B60B7/06

Hubcap for heavy-duty vehicles

A hubcap for a heavy-duty duty vehicle that includes mounting structure that is formed with and cooperates with a side wall of the hubcap to provide a stiff, rigid structure that enables non-cantilevered connection to a wheel hub. The mounting structure can be a plurality of elongated bosses circumferentially spaced about the side wall that are formed with corresponding elongated bolt openings to enable the non-cantilevered attachment to the wheel hub. The elongated bosses cooperate with the hubcap side wall to provide a stiffened or rigid structure between the elongated bolt openings for increased and more uniform clamping force on a sealing gasket between the hubcap and the wheel hub. The hubcap profile provides clearance for removal of an outboard mounted disc brake rotor in heavy-duty vehicle wheel end assemblies that include such rotor configurations. The hubcap may support simple mounting of a hub odometer.

Vibration absorber for vehicle wheels

A vibration absorber for vehicle wheels is capable of absorbing and attenuating vibration of a vehicle wheel and of increasing a vibration absorption capability of the wheel without changing the external appearance and design of the wheel. The vibration absorber includes a vibration absorption unit mounted on a back surface of a center cap of the vehicle wheel to absorb a first vibration in an axial direction of the wheel transmitted through the center cap.

Wheel Cover Assembly with Installable Wheel Rib and Wheel Cover
20230117497 · 2023-04-20 ·

A wheel cover assembly for a vehicle wheel may include a wheel rib that is attachable to a rim inner surface of a wheel rim of the vehicle wheel, a cover body having a cover body outer surface, a cover body inner surface, and a cover body outer edge having an outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the wheel rib and less than an inner diameter of an open end flange of the wheel rim. A cover mounting mechanism operatively connected to the cover body has a cover locking position wherein the cover mounting mechanism engages the wheel rib to retain the wheel rib between the cover mounting mechanism and the cover body and secure the wheel cover assembly to the vehicle wheel when the wheel rib is attached to the rim inner surface.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCKING AND STABILIZING A WHEEL COVER ASSEMBLY
20230158829 · 2023-05-25 · ·

Implementations disclosed and claimed herein provide a wheel cover system. In one implementation, an inward force exerted against a wheel cover of the wheel cover assembly in an inward direction towards the hub is received. The inward force overcomes a spring bias of a spring of the receiver and translates the wheel cover assembly in the inward direction. A first rotational force rotating the wheel cover assembly in a first direction is received. The first post guides and engages the first hook, and the second post guides and engages the second hook during rotation. A first positive feedback is generated in response to the inward force and the first rotational force. The wheel cover assembly is releasably locked to the receiver by translating the wheel cover assembly in the outward direction using an outward force generated by the spring bias. The outward force provides a second positive feedback.

WHEEL CAP

A wheel cap includes a cap body having a wheel side face and another face serving as a styling face on an opposite side from the wheel side face; a first engagement leg provided standing out from the wheel side face and configured to be inserted into a through hole of the wheel, with the first engagement leg abutting a first attachment portion of a peripheral edge of the through hole at a first angle with respect to an insertion direction; and a second engagement leg provided standing out from the wheel side face as a pair with the first engagement leg and configured to be inserted into the through hole of the wheel, with the second engagement leg abutting a second attachment portion at the peripheral edge of the through hole at a second angle with respect to the insertion direction, the second angle being greater than the first angle

Protective covering for caster assembly
11628687 · 2023-04-18 ·

A protective covering is provided for covering an axle of a caster assembly including an exterior side that has an outer wall and an outer sidewall about a perimeter of and extending from the outer wall, and an interior side that has an inner wall recessed within the outer side and an inner sidewall extending from the inner sidewall. A main channel is defined within the recess of the interior side is configured to receive a leg of a bracket of the caster assembly and releasably retain the leg therein such that the protective covering is coupled to a side of the caster assembly. The exterior side preferably partially or entirely covers a hub of a wheel of the caster assembly and thereby reduces the likelihood of debris entering a cavity defined between the hub and the leg thereof.

FLOATING CENTERCAP FOR VEHICLE
20230116450 · 2023-04-13 · ·

A floating centercap assembly for a vehicle includes a cap and a counterweight affixed to the cap. A cup is included having a central bearing affixed to the cap wherein the counterweight travels rotationally within a sidewall of the cup. One of a retainer clip and a bracket affixes the cup to the vehicle wheel cover or axle.

Multi-position center cap
11465442 · 2022-10-11 ·

The present disclosure pertains to a two piece center cap design which can be securably affixed to a wheel in a manner that does not require the center cap to be removed when installing and removing the wheels from a vehicle. This is achieved by rotating the center cap from a first position covering the lug nuts, to a second position, which does not cover the lug nuts, thereby providing access to the wheel lugs to allow the wheel to be installed and removed.

Shaped preform for face portion of a composite wheel

A shaped preform component (200) for a face portion (104) of a composite wheel (100), the shaped preform (200) having a hub (206) that extends around a central axis (Y), the shaped preform component (200) being formed from a cured composite fibre material having a compressibility of <2% volumetric under moulding conditions of 50 bar hydrostatic pressure and a temperature of 60 to 200° C.

Hubcap Lighting System
20220314689 · 2022-10-06 ·

An illumination system for a vehicle wheel. A lighting component is attached to a hubcap, a wheel center hubcap, or both. The lighting component may be externally attached or embedded, or attached to a back side of the hubcap, the wheel center hubcap, or both. The lighting component may be a plurality of LED lights configured to illuminate an area external to the hubcap or wheel center hubcap. The lighting component may emit a single color or multiple colors of light either continuously or in a pattern. The lighting component is solar powered and may employ a battery backup. The illumination system may be controlled via a switch or wirelessly with an external controller or via a mobile application.