Ornamental wheel cover retention system
DCFirst Claim
1. A wheel cover comprising:
- a wheel cover base having a front surface and an oppositely disposed rear surface;
a plurality of elongated tubular extensions having an outboard surface, an end basal portion attached to said wheel cover base and an opposite end extending in a direction away from said rear surface, said plurality of elongated tubular extensions being circumferentially spaced about said rear surface, said end basal portion of each said tubular extension being a solid tubular body, said opposite end of each of said plurality of tubular extensions being hollow and axially slotted to define a plurality of cantilevered fingers to an apical end;
each tubular extension of said plurality of tubular extensions having a radially inboard peripheral surface having at least one rib extending therefrom;
each finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers defining (having) an undercut groove between said apical end and said at least one rib extending from said radially inboard peripheral surface, said at least one rib having at least one shoulder communicating with a lug nut to define a positive stop such that as said wheel cover is mounted to a wheel said at least one shoulder provides a positive axial stop for said wheel cover; and
each finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers further having a bulbous end portion at said apical end, said bulbous end portion having a contoured surface along a wall of said undercut groove, said contoured surface of said undercut groove communicating with said lug nut to restrain said wheel cover from removal from said lug nut after said wheel cover is installed on said wheel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ornamental wheel cover integrally retained on the lug nuts of a vehicle wheel that provides positive positioning of the cover to the lug nuts. The lug nuts preferably have a flange that defines an upper shoulder. The cover is provided with a number of elongated tubular extensions axially projecting from the cover that are each partially slotted to provide a plurality of cantilevered fingers. Each finger has an undercut groove that has a shoulder which positively positions the cover to the upper shoulder of the lug nuts of the wheel. Below the undercut groove is a bulbous portion that contacts the lug nut below the flange. When the cover is attached to the wheel, the elongated tubular extensions are aligned with the lug nuts and the cover is moved axially inwardly of the wheel so that the cantilevered fingers separate slightly as the bulbous portions pass over the flange of the lug nut. The shoulder of the undercut groove engages the upper shoulder of the lug nut flange, thereby providing a positive axial location of the cover to the wheel and eliminating the effects of misalignment of components due to tolerance stack ups. The bulbous portion passes over the flange of the lug nut and engages the underside of the flange, thereby retaining the cover on the lug nut.
58 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A wheel cover comprising:
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a wheel cover base having a front surface and an oppositely disposed rear surface; a plurality of elongated tubular extensions having an outboard surface, an end basal portion attached to said wheel cover base and an opposite end extending in a direction away from said rear surface, said plurality of elongated tubular extensions being circumferentially spaced about said rear surface, said end basal portion of each said tubular extension being a solid tubular body, said opposite end of each of said plurality of tubular extensions being hollow and axially slotted to define a plurality of cantilevered fingers to an apical end; each tubular extension of said plurality of tubular extensions having a radially inboard peripheral surface having at least one rib extending therefrom; each finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers defining (having) an undercut groove between said apical end and said at least one rib extending from said radially inboard peripheral surface, said at least one rib having at least one shoulder communicating with a lug nut to define a positive stop such that as said wheel cover is mounted to a wheel said at least one shoulder provides a positive axial stop for said wheel cover; and each finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers further having a bulbous end portion at said apical end, said bulbous end portion having a contoured surface along a wall of said undercut groove, said contoured surface of said undercut groove communicating with said lug nut to restrain said wheel cover from removal from said lug nut after said wheel cover is installed on said wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In combination with a vehicle wheel of the type having a plurality of circumferentially spaced lug nuts, each lug nut having a flange with an upper shoulder portion and a plastic wheel cover of the type having an inboard surface, an outboard surface and a plurality of elongated tubular extensions circumferentially spaced and extending in a direction away from said inboard surface of said wheel cover, a portion of each of said plurality of elongated tubular extensions being hollow and axially slotted to define a plurality of cantilevered fingers to an apical end, wherein the improvement comprises:
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each tubular extension of said plurality of tubular extensions having a radially inboard peripheral surface having at least one rib extending therefrom; each said finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers defining an undercut groove between said apical end and said at least one rib extending from said radially inboard peripheral surface, said at least one rib communicating with said upper shoulder portion of said flange of each of said lug nuts to define a positive stop such that as said wheel cover is mounted to said wheel said at least one upper shoulder portion provides a positive axial stop for said wheel cover; and each finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers further having a bulbous end portion at said apical end, said bulbous end portion having a contoured surface along a wall of said undercut groove, said contoured surface of said undercut groove communicating with said lug nut to restrain said wheel cover from removal from said lug nuts after said wheel cover is installed on a wheel; whereby as said cover is fitted over said plurality of circumferentially spaced lug nuts by aligning said elongated tubular extensions with a respective lug nut, said bulbous end of each of said fingers passes over said flange and said undercut groove snaps over said flange resulting in a positive axial location of said wheel cover with respect to said wheel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A wheel cover adapted to be mounted to the lug nuts of an automotive wheel, said wheel cover comprising:
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a wheel cover base having a front surface and an oppositively disposed rear surface; a plurality of elongated tubular extensions having an end basal portion attached to said wheel cover base and an opposite end extending in a direction away from said rear surface, said plurality of elongated tubular extensions being circumferentially spaced about said rear surface, said end basal portion of each of said tubular extensions being a hollow tubular body, said opposite end of each of said plurality of tubular extensions having; an inner surface; an outer surface circumscribing said inner surface to define a wall therebetween; and a plurality of slots in said opposite end to define a plurality of cantilevered fingers having an apical end; means for positively fixing the axial position of each of said plurality of elongated tubular extension on said lug nuts, said positive fixing means being located on said inner surface of each of said plurality of tubular extensions; such that upon mounting of said wheel cover onto said lug nuts of said automotive wheel, said apical end of each finger of said plurality of cantilevered fingers is cantilevered radially outwards to snap onto and over said lug nut whereby said positive fixing means fixes the axial position of each of said plurality of tubular extensions to prevent overtravel of said plurality of cantilevered fingers during assembly of said wheel cover to said lug nuts. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. The method of manufacturing a wheel cover adapted to be mounted to the lug nuts of a wheel, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a wheel cover base having at least one elongated tubular extension with one end attached to said wheel cover base and an opposite end extending in a direction away from said wheel cover base, said at least one elongated tubular extension being a hollow tubular body having said one end attached to said wheel cover base and said opposite end having a plurality of slots to define a plurality of cantilevered fingers having an apical end; providing a circumferential groove on said at least one elongated tubular extension near said apical end of said plurality of cantilevered fingers; and placing at least one rib on said at least one elongated tubular extension between said apical end and said wheel cover base whereby as said wheel cover is mounted to said wheel said at least one rib provides a positive axial stop for said wheel cover.
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Specification