Hubcap for a hub of a wheel assembly
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorTanner Douglas Stueve
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hubcap for a hub of a wheel assembly includes a body configured to couple to the hub. The body is formed from a first material having a first hardness, and the body has a port extending along a path through the body from a port inlet to a port outlet. The hubcap also includes an insert disposed within the port. The insert includes internal threads configured to engage corresponding external threads of a plug, the insert is formed from a second material having a second hardness, and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness. Furthermore, the port includes a seal-engaging surface configured to engage a seal of the plug, and each interface between the first material and the second material along a plug-facing interior surface of the path is positioned downstream from the seal-engaging surface.
Claims20
A hubcap for a hub of a wheel assembly, comprising:
- a body configured to couple to the hub, wherein the body is formed from a first material having a first hardness, and the body has a port extending along a path through the body from a port inlet to a port outlet;
- and
- an insert disposed within the port, wherein the insert comprises internal threads configured to engage corresponding external threads of a plug, the insert is formed from a second material having a second hardness, and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness;
- wherein the port comprises a seal-engaging surface configured to engage a seal of the plug, and each interface between the first material and the second material along a plug-facing interior surface of the path is positioned downstream from the seal-engaging surface.
A method of manufacturing a hubcap for a hub of a wheel assembly, comprising:
- disposing an insert within a port of a body of the hubcap, wherein the body is configured to couple to the hub, the body is formed from a first material having a first hardness, the port extends along a path through the body from a port inlet to a port outlet, the insert comprises internal threads configured to engage corresponding external threads of a plug, the insert is formed from a second material having a second hardness, the second hardness is greater than the first hardness, and the port comprises a seal-engaging surface configured to engage a seal of the plug;
- wherein disposing the insert within the port comprises positioning the insert such that each interface between the first material and the second material along a plug-facing interior surface of the path is positioned downstream from the seal-engaging surface.
A method of manufacturing a hubcap for a hub of a wheel assembly, comprising:
- disposing an insert within a mold cavity, wherein the insert comprises internal threads configured to engage corresponding external threads of a plug;
- forming a body of the hubcap within the mold cavity from a first material, wherein the first material has a first hardness, the insert is formed from a second material having a second hardness, the second hardness is greater than the first hardness, and the body is configured to couple to the hub;
- wherein forming the body comprises forming a port around the insert, the port extends along a path through the body from a port inlet to a port outlet, the port comprises a seal-engaging surface configured to engage a seal of the plug, and each interface between the first material and the second material along a plug-facing interior surface of the path is positioned downstream from the seal-engaging surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.