Tool for mounting a motor vehicle wheel on a wheel hub

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tool (1) for mounting a motor vehicle wheel (W) on a wheel hub (H), which comprises a tubular body having a coupling portion (2) arranged to be coupled to the wheel hub (H) and a bearing portion (3) for supporting the motor vehicle wheel (W) during the centering phase of the wheel (W) on the hub (H). The tool (1) comprises an inner tubular member (4) and an outer tubular member (5), which are rigidly connected to each other so as to be coaxial. At the coupling portion (2), the inner and outer tubular members (4, 5) are spaced apart so as to define a space (8) arranged to receive the end portion of the wheel hub (H), such that in the operating condition, the end portion of the hub (H) is interposed between the inner tubular member (4) and the outer tubular member (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool for mounting a motor vehicle wheel on a wheel hub, having a coupling portion arranged for coupling to the wheel hub and a bearing portion for supporting the motor vehicle wheel during the centering phase of the wheel on the hub. Background Art

[0002] In the field of sports cars, it is common to use single-nut type fastening and loosening systems to fasten the wheels to the corresponding wheel hubs, as these systems allow a significantly shorter time to be required for replacing one or more wheels compared to traditional fastening systems. To further reduce the complexity of the installation operation of the wheel to the corresponding hub, auxiliary devices have been proposed in the past to facilitate these installation operations.

[0003] However, there is a need to further simplify the installation operation indicated above to allow the user to perform the installation of the wheel to the corresponding hub without difficulty and in a greatly shortened time. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to produce a tool of the type indicated above which meets the requirements above.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide such a tool: which is suitable for being easily implemented to simplify the installation operation of the motor vehicle wheel on the corresponding wheel hub.

[0006] A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple and low-cost tool that can be uniquely used for wheels and hubs arranged on both sides of a motor vehicle.

[0007] Taking into account the achievement of these objects, the present invention relates to a tool for mounting a motor vehicle wheel on a wheel hub, having a tubular body which defines a coupling portion arranged for coupling to the wheel hub and a bearing portion for supporting the motor vehicle wheel during the centering phase of the wheel on the hub, the tool comprising:

[0008] - an inner tubular member defined by a first circumferential wall and an outer tubular element defined by a second circumferential wall, wherein the inner and outer tubular members are rigidly connected to each other so as to be coaxial,

[0009] - wherein, the inner tubular member is sized to be axially mounted within the hub, and the outer tubular member creates the bearing portion for supporting the motor vehicle wheel during the centering phase of the wheel on the hub,

[0010] - wherein, at said connection portion, said inner and outer tubular members are spaced apart so as to define a space for receiving an end portion of a wheel hub, such that in an operating condition, said end portion of the hub is interposed between said inner tubular member and said outer tubular member.

[0011] According to a further characteristic of the invention, the inner tubular member comprises at least one reference element designed to ensure correct mounting of the tool on the wheel hub.

[0012] Preferably, said at least one reference element is a radially projecting annular rib arranged to strike against an end edge of the wheel hub when the tool is axially coupled to the wheel hub.

[0013] According to a further characteristic of the invention, the outer tubular member has a tapered portion in such a way that at a gripping portion opposite the connection portion, the circumferential walls of the inner and outer tubular members are substantially adjacent.

[0014] The invention also relates to a method for mounting a motor vehicle wheel on a wheel hub, the method comprising the following steps:

[0015] - arranging a wheel support assembly comprising a wheel disc, a wheel hub and a series of centering members projecting from the wheel disc,

[0016] - preparing a tool having the characteristics indicated above,

[0017] - inserting said tool axially onto the wheel hub so that the inner tubular member is disposed within the circumferential wall of the hub and the circumferential wall of the hub is interposed between said inner tubular member and said outer tubular member,

[0018] - pushing said tool axially until it reaches a condition of stable connection of the tool on the wheel hub,

[0019] - arranging the wheel on the hub so that the wheel axis is aligned with the hub axis,

[0020] - centering the wheel relative to the centering means with the aid of said tool so as to easily define the angular position of the wheel on the wheel hub,

[0021] - removing the tool from the wheel hub, and

[0022] - applying locking and anti-loosening elements to lock the wheel on the wheel hub. Description of the Drawings

[0023] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example only, wherein:

[0024] -Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a motor vehicle wheel assembly incorporating a tool according to the present invention,

[0025] - Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a tool according to a preferred embodiment,

[0026] - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the tool of the previous illustration associated with a wheel hub, and

[0027] - Figure 4 is Figure 2 a perspective view of the wheel assembly shown in its final assembled condition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In the following description, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more example embodiments. The embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of the embodiments. References to "an embodiment" in the context of this description mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, phrases such as "in an embodiment" that may appear in various places in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be combined in one or more embodiments in a suitable manner and / or may be associated with the embodiments in a manner different from that shown herein. For example, the features illustrated with respect to one illustration may be applied to one or more of the embodiments illustrated with respect to a different illustration.

[0029] The references shown herein are for convenience only and do not delimit the scope or range of protection of the embodiments.

[0030] It should be noted that the configuration of the tool illustrated in the illustrations should not be considered restrictive in any way, but merely represents one of the many embodiments of a tool incorporating the unique features of the present invention.

[0031] In the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally denotes a preferred embodiment of a tool for mounting a motor vehicle wheel on a wheel hub according to the present invention. As particularly shown in the perspective view of Figure 2 , the tool 1 has a body of tubular shape that defines a coupling portion 2 arranged to be coupled to the wheel hub H and a carrier portion 3 arranged to support the motor vehicle wheel W during the centering phase of the wheel W on the hub H. In this description, the term "centering" means the angular positioning of the wheel W relative to the hub H.

[0032] Figure 1is an exploded perspective view of a motor vehicle wheel assembly associated with a tool 1 according to the present invention. In Figure 1 therein, according to techniques known per se, a wheel hub structure U and a motor vehicle wheel W arranged to be connected to the structure U are shown. Construction details relating to the tyre of the wheel W are not presented herein, as these details can be constructed in any known manner and also because eliminating these details from the illustration makes it easier and more straightforward to understand the illustration.

[0033] The hub structure U comprises:

[0034] - a wheel upright M provided with a plurality of attachment points A for one or more components for connection to a motor vehicle suspension (not shown in the illustration),

[0035] - a wheel disc D arranged to cooperate with at least one braking component (e.g., a brake caliper), and

[0036] - a wheel hub H which projects axially from the wheel disc D.

[0037] Reference P indicates a series of centering components in the circumferential direction, arranged to project from the wheel disc D parallel to the main axis of the hub H and arranged to define the angular position of the wheel W relative to the hub H. The wheel hub H comprises an end thread F which is arranged to cooperate with a locking and anti-loosening element 13 of the wheel W to lock the wheel W to the structure U. Features relating to this locking element 13 are shown in more detail hereinafter in this description.

[0038] Still referring to Figure 1 the exploded view, a preferred embodiment of the tool 1 according to the present invention is shown next to the hub H. As will be shown in more detail in the subsequent description, the tool 1 is designed to be coupled to the wheel hub H during the installation step of the wheel W on the hub H so as to facilitate the execution of these installation operations, particularly during the angular positioning in which the wheel is aligned with the centering element P.

[0039] As indicated above, the tool 1 has a body of tubular shape which defines a coupling portion 2 arranged to be coupled to the wheel hub H and a load-bearing part 3 for supporting the motor vehicle wheel W during the centering phase of the wheel W on the hub H. With particular reference to Figure 2 the perspective view, the tool 1 comprises an inner tubular member 4 defined by a first circumferential wall 6 and an outer tubular member 5 defined by a second circumferential wall 7. The inner and outer tubular members 4, 5 are rigidly connected to each other so as to be coaxial.

[0040] The inner tubular element 4 is sized to be axially mounted within a wall H1 defining the hub H, while the outer tubular member 5 is arranged to create the aforementioned load-bearing part 3 for supporting the motor vehicle wheel W during the installation of the wheel W on the hub H.

[0041] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a wheel assembly shown in an assembled condition, where tool 1 is coupled to wheel hub H. Note that at the coupling portion 2, the inner and outer tubular members 4, 5 are spaced apart from each other so as to define a space 8 between the corresponding circumferential walls 6, 7. The space 8 is sized to receive the end portion of the wheel hub H in such a way that the circumferential wall H1 of the hub H is interposed between the inner tubular member 4 and the outer tubular member 5. Thus, it will be appreciated that in the coupled condition of the tool 1 to the hub H, at the coupling portion 2 of the tool 1, the inner tubular member 4 is disposed inside the wheel hub H and the outer tubular member 5 is disposed above the wheel hub H so as to cover its circumferential wall H1 and the thread F. At the coupling portion 2, the diameters of the inner and outer tubular members 4, 5 are sized to create a hub H / tool 1 coupling once the installation operation is completed, so as to ensure both centering of the tool 1 and easy removal. Since the tool 1 has a maximum diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the hub H in the region of the thread F, the wheel W can be easily inserted onto the hub associated with the tool 1 such that the tool 1 passes through the central opening O of the wheel W.

[0042] According to a further characteristic of the invention, the inner tubular member 4 includes one or more reference elements arranged to ensure correct mounting of the tool 1 onto the wheel hub H before the installation of the wheel W is carried out. Referring to the specific embodiment shown in the legend, these reference elements are configured at the inner tubular member 4 in the form of circumferential ribs 9 protruding from the first circumferential wall 6. The ribs 9 are arranged near the longitudinally extending centerline of the tool 1 and are arranged to contact against the end edge H2 of the wheel hub H when the tool 1 is coupled to the wheel hub H. Due to this characteristic, the possibility of functional failures caused by misalignment of the tool 1 along the axis of the hub H can be minimized.

[0043] Due to the specific construction of the tool 1 described previously, in the mounted condition of the tool 1 on the hub H, the tubular body of the tool 1 axially protrudes from the hub H, creating a support for allowing support of the wheel W during the installation operation of the wheel W (especially during the phase of centering the wheel W relative to the centering member P). Thus, it will be appreciated that the user involved in the installation of the wheel W can avoid having to support the wheel W by his own strength during the operation of centering the wheel / hub. At the same time, when the thread F of the hub H is covered by the outer tubular member 5, the use of the tool 1 allows avoiding any type of damage to the wheel W resulting from the contact between the wheel W (e.g., made of aluminum) and the hub H (e.g., made of steel). Preferably, the tool 1 is made of aluminum so as to be particularly wear-resistant. A further advantage resulting from the above-described tool 1 / hub H coupling method is the ability to create a single tool that can be meaningfully used for wheels and hubs arranged on both sides of a motor vehicle.

[0044] With particular reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the tool 1 includes a gripping portion 10 opposite to the coupling portion 2, the gripping portion 10 being arranged to be gripped by an operator during the manipulation steps of the tool 1 so as to couple / decouple the tool 1 and the wheel hub H. The gripping portion 10 also creates a first centering point of the wheel W during installation. During use, the user must slide the wheel W continuously over the area 10 up to the carrier portion 3 to perform the installation operation. The gripping portion 10 has a diameter smaller than that of the coupling portion 2. This geometric change between the coupling portion 2 and the gripping portion 10 is achieved by means of a tapered wall 11 constructed on the outer tubular member 5. The tapered wall 11 is arranged near the rib 9 of the inner tubular member 4. More specifically, it should be noted that the inner tubular member 4 has a constant diameter except for the circumferential wall portion 6 (in which the protruding rib 9 is constructed), while the outer tubular member 5 has a variable diameter along its longitudinal extension. At the gripping portion 10, the diameters of the inner and outer tubular members 4, 5 are substantially the same in such a way that the corresponding circumferential walls 6, 7 of the elements 4, 5 are substantially adjacent to each other, so as to allow the connection between the inner tubular member 4 and the outer tubular member 5. Preferably, the two tubular members 4 and 5 are connected to each other in an interference fit inside the portion 10.

[0045] According to a preferred feature of the present invention, the inner tubular member 4 has a series of holes 12, the series of holes 12 being arranged in a circumferential sequence near the rib 9. Since in the case where the tool 1 is used in adverse weather conditions, the travel end reference 9 (constructed by the rib in the embodiment shown in the legend) constitutes an obstacle to the passage of possible water, these holes 12 allow the water to drain, and thus prevent the corrosion phenomenon of the tool 1. In view of the above structural characteristics of the tool 1, the installation sequence of the motor vehicle wheel W on the wheel hub H will now be described according to the components shown in the legend 1.

[0046] To facilitate the installation step of the motor vehicle wheel W on the assembly including the hub H, the tool 1 must be coupled to the wheel hub H and the tool 1 is inserted axially onto the hub H. At the coupling portion 2, the inner tubular member 4 is arranged inside the hub H, and the circumferential wall H1 of the hub H is interposed between the inner tubular member 4 and the outer tubular member 5. The latter is thus arranged outside the hub H so as to cover the thread H1 of the hub H.

[0047] To ensure the correct coupling of the tool 1 and the hub H, it is necessary to push the tool 1 axially until the condition of stable coupling of the tool 1 on the wheel hub H is reached. Preferably, this condition is achieved by the contact between the protruding rib 9 of the inner tubular member 4 and the end edge H2 of the hub H.

[0048] Once the condition of correct coupling between the tool 1 and the hub H is reached, the wheel W can be inserted onto the hub H so that the axis of the wheel coincides with the axis of the hub H. In order to perform the centering phase of the wheel H with respect to the centering device P of the unit U, the support created by the tool 1 can be used. Due to the covering of the thread F constructed by the wall 7 of the outer tubular member 5, any damage to the thread F due to the contact between the wheel W and the hub H can be avoided. By using the carrier part 3 of the tool 1, the angular position of the wheel W on the wheel hub H can be easily defined. According to techniques known per se, in order to define the angular position of the wheel W on the hub H, the pin P must be interconnected with the corresponding seat S obtained on the structure of the wheel W (shown in Figure 3 ).

[0049] Once the angular position of the wheel W has been defined, the tool 1 can be removed from the hub H by applying a traction force in the opposite direction to the hub H. At this time, the locking and anti-loosening element 13 can be applied to lock the wheel W to the wheel hub H.

[0050] Referring to the embodiment shown in the legend, the locking element 13 is a single-nut type component configured to be screwed onto the thread F of the hub H and lock the wheel W to the unit U. In the case of observing the Figure 1 exploded view, it should be noted that the element 13 includes a coupling nut 14 arranged to be screwed onto the thread F of the hub H. The element 13 also includes an annular nut 15 connected to the washer 16 by means of fastening means 20. The washer 16 has a body shaped to be arranged within the correspondingly shaped seat 19 of the nut 14. In the example shown, the aforementioned fastening means is constructed of at least one fastening screw (e.g., made of titanium).

[0051] In the final assembled condition of the wheel W at the hub H, the nut 13 is screwed onto the thread F of the hub H, and the annular nut 14 is arranged within the grooved portion 17 obtained on the inner surface of the wall H1 of the hub H. The washer 16 has a central hole 18 configured to allow the drainage of any water penetration inside the mounted wheel assembly.

[0052] Due to the reasons of the above characteristics, the tool 1 according to the present invention provides the following advantages:

[0053] - Reduces the complexity of the wheel mounting operation on the corresponding hub,

[0054] - Allows the user to mount the wheel without difficulty and in an extremely short time;

[0055] - Excludes the possibility of damage to the thread F resulting from contact with the wheel (e.g., made of aluminum) and the hub (e.g., made of steel); and

[0056] - Prepare such a tool that is simple in construction, has a low production cost, and can be uniquely used for wheels and wheel hubs arranged on both sides of a motor vehicle.

[0057] Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the present invention and without departing from the scope of the present invention, the construction details and embodiments can vary widely with respect to those construction details and embodiments described and illustrated merely by way of example.

Claims

1. A tool (1) for mounting a motor vehicle wheel (W) on a wheel hub (H), having a tubular body which defines a coupling portion (2) arranged for coupling to the wheel hub (H) and a bearing portion (3) for supporting the motor vehicle wheel (W) during the centering phase of the wheel (W) on the hub (H), the tool (1) comprising: - an inner tubular member (4) defined by a first circumferential wall (6) and an outer tubular member (5) defined by a second circumferential wall (7), wherein the inner and outer tubular members (4, 5) are rigidly connected to each other so as to be coaxial, - wherein the inner tubular member (4) is sized to be axially mounted within the hub (H), and the outer tubular member (5) creates the bearing portion (3) for supporting the motor vehicle wheel (W) during the centering phase of the wheel (W) on the hub (H), - wherein, at the coupling portion (2), the inner and outer tubular members (4, 5) are spaced apart so as to define a space (8) arranged for receiving an end portion of the wheel hub (H), such that in the operating condition, the end portion of the hub (H) is interposed between the inner tubular member (4) and the outer tubular member (5).

2. The tool (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner tubular member (4) includes at least one reference element arranged to ensure correct mounting of the tool (1) on the wheel hub (H).

3. The tool (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The at least one reference element is a radially protruding annular rib (9) arranged to strike against an end edge (H2) of the wheel hub (H) when the tool (1) is axially coupled to the wheel hub (H).

4. The tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The tubular body includes a gripping portion (10) opposite to the coupling portion (2), and is characterized in that, at the gripping portion (10), the outer tubular member (5) has a smaller diameter than at the coupling portion (2).

5. The tool (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer tubular member (5) has a tapered portion (11) in such a way that the first and second circumferential walls (6, 7) are substantially adjacent at the gripping portion (10).

6. The tool (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The inner tubular member (4) includes a series of holes (12) arranged to allow any water to permeate and drain out, and thus prevent corrosion phenomena of the tool (1).

7. A method for coupling a motor vehicle wheel (W) to a wheel hub (H), comprising the following steps: - arranging a wheel support assembly (U) which includes a wheel disc (D), a wheel hub (H) and a series of centering members (P) protruding from the wheel disc (D), - arranging a tool (1) according to any one of claims 1-6, - inserting the tool (1) axially onto the wheel hub (H) so that the inner tubular member (4) is arranged within the circumferential wall (H1) of the hub (H), and the circumferential wall (H1) of the hub (H) is interposed between the inner tubular member (4) and the outer tubular member (5), - Push the tool (1) in the axial direction until the tool (1) reaches a condition of stable connection on the wheel hub (H). - Arrange the wheel (W) on the hub (H) so that the wheel axis is aligned with the hub axis. - Center the wheel (W) relative to the centering member (P) with the aid of the tool (1) so as to easily define the angular position of the wheel (W) on the wheel hub (H). - Remove the tool (1) from the wheel hub (H), and - Apply a locking and anti-loosening element (13) to lock the wheel (W) on the wheel hub (H).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of pushing the tool in the axial direction until the tool (1) reaches a condition of stable connection on the hub (H) includes contact between the protruding annular rib (9) of the inner tubular member (4) and the end edge (H2) of the wheel hub (H).

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that The step of applying the locking and anti-loosening element (13) is implemented by means of a single-nut type locking element including an annular nut (15) configured to be arranged in a groove (17) formed in a part of the inner surface of the hub (H).

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