was formed as one body and with fastener assembly without coil spring, and its structure is suitable for covering on the outer surface of the rim and is embedded-buckling positioned via the engraved hole on the rim.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      For covering bad-looking surface, traditional steel rim would make use of wheel cover to cover its surface, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,287, U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,033. Mainly, it make use of the fasteners which sit at the back side circumference of the arc external convex cover face of the wheel rim cover to insert at the inner circumference of the outmost specific arc concave to be positioned. However, when aluminum alloy wheel rim surface has been scratched, it would be difficult to be covered by the above-named wheel rim cover; since, on an aluminum alloy wheel rim, there is not a specific arc concave inner circumference co-supported by such fastener assembly.  
      Nowadays, for such cover, the trade set fastener assembly at the position approaching engraved holes at the back side of the cover body to make use of fasteners&#39; inserting in the inner circumference of the engraved holes of the aluminum alloy wheel rim, e.g. case TW-M275112. However, the design of TW-M275112 still uses wheel rim cover arc outward convex cover surface applied on traditional steel wheel rim; and this causes that a redundant cover body engraved hole ring edge must be designed for enabling fastener assembly to buckle the inner circumference of the engraved hole of the aluminum alloy wheel rim. This design make the cover body model become bulky and ruin the taste of the aluminum alloy wheel rim. In addition, case TW-M262380, the design of concave cover surface shortens the cover body engraved hole ring edge, but its fastener assembly must be equipped with a fix base with slot and an external embedded metal reed, and this cause the structure become complicated and inconvenient. As for the new model patent application case TW93215498, every fastener assembly sit at outside of the same end hole of the engraved hole of the backside of the cover body will be co-supported-and-stretched-out by one coil spring and hook up at the end hole of the engraved hole of the aluminum alloy wheel rim. It is practical, but supported and stretched out by coil spring would increase manufacture cost and complicate the assembling processes. Hence, the practicality is still not ideal enough.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The objective of this invention is to provide an improved wheel rim covering structure, which includes: one cover body, which has a cover surface and ring spoke edge formed around the cover surface circumference. Many costal bodies sit on the cover surface, and engraved hole is formed between two costal bodies. Every engraved hole establishes an extended shrinking hole edge from cover surface to backside, and each forms an end hole at the backside. The outer hole edge of the near end hole of each engraved hole at the backside of the cover body is equipped with a fastener assembly which was formed as one with the cover body. Such fastener assembly each is corresponding to face the center of cover body; besides, it would be set at the hole edge closing spoke edge at the end hole and each should has a suitable length stem. A fastening part of the outward convex buckling part would be set at one end of the stem; each fastener assembly outward convex buckling part would co-surround to establish the first ring diameter and has the first height, from ring spoke edge to the end of the fastener assembly part. The cover body and fastener assembly both are made of plastic material. By means of the above-named structures, stem of each fastener assembly of the cover body can extend into the engraved holes of aluminum alloy wheel rim and the fastener assembly outward convex buckling part would buckle up the inner edge of the first buckling edge of each engraved hole respectively. Hence, the whole wheel rim cover body could be poisoned stably. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a facade structure diagram of the invention preferred embodiments.  
       FIG. 2  is an A-A section diagram of the  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a backside structure diagram of the invention preferred embodiments.  
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged diagram of the fastener assembly of the invention preferred embodiments.  
       FIG. 5  is a separate cross-section diagram of the invention preferred embodiments, before installing with the aluminum alloy wheel rim.  
       FIG. 6  is a cross-section diagram of the invention preferred embodiments, after installing with the aluminum alloy wheel rim.  
       FIG. 7  is a facade structure diagram of the invention second preferred embodiments.  
       FIG. 8  is an B-B section diagram of the  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged diagram of the fastener assembly of the invention second preferred embodiments.  
       FIG. 10  is a cross-section diagram of the invention second preferred embodiments, after installing with the aluminum alloy wheel rim. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that like elements are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the invention preferred embodiments includes:  
      One cover body  1  has a cover surface  11  and cover surface  11  circumference forms ring spoke edge  111 . The cover surface  11  is inward concaved to form a ring ramp  112 , and an inclined concave is formed from spoke edge  111  to center and, at the center, establishes a convex shaft lid  12  whose direction is opposite to the concave ring ramp  112 . Many engraved holes  121  are deployed on shaft lid as a ring, and many costal bodies  13  sit on the concave ring ramp of the cover surface  11 . Engraved hole  14  would be formed between two costal bodies  13 , and each engraved hole has its specific shape and externally establishes shrinking hole edge  15 , from cover surface  11  façade to backside, to form an end hole  16  at the backside of the cover surface  11  respectively. Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , fastener assembly  17  which is formed as one with cover body  1  is equipped at the outer hole edge  15  of the near end hole  16  of engraved hole  14  at the backside of the cover body  11 . Such fastener assembly  17 , each is corresponding to face the center of cover body  1 ; besides, it would be set at the hole edge  15  closing spoke edge  111  at the end hole  16  and each should has a suitable length stem  171 . A fastening part  173  of the outward convex buckling part  172  would be set at one end of the stem  117 ; each outward convex buckling part  172  of the fastener assembly  17  would co-surround to establish the first ring diameter D. The cover body and fastener assembly both are made of plastic material. Every fastener assembly  17  depending on the shapes of engraved hole  14  and end hole  16  to have different setting position, separating distance and amount, and at the same time, forms the first height  18  which is from ring spoke edge  12  to the end of the fastening part  173 . Both cover body  1  and fastener assembly are made of plastic material. The fastener assembly  17  has a suitable elasticity caused by the length of stem  171 . Hence, in the first ring diameter D, there is not any coil spring similar to known technology, except the fastening part  173  of each fastener assembly  17 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the invention preferred embodiment, the aluminum alloy wheel rim  2 , has a projecting circumference  21  sit outer side of its periphery and a wheel face  22  whose inner concave form a slightly ring ramp. There are many specific types and models of engraved holes  23  on wheel face  22  and a shaft hole  24  at the center of wheel face  22 . Since engraved holes sit on the ramp, the first buckling edge  231 , closer to circumference  21 , sit at higher position and the second buckling edge  232 , closer to shaft hole  24 , sit at lower position are formed. When install the wheel rim cover—the invention preferred embodiment, make the stem  171  of every fastener assembly  17  of the cover body  1  stretch into engraved holes  23 . Since the first ring diameter D co-surrounded by the convex buckling part  172  of every fastener assembly  17  is slightly larger than the diameter D′ co-surrounded by buckling edge  231  of closer circumference  21  of every engraved hole  23  of the aluminum alloy wheel rim  2 , when stem  171  of fastener assembly  17  stretches into engraved hole  23 , it will be slightly blocked. After every buckling part  172  stretching and passing the diameter D′ co-surrounded by buckling edge  231  of every engraved hole  23 , the convex buckling part  172  of every fastener assembly  17  would buckle up the inner edge of the first buckling edge  231  of every engraved hole  23  to make the whole wheel rim cover be positioned stably.  
      Referring to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the invention second preferred embodiments includes:  
      One cover body  3  has a cover surface  31  and cover surface  31  circumference forms ring spoke edge  311 . The cover surface  31  is inward concaved to form a ring ramp  312 , and an inclined concave is formed from spoke edge  311  to center and, at the center, establishes a huge engraved hole area  32 . Many costal bodies  33  are sit on the concave ring ramp of the cover surface  31 . Engraved hole  34  would be formed between two costal bodies  33 , and, referring to  FIG. 8 , each engraved hole has its specific shape and externally establishes shrinking hole edge  35 , from cover surface  31  façade to backside, to form an end hole  36  at the backside of the cover surface  31  respectively. Referring to  FIG. 9 , fastener assembly  37  which is formed as one with cover body  3  is equipped at the outer hole edge  35  of the near end hole  36  of engraved hole  34  at the backside of the cover body  31 . Such fastener assembly  37  includes the first group of fastener assembly  371 , each is corresponding to face the center of cover body  3 ; besides, it would be set at the hole edge  35  closing to spoke edge  311  at the end hole  36  and the second group of fastener assembly  372 , each is corresponding to face the spoke edge  311  of cover body  3 ; besides, it would be set at the hole edge  35  closing to ring cover face  31  center at the end hole  36 . Each group of fastener assembly should has a suitable length stem  373 . A fastening part  375  of the outward convex buckling part  374  would be set at one end of the stem  373 ; each outward convex buckling part  374  of the first group of fastener assembly  371  would co-surround to establish the first ring diameter d 1  and each outward convex buckling part  374  of the second group of fastener assembly  372  would co-surround to establish the second ring diameter d 2 , the first ring diameter d 1 &gt;the second ring diameter d 2 . Every fastener assembly  37  depending on the shapes of engraved hole  34  and end hole  36  to have different setting position, separating distance and amount. Every fastener assembly of the first group of fastener assemblies  371  has the first height  38  which is from ring spoke edge  32  to the end of the fastening part  375 . Every fastener assembly of the second group of fastener assemblies  372  has the first height  39  which is from ring spoke edge  32  to the end of the fastening part  375 . The second height  39  is bigger than the first height  38 . Both cover body  1  and fastener assembly are made of plastic material. The fastener assembly  37  has a suitable elasticity caused by the length of stem  371 . Hence, between the first ring diameter d 1  and the second ring diameter d 2 , there is not any coil spring similar to known technology, except the fastening part  375  of each fastener assembly  37 ; between the fastener assemblies  37  of the first ring diameter d 1  and the second ring diameter d 2  at both sides of the same end hole  36 , there is not any coil spring similar to known technology.  
      Referring to  FIG. 10 , the invention second preferred embodiment, when installing the wheel rim cover on the aluminum alloy wheel rim  2 , make the stem  373  of every fastener assembly  37  of the cover body  3  stretch into engraved holes  23 . Since the first ring diameter d 1  co-surrounded by the convex buckling part  374  of every fastener assembly  37  of the first group of fastener assemblies  371  is slightly larger than the diameter D′ co-surrounded by every the first buckling edge  231  of closer circumference  21  of every engraved hole  23  of the aluminum alloy wheel rim  2 , and the first ring diameter d 1  co-surrounded by the convex buckling part  374  of every fastener assembly  37  of the second group of fastener assemblies  372  is slightly smaller than the diameter D″ co-surrounded by every the second buckling edge  232  of closer center shaft hole  24  of every engraved hole  23  of the aluminum alloy wheel rim  2 . When stem  373  of every fastener assembly  37  stretches into engraved hole  23 , it will be slightly blocked. After every buckling part  374  stretching and passing the diameter D′ and D″ co-surrounded by the first buckling edge  231  and the second buckling edge of every engraved hole  23 , the convex buckling part  374  of every fastener assembly  37  would buckle up the inner edge of the first buckling edge  231  and the second buckling edge  232  of every engraved hole  23  to make the whole wheel rim cover be positioned stably.  
      Of the invention preferred embodiment, every fastener assembly of the wheel rim cover is formed as one with the cover body, and this save lots of cost of manufacture and assembly. Besides, stem of the fastener assembly offer excellent elasticity and can buckle up on the engraved hole  23  of the aluminum alloy wheel rim  2  directly; no well known coil spring is necessary. Even two group of fastener assemblies  371  and  372  forming two different height, well buckling-up can be completed.  
      While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.