Wheel end system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025388049-A1
Application number	US-202519244272-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2025
Priority date	Jun 20, 2024
Publication date	Dec 25, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect, a wheel end system is provided that includes a spindle having an interior and a side wall extending about the interior. The wheel end system further includes a wheel hub, inboard and outboard bearings rotatably connecting the wheel hub to the spindle, and a spacer between the inboard and outboard bearings. The spacer extends about the spindle and has a spacing between the spacer and the spindle. The side wall of the spindle has an airflow opening with an inlet portion that is outboard of the inboard bearing. The airflow opening is configured to permit air to travel from the spacing between the spacer and the spindle into the interior of the spindle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wheel end system comprising:
a spindle having an interior and a side wall extending about the interior; a wheel hub; inboard and outboard bearings rotatably connecting the wheel hub to the spindle; a spacer between the inboard and outboard bearings, the spacer extending about the spindle and having a spacing between the spacer and the spindle; and an airflow opening of the side wall of the spindle having an inlet portion outboard of the inboard bearing, the airflow opening configured to permit air to travel from the spacing between the spacer and the spindle into the interior of the spindle.

2 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the inlet portion of the airflow opening opens to the spacing between the spacer and the spindle; wherein the airflow opening has an outlet portion that opens to the interior of the spindle.

3 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the inboard and outboard bearings each have a clearance fit with the spindle.

4 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the outboard bearing includes an outboard bearing cone having a fit with the spindle configured to permit air to travel between the outboard bearing cone and the spindle into the spacing between the spacer and the spindle.

5 . The wheel end system of claim 4 wherein the spindle includes threads to receive a spindle nut assembly and a keyway to receive a key of the spindle nut assembly, the keyway configured to permit air to travel from the keyway into an interface between the outboard bearing cone and the spindle.

6 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the inlet portion of the airflow opening is at a top dead center of the spindle.

7 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the wheel hub has an interior to receive a lubricant; and
wherein the inlet portion of the airflow opening is at an upper portion of the spindle to permit gravity to draw lubricant that travels with the air into the spacing between the spacer and spindle away from the airflow opening.

8 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the side wall of the spindle has an annular outer surface portion and an annular inner surface portion, the annular inner surface portion defining at least a portion of the interior of the spindle; and
wherein the airflow opening extends between the annular outer and inner surface portions of the spindle.

9 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the spacer has an outboard end adjacent the outboard bearing, an inboard end adjacent the inboard bearing, and a side wall extending therebetween; and wherein the inlet portion of the airflow opening of the spindle is inboard of the outboard end of the spacer and spaced a predetermined distance along the spindle from the outboard end of the spacer to facilitate lubricant traveling with the air between the spacer and the spindle to travel away from the inlet portion of the airflow opening as the lubricant travels along the spindle.

10 . The wheel end system of claim 9 wherein the spacer has an overall length extending between the outboard and inboard ends; and wherein the predetermined distance is at least a quarter of the overall length of the spacer.

11 . The wheel end system of claim 9 wherein the inlet portion of the airflow opening is at a top dead center of the spindle.

12 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the spacer includes an outboard end portion, an inboard end portion, and a side wall extending therebetween; and wherein the spacer includes an opening extending radially through the side wall of the spacer to direct air into the spacing between the spacer and the spindle.

13 . The wheel end system of claim 12 wherein the opening comprises at least two openings extending radially through the side wall of the spacer.

14 . The wheel end system of claim 1 wherein the spindle is a tapered spindle and includes an inboard bearing journal for the inboard bearing and an outboard bearing journal for the outboard bearing, the inboard bearing journal having an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the outboard bearing journal.

Assignees

• Cons Metco Inc

Inventors

• Torstveit Sven
• Morris Wesley

Classifications

• B60B27/0078

  characterised by the fixation of bearings · CPC title

• B60B27/0047

  characterised by functional integration of other elements · CPC title

• B60B27/0073

  characterised by sealing means · CPC title

• B60B2900/561

  Lubrication · CPC title

• B60B2380/75

  Twin or multiple bearings having identical diameters · CPC title