Abstract:
A safety device ( 10 ) for a vehicle wheel ( 12 ), the device securing the attachment elements ( 16 ) of the rim ( 18 ) of the wheel onto a hub ( 14 ), wherein the device ( 10 ) includes elements ( 20 ) for blocking the rotation of the attachment elements and elements ( 21 ) for supporting the blocking elements on the attachment elements, the rotation-blocking elements including female parts ( 24 ) and at least one peripheral wall ( 26, 26 I,  26 E) against which the female parts abut when rotating, wherein at least a portion of the attachment elements receives a female part, the supporting elements ( 21 ) include an upper wall ( 36 ) that covers the attachment elements provided with the female parts, and the upper wall ( 36 ) blocks the translation of the female parts along the attachment elements, wherein the device includes elements ( 22 ) for rigidly connecting to the wheel, and the rigid connection is mechanically locked.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a Continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/FR2011/051916 filed on Aug. 16, 2011, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C §119(a) to French Patent Application No. 10 56649 filed on Mar. 29, 2012. Each of the above applications is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application. 
     This invention relates to a safety device for a wheel for a vehicle, in particular a road transport vehicle, with said device making it possible to prevent the detachment of attachment elements from said wheel at the hub. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the road transport sector, the wheels are mechanical elements that are particularly monitored. 
     For example, it is important to frequently monitor the wear and tear and the inflation pressure of tires to ensure transport safety. 
     Also, the screws or the nuts for attaching wheels, and more precisely their tightening torque, should also be monitored regularly. 
     Actually, because of the vibrations generated by irregularities in the highway pavement and by shocks due to more significant imperfections of said pavement, said attachment elements tend to come loose, which can lead to complete detachment of the wheel relative to the hub. 
     The detachment of a wheel is dangerous, not only for the driver of the transport vehicle, but also for those drivers of the vehicles located nearby. And, if all of the drivers are safe and sound after the detachment of a wheel, it is the vehicles that are damaged and more particularly the transport vehicle and its load. 
     Also, it has been noted that in the case of a road transport vehicle, the material consequences of the detachment of a wheel are rarely insignificant. 
     In contrast, given the number of wheels mounted on the axles of a tractor cab and its trailer, the monitoring of the tightening torque of each of the attachment elements may prove long and tedious for the driver. 
     In addition, with regard to the many kilometers traveled by the road transport vehicles, the tightening torque of the attachment elements is to be monitored regularly. 
     However, said monitoring generally is not done as frequently as necessary and, thinking to remedy the problem effectively, some greatly exceed the recommended tightening torque, at the risk of damaging the threads of the attachment elements and even leading to bolt breakage. 
     Several devices of the prior art have been developed so as to limit or to prevent the detachment of a wheel from a vehicle. 
     The French patent, of the same applicant and published under the number FR-2897014 and relative to a safety device for a vehicle wheel, thus is known, with said wheel comprising a rim attached to the hub of said vehicle by attachment elements and equipped with a hub cap. 
     Said device comprises anti-rotational means that assume in particular the shape of caps and that are provided to work with the elements for attachment of the rim on the hub and are integrated with said hub cap. 
     A first drawback of this first device comes from the necessity of blindly aligning the caps one by one so that they work with the attachment elements during the installation of the hub cap on the wheel, with said hub cap hiding the rim and said attachment elements. 
     The installation of this first device may prove to be long and complicated when each vehicle wheel is connected to a hub by about ten attachment elements. 
     In addition, with the integration of the anti-rotational means according to this first device providing a free mounting in rotation of the caps carried by the hub cap, the machining and the adjustments that are necessary to said mounting of the caps considerably increase the manufacturing cost of this first device. 
     So as to avoid the mounting difficulties and to reduce the manufacturing cost, a second device, presented in the British patent application GB-2325504, provides an arrangement in which the anti-rotational means take the shape of separate elements: with the first elements each working with one of the attachment screws and each comprising a lateral extension, and a second element that can be assimilated with a cover and that comprises at least one outer side wall against which the extensions of said first elements abut to stop the rotation, and therefore the unscrewing, of the attachment screws. 
     This second device of the prior art is easier and faster to use than the first, in particular if numerous wheels should be so equipped. However, in this second device, the second element ensuring the holding of the anti-rotational means on the wheel is attached by clamping to the rim. 
     Ultimately, the safety level provided by this second device is also too limited. 
     Also, the purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of the prior art by proposing a safety device for a wheel of a vehicle, with said device comprising means for locking in rotation attachment elements that are simple and quick to mount on said wheel and that make it possible to ensure integral safety using a locking of the engagement of said device on the wheel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For this purpose, the invention has as its object a safety device for a wheel of a vehicle, in particular a road transport vehicle, with said device securing the attachment elements of the rim of said wheel on a hub, said device comprising at least means for locking in rotation said attachment elements and means for holding said locking means on the attachment elements, with said means for locking in rotation consisting of female parts and at least one peripheral wall against which said parts abut in rotation, with at least one part of the attachment elements accommodating at least one female part, the holding means comprising at least one upper wall covering the attachment elements that are equipped with female parts, and said upper wall blocking, directly or by means of another part, the translational movement of said female parts along the attachment elements, with said device being characterized in that it comprises means for engagement with the wheel and in that said engagement is locked mechanically. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the following description of the invention, a description that is provided only by way of example, relative to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of a safety device in a first embodiment according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of a safety device in a second embodiment according to the invention, 
         FIGS. 3A to 3D  show different variants of the locking means according to the invention, 
         FIG. 4  shows in cutaway view a first variant of the locking means in a first embodiment of a safety device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 5  shows in cutaway view a second variant of the locking means in a first embodiment of a safety device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 6  shows in cutaway view locking means in a second embodiment of a safety device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 7  shows in cutaway view a first variant of the locking means on a wheel of a safety device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 8  shows in perspective view a cap of a safety device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 9  shows in detail a first variant of the locking means on a wheel of a safety device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 10  shows a diagram for mounting a safety device on a wheel according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate exploded views in two embodiments of a safety device  10  according to the invention, with said device equipping a wheel  12  mounted on a hub  14 . 
     The purpose of this invention is particularly to secure wheels of road transport vehicles, but this application is in no way limiting, and said safety device can easily be adapted for equipping the wheels of all types of vehicles. 
     More specifically, said device  10  is to secure the attachment elements  16  of the rim  18  of said wheel  12  on the hub  14 , said attachment elements  16  being distributed circularly around the axis A that centrally passes through the assembly between the hub, the wheel, and the safety device. 
     Regardless of whether the attachment elements  16  are nuts or screws, the safety device according to the invention can secure said elements  16 . For this purpose, said device  10  comprises means for locking in rotation  20  said attachment elements  16 , means  21  for holding said locking means  20  on the attachment elements  16 , and wheel engagement means  22 . 
     According to a significant characteristic of the invention, presented in detail below, said engagement carried out by the means  22  is locked mechanically. Said means  20  for locking in rotation consist of female parts  24  and at least one peripheral wall  26  against which said parts  24  abut in rotation, with at least a portion of the attachment elements  16  accommodating at least one female part  24 . 
     As illustrated in the different variants of the locking means  20  of  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A to 3D , each female part  24  has a non-circular outside profile  28  such that the rotation of said part  24  is stopped at at least one point  30  by at least one peripheral wall  26  that is located close to each of said attachment elements  16 . 
     Still according to the invention, each part  24  comprises at least one housing  32 , open or closed, working with at least one portion of the outside surfaces  34 , in particular by means of which the tightening torque of at least one attachment element  16  is applied. 
     As illustrated by  FIG. 3A , a part  24  can comprise a curvilinear outside lateral surface  34  along, for example, a curved, oblong profile  28  and a closed hexagonal housing  32  corresponding to six sections of a nut or a screw head forming the attachment element  16 . 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 3B , a part  24  can also comprise several outside lateral surfaces ( 34 - 1 ,  34 - 2 ) that are curved and/or straight along a profile  28  that comprises curvilinear and/or rectilinear portions, and the housing  32  can be multi-sectional so as to facilitate the positioning of the part  24  around the attachment element  16  and relative to a peripheral surface  26 . 
     Then, as illustrated in  FIG. 3C , a part  24  according to the invention can also be polygonal, i.e., comprising at least three straight outside lateral surfaces ( 34 - 3 ,  34 - 4 ,  34 - 5 ) along a triangular profile  28 . 
     Finally, and as illustrated in  FIG. 3D , a part  24  can be polygonal and comprise an open housing  32  working in part with the six sections of a nut or a screw head forming the attachment element  16 . 
     Of course, the four variants that are presented in  FIGS. 3A to 3D  are not limiting, and the invention also covers a safety device whose locking means comprise female parts imagined from said variants presented above. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A to 3D , and regardless of the variant embodiment of a female part  24  according to the invention, said part  24  is stopped at at least one point  30  by at least one inside peripheral wall  26 I and/or outside peripheral wall  26 E respectively surrounded by and/or surrounding all of the attachment elements  16  that are equipped with female parts  24 . 
     The invention covers, of course, all of the variant embodiments in which the locking means  20  of the device  10  comprise one of the two peripheral walls or the two peripheral walls ( 26 I,  26 E). 
     Preferably, and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each female part  24  of the means  20  for locking in rotation is polygonal, with a square outside profile  28 , and it comprises four straight outside lateral surfaces ( 34 - 6 ,  34 - 7 ,  34 - 8 ,  34 - 9 ) as well as a closed and multi-sectional housing  32 , having in particular  24  sections. 
     And, still preferably, said inside peripheral wall  26 I and outside peripheral wall  26 E are approximately cylindrical around the central axis A, and when the device  10  comprises both the inside wall  26 I and the outside wall  26 E, the latter are concentric on both sides of the circle over which the attachment elements  16  are distributed. 
     Next, the safety device  10  comprises means  21  for holding said locking means  20  in position on the attachment elements  16 . 
     These holding means  21  comprise at least one upper wall  36  covering the attachment elements  16  that are equipped with female parts  24  in such a way as to prevent the release by translational movement of said female parts  24 . 
     Thus, said upper wall  36  is capable of blocking, directly or by means of another part, the translational movement of said female parts  24  along the attachment elements  16 . 
     Preferably, said upper wall  36  essentially takes the shape of a ring connecting the inside peripheral wall  26 I and the outside peripheral wall  26 E, and said ring is located in a plane that is perpendicular to the central axis A. 
     Said upper wall  36  therefore constitutes the most visible surface of the safety device  10 , and it can be decorated, painted, etc., in such a way that said device  10  plays the role of a hub cap of the wheel. 
     According to a first variant that is illustrated in perspective in  FIG. 1  and in cutaway in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , said upper wall  36  can comprise projections  38  above each attachment element  16 , with said projections being produced with said wall and making it possible to maintain a safety device  10  that is compact and usable with attachment elements above. 
     Also, while improving the adaptability of the device  10 , said projections  38  can impart a more aesthetic aspect to the safety device. 
     According to a second variant that is illustrated in cutaway in  FIG. 7  and in perspective in  FIG. 8 , a projection  38  can also take the shape of a profile cap  40  that is bent and detachable from said upper wall  36 . 
     Said cap  40  is housed in an opening  42  made in said wall  36 , and means  44  for positioning and holding said cap at said opening  42 . 
     Said positioning and holding means can comprise a shoulder  46 , carried by the cap  40  as illustrated in  FIG. 7  or made in the wall  36  to the right of the opening  42 , and an elastic blade  48  that is bent and attached under said cap and whose ends ( 49 G,  49 D) slide under said wall  36 , with small openings  50  being provided in said cap  40  to be able to compress said blade during the mounting of the cap. 
     Said detachable cap  40  allows an optimization of the safety device  10  consisting in creating at least one cap in a thermosetting material or in painting at least one cap with a paint that is capable of changing color beyond a certain temperature, this in such a way as to quickly detect any abnormal rise in temperature of the hub and its wheel, with said detection being particularly significant in the case of the transport of dangerous or inflammable materials. 
     Hereinafter, the device  10  according to the invention can comprise damping means  52  combined with holding means  21  and inserted between the upper wall  36  of said means  21  and the female parts  24  that equip the attachment element  16 . 
     Said damping means  52  are capable of being compressed in such a way as to essentially immobilize the female parts  24  in translational movement and to limit the noise, such as pinging, and the effects, such as wear and tear, due to the vibrations of said parts  24  against the attachment elements  16  and the peripheral wall(s) ( 26 I,  26 E). 
     According to a first variant, illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 , said damping means  52  take the shape of at least one part  54  made of flexible material, and preferably two half-pieces ( 54 - 1 ,  54 - 2 ), compressed between the upper wall  36  and each female part  24 . 
     Preferably, the flexible material for creation of each part  54  is a synthetic elastomer that is resistant to hydrocarbons, to salt and with a polychloroprene base, such as Neoprene®. 
     Advantageously, each part ( 54 ,  54 - 1 ,  54 - 2 ) can comprise openings  55  to the right of each attachment element  16  that is equipped with a female part  24 , whereby said openings allow the passage of said elements  16  and make it possible for the part made of flexible material to better rest on the female parts  24 . 
     According to a second variant, illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , said damping means  52  comprise at least one leaf spring  56  that is attached under the upper wall  36  and that rests on each female part  24  of the locking means  20 . 
     Preferably, each leaf spring  56  is made of a metal or an elastic metal alloy and is connected by welding under the upper wall  36 . 
     Then, as illustrated by  FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7 , the safety device  10  according to the invention comprises means  22  for engagement with the wheel  12  and the hub  14 . 
     More specifically, in such a way as to form at least one attachment point, said engagement means  22  comprises at least one lower wall  58  that is held against the rim  18  by at least one attachment element  16 , with said lower wall  58  being inserted between said element  16  and the rim  18 . 
     For this purpose, said lower wall  58  is equipped with a bore  60  that is adjusted with action close to the diameter of the threaded shaft  63  of said attachment element  16 , screw or nut. 
     Preferably, for a better positioning and a better holding of the device  10 , and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the engagement means  22  comprise at least two lower walls ( 58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ), each held against the rim  18  by at least one attachment element  16 , whereby said lower walls ( 58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) are diametrically opposite relative to the central axis A. 
     According to one variant, and in particular as illustrated in dotted lines in  FIG. 2 , the same lower wall  58  of the device  10  can comprise more than two bores  60  for the creation of several attachment points. 
     Finally, according to other variants, a single, ring-shaped lower wall  58  like the upper wall  36  can have as many bores  60  as attachment elements  16 , and optionally, the diameter of certain bores  60  can be increased in such a way as to prevent the disassembly and the reassembly of certain attachment elements  16  of the wheel  12  during the installation of the device  10  on the wheel  12 . 
     According to an important characteristic of the invention relative to the devices of the prior art, the thus implemented engagement of the safety device  10  with the wheel  12  and with the hub  14  is locked mechanically. 
     For this purpose, said safety device  10  comprises mechanical locking means  62  ensuring the locking in rotation and in translational movement of each attachment element  16  used for the creation of the engagement means  22  and ensuring the holding of each lower surface ( 58 ,  58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) against the rim  18 . 
     Also, in a first embodiment of the safety device  10  according to the invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 7 and 9 , the upper wall  36  and the peripheral wall(s) ( 26 ,  26 I,  26 E) being part of the same part, and with each lower wall ( 58 ,  58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) being connected under said upper wall  36  by means of a support  64  with a suitable height H, said locking means  62  consist of a female part  66  that is housed around each attachment element  16  used for the creation of engagement means  22  and locked in rotation in said support  64 , and in an elastic ring  68 , of the snap-ring type, mounted in said support  64  and locking said female part  66  in translational movement. 
     More specifically, each support  64  comprises at least two side walls ( 70 - 1 ,  70 - 2 ) supporting said lower wall ( 58 ,  58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) on both sides of the latter and made integral, preferably by welding, with the upper wall  36 . 
     Similarly to the locking means  20 , each female part  66  has a non-circular outside profile in such a way that the rotation of said part  66  is stopped at at least one point by at least one side wall ( 70 - 1 ,  70 - 2 ) that is located close by. 
     In addition, each part  66  comprises at least one housing  72 , open or closed, working with at least one portion of the outside surfaces  34  of the attachment element  16 . 
     Finally, said side walls ( 70 - 1 ,  70 - 2 ) comprise an inside groove  74  that makes it possible to accommodate the elastic ring  68  and is located at a height H 1  that is suitable for placing said ring just above the female part  66 . 
     Of course, so as to make possible the mounting of the attachment element  16 , the female part  66 , and the elastic ring  68  successively, said upper wall  36  comprises an opening  76  with dimensions that are suitable for the passage of said elements to be mounted located in the alignment of each support  64 , with said opening  76  being able to be sealed by a detachable cap  40  as described above. 
     Optionally, and in an objective for securing the wheel  12  against theft, each cap  40  that seals an opening  76  of the locking means  62  can be equipped with anti-theft means requiring a key or an analogous means for removing said cap. 
     Still in this first embodiment of the device  10 , and preferably, with the engagement means  22  comprising at least two diametrically opposite lower walls ( 58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ), at least two supports  64  are connected under the upper wall  36 , and each support  64  accommodates a female part  66  and an elastic ring  68  that locks the attachment element  16  in rotation and in translational movement ensuring the holding of one of the lower walls ( 58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ). 
     Preferably, in this first embodiment of the device  10 , at least two attachment elements  16  of the wheel are used for the creation of engagement means  22 , make it possible to hold the lower walls ( 58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) against the rim  18 , and accommodate the locking means  62 , while the other attachment elements  16  accommodate only the locking means  20  described above. 
     In a second embodiment of the safety device  10  according to the invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , the lower wall(s) ( 58 ,  58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) and the peripheral wall(s) ( 26 ,  26 I,  26 E) that are part of the same part and the upper wall  36  being connected to the peripheral wall(s) ( 26 ,  26 I,  26 E) by interlocking means  78 , said locking means  62  consist of a locking device  80  attaching or detaching said upper wall  36  to or from lower wall(s) ( 58 ,  58 - 1 ,  58 - 2 ) and/or to or from peripheral wall(s) ( 26 ,  26 I,  26 E). 
     Said locking device  80  is actuated by a key or any other analogous means, thus making it possible simultaneously to ensure an anti-theft function of the wheel  12 . 
     Said interlocking means  78  take, for example, the shape of tabs  82  that are integral with at least one peripheral wall ( 26 ,  26 I,  26 E) and that extend radially relative to the latter, and slots  84  for receiving said tabs, said slots being made in a flange  86  of the upper wall  36 . 
     In this second embodiment, and preferably, all of the attachment elements  16  of the wheel accommodate the locking means  20  described above, at least two attachment elements  16  participate in the creation of engagement means  22  of the device  10  with the wheel  12  and with the hub  14 , and all of the attachment elements  16  that are equipped with locking means  20  are locked by means of the upper wall  36  and the device  80 . 
     The installation of the safety device  10  in its first embodiment is now presented in detail relative to  FIG. 10  showing different stages of said installation in the form of a diagram. 
     Thus, in a first stage, after installation of the wheel  12  on the hub  14 , and in particular by positioning the rim  18  on the threaded shafts  63  of the attachment elements  16 , all of the attachment elements  16  except for two diametrically opposite elements are installed on said shafts  63  and tightened with adequate torque. 
     Next, the female parts  24  of the locking means  20  are arranged on each attachment element  16  that is already in place. 
     Then, in a second stage, the damping means  52 , here taking the shape of two half-pieces ( 54 - 1 ,  54 - 2 ) made of flexible material, are installed on the attachment elements  16  that are equipped with female parts  24 . 
     Then, in a third stage, the upper wall  36  that is integral with the inside peripheral wall  26 I and the outside peripheral wall  26 E is placed above the locking means  20  and the damping means  52 , two diametrically opposed supports  64  of the locking means  22 , and is connected to the upper wall  36 , being positioned on the two threaded shafts  63  that are still free. 
     Next, once positioned in the supports  64 , each free threaded shaft  63  accommodates an attachment element  16  carrying out the engagement of the device  10  in the wheel  12 , followed by the female part  66  and the elastic ring  68  of the locking means  62  of said attachment. 
     Finally, in a fourth and final stage, a cap  40  is to seal each opening  76  made in the upper wall  36  for the requirements of the assembly of the locking means  62 . Each cap  40  can, according to requirements, be partially truncated, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Also, it is noted that the installation of the safety device  10  according to the invention is particularly simple and quick in comparison to the devices of the prior art, in particular thanks to the design of elements separated from the locking means: the female parts are mounted in full visibility, which makes it possible to easily position them relative to the peripheral wall(s) designed to lock them in rotation. 
     Finally, in one or the other of the embodiments presented, the locking means ensure holding the safety device on the wheel and therefore maintaining the anti-rotational function implemented by the locking means. 
     Advantageously, thanks to the reliability of the anti-rotational function, the safety device according to the invention can even make it possible to strictly conform to the tightening torque of the attachment elements  16  at values currently recommended for the road transport vehicles, without needing to exceed them in wanting to be fail-safe, which has the reverse effect as explained in the preamble. 
     This invention was based on a description relating to road vehicles, but the application to construction vehicles is also very important and is implemented in a strictly identical way, with the same means. 
     It is understood that this application relates to numerous vehicles, and the danger of a wheel being lost on a construction site can also lead to disasters.