Having Transparent Window Patents (Class 301/108.2)
  • Patent number: 11850887
    Abstract: A manually-rotatable hubcap for wheel/axle apparatus, the wheel configured to rotate with respect to the axle and having a wheel inner surface substantially parallel to the axle, the hubcap comprising: (a) a hubcap body having a lubrication filling port and a sealing surface facing the wheel inner surface; (b) retention structure for attaching the hubcap body to the wheel; and (c) a seal between the sealing surface and the wheel inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ATI, Inc.
    Inventors: Jamsheed Reshad, Timothy D. Stacy
  • Patent number: 11021009
    Abstract: A vent plug for a hub cap is provided. The vent plug includes a cover and base forming a chamber. A vent plug body extends from the base and forms a cavity. A shield is coupled to the vent plug body. The shield comprises an annularly extending disc that traverses the cavity. The shield includes a connecting surface to connect the shield to the vent plug body. The shield provides a lubrication/liquid barrier to inhibit lubrication (or other liquid) from entering the cavity formed by the vent plug body and the chamber. The connection between the shield and the vent plug body allows a gas (typically air) to vent past the shield into the cavity and, when pressure is sufficiently high, to the chamber and eventually atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Stemco Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Jimenez, Herman E. Goins, Jr., Mark N. Gold, Lucia Santamaria
  • Patent number: 10150333
    Abstract: A hubcap for an aircraft wheel comprises a generally cup-like body for covering, in use, a free end of an axle. The cup-like body has an end wall, a side wall and an open end opposite the end wall. The hubcap further comprises one or more elongate formations protruding from an outer surface of the side wall and extending from close to the end wall towards the open end of the body, wherein the height of the or each elongate formation varies or tapers continuously or discontinuously from a maximum to a minimum along at least a portion of its length in a direction towards or away from the closed end of the cup-like body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: MEGGITT AEROSPACE LIMITED
    Inventor: Martin James Fisher
  • Patent number: 10093126
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wheel cover and to a wheel hub arrangement, wherein the wheel cover has a shielding section, which shields a gap formed between a hub and the wheel cover, and wherein a wheel hub arrangement is provided, in which a seal element is arranged in a gap formed between a wheel cover and the hub, which seal element is embodied as a profile seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SAF-HOLLAND GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Weigand
  • Patent number: 9399369
    Abstract: A roller for a tracked vehicle has a lubricating oil reservoir and an open end to the lubricating oil reservoir. The open end of the roller is closed by a cap removably coupled to the open end. The cap includes a sealing body having an outer side facing away from the open end, an opposed inner side facing toward the open end, and a standoff structure formed in the inner side. A compressible gasket is applied between the inner side of the cap and the open end and is under a compression between the inner side of the cap and the open end of the roller forming a fluid-impervious seal between the cap and the open end of the roller. The standoff structure of the cap interacts between the cap and the open end holding the cap away from the open end limiting the compression of the gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventor: Ronald J. Kile
  • Patent number: 9308776
    Abstract: A heavy duty vehicle hubcap preferably made from a plastic material and having a sidewall, an end wall with a transparent window insert formed therein, and further including a radial mounting flange. The hubcap also includes an access port formed in the hubcap body sidewall and a vent plug removably positioned in liquid tight relation within the access port defined in the hubcap. Preferably, the hubcap is vented to permit passage of gas and vapor therethrough without permitting liquid to pass into the sealed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Dave B. Templin, Yefim Epshetsky
  • Patent number: 8979215
    Abstract: A roller for a tracked vehicle has a lubricating oil reservoir and an open end to the lubricating oil reservoir. The open end of the roller is closed by a cap removably coupled to the open end. The cap is a sealing body having an outer side facing away from the open end, an opposed inner side facing toward the open end, and a standoff structure formed in the inner side. A compressible gasket is applied between the inner side of the cap and the open end and is under a compression between the inner side of the cap and the open end of the roller forming a fluid-impervious seal between the cap and the open end of the roller. The standoff structure of the cap interacts between the cap and the open end holding the cap away from the open end limiting the compression of the gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Inventor: Ronald J. Kile
  • Publication number: 20140152081
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an oil hub cap comprising a cylindrical body for mounting to a wheel axle defining an interior space for holding lubricant oil and a transparent front face. An indicating ring is located within the interior space, such that the outside edge of the indicating ring indicates the minimum amount of lubricant to be contained within the interior space and the inside edge of the indicating ring indicates the maximum amount of lubricant to be contained within the interior space, the surface of the indicating ring between the inside and outside edges being provided with a reflective surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventor: Arthur LEUNG
  • Patent number: 6676227
    Abstract: An axle end plug employs a magnet which attracts ferrous metallic debris from a cavity in a trailer axle wheel end. The axle end plug includes a vent hole which is substantially aligned with an aperture in the magnet. The vent hole vents the cavity in the trailer axle wheel end to the interior of the axle, rather than to the atmosphere. The arrangement prevents external contaminants such as dirt and water from entering the cavity. The magnet attracts ferrous debris which accumulates in the cavity from component wear or from manufacturing debris which remains in the axle interior. The magnet attracts and removes these particles from the trailer axle wheel end, minimizing the wearing of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Edmund A. Stanczak
  • Patent number: 6546892
    Abstract: An overheating axle warning device comprising a heat sensor device with a neoprene seal which is substituted for a standard rubber filler wheel hub plug. The device can have various colors to identify certain temperature ranges of activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Inventors: Walter P. Kelly, Jr., Kent E. Lacina
  • Patent number: 6485110
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the amount of lubricant within a housing is disclosed. The apparatus includes a shaft driving the housing about an axis, a number of interior components positioned within the housing, and an opening defined in the housing and centered on the axis. The distance between the a lower edge of the opening and the lowest portion of the housing is proportional to the amount of lubricant displaced by the components. The level of the lubricant within the housing determined relative to the lower edge. A work machine and method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Caterpiller Inc
    Inventors: Rick T. Lasko, Frank Moeller
  • Patent number: 6447072
    Abstract: An oil-bath wheel spindle and hub assembly including a heat dissipating oil seal cap with a transparent window for observing the lubricant level and thermal conductive vanes forming a heat sink to transfer heat away from the wheel spindle and hub assembly to ambient atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Inventor: Lawrence N. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20020096935
    Abstract: An oil-bath wheel spindle and hub assembly including a heat dissipating oil seal cap with a transparent window for observing the lubricant level and thermal conductive vanes forming a heat sink to transfer heat away from the wheel spindle and hub assembly to ambient atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventor: Lawrence N. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6273519
    Abstract: An oil hub cup includes a cylindrical body mounted to a wheel axle defining an interior space for preserving lubricant oil. The cylindrical body has a top face defining a central bore with a circumferential shoulder formed around the central bore for receiving and retaining an observing lens to seal the central bore. A cavity is defined in a top face of the observing lens with first and second holes defined in the observing lens exposed to a bottom of the cavity. The second hole is in communication with the interior space of cylindrical body for releasing excessive inside pressure inside the hub cup. A resilient vent check valve includes a disk received in the cavity and a plug extending from the disk for being received in the first hole to secure the vent check valve in position. A circumferential flange is formed on the disk to sealingly engage the bottom of the cavity for sealing the second hole thereby preventing water from entering the interior space of the cylindrical body through the second hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Inventor: Eric Tsou
  • Patent number: 6203114
    Abstract: A novel temperature probe provides a visual indicator to an operator of when an assembly, such as a vehicle axle, filled with a semi-fluid synthetic grease for lubricating the bearings therein has reached an unsafe temperature during operation. In one embodiment, the temperature probe is provided in a specially drilled bore through one of the components. In another embodiment, the temperature probe is provided in a bore drilled into a fastener member which is normally used in the assembly. The temperature probe includes an indicator pin which is mounted in a housing. When the components reach an unsafe temperature during operation, the indicator pin pops outwardly from the housing to alert a user that an unsafe temperature has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Wabash Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Rodney P. Ehrlich