Steel washer integral with nut/cap assembly
A fastener and cap assembly including a body having a longitudinal axis and an axial aperture further comprising, a plurality of ends, wrenching flats, and a cap telescoped over the body and having a crimped portion that provides a clamp.
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/417,638, filed Apr. 17, 2003, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/685,295, filed Oct. 10, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,314. The disclosure of Application No. 417,638 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to nut and washer assemblies for mounting wheels on the axles of motor vehicles. More particularly, the nut and washer assembly of this invention is structured to better centrally locate the wheel to the axle of the spindle or hub of the wheel.
Some wheel fastening systems utilize nut and washer assemblies that provide certain advantages over simpler one-piece designs. Since these assemblies cost considerably more than the one piece designs, they tend to be used as a last resort to address joint design or assembly issues. In this invention, a decorative cap on the wheel nut is used to hold the washer or “wheel seat engaging component” to the wheel nut. This eliminates the need for an extra operation to assemble the washer to the nut thereby bringing the cost of the assembly closer to the costs for one-piece structures.
This invention provides an integral washer and nut/cap assembly that will provide more uniform clamp load on the wheel for the applied torque.
The integral washer and nut/cap assembly can be made in several forms. All of the assemblies depicting a flat interface between the threaded nut component and the washer component will better centrally locate the wheel to the axis of the spindle and/or hub as well as provide more uniform clamp load on the wheel for the applied torque. All of the assemblies utilizing a flat interface between the threaded nut component and the washer component will provide both of these benefits. In addition, all washers with a flat bottom surface that mates to the wheel will also provide both benefits regardless of the nut-washer interface.
It is generally known in the industry that a nut and washer can provide better control of mating surface friction in a threaded fastener joint. The consequence is more predictable clamp load on the wheel for the torque applied to the wheel nuts. Commercial benefits such as reduced production costs, exist for the method depicted holding the nut and washer together as an assembly. In this invention, the periphery of the ornamental cap is crimped to hold the nut and washer together. The material of choice is steel for the nut and washer, but other materials with satisfactory physical properties relating to frictional and strength qualities can be used.
Further features, advantages and innovations will be apparent from the following drawings when taken in connection with the specification and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference to the drawing, the wheel/nut and washer assembly of this invention, indicated generally at 10 in
The assembly 10 is shown in
The wheel 26 is clamped against the plate 28 by a number of wheel nut/washer assemblies 10 on bolts carried by the axle plate 28, one of which is shown at 30 in
A torque force is applied to the wrench flats 24 so as to induce a clamping force on the wheel 26 at the seat surface 36 by the conical surface 37 on each of the washers 21. This invention, will, therefore, provide an integral washer and nut cap assembly that will provide for more uniform clamp loads on the wheel for a given applied torque.
It is to be noted that an ornamental cap 40 extends downwardly on the body 12 and at its lower end the cap is crimped or deformed to function as a clamp 43 (
A small gap or space 60 is provided between the washer and the clamp 43. This gap is critical to the free rotation and lateral movement of the washer 21.
In
In the embodiment 10b shown in
In the embodiment 10c shown in
The embodiment 10e shown in
Turning now to the embodiment 10f shown in
From the above disclosure it is evident that this invention provides wheel nuts and washer assemblies 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10f which can be effectively used to attach wheels so that a maximum torque can be applied to the wheel nuts, resulting in a consistent clamp load to hold the wheels on the motor vehicle and with certain alignment because the nuts and washers can move with the respect to each other. The same advantages are seen when the cap 40 holds the washer 21 on the bolt 50.
Claims
1. A washer assembly, comprising;
- a) a washer having a pair of ends;
- b) a body having a surface that is face-to-face with one of said ends on said washer; and
- c) a cap that holds said washer to said body.
2. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said body is a nut.
3. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said body is a bolt.
4. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cap is crimped to hold said washer to said body.
5. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said washer is able to rotate relative to said body.
6. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said washer is able to move laterally with respect to said body.
7. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cap extends around an annular protrusion on said washer.
8. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cap extends downward on said body and is crimped at its lower end around said washer.
9. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cap holds said washer to said body via a crimped section having spaced apart jaws.
10. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the surface on the body is flat.
11. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the surface on the body is spherical.
12. The washer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the surface on the body is conical.
13. A washer assembly comprising:
- a) a body;
- b) a washer having a pair of ends, one of said ends is face-to-face with a surface on said body, the other of said ends having a conical surface that corresponds to a nut seat on a wheel; and
- c) a cap that is telescoped over the body.
14. The washer assembly according to claim 13, wherein said washer is able to rotate relative to said body.
15. The washer assembly according to claim 13, said cap holds said washer to said body via a crimped section.
16. The washer assembly according to claim 13, wherein said cap extends downward on said body and is crimped at its lower end around said washer.
17. The washer assembly according to claim 13, wherein said crimp is around an annular protrusion on said washer.
18. A fastener and cap assembly comprising,
- a) a body having a longitudinal axis and an axial aperture further including, i) a plurality of ends; and ii) wrenching flats; and b) a cap telescoped over the body and having a crimped portion that provides a clamp.
19. A fastener and cap assembly according to claim 18, wherein the crimped portion further includes jaws that provide a clamp.
20. A fastener and cap assembly according to claim 18, further comprising a washer, wherein said crimped portion is around said washer.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 21, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 28, 2005
Inventor: Larry Wilson (Commerce Township, MI)
Application Number: 11/085,697