SPINDLE NUT ASSEMBLY

• US 20110316325A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Martin, Robert J. III, Hayes, Brian D., Booker, Darren L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 301/105.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 37/10 the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/108 with a locking washer under the nut or bolt head having at least one tongue or lug folded against the nut or bolt head, or against the object itself F16B39/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/12 by means of locknuts
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/548 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2226/60 with threaded parts, e.g. bolt and nut connections in general F16B23/00 - F16B43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

A spindle nut assembly includes inner and outer nuts having corresponding beveled surfaces. The inner nut is tightly threaded onto an end of a spindle and is positioned to achieve a desired endplay setting. The outer nut contacts the inner nut at an oblique angle via the beveled surfaces, which squeezes the inner nut more tightly onto the spindle while still maintaining the desired endplay setting.

Claims

1. A spindle nut assembly comprising:

an inner nut adapted to be tightly threaded onto a spindle, the inner nut having a first bevel surface and being located at a desired bearing endplay setting; and

an outer nut having a second bevel surface that abuts against the first bevel surface to jam the inner and outer nuts together and tighten the inner nut to the spindle while maintaining the desired bearing endplay setting.

2. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 1 including an inner washer having a locating feature that is to be received within a corresponding locating feature on the spindle.

3. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 2 including a bend tab washer having a central tab to be located within the corresponding locating feature on the spindle wherein the inner washer is inboard of the bend tab washer.

4. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 3 wherein the inner nut is positioned outboard of the bend tab washer.

5. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 4 wherein the central tab extends to a bendable distal end that is bent to extend upwardly over an outboard face of the outer nut such that one portion of the bend tab washer engages an inboard face of the inner nut and the distal end of the central tab engages the outboard face of the outer nut.

6. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner nut comprises a beam-style nut having a plurality of discrete beam elements circumferentially spaced apart from each other with each beam element being spaced apart from an adjacent beam element by a slot.

7. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 6 wherein the first bevel surface is provided on an outer peripheral surface of each beam element.

8. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 7 wherein the second bevel surface is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the outer nut.

9. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 6 wherein one or more beam elements include a threaded portion formed on an inner peripheral surface that is tightly threaded onto the spindle.

10. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first bevel surface is defined by a first bevel angle and the second bevel surface is defined by a second bevel angle that is different than the first bevel angle.

11. The spindle nut assembly according to claim 10 wherein at least one of the first bevel surface and the second bevel surface is defined by a non-linear profile.

12. A wheel end assembly comprising:

a spindle;

inboard and outboard wheel bearings mounted on the spindle;

a hub supported on the inboard and outboard wheel bearings for rotation relative to the spindle;

an inner washer abutting against the outboard wheel bearing;

a bend tab washer positioned outboard of the inner washer;

an inner nut positioned outboard of the bend tab washer and threaded tightly onto the spindle to achieve a desired bearing endplay setting, wherein the inner nut includes a first bevel surface; and

an outer nut positioned outboard of the inner nut and having a second bevel surface that abuts against the first bevel surface to jam the inner and outer nuts together and further tighten the inner nut to the spindle while maintaining the desired bearing endplay setting.

13. The wheel end assembly according to claim 12 wherein the inner nut comprises a beam-style nut having a plurality of discrete beam elements circumferentially spaced apart from each other with each beam element being spaced apart from an adjacent beam element by a slot.

14. The wheel end assembly according to claim 13 wherein the first bevel surface is provided on an outer peripheral surface of each beam element and wherein the second bevel surface is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the outer nut.

15. The wheel end assembly according to claim 12 wherein the spindle includes a keyway and wherein the inner washer includes a protrusion that is received within the slot.

16. The wheel end assembly according to claim 15 wherein the bend tab washer includes a plurality of tabs circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extending outwardly in a radial direction, and wherein the bend tab washer includes at least one elongated bendable tab radially aligned with one of the plurality of tabs, the elongated bendable tab comprising an axially extending portion received within the slot of the spindle with a distal end of the elongated bendable tab being bent upwardly to extend across an outboard end face of the outer nut.

17. A method of assembling a spindle nut assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting a hub on at least one bearing for rotation relative to a spindle;

(b) installing an inner washer on one end of the spindle to abut against the at least one bearing;

(c) installing a bend tab washer on the end of the spindle to abut against the inner washer;

(d) threading an inner nut onto mating threads on the end of the spindle and tightening to a torque level sufficient to seat the at least one bearing, the inner nut having a first bevel surface;

(e) backing the inner nut off to achieve a desired bearing endplay setting; and

(f) installing an outer nut onto the inner nut, the outer nut having a second bevel surface in abutting engagement with the first bevel surface, and tightening the outer nut against the inner nut to securely hold the inner nut in place while still maintaining the desired bearing endplay setting.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the inner washer includes a protrusion and wherein step (b) includes inserting the protrusion into a keyway formed within the spindle.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the bend tab washer includes a plurality of tabs circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extending outwardly in a radial direction, and wherein the bend tab washer includes at least one elongated bendable tab radially aligned with one of the plurality of tabs, and wherein step (c) includes bending a first portion of the elongated bendable tab to extend in an axial direction, the first portion being received within the slot in the spindle, and including:

(g) bending second portion of the elongated bendable tab upwardly across an outboard surface of the outer nut.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein steps (a) through (g) are performed in successive order.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein step (f) includes holding the inner nut against rotation and tightening the outer nut against the inner nut.