Vehicle wheel end assembly

A kit for retrofitting a vehicle wheel end assembly for use with an automated system for controlling tire pressurization, said wheel end assembly being of the type having a spindle mounted in fixed relation to the vehicle and a hub mounted for rotation on the spindle and having an internal air passage extending between the outboard end of the hub and the inner radial surface of an inboard portion of the hub which is radially spaced from the spindle, said kit comprising:

• an adapter collar mountable on the spindle proximate the inboard end thereof and in radially spaced relation to the hub, said collar having an internal air passage extending between its outer radial surface and inboard portion for transmitting pressurized air;
• and
• rotary seal means, adapted to be interposed in the radial space between collar and the hub, for communicating the internal air passages in the collar and the hub, said rotary seal means including lip members biased into a sealing position against an adjacent one of the radially spaced collar and hub;
• wherein said rotary seal means comprises first and second annular sealing rings axially spaced from one another;
• wherein said rotary seal means further includes spacer means, disposed between said first and second sealing rings for maintaining the axial spacing therebetween;
• and
• wherein said spacer means comprises an annular member having axial undulations.

In combination with a vehicle wheel end assembly adapted for use with an automated system for controlling tire pressurization and having a spindle mounted in fixed relation to the vehicle, and a fixed peripheral surface on the spindle having an aperture, and also having a hub mounted for rotation on the spindle and adapted to carry a wheel, the hub having an inboard portion spaced radially from the fixed peripheral surface on the spindle and also having an internal passageway extending from the inner radial surface of the inboard portion to the outboard end of the hub, the improvement comprising:

• rotary seal means adapted to be interposed in the radial space between the peripheral surface and the hub for coupling the aperture in fluid communication with the internal passageway;
• wherein the seal means comprises first and second sealing rings axially spaced from each other;
• wherein each sealing ring includes a radial member spanning the space between the inboard portion and the peripheral surface, and at least one integral lip member at an end of the radial member extending axially in contact with an adjacent one of said peripheral surface and said inboard portion, whereby the integral lip member is exposed to air pressure within the rotary seal means for biasing the lip into sealing engagement with said adjacent one of said peripheral surface and said inboard portion;
• wherein said rotary seal means further includes spacer means, disposed between said first and second sealing rings for maintaining the axial spacing therebetween;
• and
• wherein said spacer means comprises an annular member having axial undulations.