Vehicle wheel assembly with component cover

• US 20110084542A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vigintas Pilipavichius
• Original Assignee: Vigintas Pilipavichius
• Inventors: Pilipavichius, Vigintas
• Application Number:
  US12/587,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084542A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 301/37.101
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/16 by bolts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/00 Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting , venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall , e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins wheels with cooling fins not provided on the wheel cover disc B60B19/10; apparatus or tools for removing or attaching cover discs hub caps or the like B60B31/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/06 Fastening arrangements therefor B60B7/01, B60B7/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/061 characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0037 Protective covers
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/00 Parts or details similar members for clutches F16D13/58
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/12 Discs; Drums for disc brakes

Abstract

A vehicle wheel assembly including a brake disc rotor assembly that defines an operating axis for a wheel and has a braking surface, a rotor head, an axially facing wheel mounting surface against which a wheel rim is placed, and a radially facing surface axially outward of the braking surface. A cover assembly with a wall conforms generally to the radially facing surface and is situated to block viewing of at least a part of the radially facing surface from an axial perspective.

Claims

1. A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:

a brake disc rotor assembly defining an operating axis for a wheel and comprising a braking surface, a rotor head, an axially facing wheel mounting surface against which a wheel rim is placed, and a radially facing surface axially outward of the braking surface; and

a cover assembly with a wall that conforms generally to the radially facing surface and situated to block viewing of at least a part of the radially facing surface from an axial perspective.

2. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the radially facing surface resides between the braking surface and wheel mounting surface.

3. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 2 wherein the cover assembly extends substantially fully axially between the braking surface and wheel mounting surface.

4. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 2 wherein the wall has an inside surface that abuts to the radially facing surface.

5. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wall is press fit and frictionally maintained upon the brake disc rotor assembly.

6. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wall is captively maintained between the brake disc rotor assembly and a wheel rim operatively mounted upon the brake disc rotor assembly.

7. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the radially facing surface has a contour between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface, the wall has an inside surface, and the inside surface closely conforms to the contour of the radially facing surface over a majority of an axial extent of the radially facing surface between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface.

8. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 7 wherein the inside surface closely conforms to the contour of the radially facing surface over substantially the entirety of the axial extent of the radially facing surface between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface.

9. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 7 wherein the inside surface directly contacts the radially facing surface over a substantial axial extent of the radially facing surface.

10. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the cover assembly resides captively between the wheel mounting surface and a wheel rim mounted operatively upon the brake disc rotor assembly.

11. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wall has a cup-shaped configuration opening axially inwardly.

12. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cover assembly is formed in one piece.

13. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wall is made from a non-metallic material.

14. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 in combination with a wheel rim operatively mounted upon the brake disc rotor assembly.

15. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 5 wherein there are no fasteners that extend into or through the wall to maintain the wall upon the brake disc assembly.

16. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cover assembly substantially fully blocks viewing of the radially facing surface from an axial perspective.

17. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 7 wherein the wall has a substantially uniform radial thickness between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface.

18. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the radially facing surface has a contour between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface, the wall has radial inside and outside surfaces and the outside surface conforms to the contour of the radially facing surface over a majority of an axial extent of the radially facing surface between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface.

19. A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:

a brake disc rotor assembly defining an operating axis for a wheel and comprising a braking surface, a rotor head, an axially facing wheel mounting surface against which a wheel rim is placed, and a radially facing surface axially outward of the braking surface; and

a cover assembly with a wall that is situated to block viewing of at least part of the radially facing surface from an axial perspective,

the cover assembly not extending radially over the wheel mounting surface whereby it would reside between the wheel mounting surface and a wheel rim operatively mounted upon the brake disc rotor assembly.

20. The vehicle wheel assembly according to claim 19 wherein the radially facing surface has a contour between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface, the wall has an inside surface, and the inside surface closely conforms to the contour of the radially facing surface over a majority of an axial extent of the radially facing surface between the braking surface and the wheel mounting surface.