IP Library › Granted Patent US 12697838

Granted Patent B2

US 12697838 · App. 18/296,903 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple

Inventor: Gerald Lehman (Compton, CA)

Assignee: DNA Specialty

B60B1/047

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12697838
App. No.: 18/296,903
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple includes a spoke nipple and an elastic gasket. The spoke nipple that mounts the spoke into the rim includes a rotational axis, a head, a shank, and a spoke-engaging opening. The head, the shank, and the spoke-engaging opening are concentrically positioned along the rotational axis. The head is adjacently connected to the shank. The spoke-engaging opening traverses into the shank, opposite of the head so that the spoke can be threadedly engaged to the spoke nipple. The elastic gasket is laterally positioned around a shoulder portion of the shank and positioned adjacently to the head. The elastic gasket creates a hermetic connection between the rim and the spoke nipple as the elastic gasket completely seals the spoke opening of the rim during the installation process.

Claims (117)

1 . A self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple comprising:

a spoke nipple;

an elastic gasket;

a drive opening;

the spoke nipple comprising a rotational axis, a head, a shank, and a spoke-engaging opening;

the head, the shank, and the spoke-engaging opening being concentrically positioned along the rotational axis;

the head being adjacently connected to the shank;

the spoke-engaging opening traversing into the shank, opposite of the head;

the elastic gasket being laterally positioned around a shoulder portion of the shank;

the elastic gasket being adjacently positioned to the head;

the drive opening being concentrically positioned to the rotational axis;

the drive opening traversing into the head, opposite of the spoke-engaging opening; and

a closed bottom surface of the drive opening being positioned within the head, offset from the shoulder portion.

2 . The self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the shank further comprising a chamfer portion, an elongated portion, and a wrench-receiving portion;

the shoulder portion, the chamfer portion, the elongated portion, and the wrench-receiving portion being concentrically positioned along the rotational axis;

the shoulder portion being adjacently connected to the head;

the chamfer portion being adjacently connected to the shoulder portion;

the chamfer portion and the head being oppositely positioned of each other about the shoulder portion;

the elongated portion being adjacently connected to the chamfer portion;

the elongated portion and the shoulder portion being oppositely positioned of each other about the chamfer portion;

the wrench-receiving portion being adjacently connected to the elongated portion;

the wrench-receiving portion and the chamfer portion being oppositely positioned of each other about the elongated portion;

an outer annular surface of the shoulder portion being positioned parallel and along the rotation axis;

a radius between the outer annular surface of the shoulder portion and the rotation axis being less than a radius between an outer annular surface of the head and the rotation axis; and

a radius between the outer annular surface of the shoulder portion and the rotation axis being greater than a radius between an outer annular surface of the chamfer portion and the rotation axis.

3 . The self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the spoke-engaging opening comprising a bore section and a threaded section;

the shank further comprising a wrench-receiving portion and a free edge;

the bore section being extended from the free edge to the wrench-receiving portion; and

the threaded section being extended from the wrench-receiving portion to the shoulder portion.

4 . The self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the shoulder portion being radially encircled by the elastic gasket; and

the elastic gasket being radially extended from the head to a chamfer portion of the shank.

5 . The self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the elastic gasket is a tapered body.

6 . The self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple as claimed in claim 4 comprising:

the elastic gasket comprising a first radial edge and a second radial edge;

the first radial edge being positioned coincident to an intersection between the head and the shoulder portion;

the second radial edge being positioned coincident to an intersection between the shoulder portion and the chamfer portion; and

a thickness of the elastic gasket between the first radial edge and the second radial edge being equal to a thickness of the shoulder portion along the rotation axis.

7 . A self-sealing automotive spoke wheel nipple comprising: