ARRANGEMENT OF A WHEEL HUB CONNECTED TO A CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT PROVIDED WITH A SEAL DEVICE

• US 20150069825A1
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Duch, Daniele, Morello, Fausto, Serafini, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 9,399,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 301/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0036 comprising homokinetic joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0073 characterised by sealing means
• 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 33/583 Details of specific parts of races
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/768 between relatively stationary parts, i.e. static seals
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/7883 mounted to the inner race and of generally L-shape, the two sealing rings defining a sealing with box-shaped cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/805 in addition to other sealings, e.g. dirt guards to protect sealings with sealing lips
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/007 Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/033 by clamping together two faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation, e.g. with bolted flanges
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2300/08 Details or arrangements of sealings not provided for in group F16D3/84

Abstract

Arrangement including a portion of a radially outer lateral surface of an inner ring of wheel hub having an annular step formed on a constant velocity joint. The step is adapted to receive a first shield, a flange portion that radially extends to protrude towards an outer ring of a wheel hub, in front of a flange portion of a second shield, from a first end of a sleeve portion of the first shield facing on the side opposite of the constant velocity joint and axially protrudes from the inner ring and towards the joint, defining a tubular element arranged straddling wheel hub and an outer ring of the constant velocity joint, having an opposite second end, supporting an annular seal; an annular signal generating insert covers a face of the flange portion, wherein a radially inner annular part of face defines a thrust shoulder for mounting the first shield.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a wheel hub (3) connected to constant velocity joint (6) provided with a seal device (1), comprising:

a sealing assembly (14) disposed between an inner ring (5) and an outer ring (8) of the wheel hub (3) and which extends straddling between the wheel hub (3) and an outer ring (10) of the constant velocity joint (6);

wherein

the sealing assembly (14) comprises a first shield (16) and a second shield (21) anchored by means of respective sleeve portions (17, 117) thereof to the inner ring (5) and to the outer ring of the wheel hub, respectively, and each having a respective flange portion (18, 118) which radially extends protruding from the sleeve portion and towards the other shield, and an annular sealing element (11) carried by one of the first and second shield and which is provided with a plurality of annular sealing lips (22, 23, 24) which cooperate with the other shield;

the flange portion (18) of the first shield (16) carrying a signal generating element (19) on the outer side thereof and towards the constant velocity joint (6) consisting of an annular insert (19b), wherein,

i) the seal device (1) comprises a portion (30) of a radially outer lateral surface (26) of the inner ring on which an annular step (25) is formed on the side of the constant velocity joint (6) and at an end (31) of the inner ring facing the constant velocity joint, the annular step being adapted to receive the first shield (16);

ii) the flange portion (18) of the first shield extends radially overhangingly towards the outer ring and in front of the flange portion (118) of the second shield, from a first end (27) of the sleeve portion facing the side opposite to the constant velocity joint, so that the flange portion (18) of the first shield is arranged on the wheel hub on the side opposite to the constant velocity joint (6) and so that the first shield (16) has in radial section the shape of an L facing the constant velocity joint (6);

iii) the sleeve portion (17) of the first shield overhangingly axially extends from the inner ring (5) and towards the constant velocity joint (6), is shaped to define a cylindrical tubular element (32) arranged straddling the wheel hub (3) and the outer ring (10) of the constant velocity joint, and has a second end (28), opposite to the first end and facing the constant velocity joint, supporting an annular seal (35) made of an elastomeric material and which radially extends protruding from the second end (28) of the sleeve portion of the first shield, towards the inside of the tubular element (32) defined by the sleeve portion of the first shield, up to intercept with interference a substantially cylindrical outer lateral surface (29) of the outer ring (10) of the constant velocity joint, for exerting a radial seal on it; and

iv) the annular insert (19b) forming the signal generating element (19) is implemented as an annular insert having predetermined thickness, measured in the axial direction, of a magnetizable elastomeric or plastic synthetic material, which has been chemically anchored to a first face (20) of the flange portion of the first shield (16) facing the constant velocity joint (6), and is shaped so as that a radially inner annular part (33) of the first face, immediately adjacent to the first end (27) of the sleeve portion of the first shield is adapted to define a first thrust shoulder for mounting the first shield on the annular step (25);

the annular insert (19b) extending to cover the first face, leaving uncovered the annular part (33) constituting the first thrust shoulder, and wherein

v) the first end (27) of the sleeve portion of the first shield is fluid-tightly coupled against and on the annular step (25) of the radially outer lateral surface (26) of the inner ring (5) so that a second face (34) of the flange portion (18) of the first shield, opposite to the first face (20) and facing an opposing side of the constant velocity joint, cooperates in axial abutment against an axial shoulder (125) facing the constant velocity joint (6) and at least partially defined by the annular step (25); and

vi) the axial shoulder (125) against which the second face of the flange portion (18) of the first shield cooperates in abutment is defined by the annular step (25) and by an annular protrusion (36) formed on the same portion (30) of the radially outer lateral surface (26) of the inner ring (5) on which the annular step (25) is formed, the annular protrusion (36) being formed in a position immediately adjacent to the annular step (25) and flush with the annular step (25) on an opposing side of the constant velocity joint (6) with respect to the annular step.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the annular insert (19b) is shaped to extend beyond a radially outer edge (38) of the flange portion of the first shield opposite to the sleeve portion (17) of the first shield and towards the second shield (21), in a position immediately facing, but spaced apart from the sleeve portion (117) of the second shield, to form an annular buttress (39) arranged facing the flange portion (118) of the second shield towards which the annular buttress (39) axially extends protruding from the flange portion (18) of the first shield.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the annular sealing element (11) comprises at least a first annular lip (22) that extends protruding in a position immediately adjacent to the buttress (39) of the annular insert and between the buttress (39) of the annular insert and the inner ring (5), to cooperate without sliding with the flange portion (18) of one of the first and second shield and with the buttress (39) of the annular insert (19b) for defining a labyrinth seal between the first and second shield (16, 21) and on the side of the sleeve portion (117) of the second shield.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the annular sealing element (11) is integrally supported by the flange portion (118) of the second shield (21), which radially extends protruding from the sleeve portion (117) of the second shield on the side opposite to the constant velocity joint (6) and towards the inner ring (5) of the wheel hub;

the first annular lip (22) extends in radial direction obliquely protruding from the flange portion (118) of the second shield and towards the sleeve portion (117) of the second shield partially within an axial bulk of the buttress (39) of the annular insert, to be radially disposed between the buttress (39) and the inner ring.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the annular sealing element (11) of the first sealing assembly further comprises at least a second (23) and a third (24) annular lip, which extend protruding from the flange portion (118) of the second shield in diverging directions for cooperating, the second lip (23) by sliding with the flange portion (18) of the first shield, and the third lip (24), providing a labyrinth seal towards the inner ring.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the second end (28) of the sleeve portion (17) of the first shield is radially provided on the inside with an L-shaped edge (42) on an opposing side with respect to a radial protruding extension direction of the flange portion (18) of the first shield;

the L-shaped edge (42) of the second end of the sleeve portion of the first shield being wholly embedded in the annular seal (35) and being adapted to define a second thrust shoulder for mounting the first shield on the annular step (25) obtained towards the constant velocity joint on the stretch of radially outer surface of the inner ring.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the annular seal (35) is formed by a block of elastomeric material axially delimited towards the constant velocity joint by a flat face (45) arranged parallel to the L-shaped edge (42) of the second end of the sleeve portion of the first shield and at least partially flanked by it on an opposing side with respect to the constant velocity joint and radially by a fourth annular sealing lip (46), which directly cooperates against the substantially cylindrical outer lateral surface (29) of the outer ring (10) of the constant velocity joint and which has a saw-tooth shape in radial section having the vertex (47) facing the constant velocity joint.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein the annular sealing element (11) of the first sealing assembly further comprises at least a second (23) and a third (24) annular lip, which extend protruding from the flange portion (118) of the second shield in diverging directions for cooperating, the second lip (23) by sliding with the flange portion (18) of the first shield, and the third lip (24), not providing a labyrinth seal towards the inner ring.