SPACE-SAVING SPARE WHEEL ASSEMBLY HAVING ERGONOMIC HANDLES FOR USE WITH A VEHICLE

Abstract

A spare wheel assembly comprising a tire and a rim to which the tire is attached is disclosed. The rim includes a center mounting plate having a center bore, inner and outer opposed flanges, and a disk between the center bore and the flanges. The disk includes a pair of elongated, curved slots formed on opposite sides of the center bore. Each of the slots is an ergonomically-formed hand hold for receiving fingers of an operator's hand. The inner and outer opposed flanges of the rim define perimeters of the rim between which the tire is held. The curved slots are concentric with respect to the perimeter of the outer flange and with respect to the center bore. A centerline is formed radially through the assembly. The disk is positioned on one side of the centerline and the mounting plate is positioned on the other side of the centerline.

Claims

1. A spare wheel assembly for use with a vehicle, the assembly comprising: a tire; a rim to which said tire is attached, said rim having a center mounting plate having a center bore, inner and outer opposed flanges, and a disk therebetween, said disk having a pair of elongated slots formed on opposite sides of said center bore, each of said slots being a hand hold for receiving fingers of a hand.

2. The spare wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said elongated slots is curved.

3. The spare wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein said flanges define perimeters of said rim between which said tire is held.

4. The spare wheel assembly of claim 3 wherein said slots are formed adjacent said outer flange.

5. The spare wheel assembly of claim 4 wherein said slots are curved and wherein said slots are concentric with respect to said perimeter of said outer flange.

6. The spare wheel assembly of claim 1 further including a centerline formed radially through said tire and said rim, said disk being on one side of said centerline and said center mounting plate being on the other side of said centerline.

7. The spare wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein said elongated slots are elongated curved slots that are concentric with said center bore.

8. A spare wheel assembly comprising: a tire; a rim to which said tire is attached, said rim having a center mounting plate, inner and outer opposed flanges, and a disk therebetween, said disk having opposed slots, each slot being suitable for a hand to grasp; a centerline formed radially through said tire and said rim, said disk being on one side of said centerline and said plate being on the other side of said centerline.

9. The spare wheel assembly of claim 8 wherein each of said elongated slots is curved.

10. The spare wheel assembly of claim 8 wherein said flanges define perimeters of said rim between which said tire is held.

11. The spare wheel assembly of claim 10 wherein said slots are formed adjacent said outer flange.

12. The spare wheel assembly of claim 11 wherein said slots are curved and wherein said slots are concentric with respect to said perimeter of said outer flange.

13. The spare wheel assembly of claim 8 wherein said center mounting plate includes a center bore and wherein said elongated slots are elongated curved slots that are concentric with said center bore.

14. A spare wheel assembly comprising: a tire; a rim to which said tire is attached, said rim having a center bore formed in a center mounting plate, inner and outer opposed flanges, and a disk therebetween, said disk having a pair of curved slots formed on opposite sides of said center bore, each of said slots being a hand hold for receiving a hand, said slots being concentric with said center bore.

15. The spare wheel assembly of claim 14 wherein each of said elongated slots is elongated.

16. The spare wheel assembly of claim 14 wherein said flanges define perimeters of said rim between which said tire is held.

17. The spare wheel assembly of claim 16 wherein said slots are formed adjacent said outer flange.

18. The spare wheel assembly of claim 17 wherein said slots are curved and wherein said slots are concentric with respect to said perimeter of said outer flange.

19. The spare wheel assembly of claim 14 further including a centerline formed radially through said tire and said rim, said disk being on one side of said centerline and said center mounting plate being on the other side of said centerline.

20. The spare wheel assembly of claim 14 wherein said center mounting plate includes a plurality of lung bolt holes formed therein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a space-saving spare wheel assembly having formed ergonomic handles for use with a vehicle according to the disclosed inventive concept;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the space-saving spare wheel assembly of the disclosed inventive concept as illustrated in FIG. 1 shown in spaced-apart relation to the spare wheel well of a vehicle as would be the case when the wheel is being positioned in the well or removed therefrom; and

[0014] FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the spare wheel assembly of the disclosed inventive concept in position on the hub of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] In the following figures, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components. In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for different constructed embodiments. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting.

[0016] The figures illustrate a space-saving spare wheel assembly having formed ergonomic handles according to the disclosed inventive concept. It is to be understood that the illustrated embodiment is suggestive and is not intended as being limiting. For example, while only two ergonomic hand-receiving slots are illustrated it may be possible for three or more slots to be provided. In addition, while the illustrated wheel assembly is shown as being a spare wheel assembly, the present inventive concept could also be used as part of a road wheel assembly.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a plan view of a space-saving spare wheel assembly having formed ergonomic handles for use with a vehicle according to the disclosed inventive concept is shown. The space-saving spare wheel assembly, generally illustrated as 10, includes a rim 12. (The rim 12 is occasionally referred to as the wheel.) A tire 14 is attached to the rim 12. The illustrated tire 14 is commonly known as a space-saving tire but it is to be understood that the tire 14 may alternatively be a conventional road tire as noted above. As noted above, the rim 12 may be made of any one of several materials including, without limitation, a metal, such as stamped steel or cast aluminum, or a plastic, such as any one of several carbon reinforced plastics.

[0018] The rim 12 includes an outer rim flange 16 which, together with an inner rim flange (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and discussed in conjunction therewith), captures the tire 14 therebetween. A hub mounting plate 18 is centrally positioned on the rim 12. A disk 20 is positioned between the outer rim flange 16 and the hub mounting plate 18. A center bore 22 is formed in the center of the hub mounting plate 18. In addition, a plurality of lug bolt holes 24 is formed in the hub mounting plate. It is to be understood that while four lug bolt holes 24 are illustrated, a greater or lesser number of lug bolt holes may be provided.

[0019] FIG. 1 also illustrates a pair of opposed elongated, curved handles 26 and 26 that are preferably formed by stamping. The curved handles 26 and 26 are positioned adjacent the outer rim flange 16 and between the outer rim flange 16 and the hub mounting plate 18. As shown, the curved handles 26 and 26 are preferably concentric with both the center bore 22 and the outer rim flange 16. It is to be understood that the number, shape and placement of the curved handles 26 and 26 shown in FIG. 1 are preferred but are not intended as being limiting. For example, four curved handles may be provided of different sizes to accommodate hands of different sizes. Regardless of the preferred number, shape and placement of the curved handles 26 and 26, these variables are optimized so as to provide the greatest convenience to the operator when handling the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10. Between the curved handles 26 and 26 and the hub mounting plate 18 is provided a conical area 28. The conical area 28 provides the appropriate depth between the disk 20 and the hub mounting plate 18 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and as discussed in relation thereto.

[0020] When not in use on a vehicle, the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 of the disclosed inventive concept is typically though not exclusively stored in the vehicle's trunk. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 is illustrated in its stored position in a spare wheel well 30. It is to be understood that the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 may be stored instead on, for example, a spare wheel support bracket fitted to the outside of the rear end of the vehicle.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 and the spare wheel well 30 are shown in cross-section. The spare wheel well 30 conventionally includes a base wall 32 and an enclosing side wall 34. A cover (not shown) is conventionally fitted over the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 when in position within the spare wheel well 30.

[0022] As noted above, the rim 12 includes both the outer flange 16 and an opposed inner flange 36. The rim width defined by the outer flange 16 and the inner flange 36 that is illustrated are suggestive and may be varied depending on the type of tire used.

[0023] A centerline 38 is formed radially through the tire 14 and the rim 12. To maximize the best ergonomic arrangement for the operator, the area of the disk 20 of the rim 12 in which the curved handles 26 and 26 are formed is elevated relative to the outer flange 16. According to this arrangement, the fingers of the operator's hands, illustrated as H and H, can easily and comfortably fit into the curved handles 26 and 26.

[0024] Used preferably as a spare wheel assembly, the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 must also be readily adaptable for use on a conventional vehicle hub for limited driving. Accordingly, the hub mounting plate 18 is deeply positioned in the rim 12 relative to the disk 20 whereby the conical area 28, formed between the hub mounting plate 18 and the disk 20, defines a deep inset 40 between the disk 20 and the hub mounting plate 18. As illustrated, the disk 20 is positioned on one side of the centerline 38 and the hub mounting plate 18 is positioned on the other side of the centerline 38.

[0025] The deep positioning of the mounting plate 18 relative to the disk 20 also provides additional ergonomic comfort to the user when the fingers of the hands H and H are inserted into the curved handles 26 and 26. Particularly, and as also shown in FIG. 2, to handle the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10, the fingers of the operator's hands H and H are inserted into the curved handles 26 and 26. The thumbs of the operator's hands H and H are readily pressed against the conical area 28, thereby providing the necessary leverage to allow the user to remove the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10.

[0026] Once the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 has been removed from the spare wheel well 30 by the operator by grasping the curved handles 26 and 26, the operator then places the wheel assembly 10 on a wheel hub 42 of the vehicle. The wheel hub 42 conventionally includes a plurality of lug bolts 44. A brake rotor 46 is fitted to the wheel hub 42 as is known.

[0027] Once the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 is in position on the wheel hub 42, the operator fixes the wheel assembly to the hub 42 by use of lug nuts (not shown). Thus the ergonomic design of the curved handles 26 and 26 allows the operator to easily and comfortably remove the space-saving spare wheel assembly 10 from the wheel well 30 and attach it to the wheel hub 42 with a minimum amount of effort and with a maximum amount of safety.

[0028] Accordingly, based on the disclosed inventive concept as illustrated in the figures and as described above, it is to be understood that the disclosed the space-saving spare wheel assembly overcomes the challenges faced by known spare wheel assemblies by providing convenient and easy-to-use ergonomically designed handles that allow virtually any operator to easily remove the spare wheel assembly from the wheel well and attach it to the wheel hub. Removal of the spare wheel assembly from the wheel hub can also be readily accomplished by the disclosed design. However, one skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.