Bearing device for axle

• US 6,851,865 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nomura, Keisuke, Inoue, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US10/240,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 384/544, 384/542, 384/538, 384/589, 301/105.1, 464/178
• US Class Current: 384/544
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/22 the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/223 the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts

Abstract

A bearing device for axle, comprising a hub wheel, a double row ball bearing, a constant velocity joint, and a tightening member, the constant velocity joint further comprising an outer ring having a cup-shaped cylindrical part for storing a tilted movement guiding element therein and, at the small diameter part thereof, a shaft part (outer ring shaft part) inserted into the hollow shaft part of the hub wheel and fixed to rotate in circumferential direction, wherein the tightening member is fixed to the vehicle outer side shaft end of the outer ring shaft part of the constant velocity joint, and a held part provided between an axial intermediate part of the hollow shaft part of the hub wheel and the vehicle outer side shaft end is sandwiched axially by the axial intermediate part of the outer ring shaft part of the constant velocity joint and the tightening member.

Claims

1. A bearing device for an axle, comprising:

a hub wheel, having a hollow shaft portion;

a rolling bearing, outwardly fitted to the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel;

a constant velocity joint, tiltably linking a driving shaft with the hub wheel and having an outer ring; and

a fastening member, fastening the constant velocity joint to the hub wheel;

wherein the outer ring of the constant velocity joint has a cylindrical portion accommodating tilt movement guiding elements with respect to the driving shaft and an outer ring shaft portion, formed integrally with the cylindrical portion and inserted into the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel so as not to be rotated in a circumferential direction;

the fastening member is mounted to a vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint;

a held portion is provided in the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel, between an axial intermediate position on said hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel and a vehicle outer side in the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel;

the held portion is sandwiched in an axial direction between an axial intermediate position in the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint and the fastening member, thereby the outer ring of the constant velocity joint is combined with the hub wheel in a state of being positioned in an axial direction;

the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel has a radially inward annular member in an inner periphery of the vehicle outer side thereof;

the held portion is formed by the axial intermediate position in the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel and the annular member, and the held portion is sandwiched from an axial direction by the axial intermediate position in the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint and the fastening member, thereby the outer ring of the constant velocity joint is combined with the hub wheel in a state of being positioned in anaxial direction,

a peripheral groove is provided in the inner periphery in the vehicle outer side of the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel, and the annular member comprises a snap ring latched together with the peripheral groove and extending in a radially inward direction;

the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint is fitted to the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel so as not to be rotated, and the snap ring is inserted into the peripheral groove of the hollow shaft portion in a state of a diameter thereof being elastically expanded and is also fixed to a shaft end in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion in a state of being positioned in an axial direction;

the peripheral groove converts a diameter expanding elastic first force of the snap ring into a second force to draw the outer ring shaft portion to a vehicle outer side.

2. The bearing device for an axle according to claim 1, wherein:

the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel has a first step by a vehicle inner side constituting a large diameter and by a vehicle outer side constituting a small diameter in an axial intermediate position in an inner periphery thereof;

outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint has a second step by an inner side constituting a large diameter and by a vehicle outer side constituting a small diameter in an axial intermediate position in an outer periphery thereof;

the held portion is formed by the first step and the vehicle outer side in the hollow shaft portion of the hub wheel, and the held portion is sandwiched from an axial direction by the second step in the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint and the fastening member.

3. A bearing device for an axle according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall in a vehicle outer side in the peripheral groove constitutes a slant face gradually inclining to a vehicle outer side toward a groove opening side from a groove bottom side, and wherein the first force is converted into the second force by an abutment of an outer peripheral angle portion of the snap ring against the slant face.

4. A bearing device for an axle according to claim 1, wherein the outer ring shaft portion is fitted to the hollow shaft portion so as not to be rotated, and said snap ring is circumferentially corrugated and inserted into the peripheral groove of the hollow shaft portion in a state of being elastically compressed in an axial direction and is also fixed to an end portion in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion in a state of being positioned in an axial direction;

an elasticity restoring force of the snap ring acts in a manner of drawing the outer ring shaft portion to a vehicle outer side.

5. A bearing device for an axle according to claim 1, wherein:

a bolt hole is provided in an end face of the shaft end in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint, and the fastening member constitutes a bolt screwed into the bolt hole;

a manner wherein the snap ring is fixed to the shaft end in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion coincides with a manner wherein an inner peripheral side of the snap ring is sandwiched and fixed between the end face of the shaft end in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion and an end face of the bolt screwed into the bolt hole.

6. A bearing device for an axle according to claim 1, wherein:

a small diameter screw-threaded shaft portion is provided in the end face of the shaft end in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion of the constant velocity joint, and the fastening member constitutes a nut screwed into the small diameter screw-threaded shaft portion;

a manner wherein the snap ring is fixed to the end portion in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion coincides with a manner wherein the inner peripheral side of the snap ring is sandwiched and fixed between an end face of the shaft end in the vehicle outer side of the outer ring shaft portion and an end face of the nut screwed into the small diameter screw-threaded shaft portion.