Adapter for fastening snow chains to vehicle wheels

• US 20040000363A1
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: König SpA
• Original Assignee: König SpA
• Inventors: Neri, Marco Arrigoni, Airoldi, Romolo
• Granted Patent: US 6,923,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/185
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 27/00 Non-skid devices temporarily attachable to resilient tyres or resiliently-tyred wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 27/06 extending over the complete circumference of the tread, e.g. made of chains or cablesB60C27/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 27/061 provided with radial arms for supporting the ground engaging parts on the tread
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 27/063 acting on the wheel, e.g. on the rim or wheel bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/91 Antitamper means

Abstract

To fasten snow chains to vehicle wheels, an adapter device (100; 200; 300; 400) is used that can be fastened to at least one wheel bolt and comprises a body whereon connection means able to be connected to connection and installation elements of the snow chains are provided. The adapter device comprises at least one magnet (120; 403) connected to its body and able to be applied to the head (130) of at least one wheel mounting bolt, so as to constrain the body of the adapter device to the wheel by means of magnetic retention.

Claims

1. An adapter device (100;

200;

300;

400) for fastening snow chains to vehicle wheels, said adapter device being able to be applied on the head (130) of at least one wheel bolt and comprising a body whereon are provided connecting means suitable to be connected to connection and installation elements of snow chains, characterised in that said adapter device comprises magnetic means (120;

403) able to grip said head (130) of at least one wheel bolt, so as to firmly constrain the body of the adapter device to the wheel, by means of magnetic retention.

2. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to claim 1, characterised in that said adapter device comprises a body (101) shaped substantially like a hexagonal nut defining a seat (116) having a substantially hexagonal cross section to receive the head (130) of a wheel mounting bolt.

3. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to claim 2, characterised in that inside said body (101) of the adapter device lateral seats (104) are formed such as to receive respective substantially rectangular magnetic plates (110), destined to come into contact with respective lateral faces (130) of the head (130) of a wheel mounting bolt.

4. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to claim 3, characterised in that each lateral seat (104) is defined by a substantially U-shaped frame comprising two lateral guide bulkheads (105) and a front abutment bulkhead (106).

5. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to claim 4, characterised in that on each side bulkhead (105) a rib (107) is formed, having a substantially Y-shaped cross section and defining a rear abutment surface (108).

6. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to claim 5, characterised in that it comprises a rear magnetic plate (112), substantially hexagonal in shape, disposed on the rear edge of said lateral magnetic plates (110) and on said abutment surface (108) of said ribs (107) and destined to come into contact with the front surface of the head (130) of a wheel mounting bolt.

7. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that said body (101) has a rear closing plate (114) whereon are mounted said connecting means of the snow chains.

8. An adapter device (100;

200;

300) according to claim 7, characterised in that on the inner surface of said closing plate (114) there are provided pins (115) able to engage in respective holes (109) disposed in said body (101).

9. An adapter device (100) according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that on the outer surface of said rear closing plate (114) there is provided a flange (117) provided with a hole (118) with a tansverse axis suitable to receive a bar for fastening of the snow chains.

10. An adapter device (200) according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that on the outer surface of said rear closing plate (114) there is provided a pin (217) protruding axially outward to engage with a connecting element for fastening of the snow chains.

11. An adapter device (300) according claim 7 or 8, characterised in that on the outer surface of said rear closing plate (114) there is provided a cylindrical tang (317) protruding axially outward whereon is rotatably mounted a bar (330) provided with a hole (332) for connection to a fastening element of the snow chains.

12. An adapter device (300) according to claim 11, characterised in that said cylindrical tang (317) of the rear closing plate (114) has a hole (317) able to receive a pin (333) of a button (334) destined to be disposed on said bar (330).

13. An adapter device (400) according to claim 1, characterised in that said body comprises a disc-shaped front plate (401) and a disc-shaped rear plate (402) which can be assembled with one another, there being provided in said front plate (401) a plurality of seats able to receive respective magnetic plates (403), said seats of the magnets being disposed in register with the positions of the heads of the bolts of a wheel.

14. An adapter device (400) according to claim 13, characterised in that a tie-rod (408) is connected to said rear plate (402) for connection to an installation element of said snow chains.

15. An adapter device (400) according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that in said rear plate (402) there is mounted a manual operating lever (411) which acts on a pin (414) that passes through one of said magnetic plates (403) to abut against the head of a wheel bolt so as to cause detachment of the relative magnetic plate from the corresponding head of the wheel bolt.