Wheel assembly and method for making same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of manufacturing a wheel assembly comprising:
- providing a wheel hub having a flange portion with an outer flange surface and an inner flange surface;
securing a plurality of wheel bolts to said flange portion;
connecting a bearing to said wheel hub; and
applying a grind wheel to said inner flange surface and said outer flange surface of said wheel assembly to reduce lateral run-out,wherein said grind wheel includes one annular channel between an inner lip and an outer lip that is configured to allow clearance of said wheel bolts upon rotation of said grind wheel;
wherein an axis of rotation of the wheel hub and an axis of rotation of the grind wheel are angled during the step of applying the grind wheel to the inner and outer flange portions;
during a step of grinding, a number of the wheel bolts having a length entirely in the annular channel at any moment is one or less; and
wherein the step of applying a grinding wheel after the step of securing the wheel bolts.
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Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a wheel hub to reduce lateral run-out. Specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for machining the inner and outer surfaces of the wheel hub after the wheel bolts and bearing have been attached to the wheel hub. A grind wheel is used to finish an inner flange portion and outer flange portion of the wheel hub.
66 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a wheel assembly comprising:
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providing a wheel hub having a flange portion with an outer flange surface and an inner flange surface; securing a plurality of wheel bolts to said flange portion; connecting a bearing to said wheel hub; and applying a grind wheel to said inner flange surface and said outer flange surface of said wheel assembly to reduce lateral run-out, wherein said grind wheel includes one annular channel between an inner lip and an outer lip that is configured to allow clearance of said wheel bolts upon rotation of said grind wheel; wherein an axis of rotation of the wheel hub and an axis of rotation of the grind wheel are angled during the step of applying the grind wheel to the inner and outer flange portions;
during a step of grinding, a number of the wheel bolts having a length entirely in the annular channel at any moment is one or less; andwherein the step of applying a grinding wheel after the step of securing the wheel bolts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manufacturing a wheel assembly comprising:
providing a wheel hub having a flange portion with an outer flange surface and an inner flange surface, wherein the wheel hub has a first axis of rotation; securing a plurality of wheel bolts to said flange portion of said wheel hub; connecting a bearing to said wheel hub; connecting a knuckle to said bearing; applying a grind wheel to said flange portion, the grind wheel having a second axis of rotation and including an outer lip to engage said outer flange surface, an inner lip to engage said inner flange surface, and a circumferential channel in the grind wheel between said outer lip and said inner lip that allows clearance of said wheel bolts upon rotation of said grind wheel so that said wheel bolts pass through said channel during continuous rotation of said grinding wheel in a single direction; rotating said grind wheel in a first direction with respect to said wheel assembly to reduce lateral run-out, wherein during the step of rotating the grind wheel, the second axis of rotation is angled relative to the first axis of rotation;
during a step of grinding, a number of the wheel bolts having a length entirely in the annular channel at any moment is one or less; andwherein the grind wheel is an annular grind wheel, and wherein the step of applying a grinding wheel is after the step of securing the wheel bolts. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of manufacturing a wheel assembly comprising:
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providing a wheel hub having a flange portion including an outer flange surface, an inner flange surface, or both; securing a plurality of wheel bolts to the flange portion; connecting a bearing to the wheel hub; and applying a grind wheel to the inner flange surface, the outer flange surface, or both, wherein the grind wheel includes one or more lips having a surface for contacting the inner flange surface, the outer flange surface or both, wherein the grind wheel has an axis of rotation and the surface of the one or more lips is a grinding surfaces angled relative to the plane normal to the axis of rotation of the grind wheel during a step of grinding, a number of the wheel bolts having a length entirely in the annular channel at any moment is one or less. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification