Wheel Cover for a Wheel of a Vehicle

Abstract

A wheel of a vehicle has a rim, a hub section and at least two spokes which connect the hub section to the rim. At least one spoke intermediate space between the spokes is at least partially covered by a covering element mounted on the wheel from the outside of the wheel. The covering element is held in the installed position by a fastening device. The fastening device is mounted from the inside of the wheel and is connected to a wheel flange arranged in the inside of the wheel.

Claims

1. A wheel of a vehicle, comprising: a rim; a hub portion; and at least two spokes that connect the hub portion to the rim, wherein a spoke intermediate space between the at least two spokes is at least partially covered by a covering element mounted on the wheel from outside the wheel, the covering element is held in an installed position by a fastening device, and the fastening device is mounted from inside the wheel and is connected to a wheel flange arranged on the inside of the wheel.

2. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of covering elements are held in the installed position on the outside of the wheel by the fastening device.

3. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the fastening device is connected to the wheel flange in a form-fitting, force-fitting and/or materially bonded manner.

4. The wheel according to claim 3, wherein the fastening device rests on the wheel flange and is held between the wheel flange and a component connected to the wheel flange.

5. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein at least one wing element of the fastening device at least partially overlaps the spoke intermediate space from the inside of the wheel.

6. The wheel according to claim 5, wherein the wing element of the fastening device projects into the spoke intermediate space from the inside of the wheel.

7. The wheel according to claim 5, wherein the wing element is connected to the covering element in a force-fitting, form-fitting and/or materially bonded manner.

8. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the covering element is connected to at least one spoke and/or to the rim in a form-fitting manner.

9. The wheel of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rim has an undercut extending in a circumferential direction of the wheel, to which undercut the covering element is attached.

10. The wheel of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the covering element and/or of the fastening device is made of a plastic and/or of a flexible material.

11. A method of mounting a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel having a rim, a hub portion, at least two spokes that connect the hub portion to the rim, and a covering element that at least partially covers an intermediate space between the at least two spokes, the method comprising: prepositioning a fastening device flat against a wheel flange arranged on an inner side of the wheel; securing the fastening device between a component connected to the wheel flange and the wheel flange.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: connecting the covering element to the fastening device from outside of the wheel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a part of a wheel of a vehicle in a front view or outside view with exemplary covering elements.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the wheel from FIG. 1 in a rear view or inside view.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a wheel according to the invention of a vehicle in a front view.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows the wheel from FIG. 3 in a rear view or inside view.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the wheel from FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a part of a wheel of a vehicle in a three-dimensional view as seen from the outside A of the wheel. The wheel comprises a rim 1, a hub portion 2 and a plurality of spokes 3 that connect the hub portion 2 to the rim 1. The respectively mutually adjacent spokes 3 in this case form a spoke intermediate space 4. At least one of these spoke intermediate spaces 4 is at least partially covered by a covering element 5.1. The covering element 5.1 is in this case mounted on the wheel from the outside A of the wheel, or from the outer side A of the wheel.

[0041] The covering element 5.1 is in this case held in the installed position on the wheel by a fastening device 5.2. The fastening device 5.2 is, as shown in FIG. 2 in a view of the wheel from the inner side of the wheel, mounted on the inner side of the wheel and connected to the inner hub portion 2, known as the wheel flange.

[0042] The outside of the wheel, or the outer side of the wheel, in this case describes the side of the installed wheel that is visible from the outside when looking at the vehicle, while the inside of the wheel, or the inner side of the wheel, represents the side of the wheel that is directed in the direction of a vehicle structure in the installed state of the wheel. Thus, in FIG. 1, the outside of the wheel, or the outer side of the wheel, can be seen, and in FIG. 2, the inner side of the wheel can be seen.

[0043] In this case, FIG. 1 shows a wheel of a vehicle in an outside view (i.e. the outside of the wheel), while in FIG. 2, the same wheel can be seen in an inside view (i.e. from the inner side of the wheel). In this specific example, each spoke intermediate space 4 of the wheel is at least partially covered with a covering element 5.1.

[0044] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the fastening device 5.2, in this case in the form of a ring 5.2.1, bears or rests flat against the (inner) hub portion or against the wheel flange 2. From the ring 5.2.1, at least approximately flat wing elements 5.2.2 each branch off along each spoke 3, said wing elements 5.2.2 at least partially covering the spoke intermediate spaces 4, coming from the inside of the wheel or on the inner side of the wheel.

[0045] As seen from the outside of the wheel, or the outer side A of the wheel, in FIG. 1, the covering elements 5.1 can be seen in each spoke intermediate space 4. The covering elements 5.1 can, following the mounting of the fastening device 5.2, cover (at least partially) the spoke intermediate spaces 4 by a suitable connection to the respective flat wing elements 5.2.2 of the fastening device 5.2 on the outer side of the wheel. In this specific example, the connection of the covering element 5.1 to the fastening device 5.2 is realized in the form of a screw connection 6.

[0046] As an alternative to such a screw connection 6, however, other forms of connection, for example a form fit or a material bond, are also contemplated. In particular for a desired easy releasability of the connection between the covering element 5.1 and the fastening device 5.2 and thus for easy removal of the covering element 5.1, a form-fitting connection is appropriate.

[0047] During the mounting of the wheel in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in a first step, the fastening device 5.2 is applied or prepositioned flat against the inner hub portion or the wheel flange 2. As can be seen in FIG. 2, provision is made for a further component (in particular a brake disk) to be fastened as flat as possible by means of suitable screw fittings 7 to the inner hub portion 2 of the wheel or the wheel flange 2. As a result of this further component being fastened flat after the prepositioning of the fastening device 5.2 on the hub portion 2, the ring 5.2.1 of the fastening device 5.2 is clamped in place between the component and the hub portion 2 and thus held firmly on the wheel.

[0048] Following this mounting step, the covering elements 5.1 can be attached individually at the desired spoke intermediate spaces 4 or to the flat wing elements 5.2.2 of the fastening device 5.2 from the outside. Since the flat wing elements 5.2.2, as seen in the radial direction of the wheel, are offset with respect to the outermost (circle) plane of the wheel, provision is made for the covering element 5.1 to be geometrically shaped such that it has a protrusion or shoulder, in order to be connected suitably to the fastening device 5.2.

[0049] FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show a further exemplary embodiment of a wheel according to the invention of a vehicle. As in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, here too, all the spoke intermediate spaces 4 of the wheel are covered at least partially by a covering element 5.1. In FIG. 3, the wheel, or a part of the wheel, can be seen from the outer side of the wheel, while FIG. 4 shows the wheel from the inner side of the wheel.

[0050] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the fastening device 5.2 is again applied in the form of a ring 5.2.1 to the hub portion 2 or the wheel flange, wherein (at least approximately) flat wing elements 5.2.2 branch off from this ring 5.2.1 to the respective spoke intermediate spaces 4. In contrast to the example in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flat wing elements 5.2.2 each overlap a spoke 3 and then overlap in each case two spoke intermediate spaces 4 Likewise in contrast to the previous exemplary embodiment, the fastening device 5.2 is connected to the particular covering element 5.1 in a form-fitting manner. The fastening device 5.2 is in this case, as can be seen in FIG. 3, visible in the outside view of the wheel or from the outer side of the wheel.

[0051] The form-fitting connection between the covering element 5.1 and the fastening device 5.2 is shown in more detail and by way of example in a sectional view through the wheel in FIG. 5. Here, the fastening device 5.2 has been introduced into a receptacle 5.1.2 of the covering element 5.1. Furthermore, as is likewise apparent from FIG. 5 and FIG. 4, the ring 5.2.1, bearing against the hub portion 2, of the fastening device 5.2 is additionally arranged in cutouts 2.1 or blind holes in the inner hub surface 2. In this way, an additional form fit can be realized between the fastening device 5.2 and the hub portion 2.

[0052] The mounting sequence for mounting the wheel in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is the same as for the above-described wheel in FIGS. 1 and 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0053] 1 Rim [0054] 1.1 Undercut [0055] 2 Hub portion or wheel flange [0056] 2.1 Cutout [0057] 3 Spoke [0058] 4 Spoke intermediate space [0059] 5 Covering element [0060] 5.1 Covering element [0061] 5.1.1 Groove [0062] 5.1.2 Receptacle [0063] 5.2 Fastening device [0064] 5.2.1 Ring [0065] 5.2.2 Flat wing element [0066] 6 Screw connection [0067] 7 Screw fittings [0068] 8 Form fit [0069] A Outside of the wheel [0070] I Inside of the wheel

[0071] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.