GB2316044A

GB2316044A - Vehicle wheel trim

Info

Publication number: GB2316044A
Application number: GB9715870A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Arthur Salt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-08-08
Filing date: 1997-07-29
Publication date: 1998-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-29
Also published as: GB9616627D0; GB2316044B; GB9715870D0

Abstract

A lockable vehicle wheel trim 1 comprises a body member 2 for covering a central portion of a vehicle wheel and having an aperture therethrough, a barrel lock 3 being operable via the aperture to rotate an actuator member 4, which is connected to a pair of retaining rods 5, between locked and unlocked conditions. Each of the retaining rods 5 is adapted to engage a retaining bracket 7 on the vehicle wheel when in the locked condition.

Description

VEHICLE WHEEL TRIM The present invention relates to vehicle wheel trims, and relates particularly to lockable wheel trims adapted to prevent accidental or unauthorised removal of the wheel trim from a vehicle wheel.

Wheel trims are generally attached to vehicle wheels by means of resilient clips or similar such means for reteining the wheel trim in place. The degree of retention provided by such clips or other means is generally not very strong. As a result, the wheel trims can be easily detached from the wheel.

This causes the disadvantage that the wheel trims are frequently lost or stolen.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lockable vehicle wheel trim, the wheel trim comprising: a body member for covering a central portion of a vehicle wheel and having an aperture therethrough: locking means operable via said aperture to rotate an actuator member between locked and unlocked conditions; and a plurality of retaining members, each of which is connected adjacent one end thereof to the actuator member and is adapted to engage a retaining means on the vehicle wheel at the other end thereof, wherein in the unlocked condition the wheel trim is removable from the vehicle wheel, and is retained on the vehicle wheel in the locked condition thereof.

By providing a wheel trim having locked and unlocked conditions, this provides the advantage of enabling the wheel trim to be more firmly attached to the wheel, thus minimising accidental or unauthorised removal of the wheel trim from the wheel.

In a preferred embodiment, the locking means comprises a barrel lock.

The locking means may be located substantially at the centre of the wheel trim.

This provides the advantage of enabling symmetrical construction of the wheel trim.

In a preferred embodiment, each said retaining member comprises a hook at one end thereof for engaging a respective retaining means on the vehicle wheel.

The wheel trim preferably comprises two said retaining members and an elongate said actuator member connected substantially at a central portion thereof to the locking means, wherein each said retaining member is connected adjacent a respective end of the actuator member.

Each said retaining member may be pivotably attached at one end thereof to the actuator member.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a lockable vehicle wheel trim as defined above and a plurality of retaining brackets adapted to be mounted to a vehicle wheel and to engage a respective retainig member.

In a preferred embodiment, each said retaining bracket is adapted to be hooked on to a vehicle wheel rim and comprises a loop for engaging a respective retaining member.

As an aid to understanding of the invention, preferred embodiments thereof will now be described in detail below, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross sectional end view of a lockable vehicle wheel trim embodying the present invention and in the locked condition thereof; Figure 2 is a cut away elevational view of the wheel trim of Figure 1 when mounted to a vehicle wheel; Figure 3 is an elevational view of a vehicle wheel for receiving the wheel trim of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4a is a perspective view of a retaining hook of Figure 3; Figure 4b is an end view of the retaining hook of Figure 4a; and Figure 5 is a schematic cross sectional end view of a peripheral portion of the vehicle wheel and wheel trim of Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a lockable wheel trim 1 comprises a body member 2 having a barrel lock 3 arranged in a central aperture thereof. The barrel lock 3 is connected to an elongate actuator member 4 such that rotation of the barrel lock 3 between its locked and unlocked conditions rotates the actuator member 4 relative to the body member 2.

A pair of retaining rods 5 are each pivotably attached at one end to the actuator member 4 and provided at the other end thereof with a hook 6 for engaging a retaining bracket 7 mounted to vehicle wheel rim 8.

Referring in detail to Figures 4a and 4b, each of the retaining brackets 7 comprises a curved portion 9 for attachment to the wheel rim 8, and a body portion 10 to which a loop 11 is attached. As shown in Figure 3, when the curved portion is mounted to the vehicle wheel rim 8, the bracket 7 is rigidly held in place.

The operation of the lockable wheel trim will now be described.

When the wheel trim 1 is to be mounted to a vehicle wheel, the wheel trim 1 in the unlocked condition thereof is placed in contact with the vehicle wheel such that the hook 6 is located adjacent the corresponding retaining bracket 7. As the barrel lock 3 is rotated to its locked condition, the actuator member 4 rotates relative to the body member 2 of the wheel trim 1, which reduces the distance between the hook 6 to bring the hook into engagement with the retaining bracket 7. As a result, the wheel trim 1 is sufficiently securely mounted to the vehicle wheel to prevent accidental detachment thereof, and cannot be removed by unauthorised persons without damaging the wheel trim.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and not in any limitive sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended Claims.

Claims

1. A lockable vehicle wheel trim, the wheel trim comprising: a body member for covering a central portion of a vehicle wheel and having an aperture therethrough: locking means operable via said aperture to rotate an actuator member between locked and unlocked conditions; and a plurality of retaining members, each of which is connected adjacent one end thereof to the actuator member and is adapted to engage a retaining means on the vehicle wheel at the other end thereof, wherein in the unlocked condition the wheel trim is removable from the vehicle wheel, and is retained on the vehicle wheel in the locked condition thereof.

2. A wheel trim according to claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises a barrel lock.

3. A wheel trim according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking means is located substantially at the centre of the wheel trim.

4. A wheel trim according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said retaining member comprises a hook at one end thereof for engaging a respective retaining means on the vehicle wheel.

5. A wheel trim according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising two said retaining members and an elongate said actuator member connected substantially at a central portion thereof to the locking means, wherein each said retaining member is connected adjacent a respective end of the actuator member.

6. A wheel trim according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said retaining member is pivotably attached at one end thereof to the actuator member.

7. A lockable wheel trim, the wheel trim substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. An assembly comprising a lockable vehicle wheel trim according to any one of the preceding claims and a plurality of retaining brackets adapted to be mounted to a vehicle wheel and to engage a respective retainig member.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein each said retaining bracket is adapted to be hooked on to a vehicle wheel rim and comprises a loop for engaging a respective retaining member.