Am General LLC

Michael J Ellison

Fred L Goodell

A method of making a vehicle wheel end assembly (10) is adaptable for use with an on-board central tire inflation system. The assembly provides a passage for the routing of air between the on-board system and the vehicle tire. The assembly comprises a stationary spindle (12) and a rotational hub (14) mounted thereon. The hub is supported for rotation by first and second axially spaced bearing sets (16, 18), each having an inner race (20, 26) and an outer race (22, 28) associated with the spindle and hub, respectively. The inner race of the inboard bearing set (18) is formed with an axial air passage (46) which communicates with an internal chamber (36) in the hub to form a portion of the air passage between the tire and on-board system. In another feature, rotary seals (60, 62) are seated in opposed faces of the bearing sets and include sealing lips (72) which have a sealed contact with the upper surface of the inner bearing races. An inboard spindle collar (100) may also be employed to facilitate the continuation of the air passage (98) in the bearing race (90) to the on-board system.

Vehicle wheel end assembly

A vehicle wheel end assembly (10) is adaptable for use with an on-board central tire inflation system. The assembly provides a passage for the routing of air between the on-board system and the vehicle tire. The assembly comprises a stationary spindle (12) and a rotational hub (14) mounted thereon. The hub is supported for rotation by first and second axially spaced bearing sets (16, 18), each having an inner race (20, 26) and an outer race (22, 28) associated with the spindle and hub, respectively. The inner race of the inboard bearing set (18) is formed with an axial air passage (46) which communicates with an internal chamber (36) in the hub to form a portion of the air passage between the tire and on-board system. In another feature, rotary seals (60, 62) are seated in opposed faces of the bearing sets and include sealing lips (72) which have a sealed contact with the upper surface of the inner bearing races. An inboard spindle collar (100) may also be employed to facilitate the continuation of the air passage (98) in the bearing race (90) to the on-board system.

A vehicle wheel end assembly (10) is adaptable for use with an on-board central tire inflation system. The assembly provides a passage for the routing of air between a central source and the vehicle tire (25). The assembly comprises a stationary spindle (12) and a rotational hub (14) mounted thereon. A collar (34) is mounted on the inboard end of the spindle in interfacing relation with an inboard extension (50) of the hub. An air chamber, defined by the radial spacing of the collar (34) and hub extension (50), communicates air passages in the collar and hub (36, 44). The chamber is fitted with a pair of rotary seals (72, 74) to seal the air passage between the stationary collar (34) and rotating hub (14). The rotary seals (72, 74) each include an integral sealing lip (80) which responds to pressurization of the chamber by biasing into sealed relation with the outer surface of the collar (34).

A vehicle wheel end assembly (10) is adaptable for use with an on-board central tire inflation system. The assembly provides a passage for the routing of air between the on-board system and the vehicle tire. The assembly comprises a stationary spindle (12) and a rotational hub (14) mounted thereon. The hub is supported for rotation by first and second axially spaced bearing sets (16, 18), each having an inner race (20, 26) and an outer race (22, 28) associated with the spindle and hub, respectively. The inner race of the inboard bearing set (18) is formed with an axial air pressure (46) which communicates with an internal chamber (36) in the hub to form a portion of the air passage between the tire and on-board system. In another feature, rotary seals (60, 62) are seated in opposed faces of the bearing sets and include sealing lips (72) which have a sealed contact with the upper surface of the inner bearing races. An inboard spindle collar (100) may also be employed to facilitate the continuation of the air passage (98) in the bearing race (90) to the on-board system.

A bead lock for locking the bead portion of a pneumatic tire against the outer periphery of a vehicle wheel is adapted to seat in the vehicle wheel. In a first embodiment, the bead lock includes first and second annular members. The first annular member includes an endless band of aeromatic polyamide fibers. The second annular member has radially inner and outer portions and interconnecting resilient side portions. The first annular member is received and retained within a circumferentially extending slot formed in one of the outer portions to urge the side portions against the bead portions of the tire. The second embodiment includes a pair of locking rings, a pair of resilent sealing rings and a clamping mechanism for selectively clamping the locking and sealing rings and the bead portions together against the outer periphery of the wheel. In a third embodiment, the bead lock includes a pair of endless bands of aeromatic polyamide fibers embedded within an inflatable annular member having radially inner and outer portions and interconnecting side portions. The inner and outer portions comprise a matrix in which the bands are embedded. In all three embodiments each bead lock prevents displacement of the bead portion of the tire from the outer periphery of the wheel in the event of a partial or total deflation of the tire.

Bead lock for pneumatic tires

A kit for retrofitting a vehicle to include an automatic tire inflation system is disclosed. The kit includes a control box for mounting within the cabin of the vehicle. The control box includes a selector device that is manually actuable by the operator to select the desired pressure for the tires. A valve is used to inflate or deflate the tires as a function of the pressure differential between the actual and the desired tire pressures. In the preferred embodiment, the actual tire pressure is monitored by way of a static pressure tank connected to the tires through a fixed orifice. The kit permits a manufacturer to mass produce a certain vehicle and then selectively choose which ones of the vehicles are to be provided with an automatic tire inflation system.

Automatic tire inflation system retrofitting kit

A plurality of spaced ramps are formed in the inner surface of a vehicle hub interiorly of the bearings to facilitate removal thereof. Preferably, the hub is designed for use in an automatic tire inflation system and the ramps extend radially outwardly from a portion in the hub for receiving sealing rings cooperating to form an air passageway through the wheel assembly.

Vehicle hub with bearing removable feature

An automatic tire inflation/deflation system for a vehicle (10) is disclosed. Air passageways for the pressurize air are provided internally through the wheel assemblies without cutting into load bearing members. A rotating seal is provided by way of a pair of sealing rings (52,54) located inboard of the hub bearings (32,33) to protect the seals from adverse environmental conditions. A kit for retrofitting vehicles to include an automatic tire inflation/deflation system is also disclosed. Ramp surfaces (90, 91, 92) formed in the hub (30') are provided to facilitate removal of the bearing assemblies (32, 33).

Automatic tire inflation system

An automatic tire inflation system for a vehicle (10) includes a plurality of wheel assemblies (14). Each wheel assembly includes a rotatable portion (30) connected to its associated tire (16) and a non-rotatable portion (24) connected to the vehicle chassis (28). A sealed air passageway is provided between an inlet (62) in the non-rotatable portion and an outlet (64) in the rotatable portion of the wheel assembly which is connected to the tire. The sealed air passageway is provided in part by way of a longitudinally extending bore (66) in the spindle (24) which communicates with a chamber (60) defined by a sleeve (42) and a pair of air seals (52, 54) between the sleeve and spindle. A manually actuable selector device (102) in the vehicle is provided to permit the user to select one of a plurality of preset air pressure settings for the tires. An air regulating system quickly responds to the selected setting to automatically regulate the air pressure within the tires at the preset pressure associated with the selected setting of the selector device. A master-slave (166, 168) valving arrangement controlled by pilot air is preferably used to perform the inflation or deflation process.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Michael J Ellison