WO2016156687A1 - Antitheft attachment system for a wheel cover comprising an open elastic retaining ring - Google Patents

Abstract

Attachment system for a motor vehicle wheel cover, provided to maintain the wheel cover (22) tightened on the outer face of the wheel rim (16) having a central bore (24), said system comprising a plug (30) having a coded imprint (60) on the outer face thereof, accessible with a special tool for rotating same, a washer (32) axially held on the inside of the plug, having angular blocking means on the rim, and an open elastic retaining ring (26) producing a radial expansion to adjust same in an inner groove (28) of the central bore of the wheel rim (24), the plug and the washer further having shapes for hooking the ends of the retaining ring in order to radially tighten said retaining ring through rotation of the plug.

Description

 ANTI-THEFT FASTENING SYSTEM FOR A WHEEL SHEET COMPRISING AN ELASTIC OPEN JUNK

The present invention relates to a fastening system for a wheel trim of a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle equipped with hubcaps maintained by such systems.

 Some motor vehicle wheels receive on the outer face of the rim a trim for a particular aesthetic and finish, including hiding the wheel nuts, or covering the openings of the rim made to allow cooling of the brake.

 These hubcaps are generally available on rims made of sheet steel, and also on some aluminum wheels. One can in particular from the same standard rim, give different aspects depending on the type of vehicle to assemble.

 A known type of hubcap molded plastic, has on its inner face directed towards the rim, near its perimeter, a succession of elastic tabs forming a circle comprising bosses turned radially outwardly. A circular metal ring engaged inside these legs, tends to spread outward.

 When placing the hubcap on the rim by pressing axially above, the resilient tabs are first tightened towards the axis of the wheel to allow the bosses to pass a shoulder, then these bosses fit into a circular groove of the rim, the metal ring pressing them permanently to hold them in this groove.

 A problem that arises with this type of assembly is that it is necessary to provide both sufficient flexibility of the tabs to allow mounting and easy disassembly of the hubcap, and a significant maintenance avoiding losing it en route. Moreover it is simple to fly them by shooting on them.

Another type of hubcap known comprises a tubular shape aligned on each wheel fixing screw, comprising an end tightening after the screw head to ensure clipping. However, there are also difficulties in achieving both effective maintenance, and ease of assembly and disassembly. Moreover the flight is simple to practice.

 Another type of known hubcap comprises a central bore receiving a screw which is tightened on a rim nut. It is then necessary to maneuver the screw on a certain number of turns to ensure the assembly or the disassembly, which is relatively long. Moreover a loosening of this screw with the vibrations of the rolling can happen, and one can lose the screw during disassembly.

 Another type of known hubcap, presented in particular by DE-C2-3505145, comprises a central latch actuated by a key, comprising a latch which is introduced into a radially shaped opening of the rim, comprising a defined angular position. By a maneuver of the key, the latch is turned so as to hang behind the rim, on the side of the radial opening.

 This type of attachment of the hubcap is relatively complex to achieve.

Moreover it is difficult to ensure by the rotation of the lock a tightening of the latch on the rim, giving an absence of play in the fastening of the hubcap.

 Furthermore it is important to have a fastening system of the hubcap that is simple, easy and quick to install, while not risking any loss of elements, whether during disassembly of the hubcap or the driving the vehicle.

 The present invention is intended to avoid these disadvantages of the prior art.

It proposes for this purpose a fastening system for wheel trim of a motor vehicle, provided to maintain the hubcap comprising a central bore, tight on the outer face of the rim having a central bore, remarkable in that it comprises a plug having on its outer face a coded fingerprint accessible to a specific tool to drive it in rotation, a washer held axially inside the plug, having angular locking means on the rim, and a resilient open ring producing a radial expansion to fit into an inner groove of the central bore of the rim, the cap and the washer having further forms of attachment of the ends of the ring to cause by the rotation of the plug a retightening radial of this ring.

 An advantage of this fastening system is that in a simple manner, by a rotation of the plug in one direction with the corresponding tool, the ring is tightened radially which makes it possible to disengage it from the internal groove. In addition the fastening system retaining all its interconnected elements, you can not lose items after disassembly of the hubcap.

 Moreover, only the outer face of the cap comprising the coded footprint being accessible, a malicious person can not seek to disassemble a particular part of the fastening system, to try to steal the hubcap or the wheel.

 The fastening system according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, which may be combined with each other.

 Advantageously, the open ring is disposed axially between the plug and the washer.

 In this case, the washer may be centered on a plug nipple. In addition, the washer is advantageously wedged axially on the stud by a circlip.

 In particular, the ring may be arranged around an axial shoulder of the washer.

 Advantageously, the axial shoulder comprises a recess along an angular sector, receiving returns towards the center of the ends of the rod.

 Advantageously, the ring has a large return maneuver towards the center, which is engaged in a groove of the substantially diametral plug.

Advantageously, the angular locking means of the washer on the rim comprise axial tenons directed towards the inner side. Advantageously, the coded imprint is directly formed in the plug material.

 The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having wheels equipped with hubcaps held by a fastening system having any of the preceding features.

 The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will appear more clearly on reading the following description given by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

 - Figure 1 shows in axial section a fastening system according to the invention now a hubcap on an aluminum alloy rim; and

- Figures 2 and 3 are two exploded view of this fastening system, having respectively the outer side and the inner side.

 Figure 1 shows a vehicle wheel hub 2, guided in rotation along the main axis A by bearings 6 fixed in a hub carrier 4 held by the suspension of the vehicle. A wheel shaft 8 passing through the hub 2 is held axially tight by a nut 10 fixed at its outer end.

 The hub 2 comprises on the outer side, a centering 12 successively receiving the flat central portion of a brake disc 14, and a centering bore of an aluminum rim 16. The aluminum rim 16 and the brake disc 14 are held tight by a succession of screws not shown, arranged along B axes distributed around the main axis A.

 A hubcap 22 plated on the outer face of the rim 16, is held tight on this rim by a fastening system 20 passing through a central bore of this hubcap, and fitting into a central bore of the rim 24. The system of FIG. 20 is fastened axially by an open ring 26 which performs a radial expansion in an inner circular groove 28 of the central bore 24 of the rim 1 6.

The outer contour of the hubcap 22 is supported on the rim 16, the fastening system 20 producing a slight elastic axial deformation of this hubcap to this rim to maintain a constant pressure on the supports which ensures a lack of play, and thus avoids wear and noise during the running of the vehicle.

 The hubcap 22 may be in particular molded plastic, or any other material such as a steel sheet or aluminum, or composite materials, so as to form a protection and a particular aesthetic.

 FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show the fastening system 20 successively comprising, starting from the outside, a plug 30, the elastic ring 26, a washer 32 and an annular circlip for axially holding this washer 34.

 The cap 30 has on its inner face a large diameter axial shoulder 40, designed to receive the central bore of the hubcap 22, then to center in the central bore of the rim 24. In particular the diameter of the bore central 24 can be about 60mm, which is a common dimension for this type of wheel.

 The plug 30 then comprises a small diameter axial stud 42 comprising an outer annular groove 44 provided for receiving the circlip 34, this axial stud having a diametrical groove 46 along its entire length.

 The ring 26 formed in a wire of circular section, constitutes an open circle covering about 80 to 90% of the perimeter, having on a first end a small blocking return towards the center 50, and on the second end a large return of maneuver towards the center 52 arranged in a diameter, which is engaged in the groove 46 of the plug 30.

 The washer 32 has a central bore fitted on the small diameter axial stud 42 of the plug 30, and then held by the circlip 34 so as to allow free rotation of this washer.

The circular portion of the ring 26 is fitted around an axial shoulder 54 of the washer 32, turned towards the outer side, comprising a recess along an angular sector 56, receiving the blocking return 50 and the return 52. At rest these two returns 50, 52 are fitted in the recess 56, so as to limit the radial expansion of the rod 26 along a radius necessary to allow its engagement in the inner groove 28 of the rim 16.

 The inner face of the washer 32 comprises four pins 58 directed axially towards the inner side, which are each engaged in a corresponding recess in the rim 16 formed at the bottom of the central bore of this rim 24, so as to ensure an anti-lock. -rotation of this washer.

 The cap 30 has on its outer face a cylindrical hollow comprising in the center a shape 60 directly made in the plug material, allowing the engagement of a key, and an arrow 62 turned to the left, indicating the direction of rotation of the key to allow disassembly of the fastening system 20.

 The shape allowing the engagement of the key 60 presented here is hexagonal. Advantageously, this form has a particular profile adapted for a specific disassembly tip for this vehicle, providing a lock. Advantageously the disassembly tip is identical for at least one fastening nut of each wheel, which allows the use of a single tool to disassemble the hubcaps 22 and wheels.

 A cap 68 comprising an outer cover 74, closing the hollow of the cap 30, comprises radial bosses 66 receiving an inner ring 70 which maintains a radial pressure on these bosses, to engage them in an annular inner groove 64 of the cylindrical portion from this hollow. Thus, the cap 68 is clipped onto the cap 30 by pressing axially on it, a bore 72 of the face of this cap allowing its removal by engaging a tool in it to pull on the cap.

 Advantageously, the plug 30 and the washer 32 are made by molding a plastic material, which makes it possible to economically produce complex shapes.

The operation of the fastening system 20 and the following. The fitting of the hubcap 22 and its fastening system 20 is done simply after angularly orienting this system to adjust the pins 58 in the corresponding recesses of the rim 16, by striking with the hand or a mallet on the plug 30 to tighten radially rod 26, and engage in the inner groove 28 of the central bore 24. The rod 26 then automatically deviates in this groove 28 by performing a radial expansion.

 For the removal of the fastening system 20 and the hubcap 22, the operator removes the cap 68, then rotates with the appropriate end cap 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow 62.

 The diametrical groove 46 of the plug 30 rotates the operating return 52 while the blocking return 50 is locked in rotation by the washer 32, itself blocked by its pins 58, which imposes a tightening towards the axis of the 26. The ring 26 thus disengages from the inner groove 28 of the central bore 24, the fastening system 30 can slide freely backwards by pulling on it.

 This provides a simple and economical fastening system, including the drive shape by a key 60 directly integrated in the plug 30, which prevents losing it. The easy-to-install and retractable attachment system ensures effective maintenance without losing the hubcap when driving the vehicle, as well as effective protection against theft.

Claims

1 - Fastening system for a wheel trim of a motor vehicle, intended to maintain the hubcap (22) comprising a central bore, tight on the outer face of the rim (16) having a central bore (24), characterized in that it comprises a plug (30) having on its outer face a coded imprint (60) accessible to a specific tool for driving it in rotation, a washer (32) held axially inside the plug, having means angular locking device on the rim (58), and an elastic open ring (26) radially expanding to fit into an inner groove (28) of the central bore of the rim (24), the plug and the washer further presenting forms of attachment (46, 56) of the ends of the rod (50, 52) to cause by the rotation of the plug a radial tightening of the rod.  2 - Fixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the open ring (26) is disposed axially between the plug (30) and the washer (32).  3 - Fixing system according to claim 2, characterized in that the washer (32) is centered on a stud (42) of the plug (30).  4 - Fixing system according to claim 3, characterized in that the washer (32) is fixed axially on the stud (42) by a circlip (34).  5 - Fixing system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring (26) is disposed around an axial shoulder (54) of the washer (32).  6 - Fixing system according to claim 5, characterized in that the axial shoulder (54) has a recess along an angular sector (56) receiving returns towards the center (50, 52) of the ends of the rod (26). 7 - Fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring (26) has a large return maneuver towards the center (52), which is engaged in a groove (46) of the plug (30) substantially diametric. 8 - Fixing system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angular locking means of the washer (32) on the rim (16) comprise axial lugs (58) directed towards the inner side.  9 - Fixing system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coded cavity (60) is directly formed in the material of the plug (30).  10 - A motor vehicle having wheels equipped with hubcaps held by a fastening system, characterized in that said fastening system is made according to any one of the preceding claims.