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A wheel housing for a vehicle, such as a truck. The wheel housing includes a rotatable hub and stationary axle housing disposed within the hub. A wet brake assembly is disposed between the axle housing and the hub. The wet brake assembly includes a disc stack, which includes a plurality of friction

A wheel housing for a vehicle, such as a truck. The wheel housing includes a rotatable hub and stationary axle housing disposed within the hub. A wet brake assembly is disposed between the axle housing and the hub. The wet brake assembly includes a disc stack, which includes a plurality of friction plates that are coupled for rotation with the hub and that are separated from each other by a plurality of separator plates that remain stationary with the axle housing. The disc stack is cooled by coolant or oil that flows through a closed circuit. During a braking event, pressure spikes in the coolant circuit are alleviated by the placement of a compressible accumulator in the outlet passageway of the coolant circuit.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wheel housing comprising: a rotatable hub and a stationary axle housing disposed within the hub;a brake assembly disposed between the axle housing and the hub,the brake assembly including an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet passageway, wherein coolant can be moved between the inlet a

1. A wheel housing comprising: a rotatable hub and a stationary axle housing disposed within the hub;a brake assembly disposed between the axle housing and the hub,the brake assembly including an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet passageway, wherein coolant can be moved between the inlet and the outlet passageway;an accumulator disposed in the outlet passageway to absorb pressure spikes of the coolant within the outlet passageway, wherein the accumulator is elongated and extends around the axle housing and between the axle housing and the brake assembly. 2. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator is movable between a compressed state and an expanded state. 3. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator is movable to the compressed state when a pressure spike occurs and to the expanded state when the pressure spike has dissipated. 4. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator has a pre-charge pressure, and wherein the pre charge pressure is less than a coolant pressure during a pressure spike. 5. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator is coupled to the axle housing. 6. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator accommodates air. 7. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator extends around the axle housing twice. 8. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the brake assembly further includes a park brake piston and a park brake housing, the park brake housing connected to the brake housing, at least part of the accumulator disposed between the park brake housing and axle housing. 9. The wheel housing of claim 1 wherein the accumulator is fabricated from a polymer. 10. The wheel housing of claim 9 wherein the polymer is a fluoroelastomer. 11. The wheel housing of claim 10 wherein the fluoroelastomer is reinforced with a polyamide. 12. The wheel housing of claim 7 wherein the polyamide is a nylon. 13. The wheel housing of claim 2 wherein the air inside the accumulator has a pressure ranging from about 5 to about 10 psig. 14. A method for assembling a brake housing, the method comprising: inserting a stationary axle housing within a rotatable hub;disposing a brake assembly between the axle housing and the hub;providing a coolant circuit in communication with the brake assembly, the coolant circuit including an outlet passageway disposed between the axle housing and the brake assembly;providing an accumulator in the outlet passageway, the accumulator configured to retract when a pressure of the coolant increases as a result of a braking event, wherein the accumulator is elongated and the providing of the accumulator in the outlet passageway includes wrapping the accumulator around the axle housing and between the axle housing and the brake assembly. 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising pressurizing the accumulator with air before placing the accumulator in the outlet passageway to a pressure ranging from about 5 to about 10 psig. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the wrapping of the accumulator around the axle housing includes wrapping the accumulator around the axle housing twice. 17. A machine comprising: a plurality of wheel housings, each wheel housing including a rotatable hub and a stationary axle housing disposed within the hub;a brake assembly disposed between the axle housing and the hub, the brake assembly including a brake housing, the brake housing coupled to the axle housing, the brake assembly further including a disc stack, the disc stack including a plurality of friction plates coupled to the hub by a spline, the brake housing accommodating a service piston and the brake housing coupled to a reaction plate, the disc stack being sandwiched between the service piston and the reaction plate;the brake housing including an inlet for receiving coolant, the inlet in fluid communication with the disc stack, the disc stack in fluid communication with an outlet passageway disposed between the brake assembly and the axle housing, the outlet passageway in fluid communication with the inlet;a first duo cone seal disposed between the spline and the axle housing;a second duo cone seal disposed between the reaction plate and at least one of the spline and the hub;the brake housing, inlet, disc stack, first duo cone seal, second duo cone seal and axle housing forming a closed circuit for the coolant; anda compressible accumulator disposed in the outlet passageway, wherein the accumulator is elongated and extends around the axle housing and between the axle housing and the brake assembly. 18. The machine of claim 17 wherein the accumulator is elongated and hollow and is pressurized with air to a pressure ranging from about 5 to about 10 psig.