Importance

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Abstract

An improved wheel cover attachment assembly is used with automotive vehicle wheels having a rim within an interior annular groove and a wheel wall facing the annular groove. The wheel cover has an annular recess with an inner wall. The wheel cover attachment assembly comprises a clip having trunk with a pressing head flange extending from near the top thereof in a direction toward the interior of the wheel. At the bottom of the clip are a pair of feet with angular toes which fit within the cover recess to be held therein. Near the top of the clip a pair of arms extend in a direction generally opposite that of the head flange. A plastic detent member fits within the arms. The detent has a projecting nose that extends in generally the same direction as the arms and in a generally opposite direction from the head flange. The outer surface of the detent nose extends slightly beyond the outer edge of the clip arms. When the wheel cover is moved toward the wheel for mounting, the head flange engages the wheel wall and flexes as it slides therealong. The detent nose engages the tire rim wall and slides thereagainst. The force against the detent nose as it moves to be inserted in the rim groove is counteracted by the force of the head flange in generally the opposite direction so that the installation forces do not deform the structure of the wheel cover. When the detent nose becomes aligned with the rim groove, the head flange presses the nose into the groove to retain the assembly and the cover to the wheel.

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First Claim