A method for producing a vehicle wheel comprises the steps of: (a) providing a wheel including an outboard face; (b) providing a wheel cover including an inner surface; (c) providing an external surface feature on at least one of the outboard face of the wheel and the inner surface of the cover; (d) positioning the wheel and the cover relative to one another to form a first gap between at least selected portions of the wheel outboard face of the cover inner surface and to form at least a second gap in the area of the external surface feature between adjacent surfaces of the wheel and the wheel cover, the first gap to the second gap defining an indirect flow path; and (e) securing the cover to the wheel by using an expandable foam adhesive material, wherein the adhesive material initially fills selected portions of the first gap and then follows the indirect flow path to then flow into the second gap whereby the adhesive material cures and stops expanding before completely filling the second gap.

Vehicle wheel cover retention system and method for producing same

Wheel or wheel cover

A wheel for vehicle, where decorative members can be installed without a reduction in the thickness of a wheel body, and thereby the wheel has a high degree of design freedom with sufficient strength of the wheel maintained. The wheel has the wheel body (1) constructed from a rim section (10) and a disc section (11) and having decorative holes (141) in the disc section (11) and also has the resin decorative members (2) held by at least the disc section (11) and exposed over the decorative holes (141). Since the decorative members (2) are exposed over the decorative holes (141), the wheel body (1) including spoke sections (14) does not need reduction in the thickness. Also, the design of the decorative members (2) appears in cooperation with the design of the disc section (11), so that the wheel has a high degree of design freedom.

Wheel for vehicle

A vehicle wheel includes a rim portion, a hub portion, a plurality of spokes and a plurality of decorative attachments. Each pair of adjacent spokes defines a window therebetween. The plurality of decorative attachments are secured to the wheel and each define a plurality of rearwardly extending boss portions. Each boss portion abuts the wheel. In certain applications, the boss portions may be received within a respective countersunk hole in the wheel and engaged by a fastener for securing the decorative attachment to the wheel. A free end of each of the boss portions abuts a bottom of its respective countersunk hole and the decorative attachment is otherwise spaced from the wheel to reduce noise issues. Alternatively, the ends of the boss portion may be spaced from the wheel and drawn toward the wheel with the threaded fasteners.

Vehicle wheel with decorative attachments

A wheel upon which interchangeable components may be mounted to the change the appearance thereof, is provided. The wheel may include a base wheel skeleton including a rim, a hub and spokes. Each spoke may include threaded holes adjacent the rim. Additional threaded holes may be disposed generally around a periphery of the hub. A hub cap may be attachable to the wheel on a first side of the wheel and include mounting extensions for attachment of the hub cap to the threaded holes around hub. Skin elements may be attachable to the wheel and include holes for attachment of one end of the skin element to one of the threaded holes adjacent the connection of the spokes to the rim. The skin elements may further include an extension disposable under a portion of the hub cap for retention of another end of the skin element by the hub cap.

E.X.O. rimwear

A garnish light alloy wheel includes a light alloy wheel and a garnish. The light alloy wheel includes an outboard surface and a recess located at a portion of the light alloy wheel including a spoke portion. The recess recedes from the outboard surface of the light alloy wheel. The garnish is manufactured separately from the light alloy wheel and is exchangeably mounted to the light alloy wheel at the recess. The light alloy wheel and the garnish construct a design surface of the garnish light alloy wheel, and the garnish has an outboard surface constructing a portion of the design surface of the garnish light alloy wheel.

Garnish light alloy wheel

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a decorated aluminum wheel capable of realizing an aluminum wheel enhancing design property and weight reduction at low cost. SOLUTION: In the decorated aluminum wheel, a recess 14a is previously formed on a spoke part of an M shape cross section of a design surface D of the aluminum wheel and a decoration member 18 is attached to the recess 14 so as to be floated from a bottom surface of the recess. The design property of the aluminum wheel is enhanced by constituting the design in which the decoration member 18a and the aluminum wheel are integrated. Dispersion of clearances S1 of the recess 14a and an outer periphery of the decoration member 18a is suppressed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Decorated aluminum wheel

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ornamental aluminum wheel improving design and reducing weight at low cost. SOLUTION: A recess 14a is formed on a design surface of an aluminum wheel and an ornamental member 18a is attached on the recess 14a to compose a design integrated into the aluminum wheel. The design of the ornamental aluminum wheel is thereby improved.

Ornamental aluminium wheel

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ornamental light alloy wheel improving designability, economical efficiency and weight reduction SOLUTION: An ornamental light alloy wheel 10 comprises a light alloy wheel 11 that has an outside surface 18 and a dent 20 retreated backward from the outside surface 18 on a part of the outside surface 18 including at least a spoke portion 14, and an ornamental member 30 separately manufactured from the light alloy wheel 11 in a state of fitting changeably to the dent 20, wherein the light alloy wheel 11 works with the ornamental member 30 to form a designed surface 19, and the ornamental member 30 forms a part of the designed surface 19 COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Ornamental light alloy wheel

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a decorative lightweight alloy wheel whose design and economical efficiency are improved and whose weight is reduced SOLUTION: The decorative lightweight alloy wheel 10 is comprised of: a lightweight alloy wheel 11 which includes an outside surface 18 and a recess 20 receding from the outside surface 18 on a surface being a portion of the outboard surface 18 and including at least a spoke portion 14; and a decorative member 30 which is manufactured separately from the lightweight alloy wheel 11 and is replaceably mounted on the recess 20 The lightweight alloy wheel 11 and the decorative member 30 co-operate and construct a design surface 19, and the decorative member 30 forms a portion of the design surface 19 COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Kenji Fukuda

Papers

Garnish light alloy wheel

Decorated aluminum wheel

Ornamental aluminium wheel

Ornamental light alloy wheel

Decorative lightweight alloy wheel