JPH0796703A - Wheel cap - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a wheel cap reduced in the number of part items and improved in manufacturing efficiency without causing cost increase. CONSTITUTION:A flange 3 erected along the peripheral edge part is formed on one face side of a wheel cap 1. The flange 3 is provided with protruding parts 4 and recessed parts 5 formed alternately at appropriate spaces, and the inner peripheral surface of the flange 3 is provided with a single specific locking piece 6A and plural general locking pieces 6B at the parts corresponding to the recessed parts 5. All the general locking pieces 6B are of the same structure, and a claw part 11 protruding in the radial direction of the wheel cap 1 is formed at the tip part of each general locking piece 6B. A claw part 11 of the same kind is formed also at the specific locking piece 6A. A pair of opposed holes are further formed at the specific locking piece 6A, and both end parts of a retainer formed of a long-sized member with restoring force are inserted in these holes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wheel cap mounted on a wheel of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a conventional wheel cap.
Has been proposed (JP-A-3-65401).
(See Japanese Patent Publication). That is, the wheel cap 30 has a circular cap body 31 made of a synthetic resin, and one surface side of the cap body 1 has a plurality of locking pieces 3 on the same circumference.
Two (only one is shown) are provided at a predetermined interval. A claw portion 33 that projects in the radial direction of the cap body 31 is formed at the tip of the locking piece 32.
A retainer 34 is arranged inside the unit 3. The retainer 34 is a long member having a restoring force such as steel, and is elastically deformed in an annular shape along the inside of the locking piece 32,
Both ends are connected via a crimp tube 35.

In this structure, the pawl portion 33 is urged in the outward direction (radial direction) of the cap body 31 by the restoring force of the retainer 34. Therefore, when the locking piece 32 is press-fitted inside the rim provided on the wheel, the claw portion 33 is pressed into engagement with the rim by the restoring force of the retainer 34, and the wheel cap 30 can be mounted on the wheel. is there.

[0004]

However, in the conventional wheel cap 30 as described above, both ends of the retainer 34 are configured to be caulked by the crimping pipes 35. Therefore, the need for the crimp tube 35 contributes to an increase in the number of parts, and a complicated caulking work of the crimp tube 35 is required, resulting in a decrease in manufacturing efficiency. Therefore, it has been put into practical use that the retainer 34 is elastically deformed into a C shape and is disposed inside the locking piece 32 without connecting both ends. But,
In such a structure, the retainer 34 does not have a closed loop but has an open loop shape, and thus it is not possible to sufficiently give the claw portion 33 a reaction force in the outward direction. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the wire diameter of the retainer 34 to increase the restoring force of the retainer 34 itself, and the cost is increased by using the retainer 34 having a large wire diameter.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a wheel cap in which the number of parts is reduced and the manufacturing efficiency is improved without increasing the cost. It is what

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a plurality of locking pieces are provided on the circumference and a restoring force is applied along the inside of the plurality of locking pieces. In a wheel cap in which a long-shaped retainer having a ridge is disposed, and the retaining piece is urged outward by the restoring force of the retainer to engage with the inner peripheral surface of the rim, the plurality of retaining pieces are provided. A pair of holes facing each other is formed, and both ends of the retainer are inserted into the pair of holes.

[0007]

In the above structure, both ends of the retainer are inserted into the pair of holes provided in the locking piece, so that the retainer can be locked even if the both ends of the retainer are not joined by using the crimp tube. It becomes a closed loop through the piece. Further, since the retainer has a closed loop shape, a sufficient reaction force is applied to the locking piece without increasing the wire diameter of the retainer.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. That is, the wheel cap 1 shown in FIG.
Has a circular cap body 2 made of synthetic resin,
A flange 3 is integrally formed on one side of the cap body 1 so as to stand along the peripheral edge. On the edge of the flange 3, convex portions 4 and concave portions 5 are alternately formed at appropriate intervals, and the inner peripheral surface of the flange 3 is
A single specific locking piece 6A and a plurality of general locking pieces 6B are integrally formed at a portion corresponding to the recess 5.

General locking pieces 6B other than the specific locking piece 6A
2 have the same structure, and as shown in FIG. 2, each has a central plate 7 extending in the vertical direction and side plates 8 and 8 located on both sides of the central plate 7. A semicircular cutout 9 is formed on the inner edge of the central plate 7, and a rectangular cutout 10 is formed on the inner edge of the side plates 8 and 8 at the same height as the semicircular cutout 9. There is. Also, the central plate 7 and both side plates 8, 8
A claw portion 11 that protrudes in the radial direction of the wheel cap 1 is formed at the tip of the wheel cap 1. The claw portion 11 is the central plate 7
And the both side plates 8 and 8 are integrally connected via a connecting part 12 and project to the outside of the flange 3 via the recess 5.

On the other hand, the specific locking piece 6A, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is similar to the general locking piece 6B described above, and the central plate 7 and the side plates 8 and 8 located on both sides of the central plate 7. In addition to the above, the wheel cap 1 has a claw portion 11 and a connecting portion 12 that project outward. However, unlike the other locking pieces 6B, the central plate 7 is formed thick, and the side surfaces 7a and 7b of the central plate 7 facing each other have the same height as the notches 9 and 10. Holes 13 and 14 are formed at the respective positions, and L-shaped notches 15 are formed at the same height positions on the upper ends of the side plates 8 and 8.

On the other hand, a retainer 16 is arranged inside each of the locking pieces 6A and 6B. The retainer 16 is a long member having a constant diameter and having a restoring force, such as steel, and is elastically deformed into an annular shape along the inside of each locking piece 6A, 6B, as shown in FIG. Both ends 17 and 18 are inserted into the holes 13 and 14, respectively. Further, in the general locking piece 6B, as shown in FIG. 2, the retainer 16 is received in each of the notches 9 and 10.

In this embodiment having the above structure, when the locking pieces 6A and 6B are press-fitted inside the rim provided on the wheel (not shown), the claw portion 11 is pressed into engagement with the rim by the restoring force of the retainer 16. Then, the wheel cap 1 is attached to the wheel. At this time, both ends 17 and 18 of the retainer 16 have a pair of holes 1 formed in the specific locking piece 6A.
Since they are inserted into the retainers 3 and 14, the retainer 16 has a closed loop shape via the locking pieces 6A without using the crimp tube 35 as in the conventional structure shown in FIG. Therefore, a sufficient reaction force can be applied to each of the locking pieces 6A and 6B without increasing the wire diameter of the retainer 16. Therefore, a small linear retainer 16 can be used,
Moreover, since the crimp tube 35 is unnecessary and the number of parts is reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, since the crimping work of the crimp tube 35 is unnecessary,
It is possible to improve the manufacturing efficiency.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, a pair of holes facing each other is formed in any one of a plurality of locking pieces provided on the circumference of the wheel cap, and the pair of holes are formed in the pair of holes. Both ends of the retainer were inserted. Therefore, the retainer can be formed into a closed loop shape via the locking piece in which the pair of holes are formed without using a crimping tube as in the conventional case. Therefore, it is possible to apply a sufficient reaction force to a plurality of locking pieces without increasing the wire diameter of the retainer, and as a result, the use of a small linear retainer and the crimp tube are not required, and the number of parts is reduced. The manufacturing cost can be reduced by reducing. Further, since the complicated crimping work of the crimping pipe is unnecessary, it is possible to improve the manufacturing efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a general locking piece.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a specific locking piece.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a specific locking piece.

FIG. 5 is a main part perspective view showing a conventional wheel cap.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Wheel Cap 2 Cap Body 6A Specific Locking Piece 6B General Locking Piece 11 Claw 16 Retainer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of locking pieces are provided on the circumference, and a long retainer having a restoring force is arranged along the inside of the plurality of locking pieces, and the retaining force of the retainer is used. In the wheel cap that urges the locking piece outward to engage with the inner peripheral surface of the rim, a pair of holes facing each other of the plurality of locking pieces is formed, and A wheel cap, wherein both ends of the retainer are inserted into the holes.