Indexable system for select wheel alignment correction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308284-B2
Application number	US-201515547147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 10, 2015
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. 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 AR O , the method comprising the steps of:
choosing a total number FP TOT 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 AR O ;
selecting a total number SP TOT of a second plurality of axially-oriented apertures for positioning on the flange, wherein SP TOT and FP TOT 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 AR O ;
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.

2. The method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein rotation of the sleeve about the spindle aligns only one matching pair of apertures at a time.

3. The method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle as in claim 1 , further comprising the step of locking the circumferential position of the sleeve relative the spindle.

4. The method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the step of locking comprises extending a pin between the matching pair of apertures.

5. The method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the step of choosing a total number SP TOT of a second plurality of axially-oriented apertures comprises determining an amount of change in toe and camber of the wheel alignment to be achieved by rotating the sleeve between matching pairs of apertures.

6. The method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle as in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has an inner surface of revolution about a first axis AR 1 and an outer surface of revolution about a second axis AR 2 , wherein the first axis AR 1 and the second axis AR 2 are at a non-zero angle α from each other, and wherein the sleeve defines an interior into which the spindle is releasably received.

7. The method for indexing a wheel alignment system for a vehicle as in claim 6 , wherein angle α is in the range of 0.1°≤α≤0.7°.

8. The method allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 7 , wherein angle α is about 0.3°.

9. 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 FP TOT ;
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 SP TOT , and wherein SP TOT and FP TOT 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.

10. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 9 , 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.

11. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 9 , 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.

12. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 11 , 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.

13. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 12 , wherein the washer includes an inboard side defining recess into which the outboard end of the sleeve is received, and wherein the tab extends into the recess.

14. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 13 , wherein the washer includes an inboard side defining a recess into which the outboard end of the sleeve is received.

15. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 13 , 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.

16. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 9 , wherein angle α is in the range of 0.1°≤α≤0.7°.

17. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 16 , wherein angle α is about 0.3°.

18. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 9 , wherein the sleeve has a thickness that varies along an axial direction of the spindle.

19. The assembly allowing selective adjustment of wheel alignment on a vehicle as in claim 9 , 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.

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie
• Michelin Rech Tech
• Merrill Zachary Alexander
• Hanlon Matthew J

Inventors

• Merrill Zachary Alexander
• Hanlon Matthew J

Classifications

• B60B3/165

  with locking devices for the fixing means, e.g. screw or nut covers · CPC title

• B62D17/00 Primary

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

• B60B3/147

  using wheel adapters · CPC title

• B60B27/0015

  for driven wheels · CPC title