WHEEL FOR A TOY CAR

• US 3,638,356 A
• Filed: 08/25/1970
• Issued: 02/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harvey W. La Branche
• Original Assignee: Harvey W. La Branche
• Inventors: La Branche, Harvey W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kinsey, Russell R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cutting, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US05/066,671
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 46/201,202 301/1,111 308/20
• US Class Current: 446/465
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis

Abstract

A wheel which simulates a wide track tire with a decorative hub comprising a tire member which can receive a variety of different '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'mag wheels'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' or hubcap members. The tire member is cup shaped, with tapered inner walls for tightly receiving a hubcap member pressed therein. The hubcap member has a tubular portion which receives a protruding hub portion of the tire member as the hubcap member is pressed into place, to prevent tilting of the hubcap member.

Claims

1. A low friction wheel assembly for a toy vehicle which rolls at high speed relative to its size, comprising:

a tire member having a central bearing hole for receiving a vehicle-supporting axle, and a tire portion with an outer rolling surface integral with the walls of said bearing hole, said tire member having an inner face for facing towards said vehicle and an outer face for facing away from said vehicle, said outer face defining a hubcap-receiving recess; and

a hubcap member for reception in said recess of said tire member, said hubcap member having an axially inwardly protruding annular portion of smaller diameter than the outer hubcap diameter for engaging a region of said tire member about said bearing hole.

2. The wheel assembly described in claim 1 wherein:

said hubcap member includes means for retention in said recess while allowing ejection therefrom under high ejecting forces, and all of said hubcap member lies substantially within the axial boundary defined by said outer face of said tire member.

3. The wheel assembly described in claim 1 wherein:

said recess has sloping walls; and

said hubcap member has correspondingly sloping walls for providing a snug fit with the walls of said recess.

4. A wheel for a toy vehicle which simulates a wide tread tire, comprising:

a tire member having a hub portion with a bearing hole for receiving a vehicle-supporting axle and a radially outer tire surface concentric with said bearing hole for rollably supporting said toy vehicle, said tire member having an inner face for facing towards said vehicle and an outer face for facing away from said vehicle, said outer face defining a hubcap-receiving recess with sloping walls; and

a hubcap member having an outer hubcap diameter between the greatest and smallest diameters of said recess in said outer face of said tire member for reception therein to a predetermined depth, said hubcap member having an axially inwardly protruding annular portion of smaller diameter than said outer hubcap diameter for abutting a region of said tire member about said bearing hole.

5. The wheel described in claim 4 wherein:

said hub portion of said tire member includes a tapered portion protruding axially outwardly into said recess; and

said protruding annular portion of said hubcap member has a central recess with tapered walls for closely receiving said tapered hub portion.

6. The wheel described in claim 4 wherein:

said hubcap member has a tapered outer surface for an interference fit with the walls of said recess, and said hubcap member has an axial length small enough so that no part of said hubcap member protrudes axially past said tire member when installed therein in an interference fit.

7. The wheel described in claim 4 wherein:

said hub portion of said tire member has a tapered portion protruding axially into said recess;

said annular inwardly protruding portion of said hubcap member has a central recess with tapered walls for receiving said tapered hub portion in a substantially interference fit therewith; and

the outer surface of said hubcap member is tapered and is located to form a substantially interference fit with the walls of said recess of said tire member as the tapered walls of said annular hubcap portion form a substantially interference fit with the walls of said hub portion of said tire member.