Uni-pilot hub/drum system
AssigneeMeritor Heavy Vehicle Technology, LLC
InventorPaul R. Messina
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle wheel assembly includes a hub, a drum, and disc wheels that are mounted together for rotation about a common axis. The hub has a cylindrical body with a hub mounting flange that extends out radially from the body. The body defines an exterior surface having a common drum and wheel pilot. The drum has a drum mounting flange with a peripheral edge that is aligned relative to the drum and wheel pilot. The disc wheels each have wheel mounting flanges with a peripheral edges aligned relative to the drum and wheel pilot. Thus, the drum and wheels are mounted on a common pilot surface formed on the hub. The single pilot significantly reduces the occurrence of drum misalignment and possible drum fracture.
Claims18
A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:
- a wheel hub including a cylindrical body portion presenting a single exterior hub pilot mounting surface;
- a wheel drum including a drum mounting flange with a peripheral edge aligned relative to said hub pilot mounting surface;
- and
- at least one disc wheel including a wheel mounting flange with a peripheral edge aligned relative to said hub pilot mounting surface wherein said wheel drum and said disc wheel are mounted to said wheel hub for rotation about a common axis.
A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:
- a hub including a cylindrical body portion with a transversely extending hub mounting flange, said body portion presenting an exterior surface defining a common drum and wheel pilot;
- a drum including a drum mounting flange with a peripheral edge aligned relative to said drum and wheel pilot;
- and
- at least one disc wheel including a wheel mounting flange with a peripheral edge aligned relative to said drum and wheel pilot.
A method of assembling a vehicle wheel assembly including the steps of:
- (a) forming a single pilot mount on an exterior surface of a wheel hub;
- (b) positioning a drum on the wheel hub by aligning a portion of the drum relative to the pilot mount;
- (c) positioning at least one disc wheel on the wheel hub by aligning a portion of the disc wheel relative to the pilot mount;
- and
- (d) securing the wheel hub, drum, and disc wheel together for rotation about a common axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.