TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED WHEEL SEAL

• US 20110162773A1
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher J. Wittry, David Gregory Gonska, Jeremy Tertzakian, John David Morgan, Norman Austin, Richard L. Decaire, Scott Arthur Jenskinson, Steven Ray Miller, Tracy Gerard Ellis, Yenkai Brian Wang
• Original Assignee: Christopher J. Wittry, David Gregory Gonska, Jeremy Tertzakian, John David Morgan, Norman Austin, Richard L. Decaire, Scott Arthur Jenskinson, Steven Ray Miller, Tracy Gerard Ellis, Yenkai Brian Wang
• Inventors: Tertzakian, Jeremy, Decaire, Richard L., Jenskinson, Scott Arthur, Ellis, Tracy Gerard, Wang, Yenkai Brian, Wittry, Christopher J., Morgan, John David, Austin, Norman, Gonska, David Gregory, Miller, Steven Ray
• Granted Patent: US 8,397,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/418
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00318 on the wheels or the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00345 Details of the rotational joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00363 Details of sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0039 specially adapted for driven wheels

Abstract

An axle assembly includes a non-rotating component and a wheel hub supported for rotation relative to the non-rotating component about an axis. The wheel hub includes a hub air passage that has a hub inlet and a hub outlet to be fluidly connected to at least one tire. An air chamber is formed at least in part between the non-rotating component and the wheel hub. The air chamber receives air flow from an air source and directs air flow into the hub inlet. A seal assembly engages the wheel hub to seal the air chamber.

Claims

1. An axle assembly comprising:

a non-rotating component;

a wheel hub supported by a pair of wheel bearings for rotation relative to said non-rotating component about an axis, said wheel hub including a hub air passage having a hub inlet and a hub outlet to be fluidly connected to at least one tire;

an air chamber formed at an inboard end of said non-rotating component at a location inboard of said pair of wheel bearings, said air chamber to direct air flow into said hub inlet of said hub air passage;

an air inlet to supply air in an axial direction into said air chamber, said air inlet to receive air flow from an air source; and

a seal assembly engaging said wheel hub and said non-rotating component to seal said air chamber.

2. The axle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said non-rotating component comprises an annular ring that extends inboard of an inboard end face of said wheel hub, and wherein said seal assembly includes at least first and second seals that are mounted within said annular ring and which are radially spaced apart from each other in a direction extending away from said axis.

3. The axle assembly according to claim 2 wherein said annular ring comprises a C-shaped cross-section with a radially extending wall portion, a first lateral flange extending from an outward end of said radially extending wall portion in a direction generally parallel to said axis, and a second lateral flange extending from an inward end of said radially extending wall portion in a direction generally parallel to said axis, and wherein said annular ring includes said air inlet which comprises an air port formed within said radially extending wall portion to receive air from the air source, and wherein said first seal engages an outer surface of said wheel hub and an inner surface of said first lateral flange and said second seal engages said inner peripheral surface of said wheel hub and an inner surface of said second lateral flange to define said air chamber.

4. The axle assembly according to claim 3 wherein said hub inlet is formed in said inboard end face of said wheel hub and initially extends in a direction that is generally parallel to said axis.

5. The axle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said non-rotating component comprises an annular ring that surrounds an inboard end of said wheel hub.

6. The axle assembly according to claim 5 wherein said hub inlet is formed in an inboard end face of said wheel hub.

7. The axle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said non-rotating component comprises a non-rotating spindle, and wherein said seal assembly includes at least a first seal portion that is fixed to an inner peripheral surface of said wheel hub and a second seal portion that is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of said non-rotating spindle, and wherein said air chamber is formed between said first and said second seal portions.

8. The axle assembly according to claim 7 wherein said first seal portion includes a first port that is fluidly connected to said hub inlet and said second seal portion includes a second port that is fluidly connected to receive air from the air source.

9. The axle assembly according to claim 8 wherein said first seal portion has a first segment that is biased against, and in direct contact with, said second seal portion and wherein said second seal portion has a second segment that is biased against, and in direct contact with, said first seal portion.

10. The axle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said seal assembly comprises separate first and second seals wherein one of said first and said second seals directly engages said inner peripheral surface of said wheel hub.

11. An axle assembly comprising:

a non-rotating component including an air inlet port to receive air flow from an air supply source;

a wheel hub supported for rotation relative to said non-rotating component about an axis, said wheel hub including a hub air passage having a hub inlet and a hub outlet to be fluidly connected to at least one tire, and wherein said non-rotating component surrounds an inboard end of said wheel hub;

an air chamber formed adjacent an inboard end of said non-rotating component, said air chamber to direct air flow received at said air inlet port into said hub inlet of said hub air passage; and

a seal assembly engaging said wheel hub and said non-rotating component to seal said air chamber.

12. The axle assembly according to claim 11 wherein said non-rotating component comprises an annular ring extending inboard of said inboard end of said wheel hub, said air chamber being formed between an inner surface of said annular ring and said inboard end of said wheel hub.

13. The axle assembly according to claim 12 wherein said annular ring comprises a C-shape cross-section with a radially extending wall portion, a first lateral flange extending from one end of said radially extending wall portion in a direction generally parallel to said axis, and a second lateral flange extending from an opposite end of said radially extending wall portion in a direction generally parallel to said axis, and wherein said first and said lateral flanges are positioned in an overlapping relationship with said inboard end of said wheel hub.

14. The axle assembly according to claim 13 wherein said seal assembly comprises a first seal positioned directly between an inner surface of said first lateral flange and an outer surface of said wheel hub and a second seal positioned directly between an inner surface of said second lateral flange and an inner surface of said wheel hub.

15. The axle assembly according to claim 11 wherein said hub inlet is formed in an inboard end face of said wheel hub.

16. An axle assembly comprising:

a non-rotating component including an air inlet port to receive air flow from an air supply source;

a wheel hub supported by a pair of wheel bearings for rotation relative to said non-rotating component about an axis, said wheel hub including a hub air passage having a hub inlet and a hub outlet to be fluidly connected to at least one tire;

an air chamber formed adjacent an inboard end of said non-rotating component at a location inboard of said pair of wheel bearings, said air chamber to direct air flow into said hub inlet of said hub air passage; and

a seal assembly engaging said wheel hub and said non-rotating component to seal said air chamber, said seal assembly including a first seal portion that is fixed to an inner peripheral surface of said wheel hub and a second seal portion that is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of said non-rotating component, and wherein said air chamber is formed between said first and said second seal portions.

17. The axle assembly according to claim 16 wherein said first seal includes a first port that is in fluid communication with said hub inlet and wherein said second seal includes a second port that is in fluid communication with said air inlet port.

18. The axle assembly according to claim 17 wherein said first seal portion has a first segment that is biased against, and in direct contact with, said second seal portion and wherein said second seal portion has a second segment that is biased against, and in direct contact with, said first seal portion.

19. The axle assembly according to claim 18 wherein said first seal portion includes a distal end that abuts against an inboard end face of said wheel hub, and wherein said second seal portion includes a distal end that abuts against a radially extending surface of said non-rotating component.

20. The axle assembly according to claim 16 wherein said non-rotating component comprises a spindle and wherein said air inlet port is formed within a radially extending spindle flange, said second seal abutting against an outboard facing side of said spindle flange.