Welded connection for wheel bearing unit for motor vehicles

• US 4,943,171 A
• Filed: 01/05/1990
• Issued: 07/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fag Kugelfischer Georg Shafer
• Original Assignee: FAG Kugelfischer Georg Schafer & Company
• Inventors: Hofmann, Heinrich, Troster, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US07/461,227
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• Field of Search: 384/449, 384/499, 384/502, 384/504-506, 384/510, 384/537, 384/543, 384/544, 384/583, 29/149.5 R, 301/111, 301/124 R, 180/258, 180/259, 464/178, 464/906
• US Class Current: 384/537
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0005 with ball bearings
• 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 2226/36 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/60 divided or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/04 Assembling rolling-contact bearings
• 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

Abstract

A wheel bearing unit for motor vehicles, and the like, having an outer ring and two rows of anti-friction rolling elements in the outer ring. An axially inward hub has one race for one row of rolling elements. An axially outer part of the of the bearing unit has another row of rolling elements on its periphery. One of the hub or the outer part has an axially projecting pin projecting toward the other. The other of the outer part and the hub has a sleeve with an internal bore into which the pin projects. The periphery of the pin and the interior of the bore are stepped complementary to one another such that when the hub and outer part are brought together, they are stabilized thereby. An axially directed projection projects from the axially forward end of the pin into engagement with the bottom of the bore. When the outer part and hub are relatively rotated, the contact is sufficiently heated to friction weld the end of the axially directed projection to the bottom of the bore. When the bore is in the hub, the hub is provided in the region of its bore with a closed wall or surrounding projection for preventing entrance of undesirable material.

Claims

1. A wheel bearing unit for a motor vehicle, or the like, the bearing unit comprising:

an outer ring having an outer race for rolling elements, at least one row of anti-friction rolling elements for rolling about the race of the outer ring;

an axially more inward inner part;

an axially more outward outer part, axially outward of the inner part;

a respective inner race defined on at least one of the inner part and the outer part for cooperating with the outer race on the outer ring and with the rolling elements supported thereby for defining the races for the rolling elements;

one of the inner part and the outer part having an axial projection thereon projecting axially toward the other of the inner part and the outer part, and the axial projection having an annular periphery with a plurality of different radius steps defined on it;

the other of the outer part and the inner part having an axially extending sleeve defined thereon axially extending toward the one of the inner part and the outer part, and the sleeve having an internal bore with a surface which is stepped complementary to the stepped periphery of the axial projection, such that with the outer part and the inner part pressed axially together, the complementary steps come into engagement and orient the inner part and the outer part with respect to each other;

the axial projection having an axially forward end toward the other of the inner part and the outer part;

the sleeve bore having a bottom facing toward the axially forward end of the projection;

an axially directed forward projection extending from one of the inner part and the outer part toward the other, located in the bore of the sleeve and extending into engagement with the axial end of the other of the outer part and the inner part, and the axially directed forward projection being welded to the other of the outer part and the inner part in the bore.

2. The wheel bearing unit of claim 1, wherein the axially directed forward projection is long enough that before the complementary steps engage, the axially directed forward projection is of a length to contact the other of the inner part and the outer part for enabling the welding.

3. The wheel bearing unit of claim 1, wherein each of the steps is generally cylindrical in shape, with a radially extending axial end wall between neighboring steps.

4. The wheel bearing unit of claim 1, wherein in the region of the bore inside the sleeve and axially outward of the bottom of the bore, means being defined for closing off access into the bore for preventing entrance of materials therein.

5. The wheel bearing unit of claim 4, wherein the access close off means is defined on the one of the inner part and the outer part on which the axial projection is defined.

6. The wheel bearing unit of claim 1, wherein the axially directed forward projection projects from the axially forward end of the axial projection to engage the bottom of the bore surrounded by the sleeve.

7. The wheel bearing unit of claim 1, wherein there is a first row of anti-friction rolling elements between the outer ring and the inner part and there is a second row of anti-friction rolling elements between the outer ring and the outer part of the bearing unit, and there is a respective inner race on each of the inner part and the outer part for the respective row of rolling elements and there is a respective outer race on the outer ring for each of the rows of rolling elements.

8. The wheel bearing unit of claim 1, within the axial inner part is a hub of a wheel and the axial outer part is a closure over the hub.

9. A wheel bearing unit for a motor vehicle, or the like, the bearing unit comprising:

an outer ring having an outer race for rolling elements, at least one row of anti-friction rolling elements for rolling about the race of the outer ring;

an axially more inward inner part;

an axially more outward outer part, axially outward of the inner part;

a respective inner race defined on at least one of the inner part and the outer part for cooperating with the outer race on the outer ring and with the rolling elements supported thereby for defining the races for the rolling elements;

an axial projection defined on the outer part and extending axially inward for engagement with the inner part, the axial projection having an annular, stepped periphery with a plurality of different radius steps defined on it;

an axially extending sleeve defined on the axially inner part and extending axially outwardly toward to the outer part, the sleeve having an inner bore with an annular surface which is stepped complementary to the stepped periphery of the axial projection, such that with the outer part and the inner part pressed axially together, the complementary steps come into engagement and orient the inner part and the outer part with respect to each other;

the axial projection having an axially forward end toward the inner part;

the sleeve bore having a bottom facing toward the axially forward end of the axial projection;

an axially directed forward projection extending from the axial projection and being located in the bore of the sleeve and extending into engagement with the axial end of the inner part, and the axially directed projection being welded to the inner part at the bottom of the bore.

10. The wheel bearing unit of claim 9, wherein the axially directed forward projection is long enough that before the complementary steps engage, the axially directed forward projection is of a length to contact the inner part for enabling the welding.

11. The wheel bearing unit of claim 9, wherein in the region of the bore inside the sleeve and axially outward of the bottom of the bore, means being defined for closing off access into the bore for preventing entrance of materials therein.

12. A wheel bearing unit for a motor vehicle, or the like, the bearing unit comprising:

an outer ring having an outer race for rolling elements, at least one row of anti-friction rolling elements for rolling about the race of the outer ring;

an axially more inward inner part;

an axially more outward outer part, axially outward of the inner part;

a respective inner race defined on at least one of the inner part and the outer part for cooperating with the outer race on the outer ring and with the rolling elements supported thereby for defining the races for the rolling elements;

an axial projection defined on the inner part and extending axially outward for engagement with the outer part, the axial projection having an annular stepped periphery with a plurality of different radius steps defined on it;

an axially extending sleeve defined on the axially outer part and extending axially inward toward the inner part, the sleeve having an inner bore with an annular surface which is stepped complementary to the stepped periphery of the axial projection, such that with the inner part and the outer part pressed axially together, the complementary steps come into engagement and orient the outer part and the inner part with respect to each other;

the axial projection having an axially forward end toward the outer part;

the sleeve bore having a bottom facing toward the axially forward end of the axial projection;

an axially directed forward projection extending from the axial projection and being located in the bore of the sleeve and extending into engagement with the axial end of the outer part, and the axially directed projection being welded to the outer part at the bottom of the bore.

13. The wheel bearing unit of claim 12, wherein the axially directed forward projection is long enough that before the complementary steps engage, the axially directed forward projection is of a length to contact the outer part for enabling the welding.