Indexable system for select wheel alignment correction
AssigneeCompagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
InventorsZachary Alexander Merrill, Matthew J. Hanlon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for wheel alignment is provided including adjustments to camber, toe, and thrust. A sleeve is fitted over the spindle of an axle. Rotation of the sleeve relative to the spindle provides for adjustments to wheel alignment while a locking feature such as e.g., a pin, is used to maintain the selected position of the sleeve relative to the spindle. The available positions of the sleeve Crelative to the spindle are predetermined in order to provide for discrete, known adjustments to the alignment of the wheel. Numerous positions can be provided based on the range and magnitude of adjustability selected.
Claims19
A method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle, the wheel alignment system including an axle defining axial, radial, and circumferential directions, the axle comprising a flange and a spindle onto which a sleeve is rotatably received, the axle having an outer surface of revolution about an axis ARO, the method comprising the steps of:
- choosing a total number FPTOT of a first plurality of axially-oriented apertures for positioning on the sleeve;
- positioning the first plurality of apertures on the sleeve at locations uniformly apart from each other along the circumferential direction with each at a predetermined radial distance from axis ARO;
- selecting a total number SPTOT of a second plurality of axially-oriented apertures for positioning on the flange, wherein SPTOT and FPTOT do not share any common factors other than integer 1;
- and
- positioning the second plurality of apertures on the flange at locations uniformly apart from each other along the circumferential direction and at the predetermined radial distance from axis ARO;
- wherein the first and second plurality of apertures provide a plurality of matching pairs of apertures that can be aligned along the axial direction by rotation of the sleeve to provide changes in wheel alignment.
An assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle, comprising:
- an axle defining axial, radial, and circumferential directions, the axle comprising a flange and a spindle having an outboard end and an inboard end;
- a first plurality of apertures positioned at an inboard end of a sleeve and extending along the axial direction, the first plurality of apertures spaced apart along the circumferential direction and positioned at varying radial distances from a first axis, wherein the total number of the first plurality of apertures is FPTOT;
- a second plurality of apertures positioned on the flange near an inboard end of the spindle and extending along an axial direction, the second plurality of apertures spaced apart along the circumferential direction and positioned at varying radial distances from the first axis, wherein the total number of the first plurality of apertures is SPTOT, and wherein SPTOT and FPTOT do not share any common factors other than integer 1;
- wherein the first and second plurality of apertures provide a plurality of matching pairs of apertures that can be aligned along the axial direction by rotation of the sleeve to provide changes in wheel alignment;
- and
- a removable lock extending between the apertures of one of the matching pairs of apertures so as to prevent the rotation of the sleeve relative to the spindle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.