Wheel speed sensor
First Claim
1. In a vehicle having an axle and a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a hub cap covering the end of said axle, a speed sensor assembly comprising a rotor mounted for rotation with said hub cap and a stator carried by said hub cap and including sensing means responsive to relative rotation between the rotor and the stator for generating a signal proportional to the rate of relative rotation between the rotor and the stator, a spindle carried by the hub cap and rotatable therewith, a bearing carried by the stator rotatably receiving said spindle so that the stator is supported by the hub cap and the speed sensor assembly can be installed on the hub cap before the hub cap and speed sensor unit is installed on said vehicle as an assembly, said axle having a slot, said stator carrying a tang received within the slot in the axle to prevent relative rotation between the stator and the axle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel speed sensor for a vehicle adaptive braking system is installed within the vehicle hub cap so that the hub cap and speed sensor assembly are installed on the vehicle wheel as a unit. The speed sensor includes a rotor assembly which is rotatable with the hub cap, and a stator assembly which includes a bearing which slidably and rotatably receives a spindle which is integral with the hub cap. A tang projects from the stator assembly and is received in a corresponding slot on the vehicle axle to prevent relative rotation between the sensor assembly and the axle. A spring is provided which rotates with the hub cap and which yieldably urges the stator into engagement with the end of the vehicle axle. Consequently, the hub cap and sensor assembly are installed and removed from the vehicle as a unit, thereby facilitating installation of the sensor assembly since the air gap between the stator and the rotor may be set at the place of manufacture of the sensor assembly.
17 Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a vehicle having an axle and a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a hub cap covering the end of said axle, a speed sensor assembly comprising a rotor mounted for rotation with said hub cap and a stator carried by said hub cap and including sensing means responsive to relative rotation between the rotor and the stator for generating a signal proportional to the rate of relative rotation between the rotor and the stator, a spindle carried by the hub cap and rotatable therewith, a bearing carried by the stator rotatably receiving said spindle so that the stator is supported by the hub cap and the speed sensor assembly can be installed on the hub cap before the hub cap and speed sensor unit is installed on said vehicle as an assembly, said axle having a slot, said stator carrying a tang received within the slot in the axle to prevent relative rotation between the stator and the axle.
- 2. In a vehicle having an axle and a wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a hub cap covering the end of said axle, a speed sensor assembly comprising a rotor mounted for rotation with said hub cap and a stator carried by said hub cap and including sensing means responsive to relative rotation between the rotor and the stator for generating a signal proportional to the rate of relative rotation between the rotor and the stator, a spindle carried by the hub cap and rotatable therewith, a bearing carried by the stator rotatably receiving said spindle so that the stator is supported by the hub cap and the speed sensor assembly can be installed on the hub cap before the hub cap and speed sensor unit is installed on said vehicle as an assembly, said bearing accommodating sliding motion of the stator with respect to the spindle, the length of the spindle being greater than the length of the bearing so that the sliding motion between the stator and the spindle can accommodate variations in tolerances between the end of the axle and the portion of the hub cap covering the end of the axle.
Specification