Wheel weight assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10457092-B2
Application number	US-201715712755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A wheel weight assembly for a vehicle that has a wheel hub. The wheel weight assembly includes a wheel weight and a mounting assembly. The wheel weight includes a mounting aperture that defines a fixed axis. The mounting assembly is positioned in the mounting apertures and pivots relative thereto. The mounting assembly includes a hook and a rotator. The hook is positioned laterally inboard of the wheel hub, while the rotator is positioned laterally outboard of the wheel weight and is coupled to the hook. The rotator is configured to rotate the hook from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the hook not engaged with the wheel hub, but in the second position, the hook is engaged with the wheel hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel weight assembly for a vehicle having a wheel hub, the wheel weight assembly comprising:
a wheel weight comprising a mounting aperture, the mounting aperture defining a fixed axis; and
a mounting assembly that is positioned in the mounting aperture so as to pivot relative thereto, the mounting assembly comprising:
a hook that is positioned laterally inboard of the wheel hub; and
a rotator that is positioned laterally outboard of the wheel weight and coupled to the hook, the rotator being configured to rotate the hook, about the fixed axis, from a first position, in which the hook is not engaged with the wheel hub, to a second position in which the hook is engaged with the wheel hub.

2. The wheel weight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wheel weight comprises a laterally outboard surface and a recess that is positioned laterally inboard thereof, the fixed axis intersects the recess, and the rotator is in contact with the recess when the hook is in the second position.

3. The wheel weight assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the wheel weight and the wheel hub comprises an aligner and the other of the wheel weight and the wheel hub comprises an alignment slot, and the aligner is positioned in the alignment slot.

4. The wheel weight assembly of claim 1 , wherein a laterally inboard side of the wheel hub comprises a rotation limiter, and the rotation limiter is configured to align the hook into the second position.

5. The wheel weight assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wheel weight and the wheel hub are not sandwiched, between the rotator and the hook, when the hook is in the first position, but the wheel weight and the wheel hub are sandwiched, between the rotator and the hook, when the hook is in the second position.

6. The wheel weight assembly of claim 1 , wherein a hook pin comprises the hook and a post, the post is positioned in the mounting aperture and is aligned with the fixed axis, the hook is fixed with respect to the post such that the hook and the post rotate in unison.

7. The wheel weight assembly of claim 6 , wherein the post extends through a mounting window of the wheel hub.

8. The wheel weight assembly of claim 6 , wherein when the hook is in the second position:
the hook extends radially inward so as to overlap a laterally inboard surface of the wheel hub;
a laterally outboard surface of the hook is in contact with the laterally inboard surface of the wheel hub; and
a radially inward surface of the post is in contact with a radially outward surface of the wheel hub.

9. The wheel weight assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rotator comprises a rotator aperture, the hook comprises a hook aperture, and the rotator aperture is always aligned with the hook aperture so as to define a moving axis that circumnavigates the fixed axis as the hook rotates from the first position to the second position.

10. The wheel weight assembly of claim 9 , wherein the mounting assembly further comprises a mounting fastener that is positioned in the rotator aperture, in an aperture of wheel weight, in an aperture of the wheel hub, and in the hook aperture when the hook is in the second position.

11. The wheel weight assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a threaded bolt, wherein:
a laterally outboard side of the wheel weight comprises an unthreaded blind aperture;
the rotator aperture is a threaded rotator aperture; and
the threaded bolt is positioned in the unthreaded blind aperture and the threaded rotator aperture, and the threaded bolt, when rotated, forces the mounting assembly laterally outward relative to the wheel hub.

12. The wheel weight assembly of claim 6 , wherein a rotator assembly comprises the rotator and a rotator post, the rotator post is positioned in the mounting aperture and is aligned with the fixed axis, and the rotator is fixed with respect to the rotator post such that the rotator and the rotator post rotate in unison.

13. The wheel weight assembly of claim 12 , wherein the rotator post comprises a hollow receiver, and the post is positioned inside of the hollow receiver.

14. The wheel weight assembly of claim 13 , wherein the hollow receiver comprises an anti-rotation surface, and the post comprises a complimentary anti-rotation surface that contacts the anti-rotation surface so as to ensure that the rotator post and the post rotate in unison.

15. The wheel weight assembly of claim 13 , wherein the mounting assembly further comprises an assembly fastener that is aligned with the fixed axis and configured to couple the rotator assembly to the hook pin.

Assignees

• Deere & Co
• Deere & Company One John Deere Place

Inventors

• Bhosale Digvijay
• Heimbuch Benjamin J

Classifications

• B60B2320/16

  Devices for attaching or removing cover discs, hub caps or other ornamental rings or elements · CPC title

• B60B2310/305

  by screwing · CPC title

• B60B15/28 Primary

  Wheel-ballasting weights; Their attachment · CPC title

• B60B2340/50

  Wheel mounting or removal devices · CPC title