Patent Application
20080106140
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/864,439 filed Nov. 6, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field
This disclosure relates to wheel coverings and wheel display devices, including but not limited to automobile wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheel rims, hub caps, and center caps of various types provide protection to automobile wheels and adornment for an automobile wheel. Manufacturers provide wheel rims and center caps that enhance the style of a vehicle and may advertise the brand of car. Car owners may have a desire to publicize their own interests, advertise products, promote stores, show off their affiliation with a sports or religious organization, and otherwise make a statement. A hub mountable display apparatus with easily removable faceplates that remains relatively level and stationary while a wheel and vehicle is in motion provides this ability to car owners.
Throughout this description, elements appearing in figures are assigned three-digit reference designators, where the most significant digit is the figure number and the two least significant digits are specific to the element. An element that is not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have the same characteristics and function as a previously-described element having a reference designator with the same least significant digits.
This disclosure is directed to a device to add stylistic customization to automotive wheels. A display apparatus for attachment to a hub recess of an automotive or other wheel is described herein. More specifically, the display apparatus includes an interchangeable faceplate that remains relatively level, stable, and not rotating while the automotive wheels rotate. The faceplate may include an artistic design. Because the faceplate does not rotate while a wheel and the vehicle to which it is attached is in motion, a person will be able to view and appreciate the decorative faceplate of the assembly while the automobile passes by. Moreover, the display apparatus is easy to attached to the hub of an automobile wheel rim and may be customized by the vehicle owner by the easy removal and replacement of faceplates.
Referring now to
As described herein, the center cap 109 is replaced with the display apparatus 110. Unlike earlier devices, the display apparatus 110 is not coupled to the wheel with the wheel's lug nuts. The display apparatus 110 has no physical relationship whatsoever with the lug nuts of the wheel 102. After a center cap 109 is removed from the hub 108 of the rim 106, the display apparatus 110 may be placed or pushed into the hub 108. This may be achieved using the force of a person's hand. In some instances a rubber mallet may or other device be used to assist in placing the display apparatus 110 into the hub 108 of the rim 106.
As shown in
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the display apparatus 110 includes the following components: a faceplate 112, counterweight 114, a ball bearing device 120, an adapter 116 designed to both fit to an inner surface of the ball bearing device 120 and provide a mounting surface for the counterweight 114, a coupler 118, and a bushing 122 disposed between an outer surface of the ball bearing 120 and the coupler 118, wherein the ball bearing device 120 fits within the bushing 122 and the bushing fits within the coupler 118. More specifically, the ball bearing 120 may be press fit within the bushing 122. The bushing 122 may be press fit within the coupler 118.
The combination of the adapter 116, ball bearing device 120, and bushing 122 may be referred to as the adapter assembly 115. In this embodiment, the coupler 118 may be attached to the adapter assembly 115 by screw 132 or other fastener, by pressure fit, and/or by other techniques.
The combination of the counterweight 114, the adapter assembly 115, and the coupler 118 may be referred to as a receiver assembly 113.
One or more fasteners secure the faceplate 112 to the counterweight 114. In one embodiment, the faceplate 112 may be removably attached to the counterweight 114 to allow for easy replacement of the faceplate 112 after the receiver assembly 113 is attached to a wheel rim hub 108. In one embodiment, the fastener is a screw 130, such as an allen flat head screw. In one embodiment, two screws are used to attach the faceplate 118 to the counterweight 114, and the back and front of the faceplate are completely flat. In another embodiment, a first screw is used to couple the faceplate to the counterweight and a second screw is used to couple the faceplate 112 to the adapter 116 through the counterweight 114. Other embodiments are also described below. Other kinds of screws and other hardware may be used to secure faceplate 112 to the counterweight and the counterweight 114 to the adapter 116.
Fasteners are mechanical devices which secure one member to another. The term fasteners as used herein refers to screws, rivets, bolts, pins, washers and other hardware. Although fasteners are disclosed for attaching the components listed above, adhesives, friction, and magnets may be utilized in conjunction with or in substitution for the fasteners. To illustrate attachment via friction, the ball bearing may fit within the bushing and the coupler. More specifically, the fit may be a friction fit or an interference fit.
An example of an interference fit is where the outer surface of the bearing is forced into the inner diameter of the bushing, the surface defining the inner diameter of the bushing is deformed to a larger dimension while the surface defining the inner diameter of the bushing applies a compressive force against the outer surface of the bearing, resulting in friction between the bearing and the bushing. Interference fits are characterized by a diametral interference of approximately 0.001 to 0.002 units per unit of shaft diameter. Additionally, a friction fit is characterized by diametral interference of less than approximately 0.001 to 0.002 units per unit of shaft diameter. Because of friction, neither attachment by friction fit nor interference fit requires fasteners.
In one embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the adapter 116, ball bearing device 120, and bushing 122 may be pre-assembled as a single unit referred to as the adapter assembly 115. In this embodiment, the coupler 118 may be attached to the adapter assembly 115
Referring now to
The coupler 118 is a device having protrusions or prongs 142 and a body 140. A prong 142 is a portion of the body 140 which sticks out generally perpendicularly from a main portion of the body 140. In various embodiments, there may be 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 prongs 142. There are eight prongs shown in exemplar coupler 118 shown in
The prongs 142 may have a length that is selected to have as much surface contact with the inner portion of the hub 108 and not interfere with the functioning of an automobile. In turn, the prongs 142, when inserted into the center of a wheel, may form a press fit, a friction fit, or an interference fit with the wheel. The type of fit may be selected by the weight of the center hub assembly, the materials of the coupler and the wheels, and other factors.
In one embodiment, the prongs 142 extend approximately ⅜″ from the flat body portion 140 of the coupler 118. In one embodiment, the prongs 142 are approximately ½″ long. In one embodiment, the prongs 142 are spaced about ¼″ apart as shown by gap 144. These measurements are only examples. In various embodiments, more and fewer, larger and smaller prongs 142 and gaps 144 may be used.
In one embodiment, the prongs 142 include lips 152 (which may be contoured) on the outer side, the side that will be in contact with the hub 108. The prongs 142 may have a lip 152 or overhang and be contoured externally at an angle such as, for example 60 degrees. The contour may assist a user in the attaching of the coupler to the hub of a rim. The lip 152 or overhang may be designed to be complementary to a ridge on the hub of a rim to assist with the attaching of the coupler to the hub of the rim.
In one embodiment, set screws 146 may be included in screw receiving areas 148 adjacent to or abutting two or more prongs 142. In this embodiment, after the display apparatus 118 is placed in a hub 108, the set screws may be tightened, exerting force against the prongs 142 and moving prongs 142 outward from the center of the coupler 118 toward the edge of the hub 108, thus increasing the press fit of the coupler 118 into the hub 108. In this way the set screws may be used to increase the durability and strength of the coupling of the display apparatus 110 to the hub 108 via the coupler 118.
In other embodiments, the coupler 118 may be used to mount the display apparatus 118 to the hub 108 via fasteners, adhesives, magnets or combinations thereof.
In one embodiment, the coupler 118 has a single circumferential ring (not shown) having a contour 154 and resulting lip 152, circumferential ring extending from the main portion of the body 140 of the coupler 118. The circumferential ring is effectively like prongs 142 without the gaps 144 between the prongs, or the gaps 144 being filled. In this embodiment, set screws 146 may be used to enhance a press fit of the circumferential ring of the coupler 118 to the hub.
Referring now to
The outer diameter 410 of the bushing may fit an inner diameter of an opening defined by the body of the coupler 118. The inner diameter 412 of the bushing 122 may fit an outer diameter of the outer surface of the ball bearing 120. The bushing may provide dampening between the coupler 118 and the ball bearing 120. Dampening refers to an effect that diminishes or reduces the amplitude or intensity of vibration or shock over a period of time. Dampening is typically the result of viscosity or friction. However, dampening may result from elastic deformation of a solid. Additionally, dampening may result from a conversion of kinetic or potential energy to internal energy, heat energy, or even a chemical reaction.
Since the coupler 118 is adapted for mounting to the automotive wheel, when the automobile is moving, shock and vibration necessarily will be transferred from the wheel to the coupler. Because the bushing may serve as a dampener within the center hub assembly, the ball bearing, adapter, counterweight and faceplate may be at least partially isolated from the shock and vibration from the wheel. As a result, the life cycle of the ball bearing, adapter, counterweight and faceplate may be maximized.
Referring now to
As shown, the adapter 116 may include two sections. One section, the inner section shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
The counterweight 114 may include a mounting surface 620 to which the faceplate 112 may be attached. The faceplate 114 may be attached to the counterweight 114 by two screw. In one embodiment, a first screw may pass through the faceplate 114 and hole 614 of the counterweight and couple with a receiver in adapter 116. In this embodiment, a second screw may pass through the faceplate 112 and couple with receiver 616 in counterweight 114. The mounting surface 620 may be disposed vertically. The foot 612 of the counterweight 114 may be contoured to as to conform to the curve of the outer edge or circumference of the faceplate 112 as shown by contour 622.
The angle of incline of the mounting surface may be selected such that when the faceplate is attached to the mounting surface, the faceplate is easily viewed from a person sitting in an adjacent vehicle or on the side of a road.
Referring now to
Because counterweight 714 is attached to the adapter 116 with the center of gravity offset from the rotating axis of the ball bearing 120, the foot 712 of the counterweight 714 remains below the rotating axis of the ball bearing device 120 and remains generally level and stationary while an automobile is in motion.
Referring now to
In one embodiment the faceplate 112 may be attached to the counterweight 714 via two screws through outer holes 814, and the counterweight 114 is coupled to the adapter 116 with a single screw prior to the faceplate 112 being attached to counterweight 714. In this example, the faceplate may have two holes 814 and no hole 816.
In another embodiment the faceplate 112 may be attached to the counterweight 714 via two screws through outer holes 814, and the faceplate 112 may be coupled through the counterweight 714 to the adapter 116 with a single screw through hole 816. In this example, the faceplate may have two holes 814 and a center hole 816.
In another embodiment the faceplate 112 may be attached to the counterweight 114 via one screw through one outer hole 814, and the faceplate 112 may be coupled through the counterweight 114/714 to the adapter 116 with a single screw through center hole 816. In this example, the faceplate may have one hole 814 and a center hole 816.
The faceplate 112 may have a geometry of a disk having a radius that is based upon the radius of the opening of the hub 108. The faceplate 112 may have a geometry of a disk having a diameter generally equal to the diameter of the opening of the hub 108. Similarly, in another embodiment, the faceplate 112 covers both the hub and the lug nut area of the rim, a recessed portion of the rim. This is shown in
The faceplate 112 may provide a surface for artistic expression, affiliation, membership, community, advertisement or general communications in the form of text and/or graphics or other representation. Examples of artistic expression include photographs of nature and/or people. Examples of advertisements include slogans, logos, brand names, and sketches of goods. Examples of general communications include political rhetoric and religious speech, depicted textually and/or graphically. Examples of affiliation, membership, and community include school names, logos and mascots; sports teams names, mascots and logos; town names and icons; church names and icons; and many others.
Because the faceplate is removable, multiple faceplates many be created that can easily be swapped, enabling a purchaser to display one given faceplate within a given community at a particular time and alternative faceplates in other situations. The display apparatus provides a simple, non-obtrusive device that allows a person to customize their vehicle to express personal affiliations, artistic creations, commercial advertising and general speech.
In view of the faceplate shown and described in
In one embodiment, the counterweight 114, the adapter assembly 115, and the coupler 118 may be pre-assembled as a single unit which may be referred to a receiver assembly 113. In this embodiment, the adapter assembly 115 includes counterweight 714 and the faceplate includes only two holes 814. The faceplate 112 may then be removably attached to a receiver assembly 113. In this embodiment, the receiver assembly 113 and the faceplate 112 may be sold together or separately. In this way, a purchaser of four receiver assemblies 113 for an automobile may then purchase multiple faceplates 112 for each of the wheels of the automobile. That is, an automobile owner may purchase one or more faceplates 112 per receiver assembly 113.
Closing Comments
Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of system elements, it should be understood that those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. Acts and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments, but may be.
As used herein, “plurality” means two or more.
As used herein, a “set” of items may include one or more of such items.
As used herein, whether in the written description or the claims, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “carrying”, “having”, “containing”, “involving”, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”, respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims.
Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.
As used herein, “and/or” means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60864439 | Nov 2006 | US |
