Axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel

• US 6,286,909 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2000
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Ouchi, Hideo, Ohkuma, Takeo, Mizukoshi, Yasumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Stormer, Russell D.
• Application Number:
  US09/637,860
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 301/105.1, 301/124.1, 301/126, 301/131, 180/252, 180/258, 180/259, 464/178, 464/904, 464/906, 384/544, 403/259, 403/261
• US Class Current: 301/105.1
• 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 27/0026 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 27/0073 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 19/184 in O-arrangement
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/768 between relatively stationary parts, i.e. static seals
• 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 35/073 between shaft and inner race ring
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/007 Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles

Abstract

A compact and light weight axle unit with good durability and reliability for driving a vehicle wheel is provided wherein the splined bore 28 of the hub 6a is engaged with the splined shaft 30 of the drive shaft member 29, and a stop ring 35 is held between the outer engagement groove 25 on the inner peripheral surface of the splined bore 28 and the inner engagement groove 24 on the outer peripheral surface of the splined shaft 30 to prevent the splined shaft 30 from being removed.

Claims

1. An axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel comprising:

a bearing assembly comprising an outer ring to a suspension provided in a vehicle body and an inner peripheral surface formed with an outer ring raceway thereon, and a rotatable inner ring having a flange to which a tire is connected, and an outer peripheral surface formed with an inner ring raceway thereon, and a first circumferential fitting surface formed with a first spline, and the inner ring further having a first engagement portion,

a constant velocity joint having an outer ring having a second circumferential fitting surface provided at an end on the outer side of the vehicle body and formed with a second spline for spline engagement with the first spline of the inner ring, and the constant velocity joint further having a second engagement portion,

an engagement member adapted to be resiliently deformed in a radial direction, and engaged with the first engagement portion of the bearing assembly and with the second engagement portion of the constant velocity joint, so that the bearing assembly is connected to the constant velocity joint through the engagement member in the axial direction,

an outer seal for sealing the spline engagement on the outer side of the vehicle body, and

an inner seal for sealing the spline engagement on the inner side of the vehicle body.

2. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 1, wherein the engagement member is a stop ring.

3. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 1, wherein the spline engagement contains a lubricant agent thereon.

4. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 1, wherein the inner seal has a resilient member to supply the engagement member with a resilient force in the axial direction.

5. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 1, wherein the outer seal has a cap fixed to the inner ring of the bearing assembly.

6. An axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel comprising:

a bearing assembly comprising an outer ring fixed to a suspension provided in a vehicle body and an inner peripheral surface formed with an outer ring raceway thereon, and a rotatable inner ring assembly comprising a hub and an inner ring and having a flange to which a tire is connected, and an outer peripheral surface formed with an inner ring raceway, and a first circumferential fitting surface formed with a first spline, and the inner ring further having a first engagement portion,

a constant velocity joint having a housing portion forming an outer ring and having a second circumferential fitting surface provided at an end on the axially outer side of the vehicle body, the second circumferential fitting surface being formed with a second spline for spline engagement with the first spline of the inner ring, and the constant velocity joint further having a second engagement portion,

an engagement member adapted to be resiliently deformed in a radial direction, and engaged with the first engagement portion of the bearing assembly and with the second engagement portion of the constant velocity joint, so that the bearing assembly is connected to the constant velocity joint through the engagement member in the axial direction,

an outer seal for sealing the spline engagement on the axially outer side of the vehicle body, and

an inner seal for sealing the spline engagement on the axially inner side of the vehicle body.

7. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 6, wherein the engagement member is a stop ring.

8. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 6, wherein the spline engagement contains a lubricant agent thereon.

9. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 6, wherein the inner seal has a resilient member to supply the engagement member with a resilient force in the axial direction.

10. The axle unit for driving a vehicle wheel of claim 6, wherein the outer seal has a cap fixed to the rotatable inner ring of the bearing assembly.