Patent ID: 7537289

Claim:
A vehicle wheel assembly comprising: a wheel having a central axis, an annular rim portion having outboard and inboard bead seats for mounting a pneumatic tire thereon and a disk portion extending radially inwardly from said rim portion, said disk portion including a central hub portion provided with a plurality of lug mounting apertures extending therethrough; said rim portion defining an annular outboard rim flange extending radially outwardly from said outboard bead seat and an annular inboard rim flange extending radially outwardly from said inboard bead seat and disposed opposite said outboard rim flange; said outboard rim flange having an annular inner peripheral surface facing said inboard rim flange and an annular outer peripheral surface disposed opposite said inner peripheral surface and facing away from said inboard rim flange; said outboard rim flange having an annular retention groove formed on said outer peripheral surface of said outboard rim flange concentrically to said central axis; and a set of annular transition members each having a different color; each of said annular transition members being removably mountable in said annular retention groove in said outboard rim flange of said wheel; said annular retention groove forms an open annular cavity defined by an annular base wall and outer and inner concentric annular side walls extending axially outwardly from said base wall; each of said annular transition members is formed with a curved annular, axially inner surface preformed prior to being inserted into said retention groove so as to be mounted in said annular retention groove without being deformed, each of said annular transition members is complementary to said base wall of said annular retention groove so as to leave no air gap between said annular base wall of said annular retention groove and said axially inner surface of said annular transition member.