Unitized bearing assembly and method of assembling the same

• US 20070116397A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Timken Company
• Original Assignee: The Timken Company
• Inventors: Denny, Wayne, Miller, Richard, Pierce, Martin, Pauskar, Praveen, Zehner, David, Piccari, James, Kuhn, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/283,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20070116397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/544
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/00 Hubs non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/001 with roller-bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0084 caulking to fix inner race
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/185 with two raceways provided integrally on a part other than a race ring, e.g. a shaft or housing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/186 with three raceways provided integrally on parts other than race rings, e.g. third generation hubs
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/386 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/007 Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/04 Assembling rolling-contact bearings

Abstract

A wheel end or other assembly for facilitating rotation about an axis includes a tubular housing, a spindle that extends into the housing, and a double row antifriction bearing between the housing and spindle. The bearing includes at least one separate inner race that fits over the spindle, with the axial position of that race determining the setting for the bearing. Preferably, a spacer fits around the spindle between the inner race and a backing element. The assembly is unitized by deforming the end of the spindle outwardly against the end of the separate inner race with the deformation being sufficient to drive the inner race toward the backing element and collapse the spacer, if present. The deformation of the end of the spindle continues until bearing produces a torque that reflects a desired preload in the bearing.

Claims

1. A process for assembling a bearing assembly that facilitates rotation about an axis and includes an outer member that carries first and second raceways that are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the axis, an inner member including a spindle that carries a first inner raceway that is inclined with respect to the axis in the same direction as the first outer raceway and a backing element located axially beyond the first inner raceway, first rolling elements configured for arrangement in a row between the first outer and inner raceways, a separate inner race configured to fit over the spindle and having a second inner raceway inclined with respect to the axis in the same direction as the second outer raceway, and second rolling elements configured for arrangement in a row between the second raceways, said process comprising:

installing the outer member over the inner member with the first rolling elements interposed between the first outer and inner raceways;

locating a collapsible spacer over the spindle and opposite the backing element carried by the spindle;

installing the inner race over the spindle with the second rolling elements being interposed between the second outer and inner raceways such that one end of the inner race is opposite the spacer and such that a segment of the spindle projects beyond the opposite end of the inner race in the provision of a deformable end; and

deforming the deformable end of the spindle against that end of the inner race beyond which the spindle projects to create a formed end that captures the inner race on the spindle, with the deformation exerting enough force on the inner race to collapse the spacer between the backing element and the inner race.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the deformation of the deformable end comprises:

rotating the inner member and its spindle, and bringing the spindle and a rotating forming tool together with enough force to deform the deformable end outwardly away from the axis and transform it into the formed end.

3. The processes according to claim 2 and further comprising:

restraining the outer member as the inner member rotates;

measuring the torque applied to the outer member through the rolling elements as the inner member rotates; and

terminating the deformation when the torque reaches a prescribed magnitude reflecting a desired preload.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the separate inner race at one end has a back face through which thrust loads are transferred and a front face at its opposite end;

and wherein the front face is presented toward the spacer.

5. The process according to claim 1 wherein the spacer deforms under less force than the force required to plastically deform the backing element or the separate inner race.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the backing element includes a shoulder and the spacer 160 is initially detached from the shoulder.

7. The process according to claim 1 wherein the first inner raceway and the backing element are formed integral with the spindle, and the spacer is formed integral with the backing element.

8. A process for assembling a wheel end that couples a road wheel to a suspension system component of an automotive vehicle and enables the wheel to rotate about an axis, with the wheel end being assembled from;

a housing configured for securement to the suspension system component and having an outboard end and an inboard end;

a hub having a flange located opposite the outboard end of the housing and a spindle projecting from the flange and having a deformable end remote from the flange, and

a bearing including;

outboard and inboard outer raceways in the housing where they are presented inwardly toward the axis and are inclined with respect to the axis downwardly toward each other;

an outboard inner raceway carried by the spindle and presented outwardly and inclined with respect to the axis in the same direction as the outboard outer raceway;

a backing element located axially beyond the small end of the outboard inner raceway;

a separate inner race configured to fit over the spindle and having an inboard inner raceway that is presented outwardly and is inclined in the same direction as the inboard outer race, the inner race also having at one end a back face through which thrust loads are transferred and a front face at its opposite end;

outboard rolling elements located around the outboard inner raceway,

inboard rolling elements located around the inner race at its inboard inner raceway;

said process comprising;

installing the housing over the spindle of the hub such that the outboard outer raceway is around the outboard rolling elements and around the outboard inner raceway with the outboard rolling elements located between the outboard raceways;

installing the inner race over the spindle with its front face presented toward the abutment face and with a spacer interposed between the front face and the backing element;

deforming the deformable end outwardly away from the axis and over the back face of the inner race;

continuing the deformation such that the deformed end comes against the back face of the inner race and drives the inner race toward the shoulder and collapses the spacer; and

terminating the deformation when the bearing reaches a desired preload.

9. The process according to claim 8 wherein the spindle rotates relative to the housing when the deformable end is deformed;

wherein the torque transferred through the bearing is monitored; and

wherein the deformation of the spindle end is terminated when the torque reaches a prescribed magnitude reflecting the desired preload.

10. The process according to claim 8 wherein the spacer deforms under the application of a force less than that required to deform either the backing element or the inner race.

11. The process according to claim 8 wherein the outboard inner race and the backing element are formed on the spindle.

12. The process according to claim 8 wherein the outboard inner race and the backing element are on a separate outboard race that fits over the spindle.

13. The process according to claim 8 wherein the housing contains a speed sensor and the spacer carries a target wheel that is monitored by the speed sensor;

and wherein the spacer is collapsed in a region remote from the target wheel.

14. The process according to claim 13 wherein the spacer has an annular body and a deformable portion at one end;

and wherein the target wheel is carried by the annular body.

15. A bearing assembly for facilitating rotation about an axis, said bearing assembly comprising:

a tubular housing located around the axis;

a spindle projected into the housing and having a bearing seat and a formed end that is directed outwardly away from the axis and bearing seat as an integral part of the spindle;

a bearing located between the spindle and the housing to enable one to rotate relative to the other, the bearing including;

outboard and inboard outer raceways carried by the housing and presented inwardly toward the axis, the outer raceways being inclined with respect to the axis in opposite directions;

an inboard inner raceway carried by the spindle and presented outwardly toward the outboard outer raceway and inclined in the same direction as the outboard outer raceway;

a backing element presented toward the formed end;

a separate inner race located around the bearing seat and having an inboard inner raceway that is presented outwardly toward the inboard outer raceway and is inclined in the same direction as the inboard outer raceway, the inner race also having a back face that is against the formed end and a front face that is presented toward the abutment face;

outboard rolling elements located in a row between the outboard raceways; and

inboard rolling elements located in a row between the inboard raceways; and

a spacer located between the front face of the inner race and the backing element, the spacer being collapsed as a consequence of the inner race having been driven toward the backing element during the creation of the formed end.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 wherein the bearing is in preload.

17. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the outboard inner raceway and backing element are formed on and integral with the spindle.

18. An assembly according to claim 17 wherein the spacer is formed integral with the backing element.

19. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the outboard inner raceway and backing element are on another inner race that fits over the bearing seat of the spindle.

20. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the spacer is formed from a material that deforms plastically under force more readily than the backing element or the inner race deforms plastically.

21. A wheel end including the assembly of claim 16;

and wherein the spindle forms part of a hub that also includes a flange at the end of the spindle remote from the formed end.

22. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the raceways are tapered and the rolling elements are tapered rollers.

23. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the raceways are arcuate and the rolling elements are balls.

24. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein the tubular housing contains a speed sensor;

and wherein the spacer carries a target wheel that is monitored by the speed sensor.

25. A process for assembling a bearing assembly that facilitates rotation about an axis and includes an outer member that carries first and second raceways that are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the axis, an inner member including a spindle that carries a first inner raceway that is inclined with respect to the axis in the same direction as the first outer raceway, first rolling elements configured for arrangement in a row between the first outer and inner raceways, a separate inner race configured to fit over the spindle and having a second inner raceway inclined with respect to the axis in the same direction as the second outer raceway, and second rolling elements configured for arrangement in a row between the second raceways, said process comprising:

installing the outer member over the inner member with the first rolling elements interposed between the first outer and inner raceways;

installing the inner race over the spindle with the second rolling elements being interposed between the second outer and inner raceways;

effecting relative rotation between the outer and inner members; and

during the relative rotation deforming the deformable end of the spindle behind that end of the inner race beyond which the spindle projects to create a formed end that captures the inner race on the spindle, with the deformation exerting-enough force on the inner race to place the rolling elements in preload;

monitoring the torque transferred through the rolling elements from one member to the other member during the relative rotation; and

terminating the deformation when the torque reaches a prescribed magnitude reflecting a desired preload.

26. The process according to claim 25 wherein effecting relative rotation comprises rotating the inner member relative to the outer member;

and wherein deforming the deformable end comprises bringing the spindle and a rotating forming tool together with enough force to deform the deformable end outwardly away from the axis and transform it into the formed end.

27. The processes according to claim 26 wherein monitoring the torque comprises restraining the outer member as the inner member rotates;

and measuring the torque applied to the outer member through the rolling elements as the inner member rotates.