Article for protecting lugs and lug nuts from corrosion and freezing

Abstract

An article of manufacture for protecting the lug nuts retaining wheels or rims of vehicles, particularly boat trailers and the like, from corrosion and, ultimately, freezing of the lug nuts, consisting of a flexible, water-impermeable cylindrical cap open at one end and adapted to be positioned over each lug/lug nut assembly securing the wheel or rim to the hub of the vehicle, the cap having an open end for positioning the cap over the lug/lug nut assembly, the end of the cap opposed from the open end being closed, the cap containing a viscous reagent for protecting the lug/lug nut assembly against corrosion prior to being positioned over the lug/lug nut assembly; and lug/lug nut assemblies including same.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An enclosure for protecting lug-lug nut assemblies adapted to hold a rim or a wheel on the hub of a vehicle, consisting of a flexible cap made of a moisture-and liquid-impermeable material, the cap having an open end so that the cap can be slipped over the assembly, the cap being of a width which will snugly engage the lug nut and of a length such that it can be inserted until the cap covers at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut as well as the lug; the cap being at least partially filled with a viscous protectant against environmental forces that can cause freezing of the lug nut, the amount of protectant in the cap prior to insertion over the assembly being sufficient to cover the lug nut and at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut.  
     
     
         2 . An enclosure as defined in  claim 1  wherein the relationship of the internal dimensions of the cap to the lug-lug nut assembly is such that the cap will fit snugly over the assembly and will enclose substantially the entire length of the lug.  
     
     
         3 . An enclosure as defined in  claim 1  wherein the viscous protectant is selected from the group consisting of oil and grease.  
     
     
         4 . An enclosure as defined in  claim 1  wherein the amount of viscous protectant in the cap is such that at a portion of the protectant will ooze out of the open end of the cap due to the external pressure exerted as the lug-lug nut assembly is advanced within the cap.  
     
     
         5 . A motor vehicle having a plurality of wheel hubs for movement of the vehicle, each wheel hub being fitted over a vehicle axle, each wheel hub assembly having secured thereto a lug adapted to receive a wheel or a rim and a lug nut adapted to being threaded onto the lug to tightly secure the wheel or rim to the hub; each wheel hub assembly having an enclosure as defined in  claim 1  for protecting the lug-lug nut assembly from corrosion and freezing.  
     
     
         6 . A motor vehicle as defined in  claim 5  wherein the relationship of the internal dimensions of the enclosure to the external dimensions of the lug-lug nut assembly is such that an enclosure will fit snugly over the lug-lug nut assembly and will enclose a lug nut of the assembly and at least the portion of a lug extending through a lug nut threaded onto the lug in order to tightly secure a rim or wheel mounted on the lug to the hub assembly of the vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . A motor vehicle as defined in  claim 6  wherein the viscous protectant in the enclosure is selected from the e group consisting of oil and grease.  
     
     
         8 . A motor vehicle as defined in  claim 7  wherein the amount of viscous protectant initially provided in the enclosure is such that a portion of the protectant will ooze out of the open end of the enclosure as a function of the external pressure exerted as the enclosure is advanced over the lug-lug nut assembly.  
     
     
         9 . A motor vehicle as defined in  claim 5  wherein the internal dimensions of the cap to the lug-lug nut assembly is such that the cap will fit snugly over the assembly and will enclose substantially the entire length of the lug.  
     
     
         10 . A motor vehicle as defined in  claim 5  wherein the vehicle is of a type that, in use, is intended occasionally to be partially submerged in water.  
     
     
         11 . A motor vehicle as defined in  claim 5  wherein the vehicle comprises a boat trailer.  
     
     
         12 . A method of protecting the lugs and lug nuts of a motor vehicle subjected to the corrosive forces of moisture and water against corrosion and freezing comprising the steps of: 
 (1) covering each lug nut and at least the portion of the lug extending through the lug nut to removably mount a rim or a wheel on the vehicle with an enclosure consisting of: 
 (a) inserting a flexible cap made of a moisture- and liquid-impermeable material and having an open end over each lug of a lug-lug nut assembly to be protected through the open end of the cap, the cap being of a width which can snugly engage the lug nut and of a length such that it can be advanced through the open end of the cap to enclose both the lug nut and at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut to secure a wheel or a rim of the vehicle mounted onto the lug, the cap being at least partially filled with a viscous protectant against environmental forces that can cause corrosion and freezing of the lug nut to the lug, the amount of protectant in the cap prior to insertion being sufficient to cover the lug nut and at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut; and  
 (b) advancing the cap over the lug-lug nut assembly to at least enclose the lug nut.  
   
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 12  wherein the cap is advanced until it encloses substantially the entire length of the lug.  
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 12  including the step of cleaning up and protectant which has oozed out of the cap during insertion of the cap over the lug nut.