US Patent 9321302 Flexible wheel cover assembly

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for improving the aesthetic and aerodynamic characteristics of a wheel, while facilitating inspection of one or more components associated with the wheel. In one implementation, a flexible wheel cover assembly includes a flexible wheel cover comprising a sheet of material having an essentially round-shaped outer periphery and a center axis. A bracket physically couples the flexible wheel cover to a wheel hub of a vehicle, such that the center axis of the flexible wheel cover is aligned with a wheel axis. The sheet of material has a flexibility sufficient to bend while the wheel is stationary and flatten against a tire mounted on the wheel when the wheel is turning.