JPH1148701A - Wheel cover for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wheel cover which can be mounted in high versality relating to a wheel of the same specification diametric dimension further with mounting work simplified. SOLUTION: This wheel cover is constituted by respectively providing a single main engaging means engaged with a rim flange part 3 of a wheel and a plurality of sub-engaging means 50 with a prescribed space along a peripheral edge of a disk-shaped main unit. The main engaging means is constituted by a main clip 60 fixed to the rim flange part 3 and a main engaging part 40 fixed to a reverse side peripheral part of the disk-shaped main unit to be elastically engaged able to be mounted/demounted from a wheel axial direction relating to the main clip 60. The sub-engaging means 50 is provided with a sub- engaging part 52 fixed to a reverse side of the disk-shaped main unit to be engaged from a diametric direction outer side relating to the rim flange part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wheel cover mounted on an automobile wheel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wheel cover that can be universally and easily attached to wheels having the same standard diameter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a general wheel (particularly, a steel wheel) and an enlarged view of a rim portion 2 thereof. As shown in the figure, a ridge called a hump is formed at a predetermined position of the rim so as to protrude outward in the radial direction of the wheel, thereby preventing the tire end from moving inward. In the figure, the hump portion is drawn large for easy understanding, but the actual hump portion is a slight bulge having a protrusion amount of about 0.5 mm.

On the other hand, the wheel cover attached to the wheel 1 shown in FIG. 1 is as shown in FIG. 2, in which a disk-shaped main body 11 and a plurality of claws 12 protruding from the rear surface of the main body are integrally formed. It was injection molded. Then, the protrusion 13 at the tip of the claw portion is fitted into the recess on the back side of the hump portion 4, and the tip of the claw portion is further pressed radially outward into the recess on the back side of the hump using the wire ring 17, whereby the wheel Attach cover 10 to wheel 1.

[0004] However, there are many types of wheels, and various types even if they have the same diameter. In many cases, different models have different positions and depths of the hump portion. Therefore, the wheel cover that is fixed to the wheel by using the hump portion has to be exclusively used for each type of wheel, and lacks versatility.

FIG. 3 shows a known wheel cover mounting structure for solving such a problem. In this structure, a plurality of elastic engagement projections 21 are provided along the outer peripheral edge of the rear surface of the wheel cover 20, and a clip 22 having a hole 23 elastically engaged with the projection 21 is attached to the circumferential rim flange 3. Are installed along. In this structure, a plurality of holes 23 of each clip arranged along the rim flange portion and a corresponding engagement projection
It is necessary to adjust the position of each of the 21 positions, which complicates the mounting work of the wheel cover.

[0006]

Accordingly, a technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a wheel cover which can be mounted on wheels having the same standard diameter with high versatility and which can be easily mounted. To provide.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to effectively solve the above problems, and provides a wheel cover having the following configuration.

The wheel cover of the present invention includes one main engaging means and a plurality of sub-engaging means, each of which engages with the rim flange of the wheel, at predetermined intervals along the outer peripheral edge of the disk-shaped main body. Become. The main engaging means includes a main clip fixed to the rim flange portion, a main engaging portion fixed to the peripheral portion on the back surface side of the disc-shaped main body and elastically detachably engaged with the main clip in the wheel axis direction. Consists of The sub-engaging means includes a sub-engaging portion fixed to the back surface of the disk-shaped main body and engaged with the rim flange portion from the outside in the wheel radial direction.

In the wheel cover having the above structure, the sub-engaging portions of the plurality of sub-engaging means provided along the outer peripheral edge of the disk-shaped main body are engaged with arbitrary positions of the rim flange portion from the outside in the wheel radial direction. (Hook)
The wheel cover can be mounted simply by elastically engaging the main engaging portion fixed to the rear surface of the disc-shaped main body with the main clip fixed to the rim flange portion from the wheel axial direction. Since the sub-engaging portion is hooked at an arbitrary position on the rim flange portion, there is no particular need for alignment. On the other hand, in the main engaging means, it is necessary to align the main clip with the main engaging portion. However, since only one main engaging means is provided, the alignment is performed at only one place. I'm done. Therefore,
The mounting work of the wheel cover is very simple.

Further, the main engagement portion and the sub engagement portion are
Because it engages the rim flange, unlike conventional wheel covers that use a hump for installation, it can be used universally for almost all wheels with the same standard diameter. is there.

In the wheel cover according to the present invention, the main clip of the main engaging means includes a holding portion for holding the rim flange portion, the main clip is connected to the holding portion, extends inward in the wheel radial direction, and And an extending portion provided with an engaging portion that engages with the extending portion. As an engagement mode of the engaging portion formed on the extending portion of the main clip and the main engaging portion fixed to the back side of the disc-shaped main body, a convex portion (male portion) and a concave portion (female portion) are used. It is conceivable to use a fitted fastener or a sheet fastener.

When such a configuration is adopted, the main clip can be attached to the rim flange portion at one-touch at the holding portion.

Further, in the wheel cover according to the present invention, the sub-engaging means is constituted by a plate member having a curved portion for holding the outer peripheral surface of the rim flange portion as a sub-engaging portion from the radial outside of the wheel. Is preferred. The sub-engaging means is provided between the sub-clip having a hook portion and fixed to the rim flange portion and two protruding portions protruding from the rear surface at the peripheral edge portion on the rear surface side of the disk-shaped main body. And a wire as the sub-engagement portion detachably engaged with the hook portion from the outside in the wheel radial direction. Further, the sub-engaging means includes a bridge-shaped engaging portion and is fixed to the rim flange portion, and a bridge-shaped engaging portion of the sub-clip fixed to the peripheral edge of the back surface of the disk-shaped main body. And an engagement member as the above-mentioned sub-engagement portion which is detachably elastically engaged with the outer side in the wheel radial direction.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the wheel cover 30 according to the first embodiment. One main hook (main engaging portion) 40 and four sub-hooks (sub-engaging means) 50 are fixed to the rear surface of the disc-shaped main body 30a of the wheel cover 30 along the peripheral edge thereof. In FIG. 4, a member indicated by reference numeral 60 is a main clip fixed to the rim flange portion of the wheel, which will be described later. The main hook 40 and the main clip 60 function as main engagement means.

FIG. 5 shows the main hook 40, and FIG. 6 shows the sub hook 50. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the main hook 40, and FIG. 5B is a front view of the main hook 40 viewed from the direction of arrow A. The main hook 40 is formed by cutting a metal plate, and includes a flat base plate portion 41 and an elastic engaging portion. The elastic engagement portion is composed of four curved pieces cut and raised in a bud shape.
It consists of 42. Further, an opening 43 through which a screw or a screw passes is formed in the center of the base plate portion 41.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sub hook 50. As shown in FIG. The sub hook 50 is formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a flat base plate portion 51 and a curved portion 52. The curved portion (sub-engagement portion) 52 fits along the rim flange portion of the wheel from the outer peripheral side (holds the rim flange portion 3), as described later. In the center of the base plate 51, there is an opening through which a screw or screw passes.
53 are formed. The main hook 40 and the sub hook 50 may be integrally formed of plastic.

FIG. 7 shows a main clip 60 fixed to the rim flange 3 of the wheel. The main clip 60 includes a holding portion 61 for elastically holding the rim flange 3.
And a flat plate portion 62 extending inward in the wheel radial direction from the holding portion, and are integrally formed,
It is preferably formed of metal or plastic.
An opening (engaging portion) 63 is formed at the center of the flat plate portion 62, and the elastically deforming portion of the main hook 40 fixed to the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body 30a of the wheel cover 30 is formed by the opening 63.
And elastically engage.

FIG. 8 shows the actual mounting operation of the wheel cover 30.
This will be described with reference to FIG. First, the main clip 60 is fixed to the rim flange portion 3 on the tire side (the main clip 60 can be attached to the rim flange portion 3 at its holding portion 61 with one touch, and fixing means such as a screw member is required. Absent). Then, the curved portion 52 of the sub hook 50 fixed to the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body 30a of the wheel cover is hooked on the outer peripheral surface of the rim flange portion 3 from the wheel radial outside, and finally, the disk-shaped main body The elastic engaging portion of the main hook 40 fixed to the back side is elastically engaged in the opening 63 of the clip from the axial direction of the wheel. Thus, the mounting work of the wheel cover 30 is completed. In FIG. 8, only two sub-hooks 50 are shown for simplicity of illustration (in the present invention, it is necessary to have a plurality of sub-hooks 50, but in particular, as in the example shown in FIG. 4). Need not be four).

FIG. 9 shows the wheel cover in the mounted state.
30 shows a sectional view. It can be seen that the main hook 40 and the sub hook 50 are attached to the screw member at predetermined positions on the back surface of the disc-shaped main body 30a, and that the curved portion 52 of the sub hook 50 holds the outer peripheral surface of the rim flange portion 3. . As described above, in the wheel cover of the present invention, the sub hook 50 can be engaged with an arbitrary position with respect to the rim flange portion, and alignment is performed at only one position.
(It is only necessary to match the elastic engagement portion of one main hook 40 with the opening 63 of the clip).

A main hook as a main engagement portion
The manner of engagement between the main clip 60 and the main clip 60 is not limited to the illustrated one. For example, the main hook may include a ring-shaped elastic engaging portion that elastically engages with an opening 63 formed in the flat plate portion 62 of the main clip 60 instead of the bud-shaped elastic engaging portion. Good. Alternatively, an elastic engaging portion may be provided on the main clip 60 side, and a member having an opening that engages with the elastic engaging portion may be fixed to the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body 30a. In addition, it is possible to use the fitting of the convex portion (male portion) and the concave portion (female portion), or to use the engagement by hook-and-loop fastener (when the opening is not used as the engagement mode, The flat plate portion 62 of the main clip 60 does not need to have a flat plate shape, and it suffices to have at least a surface extending inward in the wheel radial direction).

As described above, the manner of engagement between the main engagement portion and the main clip is not particularly limited as long as they are engaged by approach movement in the wheel axis direction. Absent.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
An embodiment will be described. The wheel cover 70 of the second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment only in the form of the sub-engaging means, and the other configuration is the same. Therefore, only the sub-engaging means will be described.

In the second embodiment, the sub-engaging means comprises a wire (sub-engaging portion) 80 directly attached to the back side of the disc-shaped main body 70a of the wheel cover 70, and the wire 80
And a clip 90 (see FIG. 12) for fixing the wheel cover 70 to the wheel rim flange portion via the front end.

FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C show specific examples of the wire rod 80, respectively. In the example of FIG.
Wires 82 having loop portions 82a at both ends are employed as wires. Two projections 81 are formed at an interval from the back surface of the disk-shaped main body 70a, and a screw hole 81a is formed at the tip end surface. The wire 82 is fixed to the protrusion 81 (that is, to the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body) by a screw member 83 passed through the loop portion 82a.

In FIG. 11B, an elongated plate (a metal plate or a plastic plate) having openings 85a at both ends is employed in place of the wire 82. The mounting on the back side of the disk-shaped main body is the same as that shown in FIG.

In FIG. 11C, a wire 88 having bent portions 88a at both ends is used. Two locking portions 87 having a through-hole 87a and a hook portion 87b are formed at an interval from the back surface of the disk-shaped main body. A portion 88b near both ends of the straight portion at the center of the wire 88 is hooked on the hook portion 87b of the locking portion 87, and the tip of the bent portion 88a is connected to the through hole 8 of the locking portion 87.
By passing the wire 88 through the wire 7a, the wire 88 can be fixed to the locking portion 87 (that is, to the back side of the disk-shaped main body). In this case, there is an advantage that a separate fixing means such as a screw member becomes unnecessary.

In this embodiment, it is sufficient if each wire is stretched between two projecting portions projecting from the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body of the wheel cover. Various configurations are also conceivable. For example, a wire may be stretched between two protruding portions formed so as to protrude at an interval.

FIG. 12 shows a wheel cover via the above-mentioned wire.
A subclip 90 for fixing 70 to the rim flange is shown. The subclip 90 is formed by integrally forming a pair of left and right locking portions 93 integrally formed with the holding portion 91 via the pedestal portion 92 on the holding portion 91 for holding the rim flange portion of the wheel. And it is preferably formed of metal or plastic. Each locking portion 93 has a hook portion 94 at its tip, and these hook portions 94 are engaged with the wire fixed to the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body 70a. The holding portion 91 is formed with a cut-and-raised portion 91a for increasing the engagement force with the rim flange. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the subclip 90 in a state where the wheel cover 70 is attached. It can be seen that the wire 80 and the subclip 90 correspond to the subhook (subengagement means) 50 in the wheel cover 30 of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the wheel cover can be urged in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 13 by utilizing the tension of the wire, whereby the wheel cover can be firmly fixed. Also, the same sub clip
With respect to 90, the longer the wire, the easier the positioning of the wire and the subclip (the greater the relative freedom of position between the two).

The actual mounting work of the wheel cover 70 is almost the same as that described with reference to FIG. 8, except that first, not only the main clip 60 but also the sub-clip 90 is fixed to the rim flange. different. After this, the disk-shaped body 70
The wire fixed on the back side of a is hooked on the hook portion 94 of the subclip 90 from the outside in the wheel radial direction, and finally, the main hook fixed on the back side of the disc-shaped main body.
The 40 elastic engaging portions are elastically engaged in the opening 63 of the clip 60 from the wheel axis direction (see FIG. 8).

Finally, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The wheel cover 100 of the third embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment only in the form of the sub-engaging means, and the other configuration is the same. Therefore, only the sub-engaging means will be described.

In the third embodiment, the sub-engaging means comprises an engaging member (sub-engaging portion) 110 directly attached to the back side of the disk-shaped main body 100a of the wheel cover 100, and this engaging member. And a sub-clip 120 for fixing the wheel cover 100 to the wheel rim flange portion through the sub-clip 120.

As shown in FIG. 15, the subclip 120 has a holding portion 121 for holding the rim flange portion of the wheel.
And an engaging portion 122 extending inward in the wheel radial direction from the holding portion 121, and are integrally formed, and are preferably formed of metal or plastic. Figure
16 shows an engaging portion 122 of the subclip 120 and an engaging member 110 attached to the back surface side of the disc-shaped main body 100a.

The engaging portion 122 of the subclip 120 has two bridge portions 123 and 125 formed in parallel at intervals. When the sub clip 120 is attached to the rim flange 3, the two bridges 123, 1
25 each extend tangentially to a concentric circle about the axis of the wheel. The bridge portion 123 on the right side in FIG. 16 located on the inner side in the wheel radial direction is provided with an inclined wall 124 extending obliquely outward and downward.

On the other hand, the engaging member 110 is
a screw means on the tip end surface of the projection 111 formed on the back side of a,
It is attached using an adhesive, welding, or the like. Engaging member 11
Reference numeral 0 denotes an elongated flat plate portion 112 extending in the wheel radial direction in a state fixed to the protrusion 111, and a stopper portion folded at a right angle downward at an inner end of the flat plate portion 112 in the wheel radial direction.
113, a loop portion 114 formed by folding the outer side in the wheel radial direction of the flat plate portion 112 downward, and a lip portion 115 further extending from the end of the loop portion 114, and the whole is made of metal or plastic. It is a molded elastic body.

The engagement portion 12 between the engagement member 110 and the subclip 120
2 can be engaged by sliding the engaging member 110 in the direction of arrow C in FIG. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

First, the stopper 113 of the engaging member 110 is located between the two bridges 123 and 125. At this time,
The bridge portion 125 on the outer side in the wheel radial direction is positioned so as to face a wedge-shaped space formed between the flat plate portion 112 and the lip portion 115 of the engagement member 110 (FIG. 17A).

In this state, when the engagement member 110 is slid inward in the wheel radial direction while the wheel cover 100 is slightly inclined with respect to the wheel surface, the bridge portion 125
Pushes the gap between the flat plate portion 112 and the lip portion 115 of the engaging member 110 so as to enter between them. In addition, the stopper 113 of the engaging member 110 is guided by the inclined wall 124 and moves toward the upper surface of the bridge 123 (FIG. 17B).

When the engaging member 110 is further slid,
The bridge section 125 fits inside the loop section 114. Then, when the elastic engaging portion of the main hook 40 fixed to the back side of the disk-shaped main body is elastically engaged with the opening 63 of the clip 60 from the wheel axis direction (see FIG. 8), as shown in FIG. State. At this time, the stopper portion 113 of the engaging member 113 engages with the wheel radially inner end surface of the bridge portion 123. Engagement member 1
The sub hooks (sub engagement means) in the wheel cover 30 of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
It turns out that it corresponds to 50.

As can be seen from the above description, the actual mounting operation of the wheel cover 100 is almost the same as that described with reference to FIG. 8, but first, not only the main clip 60 but also the sub-clip 120 is rimmed. The difference is that it is fixed to the flange.

In this embodiment, the same engagement member
As for the bridge 110, the longer the bridge portion of the subclip 120, the easier the alignment between the engagement member and the subclip (the relative degree of freedom of the positions of the two) increases.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a general wheel and an enlarged view of a rim portion thereof.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state where a wheel cover according to a conventional example is mounted.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a state in which a wheel cover according to a conventional example is mounted.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the wheel cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a perspective view and a front view, respectively, illustrating a main hook of the wheel cover of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a sub hook of the wheel cover of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a clip that engages with the main hook of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining an operation of attaching the wheel cover of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an attached state of the wheel cover of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a wheel cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 11 (a), (b) and (c) are perspective views illustrating various wires attached to the rear surface side of the wheel cover in FIG. 10, respectively.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a clip that engages with the wire rod of FIG. 11;

13 is a sectional view of the clip in a state where the wheel cover of FIG. 10 is attached.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a wheel cover according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a clip used for the wheel cover of FIG. 14;

16 is a perspective view showing an engaging member attached to the rear surface side of the wheel cover in FIG. 14 and an engaging portion of the clip in FIG. 15;

17 (a), (b), and (c) are explanatory views illustrating an engagement mechanism of an engagement member and an engagement portion illustrated in FIG. 16, respectively.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wheel 2 Rim part 3 Rim flange part 4 Hump part 10 Wheel cover 11 Disc-shaped main body 12 Claw part 13 Projection part 17 Wire ring 20 Wheel cover 21 Elastic engagement projection 22 Clip 23 Hole 30 Wheel cover 40 Main hook 41 Base plate Part 42 Curved piece 43 Opening 50 Sub-hook 51 Base plate 52 Curved part 53 Opening 60 Main clip 61 Holding part 62 Flat plate 63 Opening 70 Wheel cover 80 Wire rod 81 Projecting part 82 Wire 83 Screw member 85 Plate material 87 Locking part 88 Wire 90 Subclip 91 Holder 92 Pedestal 93 Locker 94 Hook 100 Wheel cover 110 Engagement member 111 Projection 112 Flat plate 113 Stopper 114 Loop 115 Lip 120 Subclip 121 Holder 122 Engagement 123 Bridge section 124 Inclined wall 125 Bridge section

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Each wheel rim flange
(3) A wheel cover comprising one main engaging means and a plurality of sub-engaging means at predetermined intervals along an outer peripheral edge of a disk-shaped main body, wherein the main engaging means comprises a rim. A main clip (60) fixed to the flange portion, and a main engaging portion (40) fixed to the peripheral edge of the back surface of the disc-shaped main body and removably elastically engaged with the main clip (60) in the wheel axis direction. The sub-engaging means includes a sub-engaging portion (52, 80, 110) fixed to the back surface of the disk-shaped main body and engaged with the rim flange portion from the radial outside. Characterized by the fact that
Wheel cover. 2. The main clip (6) of the main engagement means.
(0) is a holding portion (61) for holding the rim flange portion, and an engaging portion (63) connected to the holding portion and extending inward in the wheel radial direction and engaging with the main engaging portion (40). 2. An extension (62) formed.
The described wheel cover. 3. The sub-engaging means comprises a plate member (52) having, as the sub-engaging portion, a curved portion (52) for holding an outer peripheral surface of a rim flange portion from the outside in the wheel radial direction. The wheel cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. The sub-engaging means includes a hook (94) and a sub-clip (90) fixed to a rim flange.
And a disc-shaped main body, which is extended between two projecting portions protruding from the rear surface at the peripheral portion on the rear surface side and detachably engages with the hook portion (94) of the sub-clip from the radial outside of the wheel. Wire (80, 82, 85, 8
8. The wheel cover according to claim 1, wherein the wheel cover comprises: 5. The sub-engaging means comprises a bridge-shaped engaging portion (123, 125) and is fixed to a sub-clip (120) fixed to a rim flange portion and fixed to a peripheral edge on the back surface side of the disk-shaped main body. And the bridge-like engagement part of the sub clip (123,
The wheel according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an engagement member (110) serving as the sub-engagement portion, which is detachably elastically engaged with the outer periphery of the wheel from the wheel radial direction. cover.