Wheel Clad Assembly

Abstract

A composite wheel that includes a wheel having an outer surface, a plurality of exposed apertures formed in a circular pattern in a central hub region of the wheel, and a centrally-located hub aperture extending through the wheel. The composite wheel also includes a wheel cladding having a body conforming to the outer surface of the wheel, an exposed outer surface, and an inner surface facing the wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to the wheel. The wheel cladding includes at least one alignment tab extending from the inner surface and engaging the hub aperture and aligning the cladding with respect to the hub aperture, and at least one support post extending from the inner surface substantially proximate the hub aperture and structurally supporting the wheel cladding with respect to the wheel.

1 . A composite wheel comprising: 
 a wheel having an outer surface, a plurality of lug apertures formed in a circular pattern in a central hub region of the wheel, and a centrally located hub aperture extending through the wheel;    a wheel cladding including a body substantially conforming to the outer surface of the wheel, the wheel cladding having an exposed outer surface, an inner surface facing the wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to the wheel, a plurality of lug apertures aligned with the lug apertures of the wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to the wheel, and a centrally located aperture; and    a cap member located within the central aperture of the wheel cladding, wherein the cap member is removably coupled with the wheel cladding and wherein the cap member is entirely spaced from the wheel.    
   
   
       2 . The composite wheel of  claim 1 , wherein the cap member is snappably coupled to the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       3 . The composite wheel of  claim 2 , wherein the cap member includes at least one flexibly resilient engagement tab that snappably engages the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       4 . The composite wheel of  claim 3 , further including: 
 a flexibly resiliently locking ring abutting an inner surface of the at least one engagement tab and biasing the at least one engagement tab in a radial outward direction.    
   
   
       5 . The composite wheel of  claim 4 , wherein the inner surface of the at least one engagement tab includes a pocket located along a length thereof and that receives a portion of the locking ring therein.  
   
   
       6 . The composite wheel of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one engagement tab includes a irregularity spaced along a length thereof that engages the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       7 . The composite wheel of  claim 6 , wherein the cap member includes an annularly extending rim that abuts the outer surface of the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       8 . The composite wheel of  claim 7 , wherein the rim is located within a recessed pocket within the outer surface of the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       9 . A wheel clad assembly comprising: 
 a wheel cladding including a body adapted to substantially conform to an outer surface of a wheel, the wheel cladding having an exposed outer surface, an inner surface adapted to face a wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to a wheel, a plurality of lug apertures, and a centrally located aperture; and    a cap member located within the central aperture of the wheel cladding, wherein the cap member is snappably coupled with the wheel cladding and wherein the cap member is adapted to be entirely spaced from a wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to a wheel.    
   
   
       10 . The wheel clad assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the cap member includes at least one flexibly resilient engagement tab that snappably engage the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       11 . The wheel clad assembly of  claim 10 , further including: 
 a flexibly resiliently locking ring abutting an inner surface of the at least one engagement tab and biasing the at least one engagement tab in a radial outward direction.    
   
   
       12 . The wheel clad assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the inner surface of the at least one engagement tab includes a pocket located along a length thereof and that receives a portion of the locking ring therein.  
   
   
       13 . The wheel clad assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one engagement tab includes a irregularity spaced along a length thereof that engages the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       14 . The wheel clad assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the cap member includes an annularly extending rim that abuts the outer surface of the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       15 . The wheel clad assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the rim is located within a recessed pocket within the outer surface of the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       16 . A composite wheel comprising: 
 a wheel having an outer surface, a plurality of lug apertures formed in a circular pattern in a central hub region of the wheel, and a centrally located hub aperture extending through the wheel;    a wheel cladding including a body substantially conforming to the outer surface of the wheel, the wheel cladding having an exposed outer surface, an inner surface facing the wheel when the wheel cladding is attached to the wheel and a centrally located aperture, the wheel cladding including at least one alignment tab extending from the inner surface and engaging the hub aperture of the wheel thereby aligning the cladding with respect to the hub aperture of the wheel; and    a cap member located within the central aperture of the wheel cladding, wherein the cap member is removably coupled with the wheel cladding and wherein the cap member is entirely spaced from the wheel.    
   
   
       17 . The composite wheel of  claim 16 , wherein the cap member is snappably coupled to the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       18 . The composite wheel of  claim 17 , wherein the cap member includes at least one flexibly resilient engagement tab that snappably engages the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       19 . The composite wheel of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one engagement tab includes a irregularity spaced along a length thereof that engages the wheel cladding.  
   
   
       20 . The composite wheel of  claim 16 , wherein the wheel cladding further includes at least one support post extending from the inner surface substantially proximate the hub aperture that structurally supports the wheel cladding with respect to the wheel.