Abstract:
A spindle nut retainer is provided for preventing a nut threaded upon a spindle from unthreading and detaching from the spindle. The spindle nut retainer includes an integral base section and peripheral section maintaining a cup-shaped configuration. The base section includes an aperture through which the spindle may pass and the peripheral section includes a plurality of fingers which form windows therebetween used to form a locking connection between the spindle nut retainer and the nut.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to fastener accessories, more particularly to retainers used to prevent the undesired disengagement of nuts from spindles.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Retaining nuts are used to secure devices, for example a hub, upon a spindle. Typically both the spindle and nut are threaded. Devices are secured upon the spindle before the nut is screwed onto the spindle, the nut abutting the exterior side of the device. Vibration, associated with the rotation of the spindle, may cause the nut to unscrew and disengage from the spindle. The device is no longer secured and may detach itself from the spindle.  
           [0003]    Numerous devices have been used to secure the nut to the spindle. Simple versions of these devices include lock washers, jam nuts, self-locking nuts and slotted nuts used in conjunction with a cotter pin. More advanced versions of securing devices include the controlled axle nut system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,037 to Hagelthorn and the nut and bolt locking system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,723 to Duran. Hagelthorn provides a retainer member which must be threaded onto the spindle. The threading process can be difficult, especially in cases where the parts are being assembled by machine. Potential assembly difficulties are cross-threading and the need to protect the internal threads of the retainer from damage. Duran provides a nut and washer locking combination where the washer deforms to form an interference fit with flats on the face of the nut as the nut is tightened upon a bolt. Locking contact between the nut and washer occurs only at one end of the nut.  
           [0004]    A system which can be easily assembled and which provides a strong locking connection between the spindle nut and the nut retainer is desired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages of the prior art by providing a spindle nut retainer which is easily attached to a spindle/nut system and which creates a strong connection between the nut and spindle.  
           [0006]    The invention provides in one aspect a spindle nut retainer which prevents a nut from unthreading and becoming detached from a spindle. The spindle nut retainer includes both a base section and peripheral section which together form a cup shape. The base section includes a hole through which the spindle passes. The peripheral section provides a plurality of fingers which form windows within the peripheral section. The fingers also include nut engaging surfaces which engage the corners of the nut to provide a locking connection.  
           [0007]    The invention provides in another aspect a spindle nut retainer which includes both a base section and peripheral section which together form a cup shape. The base section includes a hole through which the spindle passes, and the peripheral section includes a plurality of fingers which create one or more longitudinal windows therebetween, the fingers including a flared end bent towards the center of the spindle nut retainer.  
           [0008]    The spindle nut retainer of the present invention may be easily attached over the nut without having to be threaded upon the spindle. Further, the spindle nut retainer creates a strong locking connection along the corners of the spindle nut. These and other aspects of the invention are herein described in particularized detail with reference to the accompanying Figures. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of a spindle nut locking system;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a top view of a spindle nut retainer;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side view of the spindle nut retainer; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the spindle nut retainer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred spindle assembly  10  according to the invention. The assembly  10  prevents a nut  60  from becoming disengaged from a spindle  50 . Disengagement typically occurs as a result of vibration of the spindle  50 . The spindle assembly  10  as described in more detail below, comprises a spindle nut retainer  20 , a nut  60 , and a spindle  50 . In the illustrated embodiment, the spindle assembly  10  also comprises a hub  70 , one or more bearings  90  and one or more washers  80 .  
         [0014]    Embodiments of the spindle nut retainer  20  are shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and  4  and comprise an integral base section  22  and peripheral section  28  in a cup-shaped configuration. In separate embodiments the spindle nut retainer  20  is made from materials such as steel as shown in FIG. 4, or a polymer as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The base section  22  may be flat, having an interior face  24  and an exterior face  26 . The base section  22  includes a centrally located aperture  34 . The area of the base section  22  around the aperture  34  may be of increased thickness for structural reinforcement. In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer is made of steel, the base section  22  may include a bent tab  25 . The bent tab  25  may be integrally formed with the base section  22  and bent to extend from the base section  22  perpendicularly. The aperture  34  may be D-shaped. A flat portion of the base section forming the flat section of the “D” is an interference surface  27 . The interference surface  27  is transverse to the interior face  24  and exterior face  26  of the base section  22  As a result, there is rotational interference when the retainer  20  is positioned upon an area of the spindle  50  having a D-shaped cross section. In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer is made of steel, the surface of bent tab  25  may be the interference surface  27 . The base section  22  may include a manufacturer&#39;s brand name.  
         [0015]    The peripheral section  28  comprises the walls of the cup-shaped configuration of the spindle nut retainer  20 . The peripheral section  28  includes an exterior surface  30  and an interior surface  32 . The exterior surface  28  may be circular in shape. A first end  31  of the peripheral section is integral with the base section  22 . The peripheral section  28  of the spindle nut retainer  20  may include a series of longitudinal windows  36  aligned in an alternating manner with and defined by solid fingers  38  of the peripheral section  28 . The number of windows  36  on a spindle nut retainer  20  may be related to the number of corners on the nut  60 , for example two times the number of corners. This allows the spindle nut retainer  20  to be easily fit over the nut  60 , without having to rotate the nut  60  into a position of exact alignment. In any position upon the peripheral section  28 , an oversized window  37  may be created by removing a finger  38 . The windows  36  and fingers  38  allow for increased flexibility of the spindle nut retainer  20  and ease in the manufacturing process. The longitudinal windows  36  also allow the passage of one or more corners  64  of the nut through the spindle nut retainer  20 .  
         [0016]    The longitudinal windows  36  may extend all the way to the first end  31  of the peripheral section, thus, creating notches  35  within the exterior surface  30  of the base section  22 . A second end  33  of the peripheral section, opposite the base section  22 , may be a continuous ring. The longitudinal windows  36 , when the ring is continuous do not extend completely to the second end  33  of the peripheral section  28 . In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer is made of steel, the second end  33  of the peripheral section is not a ring but instead is comprised of the flared ends  39  of each individual finger  38 .  
         [0017]    In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer  20  is made of polymer, the second end  33  of the peripheral section  28  may have an internal diameter which is smaller than the internal diameter of the remainder of the peripheral section  28 . The second end  33  of the peripheral section  28  will then snap over the nut  60  and be locked in place as shown in FIG. 1. In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer  20  is made of steel, the flared ends  39  of each finger  38  may be bent internally to create a locking function. Additionally or alternatively in either embodiment, the corners  64  of the nut  60  which pass through the longitudinal windows  36  may be locked in place by the end surfaces  46  of the windows.  
         [0018]    In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer is made of polymer, the peripheral section  28  defines a plurality of nut engaging surfaces  40 . Each nut engaging surface  40  is angled. Each finger  38  includes two adjacent nut engaging surfaces  40  angled to form a point on the interior surface  32  of the peripheral section  28 . The nut engaging surfaces  40  may extend along the entire length of the interior surface  32  of the peripheral section  28 . The nut engaging surfaces  40  create rotational interference between the nut  60  and retainer  20  when the retainer  20  is overlapping the nut  60 . In embodiments wherein the spindle nut retainer is made of polymer the end surfaces  46  of the longitudinal windows  36  work in conjunction with the nut engaging surfaces  40  to lock the nut  60  in place. The nut engaging surfaces  40  will interfere with the corners  64  of the nut  60  if the nut is rotated in relation to the spindle nut retainer  20  or vise versa. The end surface  46  of the longitudinal window  36  will interfere with the corner of the nut  60  when the spindle nut retainer  20  is moved axially. In an embodiment wherein the spindle nut retainer is made of steel, the nut  60  is locked in place by the window side surfaces  48 , as opposed to the nut engaging surfaces, as well as window end surfaces  46 .  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1, the spindle assembly  10  further comprises the nut  60  which includes exterior flats  62  and corners  64 . The nut  62  is commonly formed of steel. The nut  60  functions to hold a hub  70  upon the spindle  50 . The nut  60  is threadedly engaged to the spindle  50 . As previously described the nut  60  is locked in place by the spindle nut retainer  20 . The spindle assembly  10  may further comprise a hub  70 . The hub  70  circumscribes the spindle  50  and rotates freely about the spindle  80 . One or more bearings  90  are used between the hub  70  and spindle  50  to allow free rotational engagement. The hub  70  is located on the interior side of the nut  60  and is restrained from disengagement from the spindle  50  by the nut  60 . The spindle assembly  10  may further comprise one or more washers  80 . In an embodiment, a washer  80  is between the hub  70  and the nut  60 . The washer  80  is flat and provides a surface which abuts both the hub  70  and the nut  60 .  
         [0020]    The spindle assembly  10  further comprises a spindle  50 . In an embodiment, the spindle  50  is part of an automobile. The spindle  50  has multiple sections around which components are circumscribed. In an embodiment, the sections of the spindle  50  have varying diameters. The spindle has two ends. In an embodiment, a section adjacent to one end  52  of the spindle  50  has a D-shaped cross section. This section allows a spindle nut retainer  20  having a D-shaped cross section to circumscribe the spindle  50  which resists rotational movement. One section of the spindle  50  is threaded, allowing engagement with a nut  60  which is similarly threaded.  
         [0021]    Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred and alternate embodiments, the invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. Minor variations and insubstantial differences in the various combinations of materials and methods of application may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art while remaining within the scope of the invention as claimed and equivalents.