Provided is a smart wheel cap for a vehicle, including: a front cover emitting light to the outside and including a cover body and an LED light emitting window mounted on a front border of the cover body; a cap including a cap-shaped cap body which is mounted on a back side of the front cover, and has the back side opened, and is transparent or translucent and a primary bearing mounted on a front inside of the cap body; a generator unit including a stator unit mounted on the back side of the cap and not rotating together with the front cover or cap and a rotor unit rotating together with the front cover or cap; and a rear cover coupled with the front cover and fixing locations of the cap and the generator unit, and having a mounting hook mounted on a wheel, provided on a back.

A minimal fairing apparatus minimally shielding the faster-moving drag-sensitive uppermost wheel surfaces from headwinds reduces overall vehicle drag. The apparatus includes various upper wheel fairings of FIGS. 1-6. Each fairing shields a primary vehicle-drag-inducing upper wheel surface from headwinds otherwise impinging thereon.

A vehicle wheel is defined by a substrate including a face and a rim portion. The face defines a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly between a central portion of the face and the rim portion and defining a mating portion. An applique is affixed to the wheel at the mating portion. A polymer over-coating that is substantially transparent extends over the applique and the wheel substrate defining a continuous polymer surface over the applique and the wheel substrate.

A removable wheel cover includes a disc and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly is attached to the disc. The shaft assembly includes a splined shaft, a piston, a piston spring, a push button mechanism, and an internal shaft. The piston forms an opening in which the internal shaft extends and moves therein. An exterior walled structure of the push button mechanism surrounds at least a portion of the walled structure of the piston. A walled structure of the splined shaft surrounds at least a portion of the exterior walled structure of the push button mechanism. The piston spring biases the piston in a direction away from a top surface of the push button mechanism. The push button mechanism moves to assist in unlocking the removable wheel cover indirectly or directly from a wheel.

A removable wheel cover includes a disc and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly is attached to the disc. The shaft assembly includes an outer shaft, a contact ring spring, a push button mechanism, and a contact ring. The outer shaft includes a walled structure. The push button mechanism further includes a body including a top surface. The walled structure of the outer shaft surrounds at least a portion of the body of the push button mechanism. The contact ring spring biases the contact ring in a direction away from the top surface of the push button mechanism. The contact ring spring further biases the push button mechanism in a direction opposite of the contact ring. The push button mechanism moves to assist in unlocking the removable wheel cover and a wheel.

A vehicle wheel assembly includes a vehicle wheel including a wheel body having a center. The vehicle wheel defines a plurality of openings arranged annularly around the center of the wheel body. The vehicle wheel assembly further includes a self-deployed wheel shutter system coupled to the vehicle wheel. The self-deployed wheel shutter system includes a hub plate, an annular rim disposed around the hub plate, and a plurality of shutter flaps. The shutter flaps are movable relative the vehicle wheel between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the shutter flaps cover the openings of the vehicle wheel to preclude air from flowing through the vehicle wheel. When the plurality of shutter flaps are in the retracted position, the openings are exposed, allowing the air to flow through the openings of the vehicle wheel.

A wheel assembly including a cover portion permanently attached to a wheel. The wheel includes a wheel central hub portion, a wheel outer peripheral rim portion, a plurality of wheel spoke portions extending between the wheel central hub portion and the wheel outer peripheral rim portion, and a plurality of wheel turbine openings disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of wheel spoke portions. A cover portion is configured to overlie a portion of the wheel portion. The cover portion is configured to overlie one or more of the wheel central hub portion; the plurality of wheel spoke portions, and the plurality of turbine openings or the wheel outer periphery. An adhesive is disposed between an outboard surface of the wheel and the inboard surface of the cover portion to permanently secure the cover portion to the wheel portion. When the cover portion is secured to the wheel, substantial portions of the plurality of wheel spokes, the wheel central hub, or wheel outer periphery remain exposed.

A vehicle wheel for motor vehicles may include a wheel-rim ring with an opening, a main member positioned at least partially in the opening of the wheel-rim ring, and a covering shell for at least partially covering the main member. The main member may include an attachment region with receptacles for attaching the main member and the wheel-rim ring to a vehicle. The wheel is configured to have a low weight and an adequate stiffness. Moreover, the wheel also exhibits a secure attachment and no pre-load losses while permitting a high degree of design flexibility. In some examples, the attachment region of the main member is free from the covering shell by way of, for example, a cut-out in the covering shell.

Vehicle hub step apparatus are disclosed. An example wheel hub step includes a radially-symmetric body having a first end to be adjacent a vehicle wheel and a second end opposite the first end. Additionally, the wheel hub step includes a wall extending between the ends and approximately coaxial relative to a rotational axis of the vehicle wheel. The wall of the wheel hub step having an outer surface including a surface treatment to increase friction between footwear and the wheel hub step.

Wheels for use on vehicles and methods of manufacturing vehicle wheels are described in the present disclosure. According to one embodiment, a method includes a step of manufacturing a wheel that includes a rim, a center disk, and a plurality of spokes. The rim may include a substantially-cylindrical barrel adapted to seal a tubeless tire. The center disk may include a central bore adapted for engagement with an axle of a vehicle. Also, the plurality of spokes may be adapted to connect the center disk to the rim. The method further includes the step of deforming outwardly-facing surfaces of the spokes using one or more hammering or punching instruments.