Wheel cover

Claim 2

A cover in combination with a vehicle wheel of the type having a wheel body and a tire mounting rim, said wheel having a generally radially facing annular surface on the outer face thereof concentric with the wheel axis, said cover having a body portion adapted to overlie said annular surface when the cover is applied to the outer face of the wheel, said wheel cover having an access opening therethrough adapted to accommodate a force applying member, a plurality of wheel engaging members, means mounting said wheel engaging members on the inner face of the cover in circumferentially spaced relation and concentric with the center thereof, each of said wheel engaging members having wheel engaging portions adaPted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface to retain the cover on the wheel, at least one of said wheel engaging members being spaced circumferentially from the next adjacent wheel engaging members on circumferentially opposite sides thereof through an arc of at least about 90*, said one wheel engaging member being axially aligned with said access opening and comprising a spring finger having a radially projecting wheel gripping edge portion thereon, said spring finger being displaceable radially in one direction to bias said wheel gripping edge portion into firm frictional engagement with said annular surface, said spring finger being radially retractable in the opposite direction to disengage its wheel gripping edge portion from said annular surface and means on said spring finger forming an abutment thereon which is spaced radially from said edge portion, said abutment being engageable by a manually operable force applying member extending through the access opening from the outer face of the cover for radially displacing said spring finger whereby to enable the cover to be secured to or removed from the wheel by manipulating said member from the outer side of the cover to apply a radial force to said abutment, said spring finger having one end fixed relative to the cover and the opposite end portion extending radially inwardly relative to said free edge portion, said abutment being formed on said radially inwardly extending end portion and the access opening in the cover being spaced radially inwardly of the outer periphery of the cover, said abutment comprising the edge of an opening in said radially inwardly extending end portion.

Claim 3

The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned opening registers axially with said access opening.

Claim 4

A cover in combination with a vehicle wheel of the type having a wheel body and a tire mounting rim, said wheel having a generally radially facing annular surface on the outer face thereof concentric with the wheel axis, said cover having a body portion adapted to overlie said annular surface when the cover is applied to the outer face of the wheel, said wheel cover having an access opening therethrough adapted to accommodate a force applying member, a plurality of wheel engaging members, means mounting said wheel engaging members on the inner face of the cover in circumferentially spaced relation and concentric with the center thereof, each of said wheel engaging members having wheel engaging portions adapted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface to retain the cover on the wheel, at least one of said wheel engaging members being spaced circumferentially from the next adjacent wheel engaging members on circumferentially opposite sides thereof through an arc of at least about 90*, said one wheel engaging member being axially aligned with said access opening and comprising a spring finger having a radially projecting wheel gripping edge portion thereon, said spring finger being displaceable radially in one direction to bias said wheel gripping edge portion into firm frictional engagement with said annular surface, said spring finger being radially retractable in the opposite direction to disengage its wheel gripping edge portion from said annular surface and means on said spring finger forming an abutment thereon which is spaced radially from said edge portion, said abutment being engageable by a manually operable force applying member extending through the access opening from the outer face of the cover for radially displacing said spring finger whereby to enable the cover to be secured to or removed from the wheel by manipulating said member from the outer side of the cover to apply a radial force to said abutment, said spring finger having one end fixed relative to the cover and the opposite end portion extending radially inwardly relative to said free edge portion, said abutment being formed on said radially inwardly extending end portion and the access openiNg in the cover being spaced radially inwardly of the outer periphery of the cover, said spring finger comprising a pair of axially spaced spring legs integrally connected by a return bent portion, one of said legs being fixed to the rear face of the cover and the other being radially displaceable by flexing said return bent portion, each of said legs having an opening therein, the last-mentioned openings having axially overlapping portions registering with said access opening, said abutment being defined by an edge portion of the opening in the radially displaceable leg.

Claim 5

A cover in combination with a vehicle wheel of the type having a wheel body and a tire mounting rim, said wheel having a generally radially facing annular surface on the outer face thereof concentric with the wheel axis, said cover having a body portion adapted to overlie said annular surface when the cover is applied to the outer face of the wheel, said wheel cover having an access opening therethrough adapted to accommodate a force applying member, a plurality of wheel engaging members, means mounting said wheel engaging members on the inner face of the cover in circumferentially spaced relation and concentric with the center thereof, each of said wheel engaging members having wheel engaging portions adapted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface to retain the cover on the wheel, at least one of said wheel engaging members being spaced circumferentially from the next adjacent wheel engaging members on circumferentially opposite sides thereof through an arc of at least about 90*, said one wheel engaging member being axially aligned with said access opening and comprising a spring finger having a radially projecting wheel gripping edge portion thereon, said spring finger being displaceable radially in one direction to bias said wheel gripping edge portion into firm frictional engagement with said annular surface, said spring finger being radially retractable in the opposite direction to disengage its wheel gripping edge portion from said annular surface and means on said spring finger forming an abutment thereon which is spaced radially from said edge portion, said abutment being engageable by a manually operable force applying member extending through the access opening from the outer face of the cover for radially displacing said spring finger whereby to enable the cover to be secured to or removed from the wheel by manipulating said member from the outer side of the cover to apply a radial force to said abutment, said spring finger having one end fixed relative to the cover and the opposite end portion extending radially inwardly relative to said free edge portion, said abutment being formed on said radially inwardly extending end portion and the access openiNg in the cover being spaced radially inwardly of the outer periphery of the cover, said spring finger comprising a pair of axially spaced spring legs integrally connected by a return bent portion, one of said legs being fixed to the rear face of the cover and the other being radially displaceable by flexing said return bent portion, each of said legs having an opening therein, the last-mentioned openings having axially overlapping portions registering with said access opening, said abutment being defined by an edge portion of the opening in the radially displaceable leg.

Claim 6

The combination called for in claim 3 wherein said two openings have portions which are offset radially relative to each other and the access opening in the cover is larger than the registering portions of said two openings to enable insertion of a forceapplying member through said access opening and into the registering portions of said other two openings and manipulation of the force-applying member to shift the displaceable leg in a radially inward direction to retract said free edge portion of said spring finger out of engagement with said annular surface.

Claim 7

A cover in combination with a vehicle wheel of the type having a wheel body and a tire mounting rim, said wheel having a generally radially inwardly facing annular surface on the outer face thereof concentric with the wheel axis, said cover having a body portion adapted to overlie said annular surface when the cover is applied to the outer face of the wheel, said wheel cover having an access opening therethrough spaced radially inwardly from the outer periphery of the cover and adapted to accommodate a force applying member extending therethrough from the outer side of the cover, a plurality of wheel engaging members, means mounting said wheel engaging members on the inner face of the cover in circumferentially spaced relation and concentric with the center thereof, each of said wheel engaging members having wheel engaging portions adapted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface for retaining the cover on the wheel against axial and circumferential displacement, at least one of said wheel engaging members being spaced circumferentially from the next adjacent wheel engaging members on circumferentially opposite sides thereof through an arc of greater than 90*, said one wheel engaging member being radially aligned with said access opening and comprising a spring finger, said spring finger having three portions comprising a resiliently flexible, radially outwardly extending first portion connected to the cover and flexible relative thereto, a second portion comprising a wheel gripping edge portion at the radially outer end of said first portion adapted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface and a third portion extending from said first portion and forming a radially inwardly extending tab terminating in a free radially inner end, said tab having means thereon extending in a plane generally transversely of the plane of the tab and forming a radially outwardly facing abutment on the tab engageable by a force applying member extending through said opening from the outer side of the cover for applying to said abutment means and said tab a force having a substantial radially inward component, said spring finger being normally beiased in a radially outward direction by said resiliently flexible first portion to bias the wheel gripping edge portion thereof into firm frictional engagement with said annular surface, said first portion of said spring finger being resiliently flexed by the force applied to said abutment means by said force applying member to disengage and displace said wheel gripping edge portion radially inwardly from said annular surface and thereby release the cover from the wheel.

Claim 8

A cover in combination with a vehicle wheel of the type having a wheel body and a tire mounting rim, said wheel having a generally radially inwardly facing annular surface on the outer face thereof concentric with the wheel axis, said cover having a body portion adapted to overlie said annular surface when the cover is applied to the outer face of the wheel, said wheel cover having an access opening therethrough spaced radially inwardly from the outer periphery of the cover and adapted to accommodate a force applying member extending therethrough from the outer side of the cover, a plurality of wheel engaging members, means mounting said wheel engaging members on the inner face of the cover in circumferentially spaced relation and concentric with the center thereof, each of said wheel engaging members having wheel engaging portions adapted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface for retaining the cover on the wheel against axial and circumferential displacement, at least one of said wheel engaging members being spaced circumferentially from the next adjacent wheel engaging members on circumferentially opposite sides thereof through an arc of greater than 90*, said one wheel engaging member being radially aligned with said access opening and comprising a spring finger, said spring finger having three portions comprising a resiliently flexible, radially outwardly extending first portion connected to the cover and flexible relative thereto, a second portion comprising a wheel gripping edge portion at the radially outer end of said first portion adapted to frictionally engage and grip said annular surface and a third portion extending from said first portion and forming a radially inwardly extending tab terminating in a free radially inner end, said tab having means thereon extending in a plane generally transversely of the plane of the tab and forming a radially outwardly facing abutment on the tab engageable by a force applying member extending through said opening from the outer side of the cover for applying to said abutment means and said tab a force having a substantial radially inward component, said spring finger being normally beiased in a radially outward direction by said resiliently flexible first portion to bias the wheel gripping edge portion thereof into firm frictional engagement with said annular surface, said first portion of said spring finger being resiliently flexed by the force applied to said abutment means by said force applying member to disengage and displace said wheel gripping edge portion radially inwardly from said annular surface and thereby release the cover from the wheel.

Claim 9

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein each of said wheel engaging members comprises a radially flexible spring finger having a radially projecting, wheel-gripping edge portion thereon.

Claim 10

The combinatioN called for in claim 5 wherein the cover is formed of a material having a tendency to distort when subjected to the radial forces produced with interengagement of said edge portion ith said annular surface and said mounting means includes a separate rigid reinforcing member mounted on the inner face of the cover, said wheel-engaging members being mounted on said rigid member to prevent distortion of the cover.

Claim 11

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said rim includes a generally cylindrical tire bead seat, said annular surface comprising a radially inwardly facing groove disposed axially inwardly of said tire bead seat.

Claim 12

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said access opening overlies said radially inwardly extending tab.

Claim 13

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said radially inwardly extending tab is disposed axially closer to the rear face of the cover than said wheel gripping edge portion of the spring finger.

Claim 14

The combination called for in claim 5 including key-operated means on the cover for blocking said access opening to prevent insertion of a force-applying means therethrough into engagement with said abutment means.

Claim 15

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said abutment means is spaced axially inwardly from the inner side of the wheel cover and including key-operated means mounted on the inner side of the wheel cover and displaceable to a position underlying said access opening to prevent insertion of a force-applying member therethrough.

Claim 16

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein the remaining wheel-engaging members also comprise spring fingers which have generally the same spring characteristics as said one spring finger.

Claim 17

The combination called for in claim 13 including a substantially rigid reinforcing member separate from the wheel cover and mounted on the inner face of the cover, all of said wheel-engaging members being mounted on said reinforcing member.

Claim 18

The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the wheel engaging edge portion of said spring finger is inclined axially outward in a radially outward direction.

Claim 19

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein each of said wheel engaging members comprises a radially flexible spring finger having a wheel-gripping edge portion, the wheel-gripping edge portions of each of said spring fingers being inclined axially outward in a radially outward direction.

Claim 20

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said wheel engaging edge portion is disposed intermediate said first and third portion of the spring finger.

Claim 21

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said access opening is generally axially aligned with said abutment means.

Claim 22

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said abutment means comprises the edge of an opening in said tab.

Claim 23

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said abutment means comprises a shoulder on the tab perpendicular to the plane of the tab.

Claim 24

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said first and third portions of said spring finger comprise a pair of axially spaced, overlying spring legs, said abutment means comprising an opening through one of said spring legs, the other spring leg also having an opening therein, said last-mentioned openings having axially overlapping portions registering with said access opening.

Claim 25

The combination called for in claim 5 including means on the spring finger forming a second abutment spaced axially from the first abutment means on the tab and with which a force applying member is engageable to apply said radially inward force to said first abutment means.

Claim 26

The combination called for in claim 22 wherein said second abutment means comprises an opening in said spring finger.

Claim 27

The combination called for in claim 22 including a substantially rigid reinforcing member mounted on the inner face of the cover, said second abutment means being located on said reinforcing member.

Claim 28

The combination called For in claim 24 wherein said second abutment means comprises an edge portion of an opening in said reinforcing member.