Internal paint mask

Abstract

A paint mask 100 for a vehicle wheel comprising: a band defining first and second generally circular openings 102, 104 having first and second diameters respectively, and connected by masking surface

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an internal paint mask. Aspects of the invention relate to a paint mask, to a method of painting a wheel, and to a wheel painting system. BACKGROUND It is known to provide paint masks when painting a wheel to ensure that paint is not applied to portions of the wheel which are not to be painted. During spray painting aerosolised paint can flow through gaps between the spokes and unintentionally be applied to an internal surface of the wheel. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a paint mask, to a method of painting a wheel, and to a wheel painting system as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a paint mask for a vehicle wheel comprising: a band defining a first generally circular opening with a first diameter, and a second generally circular opening with a second diameter, the first and second openings connected by a masking surface, wherein the paint mask has an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration. Advantageously, the paint mask can be applied to a vehicle wheel during spray painting of the hub, spokes and rim to prevent aerosolised paint from flowing through the interspoke gap and unintentionally being applied to an internal surface of the wheel. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a paint mask for a vehicle wheel comprising: a band defining a first generally circular opening with a first diameter, and a second generally circular opening with a second diameter, the first and second openings connected by a masking surface, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter; wherein the paint mask has an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration and is configured such that when assembled on a wheel the paint mask is in the engaged configuration and is biased against a surface of the wheel to retain the paint mask on the wheel. Advantageously, the paint mask can be applied to a vehicle wheel during spray painting of the hub, spokes and rim to prevent aerosolised paint from flowing through the interspoke gap and unintentionally being applied to an internal surface of the wheel. Additionally, the band is biased against the internal surface to ensure that it does not become dislodged inadvertently during use without any requirement to use a fixing mechanism to apply the mask to the wheel. The shape of the band ensures that paint flowing into the interior portion of the wheel is encouraged away from the wheel. In an embodiment, the band is resiliently deformable and is biased towards the disengaged configuration. The band being biased toward the disengaged configuration ensures that when applied on the wheel, in the engaged configuration, the band abuts and is urged into a surface of the wheel to retain it in position on the wheel. In an embodiment, the masking surface is configured to cover an internal surface of the wheel proximate an interspoke gap when assembled on the wheel. Advantageously, the masking surface is configured to block paint from inadvertently being applied to an internal surface of the wheel which is visible through the interspoke gap. In an embodiment, the paint mask comprises two ends, each of the two ends moveable relative to an other of the two ends, and when in the disengaged configuration the ends are separated and when in the engaged configuration the two ends abut each other such that the band forms a closed loop. Having the two ends abut each other when the wheel mask is correctly engaged on the wheel ensures that there is no gap through which paint can escape the mask. Additionally, the abutting ends provides a visual clue that the mask is correctly located on the wheel. In an embodiment, the paint mask consists of a unitary piece of metal. Making the paint mask from a single piece of metal ensures that manufacturing the paint mask is relatively simple and does not require additional components such as attachment mechanisms which can become damaged. In an embodiment, the paint mask comprises aluminium. Making the paint mask with aluminium ensures that it is lightweight whilst robust enough to survive high temperatures in excess of 200°C which can be required to dry paint on a vehicle wheel. In an embodiment, moving between the disengaged configuration and the engaged configuration changes a diameter of the first and / or second generally circular opening. The diameter of the openings of the band changes when it is applied to the wheel, generating tension in the band which is utilised to retain the mask on the wheel. In an embodiment, the band has a frustoconical shape. The band having a frustoconical shape ensures that aerosolised paint is funnelled away from the interior surface of the wheel. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a wheel painting system comprising the paint mask described above, and a wheel, the wheel comprising a plurality of spokes and at least one interspoke gap. Advantageously, the paint mask can be applied to a vehicle wheel during spray painting of the hub, spokes and rim to prevent aerosolised paint from flowing through the interspoke gap and unintentionally being applied to an internal surface of the wheel. Additionally, the band is biased against the internal surface to ensure that it does not become dislodged inadvertently during use without any requirement to use a fixing mechanism to apply the mask to the wheel. The shape of the band ensures that paint flowing into the interior portion of the wheel is encouraged away from the wheel. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method of painting a wheel comprising attaching the paint mask described above to a wheel by urging the paint mask into the engaged configuration from the disengaged configuration and locating the paint mask such that the paint mask is biased against a surface of the wheel to thereby retain the paint mask on the wheel, and such that a portion of an interior surface of the wheel is covered by the paint mask; and subsequently painting the wheel. Advantageously, the paint mask can be applied to a vehicle wheel during spray painting of the hub, spokes and rim to prevent aerosolised paint from flowing through the interspoke gap and unintentionally being applied to an internal surface of the wheel. Additionally, the band is biased against the internal surface to ensure that it does not become dislodged inadvertently during use without any requirement to use a fixing mechanism to apply the mask to the wheel. The shape of the band ensures that paint flowing into the interior portion of the wheel is encouraged away from the wheel. According to an embodiment of the method, the wheel comprises an internal surface, a plurality of spokes and an interspoke gap, the method further comprises: attaching a front mask comprising at least one spoke masking portion comprising a wheel facing surface with a profile configured to compliment a spoke portion of one of a plurality of spokes of a wheel such that when arranged on the wheel the wheel facing surface abuts the spoke portion to form a spray resistant barrier; painting or spray painting at least one second portion of at least one spoke. Using both a front paint mask and an internal paint mask allows various patterns or designs of paint to be applied to the wheel, whilst stopping paint being inadvertently applied to surfaces on the front surface or the interior of the wheel. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and / or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in anyway and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1A shows a bottom view of a paint mask in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B shows a sideview of a paint mask in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows an isometric view of a paint mask in a first configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B illustrates an isometric view of a paint mask in a second configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a wheel painting system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION With reference to FIG. 1A there is shown a bottom view of a paint mask 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The paint mask 100 has a first generally circular opening 102 and a second generally circular opening 104 with a masking surface 110 located between the first and second openings. The first generally circular opening 102 is smaller than the second generally circular opening 104 such that the masking surface 110 is tapered toward a central point of the first and second openings. The paint mask 100 is generally circular with a frustoconical shape but for a gap which provides a distance between a first end 106 and a second end 108 of the paint mask. The paint mask may be sufficiently flexible that a user can manipulate the two ends to move them relative to each other. With reference to FIG. 1B there is shown a side view of the paint mask 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The masking surface 110 is tapered between the smaller first generally circular opening 102 and the larger second generally circular opening 104 such that the paint mask 100 has a frustoconical shape. This shape allows the paint mask to protect an internal surface of a wheel from paint by guiding the aerosolised paint and masking the internal surface. The paint mask 100 includes two ends 106, 108 which can be moved relative to each other. The paint mask 100 may be formed of a resiliently deformable material such as thin sheet aluminium or a similar suitable material such as steel or stainless steel. The paint mask 100 may be deformable by hand such that the first end 106 and the second end 108 can be moved relative to each other. The paint mask 100 has an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration. In the engaged configuration the two ends 106, 108 may abut one another such that it is apparent to a user that the paint mask 100 is properly located on a wheel. Additionally, in the engaged configuration the paint mask forms an unbroken surface for catching paint. In the disengaged configuration as shown, the two ends 106, 108 may be separated by a small distance such that a force applied to decrease the diameter of the circular openings urges the ends together. Alternatively, the ends may overlap each other when in the disengaged configuration such that a force applied to increase the diameter of the circular openings urges the ends closer together. With reference to FIG. 2A there is shown an isometric view of the paint mask 100 in the disengaged configuration. The masking surface 110 is tapered between the smaller first generally circular opening 102 and the larger second generally circular opening 104 such that the paint mask 100 has a frustoconical shape. The two ends 106, 108 are separated by a small distance, such that the paint mask 100 is in the disengaged configuration. The distance provides a visual clue to the user that the paint mask 100 is disengaged. With reference to FIG. 2B there is shown an isometric view of the paint mask 100 in the engaged configuration. The two ends 106, 108 abut each other when the paint mask 100 is in the engaged configuration, providing a visual clue to the user that the mask is properly engaged and that paint will not be able to get through a gap between the ends. The paint mask 100 may be configured to fit a specific wheel size or type such that when in the engaged configuration, the size and shape of the first generally circular opening 102 or the second generally circular opening 104 matches a feature of the wheel, which holds the paint mask 100 in position. The feature of the wheel may be an interior of the rim or an undercut of the wheel. With reference to FIG. 3 there is shown a cross section of a painting system 300 comprising a paint mask 310 and a wheel comprising a hub 306 and a wheel front 302. The wheel front 302 may comprise a plurality of spokes and at least one interspoke gap through which paint may flow during a painting operation being performed on the wheel at the wheel front 302. Arrows 304 show the direction of travel of the paint which may be sprayed from a paint sprayer. Paint flowing through the interspoke gap can land on the interior of the wheel and be visible to users in locations where the paint was not intended to cover. A portion of the paint mask 310 is biased against and retained in the undercut 308 of the wheel. The portion retained in the undercut may be the circumference defined by the second generally circular opening. The paint mask 310 prevents paint entering through the interspoke gap from landing on the interior surface 312 of the wheel. With reference to FIG. 4 there is shown a block diagram representing a method of painting a wheel comprising several method steps. At method step 402 a paint mask as described herein is attached to a wheel by urging the paint mask into the engaged configuration from the disengaged configuration locating the mask such that the paint mask is biased against a surface of the wheel to retain the mask on the wheel and such that a portion of an interior surface of the wheel is covered by the mask. At method step 408 at least a portion of the wheel is painted. Optional method step 404 includes that the wheel is further defined by an internal surface, a plurality of spokes and an interspoke gap, with the method step 404 further comprising attaching a front mask comprising at least one spoke masking portion comprising a wheel facing surface with a profile configured to compliment a spoke portion of one of a plurality of spokes of a wheel such that when arranged on the wheel the wheel facing surface abuts the spoke portion to form a spray resistant seal. Optional method step 406 includes painting at least one second portion of at least one spoke of the wheel. The term "generally circular," as used herein, refers to a shape that approximates a circle but allows for deviations from a perfect circle, including deviations in eccentricities, ellipses, discontinuities such as slits and gaps in the generally circular shape. 5 It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A paint mask for a vehicle wheel comprising:a band defining a first generally circular opening with a first diameter, and a second generally circular opening with a second diameter, the first and second openings connected by a masking surface, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter;wherein the paint mask has an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration and is configured such that when assembled on a wheel the paint mask is in the engaged configuration and is biased against a surface of the wheel to retain the paint mask on the wheel.

2. The paint mask of claim 1 wherein the band is resiliently deformable and is biased towards the disengaged configuration.

3. The paint mask of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the masking surface is configured to cover an internal surface of the wheel proximate an interspoke gap when assembled on the wheel.

4. The paint mask of any preceding claim wherein the paint mask comprises two ends, each of the two ends moveable relative to an other of the two ends, and wherein when in the disengaged configuration the ends are separated and when in the engaged configuration the two ends abut each other such that the band forms a closed loop.

5. The paint mask of any preceding claim wherein the paint mask consists of a unitary piece of metal.

6. The paint mask of any preceding claim wherein the paint mask comprises aluminium.

7. The paint mask of any preceding claim wherein moving between the disengaged configuration andthe engaged configuration changes a diameter of the first and / or second generally circular opening.

8. The paint mask of any preceding claim wherein the band has a frustoconical shape.

9. A wheel painting system comprising the paint mask of any preceding claim and a wheel, the wheel comprising a plurality of spokes and at least one interspoke gap.

10. A method of painting a wheel comprising:attaching the paint mask of any of claims 1 to 8 to a wheel by urging the paint mask into the engaged configuration from the disengaged configuration and locating the paint mask such that the paint mask is biased against a surface of the wheel to thereby retain the paint mask on the wheel, and such that a portion of an interior surface of the wheel is covered by the paint mask;and subsequently painting the wheel.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the wheel comprises an internal surface, a plurality of spokes and an interspoke gap, the method comprising:attaching a front mask comprising at least one spoke masking portion comprising a wheel facing surface with a profile configured to compliment a spoke portion of one of a plurality of spokes of a wheel such that when arranged on the wheel the wheel facing surface abuts the spoke portion to form a spray resistant barrier;5 painting at least one second portion of at least one spoke.