AU2018204210A1 - Wheel Nut Securing Device - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A wheel nut securing device (10) comprising a frame (12) supporting a plurality of tubular members (16) each having an aperture (22) for receiving a wheel nut (18). A plurality of locking members (16) are provided to be received in second ends of each of the tubular members (16) such that rotation of the wheel nuts (18) relative to the tubular members (16) is prevented.

Description

[001] The present invention relates to a device for securing wheel nuts on vehicle wheels.

Background to the Invention [002] Wheels are generally secured on vehicles with wheel nuts, which are threaded onto shafts passing through the wheel. It is possible for these wheel nuts to loosen during use of the vehicle. Such loosening of wheel nuts can create a significant safety issue, as the possibility exists of the wheel eventually coming away from the vehicle. The loosening of wheel nuts can be particularly common on industrial vehicles, where the vehicles are operating on uneven ground, resulting in significant vibration.

[003] A number of devices have been proposed to either secure the wheel nuts from loosening, or to provide a visual indication of whether the wheel nut has loosened and therefore requires re-tightening. The present invention relates to a device for securing wheel nuts to prevent loosening. The invention is aimed at being cost effective, easy to use and effective in securing the wheel nuts in place.

Summary of the Invention [004] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wheel nut securing device comprising:

a frame supporting a plurality of tubular members each having an aperture for receiving a wheel nut in a first end thereof; and a plurality of locking members;

2018204210 13 Jun 2018 wherein the locking members are received in second ends of each of the tubular members such that rotation of the wheel nuts relative to the tubular members is prevented.

[005] Preferably the locking members include recesses in first ends thereof such that the locking members are received in the tubular members with the wheel nuts received within the recesses.

[006] Preferably an inner surface of each of the recesses is complementary in shape to an outer surface of the wheel nut to prevent rotation of the wheel nut relative to the locking member and wherein inner surfaces of the tubular members include inner surface features to engage with outer surface features on outer surfaces of the locking members to prevent rotation of the locking members relative to the tubular members.

[007] In a preferred embodiment the locking members comprise a cylindrical side wall and an end wall at a second end thereof, and the inner surface features on the tubular member comprise inner teeth and the outer surface features comprise outer teeth on the outer surface of the side wall.

[008] Preferably the frame comprises a ring such that the tubular members are located around the periphery of the ring.

[009] In a preferred embodiment, the tubular members are located at equal angular spacings around a centre ofthe ring.

[010] Preferably the frame comprises a plurality of elongate members, with each elongate member extending between an adjacent pair of tubular members.

[011] In a preferred embodiment, ends of the elongate members are connected to outer surfaces of the tubular members.

[012] In one embodiment, the frame is pentagonal and includes five tubular members.

2018204210 13 Jun 2018 [013] Preferably each of the tubular members is cylindrical such that longitudinal axes of the apertures are oriented perpendicularly to the plane of the ring.

[014] Preferably the inner surface of each of the tubular members is provided with a rib adjacent the first end which is received in a corresponding groove in an outer surface of the side wall of the locking member.

[015] Preferably the locking members are each provided with a lip portion extending outwardly from around the periphery of the end wall to engage with second end of the tubular member.

[016] In a preferred embodiment, the second ends of the tubular members are provided with notches to receive a tool under the lip portion in order to lever out the locking member from the tubular member.

Brief Description of the Drawings [017] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which:

[018] Figure 1 is a view of the wheel nut securing device of the present invention prior to engagement with a wheel;

[019] Figure 2 is a view of the wheel nut securing device of Figure 1 engaged with the wheel;

[020] Figure 3 is a lower perspective view of one of the tubular members of the wheel nut securing device of Figure 1;

[021] Figure 4 is a lower perspective view of one of the locking members of the wheel nut securing device of Figure 1;

[022] Figure 5a is a close up view of one of the tubular members of the wheel nut securing device received over a wheel nut;

[023] Figure 5b is a top view of the wheel nut securing device engaged with the wheel nuts;

[024] Figure 5c is a close up view of Detail A of Figure 5b;

2018204210 13 Jun 2018 [025] Figure 6 is a side cross sectional view of the wheel nut securing device prior to engagement of the frame with the wheel nut;

[026] Figure 7 is a side cross sectional view showing the frame engaged with the wheel nut;

[027] Figure 8 is a side cross sectional view showing the locking member engaged with the tubular member;

[028] Figure 9a is a side cross sectional view showing the locking member engaged with the tubular member;

[029] Figure 9b is a close up view of Detail B of Figure 9a;

[030] Figure 10a is a cross sectional view through one of the tubular members of the wheel nut securing device when secured to the wheel nut; and [031] Figure 10b is a close up view of Detail C of Figure 10a.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments [032] Referring to the Figures, there is shown a wheel nut securing device 10 comprising generally a frame 12 and a plurality of locking members 14. The frame 12 comprises a ring 13 from which is supported a plurality of tubular members 16.

[033] The tubular members 16 are located around the periphery of the ring 13. The number of tubular members 16 corresponds to the number of wheel nuts 18 provided on the wheel 20 on which the wheel nut securing device 10 is to be used. In the embodiment shown, there are provided five such tubular members 16 corresponding to a wheel 20 having five wheel nuts 18. It will be appreciated that an alternative number of tubular members 16 may be provided for use with a wheel 20 of a different configuration.

[034] The tubular members 16 are located at equal angular spacings around a centre of the ring 13. Each of the tubular members 16 is cylindrical in the embodiment shown and includes an aperture 22 such that the longitudinal axis of the aperture 22 is oriented perpendicularly to the plane of the frame 12.

2018204210 13 Jun 2018 [035] In the embodiment shown, the frame 12 comprises a plurality of elongate members 24, with each elongate member 24 extending between an adjacent pair of tubular members 16 such that ends of the elongate members 24 connect to outer surfaces of the tubular members 16. The elongate members 24 are linear in the embodiment shown such that the frame 12 is generally pentagonal in shape. The frame 12 and tubular members 16 are integrally formed from a suitable material, such as a plastic material. As can be seen in Figure 4, ends of the elongate members 24 are provided with narrowed neck portions 42 at the connection to the tubular members 16 to provide flexibility.

[036] The frame 12 is formed such that the wheel nuts 18 may be received in the apertures 22 of the tubular members 16. As can be seen in Figure 2, the frame 13 is placed adjacent the wheel 20 with the wheel nuts 18 such that moving the frame 13 towards the wheel 20 causes each of the wheel nuts 18 to be simultaneously received within the aperture 22 of a respective tubular member 16.

[037] The locking members 14 each comprise a cylindrical member having an open first end 28 and a closed second end 29. The locking members 14 therefore comprise a cylindrical side wall 32 and a planar end wall 34. The locking members 14 thereby each define a recess 30 in the open first end 28.

[038] The locking members 14 are provided such that the side walls 32 thereof are receivable within the tubular members 16 between an inner surface of the tubular member 16 and an outer surface of the wheel nut 18. An inner surface of the recess 30 is shaped to be complementary to the outer surface of the wheel nut 18. In the embodiment shown, the recess 30 is hexagonal in transverse cross section to match with the hexagonal cross section of the wheel nuts 18. Therefore, once the wheel nut 18 is received within the recess 30 of the locking member 14, the wheel nut 18 may not rotate relative to the locking member 14. The recess 30 is provided also with ribs 50 extending longitudinally along an inner surface thereof. The ribs 50 in the embodiment shown are provided along each face of the inner surface and provided to assist with engaging against the outer surface of the wheel nut 18.

2018204210 13 Jun 2018 [039] The inner surface of each of the tubular members 16 includes inner surface features provided to engage with complementary outer surface features on the outer surface of the side wall 32 of one of the locking members 14. The inner surface features of the tubular members 16 engage with the outer surface features of the locking member 14 such that when the locking member 14 is received within the tubular member 16, the locking member 14 is not rotatable relative to the tubular member 16.

[040] In the embodiment shown, the inner surface features of the tubular members 16 comprise a plurality of inner teeth 36 provided around the inner surface of the tubular members 16. The inner teeth 36 are provided offset from the first end 28 of the tubular member 16 such that a tubular neck portion 48 is provided between the inner teeth 36 and the first end 28. The outer surface features of the locking members 14 comprise a plurality of outer teeth 37 provided around the outer surface of the side wall 32 of the locking members 14. The outer teeth 37 are provided adjacent first ends of the side walls 32 of the locking members 14.

[041] The locking members 14 are each provided with a lip portion 38 extending outwardly from around the periphery of the end wall 34 thereof. The lip portion 38 is provided to engage with second end 29 of the tubular member 16 when the locking member 14 is engaged into the tubular member 16.

[042] The inner surface of each of the tubular members 16 is also provided with a rib 44 adjacent the first end 28 which is received in a corresponding groove 46 in an outer surface of the side wall 32 of the locking member 14 when engaged, as can be seen in Figure 9. The rib 44 engages into the groove 46 when the locking member 14 is fully engaged into the tubular member 16 to restrict outward movement of the locking member 14 relative to the tubular member 16.

[043] In use, the wheel nut securing device 10 is engaged with the wheel nuts 18 of the wheel 20 as shown in Figures 6 to 8. The frame 12 is located adjacent the wheel 20 and the wheel nuts 18 received within the first ends 28 of the apertures 22 in the tubular members 16. The locking members 14 are

2018204210 13 Jun 2018 then inserted into the second ends 29 of the tubular members 16 between the tubular members 16 and the wheel nuts 18. The outer teeth 37 on the locking members 14 engage with the inner teeth 36 on the tubular members 16 to prevent rotation of the locking members 14 relative to the frame 12. The shapes of the recesses 30 engage the locking members 14 with the wheel nuts 18 to prevent rotation of the wheel nuts 18 relative to the locking members 14.

[044] The locking members 14 are expected to be formed of a plastic material and dimensioned to require an application of force to engage between the tubular members 16 and the wheel nuts 18. It is expected that the locking members 14 may be engaged with the frame 12 by striking with a suitable tool, such as a hammer. The first end of the tubular members 16 engage against a surface of the wheel 20 while the locking members 14 are hammered into place. The engagement of the locking members 14 with the wheel nuts 18 and the frame 12 thereby prevent rotation of the wheel nuts 18 relative to the wheel 20.

[045] When the wheel nuts 18 need to be removed from the wheel 20, the wheel nut securing device 10 may be disengaged by removal of the locking members 14 with a suitable tool. The second ends 29 of the tubular members 16 are provided with notches 40 therein which may be used to insert a tool such as a screwdriver under the lip portion 38 in order to lever out the locking member 14.

[046] It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.

Claims (13)

1. A wheel nut securing device comprising:

a frame supporting a plurality of tubular members each having an aperture for receiving a wheel nut in a first end thereof; and a plurality of locking members;

wherein the locking members are received in second ends of each of the tubular members such that rotation of the wheel nuts relative to the tubular members is prevented.

2. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking members include recesses in first ends thereof such that the locking members are received in the tubular members with the wheel nuts received within the recesses.

3. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 2, wherein an inner surface of each of the recesses is complementary in shape to an outer surface of the wheel nut to prevent rotation of the wheel nut relative to the locking member and wherein inner surfaces of the tubular members include inner surface features to engage with outer surface features on outer surfaces of the locking members to prevent rotation of the locking members relative to the tubular members.

4. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the locking members comprise a cylindrical side wall and an end wall at a second end thereof, and the inner surface features on the tubular member comprise inner teeth and the outer surface features comprise outer teeth on the outer surface of the side wall.

5. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame comprises a ring such that the tubular members are located around the periphery of the ring.

2018204210 13 Jun 2018

6. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the tubular members are located at equal angular spacings around a centre of the ring.

7. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of elongate members, with each elongate member extending between an adjacent pair of tubular members.

8. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 7, wherein ends of the elongate members are connected to outer surfaces of the tubular members.

9. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with any one of claims 5 to

8, wherein the frame is pentagonal and includes five tubular members.

10. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with any one of claims 5 to

9, wherein each of the tubular members is cylindrical such that longitudinal axes of the apertures are oriented perpendicularly to the plane of the ring.

11. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein the inner surface of each of the tubular members is provided with a rib adjacent the first end which is received in a corresponding groove in an outer surface of the side wall of the locking member.

12. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 11, wherein the locking members are each provided with a lip portion extending outwardly from around the periphery of the end wall to engage with second end of the tubular member.

2018204210 13 Jun 2018

13. A wheel nut securing device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the second ends of the tubular members are provided with notches to receive a tool under the lip portion in order to lever out the locking member from the tubular member.

JLS Concepts Pty Ltd