Apparatus and method for installing a sensor in connection with relatively movable members for sensing relative position thereof without adjustment

1. A method of installing a sensor in connection with relatively rotatable members, for sensing relative rotational positions thereof and outputting predetermined signals representative of the positions without requiring adjustment of the sensor, comprising steps of:

providing a sensor including a body portion mountable in a predetermined position on a first of the members, and an input rotatable relative to the body portion; and

providing a coupler connectable in predetermined rotational relation to the input of the sensor and adjustably rotatable and fixedly mountable in connection with a second of the members, to allow adjustably rotatably positioning of the coupler and the input in any orientation such that when the coupler is fixedly mounted in connection with the second of the members and connected in the predetermined rotational relation to the input and the body portion is mounted in the predetermined position on the first of the members, the input will be positioned such that the sensor will output the predetermined signals when the members are relatively rotated.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising the additional step of:

adjustably rotating the coupler and the input as required such that when the coupler is fixedly mounted in connection with the second of the members and connected in the predetermined rotational relation to the input and the body portion is mounted in the predetermined position on the first of the members, the input will be positioned such that the sensor will output the predetermined signals when the members are relatively rotated.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising the additional step of:

fixedly mounting the coupler in connection to the second of the members and mounting the body portion of the sensor in the predetermined position on the first of the members.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the coupler is fixedly mountable in connection with the second of the members on a pin fixedly connected to the second of the members for rotation therewith.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the members are relatively rotatable about an axis of rotation, the pin is mounted in axially extending relation on the second of the members, and the coupler is adjustably positionable on and rotatable about the pin, for positioning the coupler such that when the coupler is fixedly mounted on the pin in connection with the second of the members and connected in the predetermined rotational relation to the input and the body portion is mounted in the predetermined position on the first of the members, the input will be positioned such that the sensor will output the predetermined signals when the members are relatively rotated.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first of the members comprises a kingpin of a hub assembly of a vehicle, the second of the members comprises an axle assembly of the vehicle connected to the hub assembly by the kingpin such that the pin extends into one end of an axial passage in the kingpin, and the body portion of the sensor is fixedly mountable in the predetermined position on the kingpin adjacent to an opposite end of the axial passage therethrough, such that when the body portion is mounted on the kingpin the coupler will be connected in the predetermined rotational relation to the input of the sensor.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pin is fixedly connectable to a grease retainer fixedly mountable on the wheel hub assembly in covering relation to the one end of the axial passage in the kingpin.

8. A method of installing a sensor on a kingpin connecting a steerable wheel to a vehicle for rotation about an axis through the kingpin, for sensing a steering angle of the wheel about the axis without requiring adjusting the sensor, comprising the steps of:

installing a coupler on an element in connection with the wheel such that a connector element of the coupler for matingly connecting to a rotatable input portion of the sensor is oriented in a rotational position about the axis corresponding to a rotational position of the wheel about the axis, wherein when installing the coupler, the coupler is axially rotated relative to the element of the wheel for adjustably orienting the connector element in the predetermined rotational position and is then fixedly connected to the element of the wheel; and

installing the sensor on the kingpin, wherein the kingpin includes an axial passage therein, and the element in connection with the wheel comprises a pin mounted on a grease seal mounted on a wheel hub assembly connected to the vehicle by the kingpin, the grease seal covering one end of the axial passage and the pin extending axially therein, adjacent to an end of the axial passage opposite the one end with the rotatable input portion of the sensor matingly connected to the connector element for rotation therewith so as to be in a predetermined rotational position relative to the wheel about the axis and so as to rotate correspondingly to any rotation of the wheel about the axis.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the connector element and the rotatable input portion of the sensor comprise elements matingly engageable in at least one predetermined relative rotational orientation about the axis.

10. Apparatus for installing a sensor for sensing steering positions of a wheel hub assembly rotatable about a steering axis through a kingpin connecting the wheel hub assembly to a vehicle, the wheel hub assembly having a predetermined steering position about the steering axis, the apparatus comprising:

a member mountable in connection with the wheel hub assembly for rotation therewith about the steering axis adjacent to one end of an axial passage through the kingpin,

an element fixedly mountable to the member for rotation therewith about the steering axis and so as to extend axially through at least a portion of the axial passage through the kingpin;

a sensor including a body fixedly mountable on the kingpin in a predetermined orientation about the steering axis adjacent to an end of the axial passage opposite the one end thereof, the sensor including an input rotatable about the steering axis including a predetermined relational position corresponding to the predetermined steering position of the wheel; and

a coupler connectable to the input of the sensor for joint rotation thereof about the steering axis, the coupler being adjustably mountable on the element in the axial passage in any rotational orientation about the steering axis for rotation therewith, for coupling the input to the element for joint rotation such that the rotational position of the input will correspond to the steering position of the wheel about the steering axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the member mountable in connection with the wheel hub assembly for rotation therewith about the steering axis adjacent to one end of an axial passage through the kingpin, comprises a grease retainer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the element fixedly mountable to the grease retainer for rotation therewith about the steering axis and so as to extend axially through at least a portion of the axial passage through the kingpin, comprises an elongate pin.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the coupler is positionable on the pin for axial rotation thereabout and fixedly mountable in a desired rotational position thereon.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the coupler is fixedly mountable in the desired rotational position on the pin by a fastener.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the coupler is fixedly mountable in the desired rotational position on the pin by a press fit.

16. Apparatus for installing a sensor in connection with relatively rotatable members, for sensing relative rotational positions thereof and outputting predetermined signals representative of the positions without requiring adjustment of the sensor, comprising:

(a) a sensor including a body mountable in a predetermined position on a first of the members, and an input rotatable relative to the body; and

(b) a coupler connectable in predetermined rotational relation to the input of the sensor and adjustably rotatable and fixedly mountable in connection with a second of the members on a pin fixedly connected to the second of the members for rotation therewith, wherein the members are relatively rotatable about an axis of rotation, the pin is mounted in axially extending relation on the second of the members, and the coupler is adapted to be adjustably positionable on and rotatable about the pin, for positioning the coupler and the input as required such that when the coupler is fixedly mounted on the pin in connection with the second of the members and connected in the predetermined rotational relation to the input and the body is mounted in the predetermined position on the first of the members, the input will be positioned such that the sensor will output the predetermined signals when the members are relatively rotated.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first of the members comprises a kingpin of a hub assembly of a vehicle, the second of the members comprises an axle assembly of the vehicle connected to the hub assembly by the kingpin such that the pin extends into one end of an axial passage in the kingpin, and the body of the sensor is fixedly mountable in the predetermined position on the kingpin adjacent to an opposite end of the axial passage therethrough, such that when the body is mounted on the kingpin the coupler will be connected in the predetermined rotational relation to the input of the sensor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the pin is fixedly connectable to a grease retainer fixedly mountable on the wheel hub assembly in covering relation to the one end of the axial passage in the kingpin.