Vehicle wheel and axle assembly for controlling air pressure in tires with spaces between the bearing elements and the race members included in the air flow path
First Claim
1. A wheel and axle assembly for a vehicle having an onboard system for controlling the pressure of air in a tire of the vehicle, said system including a source of air under pressure, said assembly including axle means having an axis and axially outer and inner ends, wheel means carrying said tire and including hub means surrounding said axle means in radially spaced relationship thereto, first and second sealing means axially spaced apart and sealingly engaging between said axle means and hub means to provide a sealed air chamber therewith, axially spaced apart first and second bearing units between said axle means and hub means and supporting said hub means for rotation relative to said axle means about said axis, said first bearing unit being at said axially inner end of said axle means and in said sealed air chamber, each of said bearing units including radially spaced apart inner and outer race means and circumferentially adjacent rotatable bearing elements therebetween, said inner and outer race means and said circumferentially adjacent bearing elements providing spaces therebetween axially across said bearing units, said first sealing means providing a radially sealed air path between said hub means and said axle means axially inwardly of said first bearing unit, said air path communicating said sealed air chamber with said source of air under pressure axially across said first bearing unit through said spaces between said circumferentially adjacent bearing elements and said inner and outer race means thereof, and air flow passageway means opening into said air chamber axially outwardly of said first bearing unit for communicating said air chamber with said tire.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel and axle assembly is provided for a vehicle having on onboard system for controlling the pressure of air in a tire of the vehicle. The assembly comprises a stationary axle housing and a rotatable hub which carries the vehicle tire and which is mounted on the axle housing for rotation thereabout by first and second axially spaced bearing units each having inner and outer races and tapered roller bearings therebetween. Axially spaced first and second seal assemblies are provided between the axle housing and hub to provide a sealed air chamber therebetween, and one of the bearing units is in the air chamber adjacent the first seal assembly which is connected to a source of air under pressure on the vehicle. The flow path extends through the air chamber and includes a port in the hub opening into the chamber and connected in flow communication with the vehicle tire. The seal arrangement relative to the one bearing unit provides for the flow path for air between the onboard system and the vehicle tire to include the spaces between the bearing elements and the inner and outer bearing races of the one bearing unit.
61 Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A wheel and axle assembly for a vehicle having an onboard system for controlling the pressure of air in a tire of the vehicle, said system including a source of air under pressure, said assembly including axle means having an axis and axially outer and inner ends, wheel means carrying said tire and including hub means surrounding said axle means in radially spaced relationship thereto, first and second sealing means axially spaced apart and sealingly engaging between said axle means and hub means to provide a sealed air chamber therewith, axially spaced apart first and second bearing units between said axle means and hub means and supporting said hub means for rotation relative to said axle means about said axis, said first bearing unit being at said axially inner end of said axle means and in said sealed air chamber, each of said bearing units including radially spaced apart inner and outer race means and circumferentially adjacent rotatable bearing elements therebetween, said inner and outer race means and said circumferentially adjacent bearing elements providing spaces therebetween axially across said bearing units, said first sealing means providing a radially sealed air path between said hub means and said axle means axially inwardly of said first bearing unit, said air path communicating said sealed air chamber with said source of air under pressure axially across said first bearing unit through said spaces between said circumferentially adjacent bearing elements and said inner and outer race means thereof, and air flow passageway means opening into said air chamber axially outwardly of said first bearing unit for communicating said air chamber with said tire.
Specification