FR2838796A1 - Protection bellows for constant velocity joint has several wear indicators in form of hollows - Google Patents

Abstract

The bellows (1) has several wear indicators each formed by a visual element such as hollows (6).

Description

order in accordance with the preceding claim.

  The present invention relates to a joint protection blower

  S articulated mechanicals with integrated wear indicator.

  11 is intended for the protection of lubricated seals of the "gimbal" or constant velocity type used to transmit a rotational movement to movable members, in particular in the field of road motor vehicles, and relates primarily to the industrial and commercial field of manufacture and distribution of spare parts for repair and maintenance workshops

cars or trucks.

  The protective bellows for articulated transmission joints of the "cardan" type, constant velocity, tripod, ball or the like serve, on the one hand, to protect the joints against foreign bodies, shocks and other external elements and, on the other hand , to contain in a sealed manner the lubricating mass of which

  the articulated joint needs to cure.

  These bellows 1 wind made up of a conical tubular element of rubber or flexible elastomer, usually molded in one piece, form of a central part with corrugations 2 allowing the bending and the axial text of the body, and of two ends comprising one and the other of the cylindrical fixing zones incorporating grooves intended to receive clamping devices 3,

  4 ensuring the maintenance on the articulated joint 5 and the tightness of the assembly (FIG. 1).

  In the event of wear or deterioration, these sheaths or bellows may crack or tear allowing the lubricant they contain to escape, which can seriously compromise the functioning or the duration of the protected organ causing deterioration of the device requiring its

  replacement, generally very expensive operation.

  The device according to the present invention aims to remedy this state of things. It makes it possible to periodically check the state of wear of a

  blow and proceed to its replacement at the most opportune moment.

  -2 11 consists of a blower provided with one or more visual elements or other integrated and agencies to allow to determine the degree of wear

  of this breath without intervention on it.

  In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples of embodiments of the object of the invention: FIG. 1, already mentioned, represented, seen from the side, a protective blower mounted on an articulated joint, the FIG. 2 is an enlarged axial partial section of a blower l0 provided with a wear indicator, FIG. 3 is an enlargement of detail D1 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 represents under the same conditions as FIG. 3,

a variant of wear indicator.

  The device, Figures 2 to 4, consists of a blower 1 or sheath

  protection comprising at least one wear indicator 6, 7 added or integrated.

  This wear indicator may consist of a hollow 6 mold in the same material of the soufflst 1 so that, try that the soufflst is in good condition,

  the hollow or recess is apparent.

  Conversely, as soon as wear (by abrasion, friction or other loss of material) is significant, the bottom of the hollow 6 is found at the same level or at the same thickness as the rest of the bellows, and the witness does not is therefore more

  visible, in the same way as for tire treads.

  These hollows 6 can take all kinds of shapes, be of varying depths depending on the nature and resistance of the bellows wall, or have a progressive depth (several alert levels). They can be very variable in number, be distributed over the entire surface of the blower 1 or only

  in areas with a high risk of wear.

  According to a first variant, the wear indicator is formed by a zone 7 formed by a part of the blower 1 or extending to the whole thereof molded from two materials 8, 9 which can be differentiated by touch or by view. One can thus imagine an internal wall in matter of a first color and the external envelope -3 of another color. In places of high wear, the color of the first

layer will appear done.

  According to a second variant of execution, the wear indicator consists of an electronic device integrated in the blower 1 which has the property, as soon as it is

  exposed to the air, to send a visual or other signal indicating wear.

  The positioning of the various constituent elements gives the object of the invention a maximum of useful effects which had not, in this turn, been obtained by

known devices.

- 2838796

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Claims (5)

  1. Protection blow for articulated mechanical seals with integrated wear indicator, having as their object the protection of lubricated seals of the "gimbal" or constant velocity type used to transmit a rotational movement to moving parts, in particular in the field of road motor vehicles , characterized in that said blower (1) comprises at least one wear indicator l0 (6, 7) in the form of a visual or other element integrated and arranged to allow   to determine the degree of wear of this blower without intervention on it.   2. Protective bellows according to claim 1, characterized in that the wear indicator consists of a hollow (6) or recess mold l S in the same material of the bellows (1) so that, try that said blower is in good condition, the recess or recess is apparent, and that when there is significant wear, the bottom of the recess (6) is found at the same level or at the same   thickness than the rest of the bellows, and is therefore no longer visible.   3. Protective bellows according to claim 2, characterized in that the hollow (6) has a progressive depth constituting several alert levels.   4. Protective bellows according to claim 1, characterized in that the wear indicator is formed by a zone (7) of the bellows (1) molded in   two materials (8, 9) differentiable by touch or sight.    . Protective bellows according to claim 4, characterized in that the zone (7) is formed by an internal wall of material (8) of a first color and an external envelope of a second material (9) d 'a other color.   6. Protection breath according to any one of the claims   4 and 5, characterized by the fact that the zone (7) extends to the entire blower (1).   r 5 7. Protective bellows according to claim 1, characterized in that the wear indicator is made up of an electronic device integrated into the bellows (1) before the property, as soon as it is exposed to the open air, send a signal   visual or other signaling wear on said bellows.