Rim protector

• US 7,296,860 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adam Dangleman
• Original Assignee: Adam Dangleman
• Inventors: Dangleman, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Bellinger; Jason R.
• Application Number:
  US11/029,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20060145528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 301/37.101, 301/37.22, 301/37.24, 301/37.102, 301/37.11, 301/37.108, 301/37.42, 301/37.43
• US Class Current: 301/37.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/004 the surface being painted
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/0046 the surface being plated or coated
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/0053 the surface being decorated
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/006 the surface being reflective or including lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/01 Rings specially adapted for covering only the wheel rim or the tyre sidewall, e.g. removable tyre sidewall trim rings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/06 Fastening arrangements therefor B60B7/01, B60B7/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/063 to the rim

Abstract

A rim protection apparatus fitted around a periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel is provided. The rim protection apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim. The apparatus has a substantially planar circular protective ring and means for fitting the protective ring around the periphery of the rim. The protective ring has a front surface and a back surface, the back surface being coupled with the rim of the wheel when the apparatus is fitted around the periphery of the rim of the wheel, the front surface being a decorative surface accenting the color and appearance of the wheel. The protective ring is fitted around thin periphery of the rim with an adhesive layer disposed on the back surface of the protective ring.

Claims

1. A rim protection apparatus adhered to the periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a circular, impact-absorbing, protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for adhering said impact absorbing protective ring around the periphery of the rim in a flush mounting, such that the apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel;

an adhesive layer disposed on at least one area of said first part and said second part of said impact absorbing protective ring;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured such that it may be adhered and removed by hand solely by means of said adhesive layer; and

,

wherein said impact-absorbing protective ring comprises a front surface and an inner surface, the inner surface being coupled with the rim of the wheel when the apparatus is fitted around the periphery of the rim of the wheel, the-outer surface being a decorative surface accenting the color and appearance of the wheel, said impact absorbing protective ring having an inner edge and an outer edge.

2. A rim protection apparatus adhered to the periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a circular, impact-absorbing, protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for adhering said impact absorbing protective ring around the periphery of the rim in a flush mounting, such that the apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel;

an adhesive layer disposed on at least one area of said first part and said second part of said impact absorbing protective ring;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured such that it may be adhered and removed by hand solely by means of said adhesive layer;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured to protect the rim and spokes when the apparatus is adhered around a periphery of a rim of a wheel with spokes, the impact absorbing protective ring covering the surface of the rim, the impact absorbing protective ring comprising a plurality of extensions extending from at least one of the inner edge and the outer edge of the impact absorbing protective ring to a center of the wheel, each extension covering at least one spoke of the wheel.

3. A rim protection apparatus adhered to the periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a circular, impact-absorbing, protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for adhering said impact absorbing protective ring around the periphery of the rim in a flush mounting, such that the apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel;

an adhesive layer disposed on at least one area of said first part and said second part of said impact absorbing protective ring;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured such that it may be adhered and removed by hand solely by means of said adhesive layer; and

wherein said impact-absorbing protective ring is removed from the wheel by peeling off said impact-absorbing protective ring, said impact-absorbing protective ring being removed in case of damage, the damage being indicated by a damage indicator disposed underneath the first part of said impact-absorbing protective ring, the damage indicator being disposed above said adhesive layer.

4. A rim protection apparatus adhered to the periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a circular, impact-absorbing, protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for adhering said impact absorbing protective ring around the periphery of the rim in a flush mounting, such that the apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel;

an adhesive layer disposed on at least one area of said first part and said second part of said impact absorbing protective ring;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured such that it may be adhered and removed by hand solely by means of said adhesive layer; and

wherein the front surface of said impact-absorbing protective ring is custom designed to match the color and design of the wheel, said impact-absorbing protective ring accentuating the color and design of the wheel while protecting the rim of the wheel.

5. A rim protection apparatus fitted around a periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a substantially planar circular protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for fitting the protective ring around the periphery of the rim, the apparatus covering the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein the protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel; and

wherein the apparatus is removed from the wheel by peeling off the protective ring, the ring being removed in case of damage, the damage being indicated by a damage indicator disposed underneath the first part of the protective ring, the damage indicator being disposed above an adhesive layer.

6. A rim protection apparatus adhered to the periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a circular, impact-absorbing, protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for adhering said impact absorbing protective ring around the periphery of the rim in a flush mounting, such that the apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel;

an adhesive layer disposed on at least one area of said first part and said second part of said impact absorbing protective ring;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured such that it may be adhered and removed by hand solely by means of said adhesive layer; and

wherein said adhesive layer can be single handedly adhered by a user without the use of any specialized installation tools and installation is easily reversible by the user.

7. A rim protection apparatus adhered to the periphery of a rim of a motor vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising:

a circular, impact-absorbing, protective ring comprising;

a first part covering a first surface of the rim in a first plane, the first plane being the plane of a sidewall of the motor vehicle wheel;

a second part perpendicular to the first part covering a second surface of the rim, the second surface of the rim being perpendicular to the first surface of the rim;

a means for adhering said impact absorbing protective ring around the periphery of the rim in a flush mounting, such that the apparatus covers the circumferential edge of the rim, wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is securely coupled to the wheel;

an adhesive layer disposed on at least one area of said first part and said second part of said impact absorbing protective ring;

wherein said impact absorbing protective ring is configured such that it may be adhered and removed by hand solely by means of said adhesive layer; and

wherein said adhesive layer is revealed by removing a protective covering from said rim protection apparatus.