INSERT FOR VEHICLE WHEELS

Abstract

The insert for vehicle wheels comprises an insert body (1) and fastening means that enable said insert to be fastened to a rim (4) of a wheel, wherein said fastening means comprise at least one retaining element (2) provided with a step (22); and at least one fastening element (3) covering the or each retaining element (2), the or each fastening element (3) comprising at least one tab (33) that is coupled to said step (22).

The invention provides an insert for use thereof in a wheel of a vehicle that is inexpensive and can be easily mounted from the front portion thereof, but which has an anti-theft system that prevents the removal thereof from the front portion and enables most of said insert to be made of a material that does not require high thermal resistance.

Claims

1. An insert for vehicle wheels, comprising an insert body (1) and fastening means that enable said insert to be fastened to a rim (4) of a wheel, characterised in that said fastening means comprise: at least one retaining element (2) provided with a step (22); and at least one fastening element (3) covering the or each retaining element (2), the or each fastening element (3) comprising at least one tab (33) that is coupled to said step (22).

2. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein said at least one retaining element (2) and said at least one fastening element (3) are made of plastic material.

3. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each fastening element (3) is formed by two halves joined in an articulated manner at one of the ends thereof.

4. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each retaining element (2) has a frustoconical-shaped tip (21).

5. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each fastening element (3) has a frustoconical-shaped tip (31).

6. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein said tab (33) of the or of each fastening element (3) is inclined inwardly towards the fastening element (3).

7. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each retaining element (2) is joined to the insert body (1) by means of the placement of a ring (23) of the or of each retaining element (2) inside a housing (11) of said insert body (1).

8. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 7, wherein the ring (23) is square-shaped.

9. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 7, wherein said housing (11) comprises an insertion slot (12) for said retaining element (2).

10. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claims 4, wherein said ring (23) is arranged at the end opposite from the frustoconical-shaped tip (21) of said retaining element (2).

11. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each fastening element (3) comprises a fastening projection (32) for fastening thereof to the rim (4) of the wheel.

12. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each fastening element (3) comprises a stop projection (34) for butting against the rim (4) of the wheel.

13. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 1, wherein the or each fastening element (3) is joined to the or each retaining element (2) before fastening to the rim (4).

14. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claim 13, wherein the joining between the or each fastening element (3) and the or each retaining element (2) is performed by means of joining bridges (5) that break when fastening the insert to the rim (4).

15. The insert for vehicle wheels according to claims 14, wherein said joining bridges (5) join the frustoconical-shaped tip (23) of the retaining element (2) with the inner portion of the stop projection (34) of the fastening element (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to better understand what has been set forth, several drawings are attached wherein a practical embodiment is schematically depicted merely by way of non-limiting example.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a retaining element of the insert according to the present invention before being placed in a housing of the insert body;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fastening element of the insert according to the present invention in the open position thereof;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the insert according to the present invention in the position of use thereof; and

[0036] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of a retaining element and a fastening element of the insert according to the present invention, wherein the retaining element and the fastening element are joined before being fastened to a rim of a wheel.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0037] The insert for wheels according to the present invention comprises:

[0038] an insert body 1,

[0039] at least one retaining element 2 that is joined to said insert body 1 and

[0040] at least one fastening element 3 that is fastened to a rim 4 of a vehicle wheel and is coupled to said retaining element 2.

[0041] It should be noted that the insert according to the present invention preferably comprises a plurality of retaining elements 2 and fastening elements 3, placed in adequate positions to ensure the correct fastening of the insert to the rim 4.

[0042] Said insert body 1 is the visible portion of the insert of the present invention and is preferably flat. According to the embodiment depicted, the joining thereof with the retaining element 2 is performed by means of a housing 11 provided with a slot 12 and a narrowing 13, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0043] Said insert body 1 is preferably made of plastic material, although it could be made of any suitable material.

[0044] On the other hand, the retaining element 2, which function is to retain the insert body 1 and enable the fastening element 3 to be coupled, comprises a frustoconical-shaped tip 21, a coupling step 22 and rings 23, at least one of them being square-shaped, these rings 23 being arranged at the end furthest from the frustoconical- shaped tip 21.

[0045] The frustoconical-shaped tip 21 facilitates the introduction of the insert into a hole of a rim of a wheel.

[0046] The coupling step 22 has the function of enabling the fastening element 3 to be coupled, as will be described below, and the rings 23, together with the narrowing 13, prevent the accidental removal of the retaining element 2 inside the housing 11 of the insert body 1.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the portion between the coupling step 22 and the rings 23 is that which is placed at the height of the slot 12 of the housing 11, while one of the rings 23 is housed, at least partially, in said housing 11.

[0048] The retaining element 2 is advantageously made of a plastic material.

[0049] Furthermore, the insert according to the present invention comprises a fastening element 3, which in the position of use thereof is placed on the retaining element 2, as seen in FIG. 3, covering said retaining element 2.

[0050] Said fastening element 3 has a form that is substantially complementary to the retaining element 2. In particular, it comprises a frustoconical-shaped tip 31 and a fastening projection 32, which enables the insert to be fastened to a rim 4 of a wheel.

[0051] The fastening element 3 also comprises one or more tabs 33, two in the embodiment depicted, which are inclined inwardly and make contact with the step 22 of the retaining element 2, and a stop projection 34, which function is to butt against one of the rings 23 and against the front portion of the rim 4, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0052] The fastening element 3 is preferably formed by two halves articulated with each other at one end, in particular, at the end wherein the stop projection 34 is located, as shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, said fastening element 3 is also preferably made of a plastic material.

[0053] In FIG. 3, the insert according to the present invention is shown in the position of use thereof, with the retaining element 2 joined to the insert body 1, the fastening element 3 coupled to the retaining element 2 and fastened to the rim 4 of a wheel.

[0054] As can be seen in this figure, the insert body 1 is placed entirely outside the rim 4 of the wheel, such that it can be manufactured with a material that does not require high heat resistance, since it will not be subject to heat produced by the brakes of the wheel.

[0055] An alternative embodiment of the insert according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 4. According to this embodiment, the only difference is that the retaining element 2 and the fastening element 3 are already joined to each other by joining bridges 5 before being placed in the position of use.

[0056] When placed in the position of use, with the fastening element 3 covering the retaining element 2, said joining bridges 5 break, since they are designed with a suitable thickness therefor.

[0057] Preferably, said joining bridges 5 join the frustoconical-shaped tip 21 of the retaining element 2 with the inner portion of the stop projection 34 of the fastening element 3.

[0058] Despite having referred to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is evident for one skilled in the art that the insert for wheels described is susceptible to a number of variations and modifications, and that all the aforementioned details can be replaced with other technically equivalent ones without detracting from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.