Spindle nut assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
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, wherein the inner nut has an outer peripheral flange portion with an inboard surface and an outboard surface, and wherein the inner nut includes a plurality of beam elements extending outwardly relative to the outboard surface, and wherein the first bevel surface extends from the outboard surface of the flange portion to an outboard edge of each of the beam elements; 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.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
36 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, wherein the inner nut has an outer peripheral flange portion with an inboard surface and an outboard surface, and wherein the inner nut includes a plurality of beam elements extending outwardly relative to the outboard surface, and wherein the first bevel surface extends from the outboard surface of the flange portion to an outboard edge of each of the beam elements; 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. 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 wherein the inner nut has an outer peripheral flange portion with an inboard surface and an outboard surface, and wherein the inner nut includes a plurality of beam elements extending outwardly relative to the outboard surface, and wherein the first bevel surface extends from the outboard surface of the flange portion to an outboard edge of each of the beam elements; 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, wherein the outer nut rotates about an axis, and wherein the inner nut is configured to be held fixed against rotation as the outer nut is rotated against the inner nut such that the inner nut is tightened radially inwardly without rotating when the second bevel surface contacts the first bevel surface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. 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 about an axis; (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, wherein the inner nut has an outer peripheral flange portion with an inboard surface and an outboard surface, and wherein the inner nut includes a plurality of beam elements extending outwardly relative to the outboard surface, and wherein the first bevel surface extends from the outboard surface of the flange portion to an outboard edge of each of the beam elements; (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. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. 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 out 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, wherein the outer nut has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, and wherein the inner peripheral surface includes a threaded surface and the second bevel surface that are separated from each other by an axial surface, and with the second bevel surface comprising a surface that extends obliquely inwardly from an inboard end face of the outer nut to the axial surface.
-
-
35. 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, and wherein the outer nut has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, and wherein the inner peripheral surface includes a threaded surface and the second bevel surface that are separated from each other by an axial surface, and with the second bevel surface comprising a surface that extends obliquely inwardly from an inboard end face of the outer nut to the axial surface.
-
-
36. 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, wherein the outer nut rotates about an axis, and wherein the inner nut is configured to be held fixed against rotation as the outer nut is rotated against the inner nut such that the inner nut is tightened radially inwardly without rotating when the second bevel surface contacts the first bevel surface, and wherein the outer nut has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, and wherein the inner peripheral surface includes a threaded surface and the second bevel surface that are separated from each other by an axial surface, and with the second bevel surface comprising a surface that extends obliquely inwardly from an inboard end face of the outer nut to the axial surface.
-
Specification