Device for securing a wheel on a wheel hub of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for securing a wheel on a wheel hub of a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel nut (3) which can be screwed onto an external thread (16) of the axle journal (11) of the wheel hub (1), and a blocking body (2) which is arranged in the axle journal (11) and can be moved axially in the axle journal (11) into a release position and a blocking position and has means for rotationally locking the wheel nut (3), wherein the blocking body (2) is displaceably guided in the axle journal (11) in a rotationally fixed manner and is preloaded against the wheel nut (3) via a spring (4), wherein the blocking body (2) has, on its end face facing the wheel nut (3), a face spline (21) which interacts with a face spline (35) present on the wheel nut (3), and wherein there is an opening in the end face of the wheel nut (3).

Description

[0001] Lawyer's file 26001

[0002] January 7, 2026

[0003] Device for securing a wheel to a wheel hub of a motor vehicle

[0004] The invention relates to a device for securing a wheel on a wheel hub of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0005] Particularly in racing vehicles, the wheels are attached to the respective wheel hub via a central wheel nut, which is screwed centrally onto the axle stub of the wheel hub, to minimize the time required for a wheel change. Various solutions are known to reliably prevent the wheel nut and wheel from unintentionally loosening while driving. For example, DE 3844 169 proposes securing the central wheel nut by means of radially outwardly adjustable detent balls that engage in receptacles of an internal locking section of the wheel nut.German patent DE 10207815 A1 describes a wheel locking system for securing a rim on a wheel hub by means of a wheel nut, in which the wheel nut is secured by a mechanical adjusting device arranged in the wheel hub, which has at least one locking bolt actuated by an adjusting element. In the locked position, the locking bolt is axially fixed on the wheel hub by a first stop. The locking bolt has a second stop and interacts with a contour of the wheel nut, thereby preventing radial movement of the locking bolt against the force of the adjusting element.

[0006] The present invention is based on the objective of providing an improved or at least an alternative device for securing a wheel to a wheel hub of a motor vehicle, particularly for racing, which has a simple design, enables quick mounting and dismounting of a wheel on a wheel hub, and reliably prevents the wheel nut from unintentionally loosening while driving. According to the invention, this objective is achieved by a sliding gate with the features of claim 1. The invention provides a device for securing a wheel to a wheel hub of a motor vehicle, particularly for racing, which has a simple design, enables quick mounting and dismounting of a wheel on a wheel hub, and reliably prevents the wheel nut from unintentionally loosening while driving.Because the locking element is guided in the axle journal so as to be displaceably rotational and is preloaded against the wheel nut by a spring, and because the locking element has a toothed end face facing the wheel nut that engages with a toothed end face on the wheel nut, the wheel nut can be tightened freely while simultaneously being prevented from rotating in the loosening direction. A tool can be inserted through the opening in the wheel nut's end face, preferably formed by a centrally located axial bore, and the locking element can be moved against the spring preload, thus easily releasing the rotational resistance for loosening the wheel nut.

[0007] A spur gear tooth is defined above as a spur gear tooth similar to a Hirth gear, but with teeth that have a sawtooth-like contour. Each tooth has a steep locking flank and a more shallowly inclined sliding flank. The locking flank can be inclined vertically in the axial direction or inwards, i.e., in the same direction as the sliding flank. The sliding flank, on the other hand, has a small helix angle, preferably less than or equal to 45°. The helix angle is the angle included with the tooth root. When two spur gear teeth are in contact, their sliding flanks slide against each other in one direction of rotation – in this case, the tightening direction of the wheel nut – while in the other direction of rotation – in this case, the loosening direction of the wheel nut – the locking flanks wedge themselves, thus preventing further rotation.

[0008] In a further development of the invention, the locking element is provided on its outer surface, at least in certain areas, with ribs that engage in grooves arranged for this purpose in the inner wall of the axle journal, which is at least partially hollow-cylindrical. This achieves a guided axial displacement of the locking element, thereby preventing it from tilting in the axle journal.

[0009] In an embodiment of the invention, the ribs of the locking element are formed by at least one spur gear and / or the grooves of the axle journal are formed by an internal spur gear arranged in the axle journal. This enables a simple, rotationally fixed, and simultaneously displaceable mounting of the locking element.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the locking element has at least one stop which interacts with a stop arranged on the axle journal, thereby limiting the axial travel of the locking element in the axle journal. This prevents the locking element from unintentionally sliding out of the axle journal when the wheel nut is loosened.

[0011] In a further development of the invention, the at least one stop of the locking element is formed by at least two guide pins, each of which is guided in a cam arranged in the axle journal. This achieves a defined travel path.

[0012] In this embodiment of the invention, the guide pins project into axial elongated holes. Preferably, the guide pins are threaded and screwed into radial threaded bores arranged in the locking body. This facilitates easy assembly. After positioning the locking body against the spring force, the guide pins can be screwed through the elongated holes into the threaded bores. The spring preload then causes the locking body, with the guide pins, to rest against the end position of the elongated holes. Of course, other methods of securing the guide pins to the locking body are also possible. For example, they can be glued into existing bores or locked in place with corresponding detent holes. Welding the guide pins through the elongated holes is also an option.For repair purposes, however, a detachable fastening of the guide pins, which can be formed, for example, by grub screws, to the locking body appears to be the most practical.

[0013] Advantageously, the locking body features threaded holes around its circumference, interrupting each rib, for screwing in a guide pin. This allows a guide pin to be screwed in through a slotted hole in any rotational position of the locking body, thus simplifying assembly.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, a retaining ring, preferably a circlip, is inserted into the axle journal, which forms an axial stop for the locking element. This provides an alternative or additional axial locking mechanism to prevent the locking element from being lost.

[0015] In a further development of the invention, the wheel nut has an insert featuring a face-to-face serration that is rotationally fixed to the wheel nut. This allows the use of a particularly resistant material for the face-to-face serration, while the wheel nut itself can be made of a different material. For rotationally fixed attachment, the insert is preferably connected to the wheel nut via a toothed connection, which can be additionally bonded or pressed for axial fixation. Alternatively, the insert can also be axially secured by a retaining ring.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the locking element has a centrally located axial threaded bore which, when in contact with the wheel nut, aligns with the central bore. This allows for additional securing of the end-lock connection between the locking element and the wheel nut by means of a screw that is screwed into the internal threaded bore of the locking element. Furthermore, axial securing of the wheel nut is achieved, which serves as a counter-bearing for the spring-loaded locking element to ensure proper function. In another embodiment of the invention, the locking element has a circumferential web surrounding the internal threaded bore, at least partially circularly. When the locking element is in contact with the wheel nut, this web passes through the axial bore of the wheel nut, with the height of the web preferably being less than the length of the axial bore. This enables centering of the locking element on the wheel nut while simultaneously providing radial support for the bore.Furthermore, this bridge allows for visual verification of a successful intervention by the barrier body.

[0017] In a further development of the invention, the locking element has a preferably cylindrical cavity on its side opposite the end toothing, in which the spring is arranged, at least partially. This reduces the required installation space. Furthermore, this reduces the weight of the locking element.

[0018] Other embodiments and configurations of the invention are specified in the remaining dependent claims. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is described in detail below. The drawings show:

[0019] Figure 1 shows a schematic partial section view of a device for securing a wheel to a wheel hub of a motor vehicle; Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the device from Figure 1;

[0020] Figure 3 shows the longitudinal section of the device from Figure 1 and Figure 4 shows the schematic representation of the locking body of the device from Figure 1 with the wheel nut in place.

[0021] The device chosen as an exemplary embodiment for securing a wheel on a wheel hub of a motor vehicle according to Figure 1 comprises a wheel hub 1 with an axle journal 11, which receives a locking element 2 and onto which a wheel nut 3 is screwed, the locking element 2 being pre-tensioned against the wheel nut 3 by a spring 4. The axle journal 11 of the wheel hub 1 has a hollow cylindrical section 12 at its end, in which axially extending ribs 13 are arranged circumferentially at regular intervals, forming an internal spur gear. At their ends, the ribs 13 border a circumferential annular groove 14, into which a circlip 6 is inserted. Spaced apart from the annular groove 14, four axially extending elongated holes 15 are provided circumferentially in the hollow cylindrical section 12, each offset from the others by 90°.The elongated holes 15 border on their side opposite the annular groove 14 an external thread 16 located on the outside of the hollow cylindrical section 12. Inside, the hollow cylindrical section 12 is bounded by an annular web 17.

[0022] The locking element 2 is essentially cylindrical and has an annular end-face serration 21 that defines a centrally arranged bore 22, which opens into a centrally arranged, reduced-diameter axial threaded bore 23. The teeth of the end-face serration 21 have a sawtooth profile. Each tooth has a steep locking flank 211 and a more shallowly inclined sliding flank 212. In the exemplary embodiment, the locking flank 211 is vertically inclined, i.e., at an angle of 90° to the tooth root. In the exemplary embodiment, the sliding flank has a helix angle of 40°.

[0023] Spacing from the face gear teeth 21, a shoulder with an enlarged outer diameter is arranged, which has axially extending, regularly spaced ribs 24 extending around its circumference in the manner of spur gearing. The ribs 24 are interrupted centrally by an annular groove 25. A radial threaded bore 26 for receiving a guide pin 5 is provided in each rib 24 at the interruption caused by the annular groove 25. On its side facing away from the face gear teeth 21, the locking element 2 has a cylindrical cavity 27, which receives a spring 4 designed as a helical compression spring that bears against the annular web 17 in the wheel hub 1. The wheel nut 3 is cup-shaped and has an internal thread 31 at its open end for screwing onto the external thread 16 of the wheel hub 1. In its base 32 opposite the internal thread 31, an insert 33 is pressed in, which is connected to the base 32 in a rotationally fixed manner via a toothed connection 34.On its side facing the internal thread, the insert 33 has an annular end-to-end locking tooth 35, which is designed according to the end-to-end locking tooth 21 of the locking body 2 and which defines a centrally arranged bore 36 that is aligned with the axial threaded bore 23 of the locking body 2. The teeth of the end-to-end locking tooth 35 have a sawtooth contour, corresponding to the end-to-end locking tooth 21, with the locking flank 351 of the teeth being vertically angled at the tooth root and the sliding flanks having a helix angle of 40°. An axial locking of the insert 33 is provided by a retaining ring (not shown). Alternatively, the insert 33 can also be pressed or bonded to the wheel nut 3 for axial locking.

[0024] In its initial position, i.e., with the wheel nut 3 removed, the locking element 2 with its ribs 24 is inserted between the ribs 13 of the hollow cylindrical section 12 of the axle journal 11 and held in the wheel hub 1 by the spring 4 via four guide pins 5, which are screwed through the elongated holes 15 into the radial threaded bores 26 aligned with the elongated holes 15. In this position, the locking element 2 rests against the circlip 6, which is inserted into the annular groove 14 of the axle journal 11.

[0025] To secure a rim (not shown) pushed onto the wheel hub 1, the wheel nut 3 is screwed with its internal thread 31 onto the external thread 16 of the axle journal 11. In the embodiment according to Figure 1, a circumferential, sleeve-like rib 28 is arranged on the locking element 2 surrounding the axial threaded bore 23. When the locking element 2 is in contact with the wheel nut 3, this rib projects into its axial bore, thus facilitating the centering of the wheel nut 3. When the wheel nut 3 is rotated in the tightening direction, the sliding flanks 352 of the spur gear teeth 35 of the insert 33 of the wheel nut 3 slide along the sliding flanks 212 of the spur gear teeth 21 of the locking element 2, which are preloaded against the spur gear teeth 35 by the spring 4. The locking body 2 is moved rearward along the ribs 13 of the axle pin 11, i.e. in the direction opposite to the circlip 6.When the wheel nut is rotated in the loosening direction, the locking flanks 352 of the spur gear teeth 35 of the wheel nut 3 engage the locking plates 211 of the spur gear teeth 21 of the locking body 2, which is held rotationally fixed between the ribs 13 of the wheel hub 1 by its ribs 24. This prevents the wheel nut 3 from rotating in the loosening direction. For additional locking, a locking screw (not shown) can be screwed through the bore 36 of the wheel nut 3 into the axial threaded bore 23 of the locking body 2, thereby clamping the spur gear teeth 21 of the locking body 2 against the spur gear teeth 35 of the wheel nut 3.

[0026] To loosen the wheel nut 3, after removing any existing locking screw from the axial threaded bore 23 of the locking element 2, the locking element 2 is pushed backwards against the preload of the spring 4 using a tool that is guided through the bore 36 of the wheel nut 2. This disengages the end-cutting teeth 21 of the locking element 2 from the end-cutting teeth 35 of the wheel nut 3. The locking effect is thereby released, allowing movement of the wheel nut 3 in the loosening direction.

[0027] The tool for displacing the locking element 2 is preferably integrated into a tool for rotating the wheel nut 3. It is understood that the wheel nut 3, for positive locking with a tool, can have a non-circular, in particular a polygonal, outer contour, preferably a hexagonal contour.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device for securing a wheel on a wheel hub of a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel nut (3) that can be screwed onto an external thread (16) of the axle journal (11) of the wheel hub (1), and a locking element (2) arranged in the axle journal (11), which is axially movable in the axle journal (11) into a release position and a locking position and which has means for preventing rotation of the wheel nut (3), characterized in that the locking element (2) is guided in the axle journal (11) so as to be displaceably rotationally fixed and is biased against the wheel nut (3) by a spring (4), wherein the locking element (2) has a face-end ratchet toothing (21) on its end face facing the wheel nut (3), which interacts with a face-end ratchet toothing (35) present on the wheel nut (3), and wherein an opening is arranged in the end face of the wheel nut (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening is formed by a centrally arranged axial bore (36).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking body (2) is provided at least partially on its outer surface with ribs (24) which engage in grooves which are arranged for this purpose in the inner wall of the axle pin (11) which is at least partially hollow cylindrical.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the ribs (24) of the locking body (2) are formed by at least one straight toothing and / or the grooves of the axle journal (11) are formed by an internal straight toothing arranged in the axle journal.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking body (2) has at least one stop which interacts with a stop arranged on the axle pin (11), thereby limiting the axial travel path of the locking body (2) in the axle pin (11).

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one stop of the locking body is formed by at least two guide pins (5) which are each guided in a cam arranged in the axle journal (11).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the cams are formed by axial elongated holes (15) into which the guide pins (5) project, wherein the guide pins (5) preferably have a thread with which they are screwed into radial threaded bores (26) arranged for this purpose in the locking body (2).

8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a retaining ring, preferably a circlip (6), is inserted in the axle pin (11) which forms an axial stop for the locking element (2).

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wheel nut (3) has an insert (33) which has the face-mounted ratchet teeth (35) and which is preferably connected to the wheel nut (3) in a rotationally fixed manner via a toothing.

10. Device according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the locking body (2) has a centrally located axial threaded bore (23) which, when in contact with the wheel nut, is aligned with the central bore.

11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking body (2) has a web (28) surrounding the threaded bore (23) that is at least partially circular and which, when the locking body (2) is in contact with the wheel nut (3), projects into its axial bore (36), wherein the height of the web (28) is preferably chosen to be less than the length of the axial bore (36).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking body (2) has a preferably cylindrical cavity (27) on its side opposite the end toothing (21) in which the spring (4) is arranged at least partially.

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