Wheel nut checker

Abstract

To provide a wheel nut checker enabling immediate detection of the looseness of a wheel nut by visual observation.SOLUTION: A wheel nut checker 1 is composed of two ring members 2, 2 fitted to wheel nuts 10, 10 of a vehicle, and a connection member 3 for connecting the two ring members 2, 2. The ring members 2, 2 are formed with a plurality of projections 4, 4 ... projecting from the inner peripheral surface to the center side and locked to the wheel nuts 10, 10 along the inner peripheries of the ring members 2, 2. The connection member 3 has a reverse N shape in a front view, and is connected to the ring members 2, 2 due to that both end parts thereof extend so as to come close to the ring members 2, 2, and the tips of both end parts become bent parts 6 bent in the circumferential direction each of the ring members 2, 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wheel nut checker that is attached to a wheel nut of a vehicle and can visually detect loosening of the wheel nut.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a wheel nut checker that is attached to a wheel nut of a vehicle such as a truck and rotates in conjunction with loosening of the wheel nut, so that loosening of the wheel nut can be visually detected. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a wheel nut checker that provides triangular vanes as marks on the side surface of a ring body through which a wheel nut is inserted, and visually detects loosening of the wheel nut by whether or not the position of the vanes has moved after being attached to the wheel nut.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the wheel nut checker of Patent Document 1 is configured to detect loosening of the wheel nut based on whether or not it has moved from the initial position of the vanes. Therefore, since it is necessary to memorize the initial position of the vanes or provide a reference indicating the initial position of the vanes by another method, there has been a problem that it is difficult to instantaneously determine loosening of the wheel nut.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a wheel nut checker that can instantaneously detect loosening of a wheel nut visually.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a wheel nut checker comprising two ring members fitted to the wheel nut of a vehicle and a connecting member for connecting the two ring members. The ring members are provided with a plurality of protrusions protruding from the inner peripheral surface toward the center side and engaging with the wheel nut along the inner periphery of the ring members. The connecting member has an inverted N shape in a front view, extends such that both ends approach the respective ring members, and the tips of both ends are bent in the radial direction of the respective ring members to form bent portions and are connected to the ring members. The connecting member has dimensions that fit between two virtual lines parallel to each other and in contact with the respective ring members. Further, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, a tapered portion that slopes in a direction away from the center of the ring member is formed on the back side of each protrusion as it faces the back. Further, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, a discriminating portion for discriminating the front and back of the wheel nut checker is provided on the connecting member.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the connecting member that connects the two ring members has an inverted N shape in a front view, extends such that both ends approach the peripheral surfaces of the respective ring members, and the tip portions are bent in the radial direction of the respective ring members and connected to the ring members. Therefore, after the wheel nut checker is attached to the wheel nut, if the wheel nut becomes loose, the wheel nut checker deforms so that the gap between each ring member and the connecting member collapses, making it easy to visually detect the looseness of the wheel nut. Also, in the wheel nut checker, the connecting member has dimensions that fit between two virtual lines parallel to each other and in contact with the respective ring members. Therefore, it can be attached even if the area where the wheel nuts are arranged is narrow, so it is not easily restricted by the vehicle type.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the wheel nut checker 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front-side perspective view, and FIG. 2 is a back-side perspective view. Further, FIG. 3 is a front view showing the state where the wheel nut checker 1 is attached to the wheel nuts 10, 10. Further, FIG. 4 is a reference view showing the state where the wheel nut 10 on the right side in the front view in FIG. 3 is loose. In the state where the wheel nut checker 1 is attached to the wheel nut 10 of the wheel, the direction facing the wheel is defined as the front.

[0010] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the wheel nut checker 1 includes two ring members 2, 2 and a connecting member 3 that connects the ring members 2, 2. Further, the wheel nut checker 1 is formed of a deformable material such as plastic, for example.

[0011] The ring members 2, 2 are circular members whose dimensions are determined so as to fit the wheel nuts 10, 10 of a wheel such as a truck. On the ring members 2, 2, projecting portions 4, 4... that project from the inner peripheral surface of the ring members 2, 2 toward the center side and engage with the wheel nuts 10, 10 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The projecting portions 4, 4... are triangular in a front view, and on the back side, a tapered portion 5 that inclines in a direction away from the center of each ring member 2 as it goes toward the back is provided.

[0012] The connecting member 3 is reverse-N-shaped in a front view, extends such that both ends approach the circumferential surfaces of the ring members 2, 2 respectively, and the tips of both ends become bent portions 6 that bend in the radial direction of the ring members 2, 2 respectively and are connected to the ring members 2, 2. Further, the connecting member 3 has dimensions such that it fits between two virtual lines L1, L2 that are parallel to each other and in contact with the ring members 2, 2 respectively. Also, at the center of the connecting member 3, a conical discrimination portion 7 for discriminating the front and back of the wheel nut checker 1 is provided. Note that if the front and back of the wheel nut checker 1 can be discriminated, the shape of the discrimination portion 7 may be changed as appropriate.

[0013] Subsequently, the usage method of the wheel nut checker 1 and the deformation of the wheel nut checker 1 when the wheel nuts 10, 10 become loose after the wheel nut checker 1 is attached to the wheel nuts 10, 10 will be described.

[0014] After the wheel nuts 10, 10 of the vehicle are fully tightened, the wheel nut checker 1 is attached to the wheel nuts 10, 10 such that the ring members 2, 2 fit onto the wheel nuts 10, 10. At this time, in the wheel nut checker 1, both ends of the connecting member 3 extend so as to approach the circumferential surfaces of the ring members 2, 2 respectively, and the tips of both ends bend in the radial direction of the ring members 2, 2 respectively and are connected to the ring members 2, 2. Therefore, a gap S is formed between the connecting member 3 and each ring member 2. In this way, the wheel nut checker 1 prevents the wheel nuts 10, 10 from loosening due to the elasticity of the wheel nut checker 1.

[0015] Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when the wheel nut 10 on the right side in a front view rotates counterclockwise, that is, when the wheel nut 10 becomes loose, since the connecting member 3 is reverse-N-shaped in a front view, the wheel nut checker 1 deforms such that the gap between the connecting member 3 and each ring member 2 is crushed. Therefore, it becomes possible to detect loosening of the wheel nut 10 only by visually checking whether the gap S between the connecting member 3 and each ring member 2 is crushed.

[0016] According to the wheel nut checker 1 of the above embodiment, the connecting member 3 that connects the two ring members 2 is reverse N-shaped when viewed from the front, and both ends extend so as to approach the circumferential surfaces of the ring members 2, 2 respectively, and the tip portions are bent in the radial direction of the ring members 2, 2 and connected to the ring members 2, 2. Therefore, after the wheel nut checker 1 is attached to the wheel nuts 10, 10, when the wheel nuts 10, 10 become loose, the wheel nut checker 1 is deformed so that the gap S between each ring member 2 and the connecting member 3 is crushed, and thus the looseness of the wheel nut 10 can be easily detected visually. Further, in the wheel nut checker 1, the connecting member 3 has a dimension that fits between two virtual lines L1, L2 that are parallel to each other and in contact with the ring members 2, 2 respectively. Therefore, it can be attached even if the area where the wheel nuts 10 are arranged is narrow, and thus it is less likely to be restricted by the vehicle type. And the taper portion 5 enables the wheel nuts 10, 10 to be easily attached and detached. Furthermore, since the front and back of the wheel nut checker 1 can be determined by the discrimination portion 7, it is possible to prevent the wheel nut checker 1 from being attached in the reverse direction.

[0017] Note that the wheel nut checker according to the present invention is not limited to the aspects of the above embodiment, and not only the overall configuration of the wheel nut checker but also the connecting member and the like can be appropriately changed as needed.

[0018] For example, the number and shape of the protruding portions 4, 4... may be appropriately changed. Also, in the present embodiment, the outer shapes of the ring members 2, 2 are circular, but they may be polygonal. Also, the radial length of the bent portion 6 may be appropriately changed.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0019] 1... wheel nut checker, 2... ring member, 3... connecting member, 4... protruding portion, 5... taper portion, 6... bent portion, 7... discrimination portion, 10... wheel nut.

Claims

1. A wheel nut checker comprising two ring members that fit onto the wheel nuts of a vehicle and a connecting member that connects the two ring members, wherein a plurality of protruding portions that protrude from the inner peripheral surface toward the center side and engage with the wheel nut are provided along the inner periphery of the ring member, the connecting member has an inverted N shape when viewed from the front, extends such that both ends approach the respective ring members, and the tips of both ends are bent portions that bend in the radial direction of the respective ring members and are connected to the ring members, and the connecting member has dimensions that fit within the space between two virtual lines parallel to each other and in contact with the respective ring members. A wheel nut checker characterized by this.

2. The wheel nut checker according to claim 1, wherein a tapered portion that slopes away from the center of the ring member is formed on the back side of each protruding portion in a direction away from the center as it goes toward the back.

3. The wheel nut checker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a discrimination portion for discriminating between the front and back of the wheel nut checker is provided on the connecting member.

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