Unitized wheel bearing assembly

• US 4,798,560 A
• Filed: 02/19/1985
• Issued: 01/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Farrell, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Application Number:
  US06/702,919
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 29/505, 29/522 R, 29/526, 180/254, 180/259, 280/96.1, 384/517, 384/544, 384/563, 403/261, 403/326, 403/375, 411/352, 411/353, 411/360, 411/517, 464/178
• US Class Current: 464/178
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0005 with ball bearings
• 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 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/063 Fixing them on the shaft with interposition of an element F16C35/07
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/072 involving plastic deformation plastic welding F16D1/068

Abstract

A wheel bearing assembly comprises a wheel hub, a bearing assembly and a retainer for retaining the inner ring of the bearing assembly on the wheel hub. The retainer includes a retaining ring and a load ring which is plastically deformed radially inwardly so that the inner ring of the bearing assembly is biased against an annular shoulder of the wheel hub under a substantial axial preload.

Claims

1. A wheel bearing assembly for a motor vehicle comprising;

a wheel hub which has wheel mounting means and an annular shoulder at one end and a tubular part at the other end, which forms an outer drive member of a constant velocity universal joint by which drive is transmitted to the wheel hub,

a bearing assembly having an outer ring which has means for securing the outer ring to a vehicle support and an inner ring which is mounted on the wheel hub against the annular shoulder; and

means for retaining the inner ring on the wheel hub, said means comprising;

a retaining ring having an inner margin disposed in an annular groove in the tubular part of the wheel hub and,

a load ring encircling the wheel hub between the retaining ring and the inner ring of the bearing assembly,

said load ring having a band of concavo-convex cross section which is plastically deformed radially inwardly so that the inner ring is biased against the annular shoulder under a substantial axial preload provided by the load ring,

said load ring having a flange at the end of the load ring which is adjacent the inner ring of the bearing assembly to increase the radial stiffness so that said end at least maintains diameter when the concavo-convex band of the load ring is plastically deformed radially inwardly,

the concavo-convex cross section of the band being V-shaped and the flange at the end of the load ring having a circular rim at its outer end which extends toward the other end of the load ring.

2. A wheel bearing assembly for a motor vehicle comprising;

a wheel hub which has wheel mounting means and an annular shoulder at one end and a tubular part at the other end, which forms an outer drive member of a constant velocity universal joint by which drive is transmitted to the wheel hub,

a bearing assembly having an outer ring which has means for securing the outer ring to a vehicle support and an inner ring which is mounted on the wheel hub against the annular shoulder; and

means for retaining the inner ring on the wheel hub, said means comprising;

a retaining ring having an inner margin disposed in an annular groove in the tubular part of the wheel hub and,

a load ring encircling the wheel hub between the retaining ring and the inner ring of the bearing assembly,

said load ring having a band of concavo-convex cross section which is plastically deformed radially inwardly so that the inner ring is biased against the annular shoulder under a substantial axial preload provided by the load ring,

said load ring having a flange at the end of the load ring which is adjacent the inner ring of the bearing assembly to increase the radial stiffness so that said end at least maintains diameter when the concavo-convex band of the load ring is plastically deformed radially inwardly,

the concavo-convex cross section of the band being V-shaped and, the load ring having a second flange at the other end, and at least one of the flanges being notched for holding the load ring circumferentially while the band is plastically deformed radially inwardly by a rolling operation.