Patent · US Active

Vehicle wheel cover retention system and method for producing same

US7891744B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
19References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 29, 2007
Grant dateFeb 22, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 25, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49542
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.