Patent Application
20080007109
The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a tire lock system 10 embodying the present invention. System 10 comprises a tire rim 12 on which a tire T is mounted. Tire rim 12 has a central portion 14 which accommodates lug nuts 16 used to attach the tire rim to a motor vehicle. Central portion 14 has a surface 20 thereon.
A cylindrical bore 22 is defined in the central portion and an inner surface 24 is defined on the central portion adjacent to the cylindrical bore. Cylindrical bore 22 has an inner dimension 26 defined by the inner surface. A groove 30 is defined in the inner surface of the tire rim adjacent to the cylindrical bore. Groove 30 extends radially from the cylindrical bore. A body 40 includes a dome shaped portion 42 which has an outer perimeter 44. Outer perimeter 44 of the dome shaped portion having an outer dimension 46 that is greater than inner dimension 26 of the cylindrical bore of the tire rim.
Body 40 further includes a cylindrical base portion 50 having one end 52 connected to the dome shaped portion and a second end 54 spaced apart from the dome shaped portion. An interior volume 60 is defined in the cylindrical base portion. Base portion 50 further includes a perimeter 64 that has an outer dimension 66 is essentially equal to inner dimension 26 of the cylindrical bore of the tire rim and smaller than the dimension of perimeter 46 of the dome shaped portion.
An annular section 70 is defined on the dome shaped portion by the dome shaped portion circumjacent to the cylindrical base portion. Annular section 70 is adapted to engage surface 20 of the central portion of the tire rim when the body is in place on an tire rim. Body 40 is shaped and sized so that lug nuts 16 associated with the tire associated with the tire rim are accommodated in interior volume 60 when the body is in place on the tire rim.
A plurality of locking elements 80 are movably mounted on cylindrical base portion 50. The locking elements are movable between a stored position inside the cylindrical base portion shown in
A locking mechanism 90 is located in the dome shaped portion. The locking mechanism includes a key lock portion 92 in the dome shaped portion and a moving mechanism 94 operatively connecting the key lock portion to the locking elements to move the locking elements between the stored position and the deployed position in response to movement of the key lock portion. The key lock portion and the moving mechanism can be any type of elements and systems common to key locks to move tumblers and the like as will be understood by those skilled in the lock art. The exact mechanisms and elements are not important to this invention and will not be claimed. As such, these elements will not be discussed.
Use of the system can be understood from the teaching of this disclosure and thus will only be briefly discussed. As shown in
While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.
