Apparatus for driving wheel of automobile

• US 6,488,589 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Ouchi, Hideo, Kayama, Shigeoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BINDA, GREGORY JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/781,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 464/145, 464/178, 464/906, 301/105.1, 301/111, 301/112, 403/298, 403/359.1
• US Class Current: 464/178
• 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 27/0084 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
• 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: Y10S 464/906 Torque transmitted via radially spaced balls

Abstract

A wheel-drive apparatus for an automobile is provided to have an outer race fixedly connected to a suspension, a wheel-support hub having a first spline hole, an inner race fixedly fitted onto the hub, rolling members rotatable between the outer ring raceways of the outer race and the inner ring raceways of the hub and inner race, a drive shaft member having an outside end to be a spline shaft for engagement with the first spline hole and an inside end formed to be an outer ring for a constant velocity joint. A stop ring is engaged with the spline shaft and the hub to prevent the spline shaft from coming away from the spline hole. An inner ring for the constant velocity joint has a second spline hole, and balls are provided between the outside engaging groove of the outer ring and the inside engaging groove of the inner ring. A drive shaft has a male spline portion with a groove bottom in spline-engagement with the second spline hole, while the spline shaft has a base end the minimum outer diameter D₄₃ of which is larger than the diameter D₂₇ of the groove bottom of the male spline portion.

Claims

1. A wheel-drive apparatus for an automobile comprising;

an outer race having an outer peripheral surface on which a first flange is provided to be fixedly connected to a suspension, and an inner peripheral surface on which outer ring raceways in rows are formed, the outer race being not rotatable during use,

a hub having an outer peripheral surface on which a second flange is provided to support a wheel at an outside end portion thereof, and a first inner ring raceway is formed at a middle portion thereof, and an inner race is provided at an inside end portion thereof, the inner race being fixedly fitted onto the hub and having an outer peripheral surface on which a second inner ring raceway is formed, and the first inner ring raceway being formed directly on the hub or on a separate inner race provided on the hub, and the hub having a first spline hole formed at the center thereof,

a plurality of rolling members rotatably provided between the outer ring raceways and the first and second inner ring raceways, respectively,

a drive shaft member having an outside end formed with a spline shaft for engagement with the first spline hole, and an inside end formed in an outer ring for a constant velocity joint,

the spline shaft having an outer peripheral surface on which a radially inside fitting portion is formed at the outside end thereof,

the hub having an inner peripheral surface on which a radially outside fitting portion is formed at a portion facing the radially inside fitting portion,

a stop ring provided between and engaged with the radially inside fitting portion and the radially outside fitting portion to prevent the spline shaft from coming away from the first spline hole,

the outer ring for the constant velocity joint having an inner peripheral surface formed with an outside engaging groove at locations in the circumferential direction, and the outside engaging groove directed orthogonal to the circumferential direction,

an inner ring for the constant velocity joint provided on the radially inside of the outer ring for the constant velocity joint, and having a second spline hole at the center thereof, and an outer peripheral surface on which an inside engaging groove is formed at a portion in alignment with the outside engaging groove, and the inside engaging groove directed orthogonal to the circumferential direction,

a plurality of balls provided between the outside engaging groove and the inside engaging groove to be rotatable along the engaging grooves, and

a drive shaft having an outside end formed with a male spline portion in spline-engagement with the second spline hole, and the male spline portion having a groove bottom with a diameter, and

the spline shaft having a base end the minimum outer diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the groove bottom of the male spline portion.

2. A wheel-drive apparatus for an automobile comprising;

an outer race having an outer peripheral surface on which a first flange is provided to be fixedly connected to a suspension, and an inner peripheral surface on which outer ring raceways in rows are formed, the outer race being not rotatable during use,

a hub having an outer peripheral surface on which a second flange is provided to support a wheel at an outside end portion thereof, and a first inner ring raceway is formed at a middle portion thereof, and an inner race is provided at an inside end portion thereof, the inner race being fixedly fitted onto the hub and having an outer peripheral surface on which a second inner ring raceway is formed, and the first inner ring raceway being formed directly on the hub or on a separate inner race provided on the hub, and the hub having a first spline hole formed at the center thereof,

a plurality of rolling members rotatably provided between the outer ring raceways and the first and second inner ring raceways, respectively,

a drive shaft member having an outside end formed with a spline shaft for engagement with the first spline hole, and an inside end formed in an outer ring for a constant velocity joint,

the spline shaft having an outer peripheral surface on which a radially inside fitting portion is formed at the outside end thereof,

the hub having an inner peripheral surface on which a radially outside fitting portion is formed at a portion facing the radially inside fitting portion,

a stop ring provided between and engaged with the radially inside fitting portion and the radially outside fitting portion to prevent the spline shaft from coming away from the first spline hole,

the outer ring for the constant velocity joint having an inner peripheral surface formed with an outside engaging groove at locations in the circumferential direction, and the outside engaging groove directed orthogonal to the circumferential direction,

an inner ring for the constant velocity joint provided on the radially inside of the outer ring for the constant velocity joint, and having a second spline hole at the center thereof, and an outer peripheral surface on which an inside engaging groove is formed at a portion in alignment with the outside engaging groove, and the inside engaging groove directed orthogonal to the circumferential direction,

a plurality of balls provided between the outside engaging groove and the inside engaging groove to be rotatable along the engaging grooves, and

a drive shaft having an outside end formed with a male spline portion in spline-engagement with the second spline hole, and the male spline portion having a groove bottom with a diameter, and

the spline shaft having a base end the minimum outer diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the groove bottom of the male spline portion,

wherein the base end of the spline shaft has an engaging groove formed generally along the circumference thereof so as to mount a seal ring in it for sealing between the outer peripheral surface of the base end of the spline shaft and the inner peripheral surface of the hub, and the engaging groove has a groove bottom the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the groove bottom of the male spline portion at the outside end of the drive shaft.