WHEEL BEARING DEVICE

• US 20090074342A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: umekida, Mitsuru, TAJIMA, Eiji, Suzuki, Syougo, Ohtsuki, Hisashi, Fukushima, Shigeaki, Sera, Akira, Torii, Akira, Ogura, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,007,366 B2
• 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 27/0005 with ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/001 with roller-bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0026 of the radial type, e.g. splined key
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0036 comprising homokinetic joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0042 characterised by the fixation of the homokinetic joint to the hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0084 caulking to fix inner race
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0094 one or more of the bearing races are formed by the hub
• 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 19/187 with all four raceways integrated on parts other than race rings, e.g. fourth generation hubs
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/505 with the diameter of the rolling elements of one row differing from the diameter of those of another row
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2240/80 Pitch circle diameters [PCD]
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/0635 the bore of the inner ring being of special non-cylindrical shape which co-operates with a complementary shape on the shaft, e.g. teeth, polygonal sections
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/04 Assembling rolling-contact bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/072 involving plastic deformation plastic welding F16D1/068
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2003/2232 Elements arranged in the hollow space between the end of the inner shaft and the outer joint member
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2003/22326 Attachments to the outer joint member, i.e. attachments to the exterior of the outer joint member or to the shaft of the outer joint member
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2300/10 Surface characteristics; Details related to material surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/223 the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 464/905 : Torque transmitted via radially extending pin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 464/906 : Torque transmitted via radially spaced balls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49535 : with assembling

Abstract

A wheel bearing device includes a hub ring, a double-row bearing and a constant velocity universal joint which are unitized together. At least one of double-row inner raceways of the bearing and a wheel mounting flange are formed on a hub ring. The hub ring and a stem portion of a joint outer ring of the constant velocity universal joint are fitted through a torque transmission assembly, wherein a pilot member as a separate element having a wheel guide portion and a brake guide portion is fitted to a side-end portion of the wheel mounting flange of the hub ring, and the hub ring and the pilot member are fixed to the joint outer ring by swaging.

Claims

1. A wheel bearing device comprising a hub ring, a double-row bearing and a constant velocity universal joint, at least the hub ring and the double-row bearing are unitized together, the hub ring and the constant velocity universal joint are fitted through torque transmission means and are joined by means for fastening in an axial direction, wherein clearance in a fit portion of the torque transmission means is prevented by a play prevention member.

2. The wheel bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hub ring, the constant velocity universal joint and the double-row bearing are unitized together, one of double-row inner raceways of the bearing is formed on the joint outer ring of the constant velocity universal joint, and an end portion of the joint outer ring is fitted onto an outside periphery of the hub ring through the torque transmission means.

3. The wheel bearing device according to claim 2, wherein the play prevention element for preventing occurrence of clearance in the fit portion of the torque transmission means has an outside diameter larger than an inside diameter of a hollow portion provided in the hub ring, and the play prevention element is a diameter expansion element to be pressed into the hollow portion.

4. The wheel bearing device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an end portion of the hub ring is coupled with the joint outer ring by plastic deforming.

5. The wheel bearing device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a snap ring is installed at an end portion of the hub ring to couple the hub ring with the joint outer ring.

6. The wheel bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hub ring has a small-diameter end portion, an inner ring as a separate element on which one of double-row inner raceways of the bearing is formed is pressed onto the small-diameter end portion, the hub ring and the bearing are unitized together by swaging the small-diameter end portion, and the joint outer ring is fitted into a bore of the hub ring through the torque transmission means.

7. The wheel bearing device according to claim 6, wherein the play prevention element preventing clearance in the fit portion of the torque transmission means has an outside diameter larger than an inside diameter of the hollow portion provided in the joint outer ring, and the play prevention element is a diameter expansion element to be pressed into the hollow portion.

8. The wheel bearing device according to claim 3 or 7, wherein the diameter expansion element is a rolling element for a bearing.

9. The wheel bearing device according to claim 6, wherein the small-diameter portion having an outside diameter smaller than a bore diameter of the hub ring is provided at an end portion of the joint outer ring, a portion with projections and depressions is formed on an outside periphery of the small-diameter portion in a circumferential direction, and a ring member integrally having tongue pieces that elastically contact with the fit portion of the torque transmission means of the hub ring and with the portion having projections and depressions of the small-diameter portion is installed between the bore diameter of the hub ring and an outside diameter of the small-diameter portion.

10. The wheel bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a pitch circle diameter of an outboard bearing of the double-row bearing is smaller than that of an inboard bearing.

11. The wheel bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of outboard rolling elements of the double-row bearing is smaller than that of inboard rolling elements.

12. The wheel bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a pilot member is fitted to a wheel mounting flange of the hub ring, the pilot member being subjected to a rustproof treatment.

13. The wheel bearing device according to claim 12, wherein the pilot member is subjected to a heat treatment for surface hardening.

14. The wheel bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a joint outer ring of the constant velocity universal joint has a stem portion fitted into the hub ring via the torque transmission means, and, wherein the stem portion and a mouth portion of the joint outer ring are arranged such that torque is transmitted there between and the stem and mouth portions are detachable from each other.

15. The wheel bearing device according to claim 14, wherein the stem portion and the mouth portion as a separate element are fitted to each other through serrated portions.