Pin indexable sleeve for select wheel alignment correction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10106195-B2
Application number	US-201515537908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 10, 2015
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

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 relative to the spindle are predetermined in order to provide for discrete, known adjustments to the alignment of the wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. 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 sleeve having an inner surface of revolution about a first axis and an outer surface of revolution about a second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are at a non-zero angle α from each other, the sleeve defining an interior into which the spindle is releasably received, the sleeve having an inboard end and an outboard end;
a first plurality of apertures positioned at an inboard end of the sleeve and extending along the axial direction, the first plurality of apertures spaced apart along the circumferential direction and at varying radial distances from the first axis,
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 at varying radial distances from the first axis;
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.

2. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the removable lock comprises a pin extending along the axial direction between the apertures of one of the matching pairs of apertures so as to prevent the rotation of the sleeve relative to the spindle.

3. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , further comprising:
a washer positioned along the outboard end of the spindle adjacent to the sleeve; and
means for fixing the circumferential orientation of the washer so as to prevent rotation of the washer relative to the sleeve.

4. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 3 , wherein means for fixing the circumferential orientation of the washer so as to prevent rotation of the washer relative to the spindle comprises:
a groove positioned along the outboard end of the sleeve on the outer surface of revolution; and
a tab extending radially inward from the washer and received into the groove of the sleeve.

5. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 4 , wherein the washer includes an inboard side defining a recess into which the outboard end of the sleeve is received, and wherein the tab extends into the recess.

6. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 3 , wherein the washer includes an inboard side defining recess into which the outboard end of the sleeve is received.

7. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 3 , wherein the washer includes an outboard side, and wherein the assembly further comprising an axle nut positioned adjacent to the washer in contact with the outboard side of the washer.

8. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein angle α is in the range of 0.1°≤α≤0.7°.

9. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein angle α is about 0.3°.

10. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has a thickness that varies along an axial direction of the spindle.

11. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of apertures extend along the axial direction.

12. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein
the first plurality of apertures are positioned symmetrically about a central aperture of the first plurality of apertures; and
the second plurality of apertures are positioned symmetrically about a central aperture of the second plurality of apertures.

13. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 12 , wherein the central apertures of the first and second plurality are arranged so that when the sleeve is positioned with the removable lock extending through both of the central apertures, the assembly provides zero toe for the wheel alignment.

14. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of apertures are positioned such that rotation of the sleeve by an amount equal to the spacing along the circumferential direction between two adjacent apertures provides a toe correction of 0.05 degree.

15. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of apertures are positioned such that rotation of the sleeve by an amount equal to twice the spacing along the circumferential direction between two adjacent apertures provides a toe correction of 0.1 degree.

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie
• Michelin Rech Tech

Inventors

• Merrill Zachary Alexander
• Hanlon Matthew J

Classifications

• B60B27/001

  with roller-bearings · CPC title

• B62D17/00 Primary

  Means on vehicles for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in · CPC title

• B60B27/02

  adapted to be rotatably arranged on axle · CPC title