Patent ID: 7204562

Claim:
A composite wheel, comprising: a wheel having an outer surface, a plurality of exposed apertures formed in a circular pattern in a central hub region of the wheel, and a centrally located hub aperture extending through the wheel; and a wheel cladding including a body substantially conforming to the outer surface of the wheel, the wheel cladding having an exposed outer surface and an inner surface facing the wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to the wheel, the wheel cladding including at least one alignment tab extending from the inner surface for engaging the hub aperture and aligning the cladding with respect to the hub aperture, wherein the at least one alignment tab includes a plurality of tabs spaced radially about the hub aperture when the cladding is attached to the wheel and at least one support post extending from the inner surface proximate the hub aperture and structurally supporting the wheel cladding with respect to the wheel.