Wheel Bearing Apparatus Incorporated With A Wheel Speed Detecting Apparatus

• US 20100124389A1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Kawamura, Hiroshi, Norimatsu, Takayuki, Ono, Yujiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/448
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0005 with ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0026 of the radial type, e.g. splined key
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0042 characterised by the fixation of the homokinetic joint to the hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0068 the element being a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0073 characterised by sealing means
• 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 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/78 with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members F16C33/761 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/007 Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/326 with means for detecting or measuring relative rotation of the two elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/443 mounted in bearings bearings F16C

Abstract

A wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus has a wheel bearing with an outer member and an inner member. A sensor holder is injection molded from synthetic resin and is embedded with a wheel speed detecting sensor. The sensor holder is mounted on an inner side end of the outer member. The inner side seal of the seals includes an annular sealing plate, a slinger and a pulser ring. An anchoring portion is formed integrally with the metal core. The sensor holder is being integrally molded with the metal core from synthetic resin that surrounds the anchoring portion

Claims

1. A wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus comprising:

an outer member integrally formed with a body mounting flange on its outer circumference, said body mounting flange to be mounted on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle, and said outer member inner circumference includes double row outer raceway surfaces;

an inner member including a wheel hub and at least one inner ring, the wheel hub having, at one end, an integrally formed wheel mounting flange, said wheel hub outer circumference including an inner raceway surface, a cylindrical portion axially extending from the inner raceway surface, the inner ring being fit onto the cylindrical portion of the wheel hub, the inner ring being formed with the other inner raceway surface on its outer circumference, the other inner raceway surfaces arranged opposite to the double row outer raceway surfaces;

double row rolling elements are freely rollably contained between the inner and outer raceway surfaces, respectively, of the inner member and the outer member;

seals are mounted in annular openings formed between the outer member and the inner member;

a sensor holder is injection molded from a synthetic resin, a wheel speed detecting sensor is embedded in said sensor holder, said sensor holder is mounted on an inner side end of the outer member;

the inner side seal of the seals including an annular sealing plate, a slinger and a pulser ring, the slinger has a substantially L-shaped cross-section and is mounted onto the outer circumference of the inner ring, the pulser ring is fit onto the outer circumference of the slinger, the pulser ring includes a magnetic encoder with circumferential characteristics that alternately and equidistantly change;

the sealing plate includes a metal core press formed from a steel plate, the sealing plate is insert molded into the sensor holder and includes an exposed portion of the metal core that is into the end portion of the outer member, a sealing member is integrally bonded to the metal core, the seal member has integrally formed side lips and radial lips;

the side lips of the sealing member are in sliding contact with the slinger and/or the pulser ring;

the magnetic encoder and a wheel speed sensor are arranged opposite each other via a radial gap;

an anchoring portion is integrally formed with the metal core and the sensor holder integrally molded with the metal core from synthetic resin surrounding the anchoring portion.

2. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal core includes an outer cylindrical portion press-fit into the end portion of the outer member, a standing portion extends radially inward from the outer cylindrical portion, an inner cylindrical portion axially extends toward the inner side, and a radially inner portion extends radially inward from the inner cylindrical portion, the sealing member is integrally adhered to the radially inner portion, and the anchoring portion is a tongue formed by folding an end portion of the outer cylindrical portion radially outward.

3. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchoring portion is a circular aperture formed in the metal core.

4. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 3 wherein a plurality of the circular aperture are formed in the outer cylindrical portion of the metal core along its circumference.

5. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 3 wherein a plurality of the circular aperture are formed in the standing portion of the metal core along its circumference.

6. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 3 wherein a plurality of the circular aperture is formed in the inner cylindrical portion of the metal core along its circumference.

7. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner ring is formed with a smaller diameter portion and a larger diameter portion, a cylindrical portion of the slinger is press-fit onto the smaller diameter portion of the inner ring, the pulser ring includes a supporting member and the magnetic encoder, the supporting member is press-formed from ferromagnetic steel plate and includes an inner cylindrical portion press-fit onto the cylindrical portion of the slinger, a standing portion extending radially outward from the inner cylindrical portion, and an outer cylindrical portion, formed with a slightly larger diameter than the larger diameter portion of the inner ring, has the magnetic encoder adhered to the outer cylindrical portion of the supporting member, the magnetic encoder is formed from an elastomer mingled with magnetic powder, the encoder has N and S poles alternately arranged along its circumference, the encoder is arranged opposite to the wheel speed sensor via a radial gap relative to the inner cylindrical portion of the metal core without contact.

8. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal core is made of austenitic stainless steel.

9. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the supporting member is press-formed from ferromagnetic steel plate and the magnetic encoder is formed from an elastomer mingled with magnetic powder, the magnetic encoder has N and S poles alternately arranged along its circumference.

10. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein a disc shaped cover is arranged at the inner side of the sensor holder, an inner circumference of the disc shaped cover is arranged opposite to the outer circumference of a shoulder of an outer joint member via a small radial gap to form a labyrinth seal therebetween, and drains are formed on or near the inner circumference of the disc shaped cover.

11. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 10, wherein the drains are circular apertures formed equidistantly along the inner circumference of the disc shaped cover.

12. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 10 wherein the drains are notches formed equidistantly along the inner circumference of the disc shaped cover.

13. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 10 wherein a diameter A of the inner circumference of the disc shaped cover is set within a range B+D≦

A≦

C−

D;

wherein B is an outer diameter of the shoulder of the outer joint member, C is an outer diameter of the slinger, and D is an axial gap between the disc shaped cover and the slinger.

14. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein the shoulder abuts against a larger end face of the inner ring, the outer diameter of the shoulder is set smaller than that of the inner ring, and wherein an elastic lip is integrally adhered to the slinger and contacts the end face of the inner ring.

15. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 10, wherein the slinger and the disc shaped cover are press-formed from steel plate having preserving ability.

16. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the minimum anti-pull out force of the sensor holder relative to the outer member is defined by a formula Fmin=m×

a, wherein “

m”

is mass of the sensor holder, and “

a”

is a vibration acceleration, and the anti-pull out force of the sensor holder is set at Fmin or more.

17. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein a connector portion is integrally formed with a portion of the sensor holder for mounting a harness connecting a control means, mounted on a body of a vehicle, and the magnetic sensor, an output signal from the magnet sensor can be sent to the control means via a plug inserted into the connector portion, and the anti-pull out force of the sensor holder relative to the connector portion and the plug and relative to the outer member is set larger than the self-weight of the wheel bearing apparatus.

18. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the connector portion is formed with a locking projection projecting axially from the wheel bearing apparatus, and the locking projection is formed with an inclined taper toward a plug inserting direction so that the locking projection can be fit into a recess formed in the plug and locked therein.

19. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fitting interface between the outer member and the metal core can be adjusted based on the anti-pull out force of the sensor holder.

20. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal core includes an outer cylindrical portion press-fit into the end portion of the outer member, a standing portion extending radially inward from the inner side end of the outer cylindrical portion, an inner cylindrical portion axially extending toward the outer side from the standing portion, and a radially inner portion extending radially inward from the inner cylindrical portion, the sensor holder is integrated with the metal core and is insert molded in a region including the outer cylindrical portion, the standing portion and the inner cylindrical portion, and the sealing member is adhered to the radially inner portion and is arranged to the inner side from the detecting portion of the wheel speed sensor.

21. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 20, wherein the magnetic encoder is formed of an elastomer such as a rubber magnet mingled with magnetic powder, the magnetic encoder has N and S poles alternately arranged along its circumference, the wheel speed sensor includes a magnetic detecting element, varying its characteristics in accordance with the flow direction of magnetic flux, and an IC, the IC is incorporated, via a lead wire, with a wave forming circuit for rectifying the output wave form of the magnetic detecting element, and an aperture enabling passage of the lead wire is formed in the outer cylindrical portion of the metal core.

22. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 20, wherein a plurality of apertures is formed in the outer cylindrical portion of the metal core.

23. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensor holder is formed of non-magnetic synthetic resin.

24. The wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus of claim 20, wherein an annular groove is formed on the inner circumferential surface at the inner side end of the outer member, and a radially outwardly deformed engaging portion is formed at the outer side end of the outer cylindrical portion of the metal core so that it is fit in the annular groove.