The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 28, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 31, 1995
Mark N Gold, Hallsville, TX (US);
Barry E Braun, Longview, TX (US);
Paul S Perry, Longview, TX (US);
Stemco Inc., Longview, TX (US);
Abstract
A hubcap attached to a wheel hub wherein a chamber is formed between the hubcap and the wheel hub for housing a lubricating fluid for the associated wheel bearings. A vent passage extending through the hubcap is provided for relieving the pressure formed therein. A porous material is positioned to cover the vent passage for allowing a flow of gases to enter and exit the vent passage while preventing liquids and other contaminants from traveling therethrough. The porous material is held in a compressive abutting relationship to the hubcap surface by an enclosure which surrounds the vent passage and encases the porous material to shield the outer surface of the porous material from exposure to external grit and other contaminants. The enclosure further has at least one port to accommodate air flow to the porous material. The enclosure may further include a filter device positioned adjacent to the port which prevents the passage of grit and other contaminants therethrough to prevent the accumulation of external contaminants on the porous material covering the vent passage thereby maintaining the air flow vent path.