1 IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN RELATION TO A WHEEL MOTOR COVER BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0001] THIS INVENTION relates to a wheel motor cover. Wheel motor covers are usually made from plastics so that they are generally rigid or semi-rigid. These are prone to damage from collisions and can break or fracture. Current wheel motor covers also has to be removed to gain access underneath for service purposes. In addition, where the wheel motor cover is removable it usually employs some kind of fastener along with other external fixtures and fittings and these may also be damaged or become clogged with mud and other debris. OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION [0002] It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheel motor cover that at least satisfies some of the the needs recognised by the applicant by providing an inflatable flexible wheel motor cover adapted to be operatively positioned over a wheel motor, the cover having a vent and an outer wall opposite the wheel motor, the outer wall having a service opening for access to the wheel motor and a closure to close the service opening. In a preferred embodiment there is provided an improved wheel motor cover assembly comprising a flexible cover, a mounting, the mounting being adapted to fit to the wheel to surround the wheel motor, the flexible cover being coupled to the mounting and having at least one vent, the service opening and a the closure comprising a flexible door to close the service opening. [0003] The flexible cover is typically a cylindrical form when inflated, the inflation being due to operation of the wheel motor. Thus the vent is so chosen and arranged such that the cover is held in an inflated state when in use, the cover having a removable outer wall carrying the closure, a side wall having an outer peripheral edge, fastener means to retain the outer wall in operative position at or adjacent the outer peripheral edge of the side wall and a reinforcing ring held in the side wall.
2 [0004] Preferably, the wheel motor cover is mounted using a mounting ring, the mounting ring being arranged with internal fasteners to the wheel motor surround and more preferably is absent external fasteners. The internal fasteners are preferably concealed inside the ring and are operated through the service opening when the closure is open. [0005] The service opening may be any shape but is preferably rectangular or square having a peripheral margin including in whole or in part flexible fasteners. The service opening has a correspondingly shaped closure or door. Typically hook and loop type fastener material is used to secure the closure to the opening. For example, this may extend around the whole opening or on three sides only forming a hinge on one side or section thus forming a door type arrangement. The door may be made from the same material as the rest of the cover but with a door margin on the three sides so it is marginally larger than the opening in order to overlap, the door margin having hook or loop fastener matched to the opening so that there is effectively a flexible hinged door type arrangement. The door may be completely removed in another embodiment where all sides are removably fastened. In this case all four sides of the door and the opening would have matching hook and loop fastener material. [0006] Preferably, the flexible cover has a circular outer wall and the door is defined by its periphery being sectors of a circular region of the circular outer wall of the wall cover. The door may be rolled back as in blind or folded back. It may be securable in an open position with suitable securing means. The door may be in more than one part. Typically, the opening, door or closure is centrally placed and symmetrically positioned on the outer wall. [0007] The mounting is preferably a cylindrical ring adapted to co-operate with a ring on the flexible cover and having abutting or overlapping sliding edges and clamps used to secure the mounting to the flexible cover ring. The flexible cover ring is preferably a rigid band held inside a circular hem in the flexible cover. [0008] Typically, the fasteners have an operating mechanism and this typically comprise clamps located inside the mounting ring so that the operating mechanism of the fastener is inside the wheel motor cover assembly.
3 [0009] In one preferred embodiment there is provided a wheel motor cover assembly comprising a main mount comprising a cylindrical ring having a wheel motor facing peripheral rim flange and opposite it a flexible wheel cover facing rim projection, a flexible cover assembly secured to the ring and comprises a main cover having a flexible closure over a marginally smaller opening, the opening having in part or whole an outer peripheral marginal fastener region, the closure having a surrounding fastener margin overlapping the outer peripheral marginal fastener region of the opening and there being releasable fastener material so that the closure may be secured completely, removed or rolled back to gain access to the wheel motor. [0010] Preferably, the cover assembly has an outer wall and a side wall with mesh vent sections and a metal or plastic support ring inside a hollow hem, the outer wall being removably secured to the side wall. [0011] Preferably, the mounting ring has spaced internal clamps mounted on the inside of the ring and the wheel motor facing flange has latch or catch passage means so that clamp co-operating catches can pass through the passage means to be engaged with the or each clamp to secure the ring to the wheel motor surrounds or wheel hub or rim depending on the required position of the cover. [0012] In one especially preferred embodiment there is provided a wheel motor cover assembly comprising a main mount comprising a cylindrical ring having a wheel motor facing peripheral rim flange and opposite it a flexible wheel cover facing rim projection, a flexible cover assembly secured to the ring and comprises a main cover having a flexible closure over a marginally smaller opening, the opening having in part or whole an outer peripheral marginal fastener region, the closure having a surrounding fastener margin overlapping the outer peripheral marginal fastener region of the opening and there being releasable fastener material so that the closure may be secured completely, removed or rolled back to gain access to the wheel motor, the cover assembly having an outer wall and a side wall with mesh vent sections and a metal or plastic support ring inside a hollow hem, the outer wall being removably secured to the side wall, the mounting ring having spaced internal clamps mounted on the inside of the ring and the wheel motor facing flange has latch or catch passage means so that clamp co-operating catches can 4 pass through the passage means to be engaged with the or each clamp to secure the ring to the wheel motor surrounds or wheel hub or rim depending on the required position of the cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings and wherein: Figure 1 is an underside perspective view of a wheel cover assembly; Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the wheel cover of Figure 1. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respective, perspective, plan and side views of an improved mounting ring. Figure 6 is a section through 6-6 of Figure 8; Figures 7 and 8 are plan and side views showing the assembled wheel cover using the ring of Figures 3-5. METHOD OF PERFORMANCE [0014] Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is illustrated a wheel motor cover assembly 10 comprising a main mount comprising a cylindrical ring 11 which in use is fitted to the wheel (not shown) about the wheel motor and coupled to this ring is a flexible cover assembly 12. The flexible cover assembly comprises a main cover 13 having a square door 14 shown closed over a marginally smaller opening 15. The surrounding rectangular margin 16 has fastener material so that the door may be completely removed or rolled back along three sides to gain access to the interior. [0015] The cover assembly has a side wall 17 with mesh vent sections 18 and 19. The flexible cover assembly can have a metal or plastic support ring inside a hollow hem at 20. The circular outer wall 21 can have a cylindrical surround corresponding to the hem 20 and this can have matching hook and loop fastener material so that the whole outer wall 20 can also be removed. [0016] The cover assembly has a ring 22 fitted inside the cover wall 17 and this has four hook 5 elements 23 that form one side of a clamp fastener 24 on cylindrical mounting 11. [0017] Referring to Figures 3 to 6 an alternative mounting ring 25 is illustrated. Like numerals illustrate like features as in general structural terms the ring is similar to the embodiment used in Figures 1 and 2. In the case of the ring 25, clamps 24 are mounted on the inside of the ring and there are four of these positioned at 90 degree intervals. The wheel motor cover is shown in phantom engages a lip 26 on the ring 25, while the opposite edge of the ring has an inward flange 27 with cutouts 28 aligned with the clamps 24. These cutouts allow a coupling loop 29, welded or otherwise secured at corresponding positions around the wheel motor rim, to project as shown in Figure 6 and use the concealed clamps 24 to secure the ring and hence the wheel cover assembly in place. [0018] Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.