Patent Application
20060220443
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of axle hub covers for use while towing a vehicle after the drive axle is removed for safe towing.
2. Description of the Related Art
When towing large trucks and buses it is often necessary to disengage the drivetrain of the vehicle to prevent damage to the transmission while the vehicle is being towed. Generally, there are two methods used for disengaging the drivetrain. One method involves removing the drive shaft. Another method involves removing the drive axles, typically one or both drive axles. When the drive axle is removed, it is highly desirable to use axle covers, and in particular the axle covers of this invention.
Referring to
Various devices and methods have been used in an attempt to prevent the loss of oil and protect the hub and bearings. Usually, a piece of cardboard is placed over the hub to keep the dirt out and help retain the oil in the axle hub. This solution to the problem is not effective. This solution does not retain the oil in the bearings and the bearing and/or axle hub assembly can be severely damaged as a result of being towed without the proper lubrication, especially on long-distance tows.
Another solution that has been attempted is to make plywood axle covers. These are somewhat better at sealing the hub, but there is still substantial leakage of oil and there is no way of adding oil to the hub and bearings to maintain the proper level prior to and during towing.
Thus there is a need for an improved axle cover that can be mounted on an axle hub that can prevent the entry of road dirt into the hub and bearings and prevent the leakage of oil therefrom during towing and that enables oil to be introduced to the hub and bearing housing prior to and during the towing operation.
Some examples of prior art include the following references:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,488 to Lindhuber et al describes a hub cover assembly for non-driving, oil retaining, vehicular wheel ends of the type utilized on highway trucks. The hub consists of a synthetic plastic hub cover, separate fastener members, and a gasket. The hub improves the efficiency in the production line mounting of hub covers to vehicular wheel ends. The hub includes a plurality of apertures for mounting the hub and an oil plug for accommodating an initial charge of oil. The hub cover requires a gasket and is used in the production line mounting of hub covers to wheel ends, i.e., the reference does not teach or suggest its use during towing.
Other U.S. Patents of interest are:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,027 to Smith describes a removable decorative wheel cover for covering central wheel portions on wheels for various types of vehicles. The hubs are made of a thin rigid and pliable perforated plastic disc and can have a valve stem opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,106 to Hermansen, et al. describes an adjustable wheel rim protective mask for protecting the wheel rim from over spray of tire dressing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,670 to Cheng describes a clamping assembly for a wheel axle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,050 to Ichikawa, et al. describes a wheel cover which can be mounted on wheels having the same standardized diameter irrespective of types of the wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,942 to Passoth, et al. describes a protective covering for air-permeable light-alloy rims of motor vehicles to protect the disc brake lying behind against salt corrosion during overseas transport for long periods. The covering is a rigid, round, closed molded sheet which reaches over the outer side of the light-alloy rim, covering its surface area, as far as over the rim flange. The covering is clasped centrally on the vehicle wheel by fastening studs molded into the molded sheet to the wheel bolts/nuts or the correspondingly countersunk depressions. The fastening studs are adapted in terms of number, position and shape to the wheel bolts or nuts themselves or to the countersunk depressions provided for this purpose in the rims. The covering is formed from a rigid sheet of a thermoplastic polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,630 to Tucher describes a tire rim and hubcap protector for protecting the surface of the wheel rim of an automobile against damage by toxic cleaning solutions used to clean the surrounding tire. The shield is temporarily attached to the rim with a grasping device held by the person cleaning the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,279 to Polka describes a decorative oil hub cover for truck wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,770 to Goudey describes a truck wheel cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,172 to Krieger describes a protective cover for installation to a vehicle wheel to prevent dirt, dust or foreign substances from entering through openings in the wheel into brake assemblies carried by the wheel. The cover is a relatively thin, flexible, dirt impervious planar sheet of plastic film having a circular outer periphery sized to substantially cover the wheel. The cover is held in place by a pressure sensitive adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,638 to Fruth describes a hubcap with a fill plug hub cap for use on wheel and axle assemblies of trucks and trailers.
U.S. Pat. No. 2003/0137187 to Williams describes a circular paper or cardboard mask for a vehicle wheel for use while cleaning the wheel. Attachment of the mask to the vehicle wheel is accomplished with permanent magnets embedded in the disk or by an annular band of pressure sensitive adhesive on one face of the disk.
D387725 to Cochran et al and D378364 to Clifton show designs for a protective wheel cover.
PCT Publication WO 9519906 A1 to Ratibe describes a protective wheel cover
It is an object of this invention to provide an axle hub cover for a vehicle that will protect the axle hub bearing from dirt while the vehicle is being towed without its drive axle.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an axle hub cover for a vehicle that prevents the leakage of oil from the axle hub bearing and permits the intermittent selective addition of oil to the bearing housing before and during the towing operation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a gasketless axle hub cover for a vehicle that prevents the leakage of oil from the axle hub bearing while the vehicle is being towed without its drive axle.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an easy to install axle hub cover for use while the vehicle is being towed without its drive axle that can be easily mounted on an axle hub, that can prevent the entry of road dirt into the hub and bearings, prevent the leakage of oil therefrom during towing, and that enables oil to be introduced to the hub and bearing housing prior to and intermittently during the towing operation.
All of the foregoing objects as well as others are achieved by the hub cover of this invention. The hub cover is adapted for securement to a drive axle hub after removal of a drive axle therefrom, the hub surrounding an axle opening from which the drive axle has been removed and for retaining oil therein. The axle cover comprises a plate having an exterior surface and an interior mounting surface. The plate is of a size sufficient to cover the hub and the axle opening. A mounting means is provided for mounting the plate on the hub. An oil access means associated with the plate is provided for selectively adding oil to the axle opening and retaining the oil therein. When the plate is mounted to the hub the interior mounting surface and hub form a sealing surface that surrounds the axle opening to prevent leakage of oil from the opening.
In the preferred embodiment, the hub cover is adapted for securement to a drive axle hub after removal of the drive axle. The hub has a plurality of retaining studs axially mounted to the hub for mounting a flange of the drive axle thereto. The axle cover comprises a substantially cylindrical plate having an exterior surface and an interior mounting surface, the plate being of a sufficient diameter to cover the hub and the axle opening. A plurality of mounting holes is formed in the outer periphery of the plate, the mounting holes being of a sufficient number and juxtaposition to mate with the retaining studs. The plate further includes an oil access hole that passes through the plate into the axle opening and a removable plug mounted in the oil access hole that is removably accessible from the exterior surface. When the retaining studs pass through the mounting holes and the cover is secured to the hub, the interior surface and hub form a sealing surface that surrounds the axle opening to prevent leakage of oil from the opening.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following description of the exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:
In all of the Figures, like numbers indicate the identical elements.
Referring to
Referring to
A mounting means is provided for mounting the hub cover 10 on the hub 22. Although numerous means are contemplated, the preferred means includes a plurality of mounting or stud holes 42 formed in the outer periphery of the plate. The mounting holes 42 are of a sufficient number and juxtaposition to mate with the retaining studs 24 on the hub 22 that were used to retain the axle drive flange 32 on the hub 22. It has been found that axle covers having eight holes (
An oil access means, e.g., an oil access hole 44 passing through the plate into the axle opening 30, is associated with the plate. A removable plug 46 is mounted in the oil access hole 44 and is removably accessible from the exterior surface 12. Thus before towing and at times during towing the plug 46 can be removed from the hole 44 and oil added to the axle opening 30.
After the cover 10 is placed on the retaining studs 24, passing through the mounting holes 42, the cover is secured to the hub 22 by drawing bolts 40 tightly onto studs 24. During this process the interior surface 14 and hub 22 form a sealing surface that surrounds the axle opening 30 to prevent leakage of oil from the opening.
Preferably, the hub cover 10 is made of a molded or machined polymeric material, such as a high density polyethylene, with the interior mounting surface 14 being sufficiently soft to form the sealing surface with the hub such that a gasketless seal between the hub 22 and exterior surface can be maintained. Optionally, stamped aluminum may be used, particularly for a dished cover that is configured to accommodate a protruding axle tube. See,
The axle cover can be any thickness that is adequate to maintain the oil in the housing 30. A typical range can be from about 0.125 inches to about 0.75 inches, with 0.500 inches being preferred. The diameter of the cover, number of stud holes on the plate, and stud hole sizes and positioning is dependant on the hub measurements, with different vehicle manufacturers using the same or different hubs.
The following is a summary of the preferred axle hub covers of this invention:
Typically, the axle hub covers are of a heavy duty design to provide years of use. The preferred high density polyethylene axle covers are equipped with an access hole for adding hub oil before towing, so the hub bearings will always have an oil supply during the tow. The polyethylene material also allows for a tight seal, eliminating the need for gaskets or washers. When the tow is completed, the hub cover is removed and reused.
Towing companies like to use them because they do not leak oil all over the road and have an oil access hole for adding oil to the hub. Their customers see that they are providing a professional, quality tow and are likely to give them repeat business. Fleet owners and maintenance managers like them because they insure against drive axle component damage while their bus or truck is being towed.
The foregoing constitutes a description of specific embodiments showing how the invention may be applied and put into use. These embodiments are only exemplary. The invention in its broadest, and more specific aspects, is further described and defined in the claims which now follow.
These claims, and the language used therein, are to be understood in terms of the variants of the invention which have been described. They are not to be restricted to such variants, but are to be read as covering the full scope of the invention as is implicit within the invention and the disclosure.
