Patent ID: 8579381

Claim:
The combination comprising: a vehicle hub having a circular outer surface and an outer end face, the outer end face of the hub having a cavity therein and the cavity having a cavity inner side wall; a vehicle wheel having a central opening defined by a circular wall, the central opening being of larger diameter than the diameter of the circular outer surface of the hub to define an annular space between the hub and the wheel; and an annular centering ring of flexible plastic for installation upon the hub to center the wheel on the hub, said annular centering ring having an annular mounting flange structure that seats upon the hub to retain the annular centering ring on the hub in readiness for the installation of the wheel on the hub, and a centering skirt structure extending integrally from the mounting flange structure at an outward angle so that the centering skirt structure is radially spaced from the circular outer surface of the hub, said annular mounting flange structure including an end wall that engages with the outer end face of the hub and an inner side wall that extends along the cavity inner side wall of the cavity, said centering skirt structure being engaged by the circular wall of the wheel when the wheel is installed onto the hub so that the centering skirt structure is flexed radially inward and is press-fit within the annular space between the circular outer surface of the hub and the central opening of the wheel to thereby center the wheel upon the hub in readiness for installation of a plurality of lug nuts.