Systems and methods for measuring bearing endplay

• US 8,397,589 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation, Temper Corporation
• Original Assignee: John Earl Rode
• Inventors: Rode, John Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JAMEL E
• Application Number:
  US12/951,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 297/24, 292/52, 738/622.3
• US Class Current: 73/862.23
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2226/60 with threaded parts, e.g. bolt and nut connections in general F16B23/00 - F16B43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/24 for determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member which is similarly stressed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53104 Roller or ball bearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5383 having fluid operator

Abstract

A system for use in measuring an end play of a wheel hub assembly includes a cap attachable to a shaft of a wheel hub assembly. A frame has a cavity receiving a measurement probe extending outwardly from the cavity. The probe contacts the cap and is configured to measure movement of the cap to determine endplay of the bearing assembly on the shaft. The frame includes a plurality of legs extending from the frame to a hub mounted on the shaft and coupled to the bearing to support the frame relative to the hub. The handle is connected to the frame and extends substantially perpendicularly relative to an axis of the shaft and extends to opposite sides of the axis. The frame, the plurality of legs and the handle are sufficiently rigid to allow a user to apply a force to the handle to move the hub in an axial direction relative to the shaft until cessation of movement of the hub relative to the shaft.

Claims

1. A system for use in measuring an endplay of a bearing of a wheel hub assembly, the system comprising:

a cap attachable to an end of a shaft of the wheel hub assembly;

a frame having a measurement probe attached thereto, said probe configured to contact said cap and measure relative movement of said cap to determine an endplay of a bearing of the hub assembly on the shaft;

said frame comprising a plurality of legs extending from said frame to a hub of the hub assembly mounted on said shaft and coupled to said bearing to support said frame relative to the hub;

a handle connected to said frame, said handle extending substantially perpendicularly relative to an axis of the shaft and extending to opposite sides of the axis; and

said frame, said plurality of legs and said handle sufficiently rigid to allow a user to apply a force to said handle to move the hub in an axial direction relative to the shaft until a cessation of movement of the hub relative to the shaft.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a plurality of cross members connected to said plurality of legs and having longitudinal dimensions aligned substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said frame is spaced from said cap when said cap is attached to the shaft to allow said frame to move toward and away from said cap and to allow said probe to measure movement of said frame relative to said cap.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an extension attachable to said cap when a wheel is mounted on the shaft to couple said probe to said cap.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said probe is axially aligned with an axis of the shaft.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an opening between two legs of said plurality of legs to allow a user to insert a tool into the opening such that the tool engages a nut holding said hub assembly on the shaft.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said cap comprises a wrenching surface to allow said cap to be tightened or loosened by a wrench.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said cap comprises a threaded surface configured to engage a threaded surface of said shaft to connect said cap to said shaft.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of legs is connectable to a plurality of wheel lugs of a wheel hub of the wheel hub assembly mounted on the shaft.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said handle extends a substantially equal distance on each side of the axis of the shaft.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said handle is connected to said frame by a plurality of connecting legs, said handle located on an opposite side of said frame relative to said cap.

12. A method for determining an endplay of a bearing of a wheel hub assembly mounted on a shaft, the method comprising;

attaching a cap to an end of the shaft;

connecting a plurality of legs of an endplay measuring apparatus to a hub of the hub assembly mounted on the shaft;

connecting a measurement probe to a frame of the apparatus;

the probe contacting the cap;

applying a force to a handle of the apparatus connected to the frame and the plurality of legs to move the hub in a first axial direction until a cessation of movement of the hub, the handle extending substantially perpendicularly relative to an axis of the shaft and extending to opposite sides of the axis;

determining a first measurement of the probe;

applying a force on the handle in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction until a second cessation of movement of the hub;

determining a second measurement of the probe after the second cessation of movement; and

determining a movement of the cap by the probe to determine an endplay of the bearing by comparing the first measurement to the second measurement.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising turning the hub while the device is mounted to the hub to analyze roller alignment of the bearing.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the applying the force comprises applying the force on the handle in a substantial axial direction relative to the axis of the shaft to avoid off-center loading of the bearing.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising using a wrench to adjust a tightness of a nut holding the hub assembly by extending the wrench through an opening between two legs of the plurality of legs.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising attaching an extension to said cap when a wheel is mounted on the hub to couple the probe to the cap.

17. A system for use in measuring an endplay of a bearing of a wheel hub assembly, the system comprising:

a cap attached to an end of a shaft of a wheel hub assembly;

a frame having a measurement probe connected thereto, said probe contacting said cap and configured to measure relative movement of said cap to determine an endplay of a bearing of said hub assembly on said shaft;

said frame comprising a plurality of legs extending from said frame to a hub of said hub assembly mounted on said shaft and coupled to said bearing to support said frame relative to the hub;

a handle connected to said frame, said handle extending substantially perpendicularly relative to an axis of said shaft and extending to opposite sides of the axis;

said frame, said plurality of legs and said handle sufficiently rigid to allow a user to apply a force to said handle to move the hub in an axial direction relative to said shaft until a cessation of movement of said hub relative to said shaft; and

said hub rotatable by said handle.