US 11,938,754 B2
Anti-loosening device for a fastening unit of a motor-vehicle wheel
Stefano Lucà, Turin (IT); and Renato Badino, Turin (IT)
Assigned to FCA ITALY S.P.A., Turin (IT)
Filed by FCA Italy S.p.A., Turin (IT)
Filed on Jan. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/149,873.
Claims priority of application No. 20174331 (EP), filed on May 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0354504 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B60B 3/14 (2006.01); B60B 3/16 (2006.01)
CPC B60B 3/142 (2013.01) [B60B 3/165 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An anti-loosening device for a fastening unit of a motor-vehicle wheel, wherein the motor-vehicle wheel is configured to be coupled with a wheel hub by means of said fastening unit, said anti-loosening device comprising:
a gear having outer teeth arranged to cooperate with inner teeth of the wheel hub obtained at an end portion of the wheel hub along an inner surface thereof,
an elastic element extending axially with respect to said gear, having a first end connected to the gear, and a second end configured to be engaged against at least one abutment and centering surface obtained inside the wheel hub,
at least one coupling element obtained on a sector of said gear, arranged to receive a corresponding fastening member,
said anti-loosening device being configured to be arranged within the wheel hub along an axial direction, so that a main axis of the anti-loosening device coincides with the wheel axis,
said anti-loosening device being arranged to create a compressed configuration, wherein the gear is decoupled with respect to said inner teeth and is arranged within a cavity portion obtained on the inner surface of the wheel hub, so as to allow rotation of the anti-loosening device around said main axis;
wherein, following a rotation of said anti-loosening device, said coupling element is arranged to be radially aligned with respect to a respective anti-rotation sector obtained on said fastening unit, in such a way that said fastening member coupled to said coupling element cooperates with said anti-rotation sector, to avoid loosening of a locking unit.