FR2674615A1 - Decoration for lighter or similar consisting of two half-shells - Google Patents

Abstract

The decoration according to the invention is characterised in that the two half-shells (1, 2) are connected by a pre-bent leaf spring (9) accommodated in two recesses (10, 11) of the half-shells (1, 2), said leaf spring (9) comprising a central hole (12) which is penetrated by a holding member which is integral with the two half-shells (1, 2). Application to articles made of silvered metal.

Description

Wheel cover for lighter or similar consisting of two half-shells.

The invention relates to a cover for a lighter or the like consisting of two half-shells. Such a hubcap also called lighter cover, is intended to cover an ordinary object, such as a disposable lighter, to give it the appearance of a luxurious object. This hubcap, which is for example made of silver metal, can constitute an art object or an advertising product.

A known type of commercial hubcap consists of a single hollow shell in which the object to be hidden, such as the disposable lighter, can be slid in and out when it needs to be changed. The upper part of the object must remain outside the shell to allow this extraction, which affects the aesthetics of the whole.

The details must be high to ensure the tightening of the object. In addition, the shell can only be molded with drawer systems, which increases tooling and manufacturing costs.

There are also known in the trade hubcaps consisting of two half-shells connected by an articulation with a return spring when closing. The construction of such an assembly is complicated, fragile and expensive. In addition, the joint is difficult to hide, which decreases the appearance of the whole.

Also known, also commercially, hubcaps consisting of two half-shells which are joined by one or more external links such as elastic belts. The aesthetics of such hubcaps is poor and the disassembly and reassembly of the links is tedious.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a new hubcap which does not have the drawbacks of the known hubcaps described above.

To this end, the hubcap according to the invention is characterized in that the two half-shells are joined by a pre-cam leaf spring housed in two recesses of the half-shells, said leaf spring comprising a central hole into which a member of joint support of the two half-shells.

Preferably, said holding member is constituted by material from each of the half-shells forming the edge of a half-bore formed in a wall of each recess substantially coaxially with the hole of the leaf spring and of smaller diameter than that here, said edges being driven out by means of a conical tool to produce riveting.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the half shells comprise internal ribs for centering the contained object.

The invention will be clearly understood on reading the following description made with reference to the appended drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic view in transverse longitudinal section of the lower part of a hubcap according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

The hubcap according to the invention comprises two half-shells 1, 2 molded for example from zinc alloy with a relatively thick base 3, 4 and a thin side wall 5, 6 delimiting interior volumes 7, 8 which form, when the two half-shells 1, 2 are placed side by side, an interior volume open upwards and intended to contain an object such as a disposable lighter (not shown).

According to the invention, the half-shells 1, 2 are joined by a precambered leaf spring 9 housed in respective recesses 10, 11 of the bottoms 3, 4 of the half-shells, with its concavity directed towards the volumes 7, 8. The leaf spring 9 has a central hole 12 arranged coaxial with two half-bores 13, 14 formed respectively in the wall of the recesses 10, 11 opposite the bottoms 3, 4. The diameter of the half-bores 13, 14 is less than that of the hole 12.

After positioning the half-shells 1, 2 face to face, a conical tool is pressed into the bore 13, 14 so as to drive the material from the edge of this bore into the hole 12 of the leaf spring 9 to form a riveting. The leaf spring 9 tends, by its preload, to bring the half-shells 1, 2 closer to one another by enclosing the object. The tightening and centering of this object are further improved by internal ribs formed in the interior volumes 7, 8. The object can be completely enclosed between the half-shells 1, 2, without a projecting part, which makes it possible to obtain optimal aesthetics. The extraction is done by a slight spacing of the half-shells 1, 2, for example using a paper clip.

The spacing between the half-shells 1, 2 can be practically zero, their spacing in effect producing a substantially parallel displacement thanks to the deformation of the leaf spring 9. The aesthetics can thus be optimized.

The half-shells 1, 2 are advantageously molded from a zinc alloy, with the interior volumes 7, 8 and the recesses 10, 11, in a flat mold of simple production.

The half-shells 1, 2 are then silvered on their external face.

Claims (3)

1. hubcap for lighter or the like consisting of two half-shells, characterized in that the two half-shells (1, 2) are joined by a precambered leaf spring (9) housed in two recesses (10, 11) of the half -shells (1, 2) said leaf spring (9) having a central hole (12) into which penetrates a holding member integral with the two half-shells (1, 2). 2. hubcap according to claim 1 characterized in that said holding member consists of material from each of the half-shells (1, 2) forming the edge of a half-bore (13, 14) formed in a wall of each recess (10, 11) substantially coaxial with the hole (12) of the leaf spring (9) and of smaller diameter than that, said edges being driven out by means of a conical tool to produce riveting. 3. hubcap according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the half-shells (1, 2) comprise internal ribs (15, 16) for centering the object contained.