Air guide for a tire pressure regulating device

• US 6,220,325 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Saibold, Friedrich, Krieg, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Long B.
• Application Number:
  US09/208,226
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 152/415, 152/416, 152/417.I, 301/105.1, 301/108.1
• US Class Current: 152/417
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00318 on the wheels or the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00363 Details of sealings

Abstract

The invention relates to an air guide through steering and rigid axles, particularly in planetary design, in rotary hubs for tire pressure regulation. A sealing ring (1) seals and air guide in the wheel head of a planetary steering axle with sealing lips against a U-shaped annular ring (2) comprising a metal wearing plate. The sealing lips of the sealing ring (1) acting in a radial direction. The sealing ring (1) is connected with a joint housing (4) and secured with pivots against distortion relative to said housing. The U-shaped ring (2) is firmly connected with the wheel hub (3) and is centered on the outer diameter by a close fit and secured against distortion relative to the wheel hub (3) and is sealed by means of O-rings (6). Between the annular, U-shaped ring (2) and the housing remains a narrow gap, the so-called labyrinth, which protects the seal against fouling.

Claims

1. An air guide for one of a steering and a rigid axle for tire pressure regulation, the air guide comprising:

an axle supporting a rotatable wheel hub (3) having an annular U-shaped ring (2) rotatable about a rotational axis, and the U-shaped ring (2) having a U-shaped transverse cross-section;

an annular sealing ring (1) which is connected with a housing part (4) of the axle and is concentrically inserted within the U-shaped ring (2) to form a fluid tight seal therebetween, and

said sealing ring (1) having radially extending sealing lips abutting against adjacent surfaces of the U-shaped ring (2) to form the fluid tight seal.

2. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said rotary hub has a wheel head which accommodates both a wheel head seal (5) and said sealing ring (1), and the wheel head seal (5) is located radially inwardly of the sealing ring (1).

3. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said rotary, U-shaped ring (2) is made of metal.

4. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein between said rotary, U-shaped ring (2) and said housing there is a narrow annular gap.

5. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said ring (1) has at least opening which extends in radial direction through said sealing ring (1) and is in the housing side of the sealing lips.

6. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said U-shaped ring (2) is centered and secured by a close fit against the rotary hub.

7. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said sealing ring (1) is secured against distortion by at least one pivot which is supported in a hole of said housing, one pivot containing the air line air guide for the tire pressure regulation.

8. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said U-shaped ring (2) is sealed against said wheel hub (3) with at least one O-ring (6) in grooves of said wheel hub (3).

9. The air guide according to claim 1, wherein said U-shaped ring (2) is sealed against said wheel hub (3) with sealing lacquer.

10. The air guide of claim 1, wherein the rotary hub is a planetary design.

11. An axle and wheel hub assembly having an air guide extending therethrough for tire pressure regulation comprising a radially extending passage in the hub connected to an annular U-shaped ring (2) opening radially of the hub and tightly fitted thereto and an annular sealing ring (1) in sealed contact with the U-shaped ring (2) and having a radially extending opening connecting the U-shaped ring (2) with a compressed air supply passage in the axle.