Roller bearing module, a method for manufacturing a roller bearing module, and a method for forming a vehicle hub assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113592-B2
Application number	US-201715632771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A roller bearing module for a vehicle hub module having an outboard roller bearing and an inboard roller bearing. The roller bearing module provides a spacer coupling the outboard roller bearing to the inboard roller bearing. The spacer is arranged in an axial direction between the outboard roller bearing and the inboard roller bearing. The roller bearing module includes a first sealing structure arranged at an outwards facing side of the outboard roller bearing. The roller bearing module further includes a second sealing structure arranged at an inwards facing side of the inboard roller bearing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A roller bearing module for a vehicle hub module, the roller bearing module comprising:
an outboard roller bearing;
an inboard roller bearing;
a spacer coupling the outboard roller bearing to the inboard roller bearing, the spacer arranged in an axial direction between the outboard roller bearing and the inboard roller bearing, the spacer having a first distal end and a second distal end, the second distal end is connected to an inner ring of the outboard roller bearing and the first distal end is axially aligned with, adjacent to, free-floating relative to, and not permanently affixed to an inner ring of the inboard roller bearing;
a first sealing structure arranged at an outwards facing side of the outboard roller bearing, and
a second sealing structure arranged at an inwards facing side of the inboard roller bearing.

2. The roller bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing structure is coupled to an inside cylindrical surface of at least one of the inner ring and an outer ring of the outboard roller bearing, and/or wherein the second sealing structure is coupled to an inside cylindrical surface of at least one of the inner ring and an outer ring of the inboard roller bearing.

3. The roller bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing structure is coupled to an inside cylindrical surface of at least one of a bearing seal seat of the inner ring and a bearing seal seat of an outer ring of the outboard roller bearing, and/or wherein the second sealing structure is coupled to an inside cylindrical surface of at least one of a bearing seal seat of the inner ring and a bearing seal seat of an outer ring of the inboard roller bearing.

4. The roller bearing module according to claim 3 , wherein the spacer has a first diameter proximate to the outboard roller bearing and a second diameter proximate to the inboard roller bearing, the first diameter being less than the second diameter, the spacer having a constant cross sectional thickness.

5. The roller bearing module according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the inner ring and the outer ring of the outboard roller bearing comprises an axially extending protrusion for engaging an axially extending portion of the first shielding structure.

6. The roller bearing module according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer has a first diameter proximate to the outboard roller bearing and a second diameter proximate to the inboard roller bearing, the first diameter being less than the second diameter, the spacer having a constant cross sectional thickness.

7. The roller bearing module according to claim 6 , wherein the first shielding structure is coupled to an inside cylindrical surface of a bearing shield seat of an outer ring of the outboard roller bearing, and/or wherein the second shielding structure is coupled to an inside cylindrical surface of a bearing shield seat of the inner ring of the inboard roller bearing.

8. The roller bearing module according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one clipping device configured to couple the spacer to at least one of the inboard roller bearing and the outboard roller bearing.

9. A method for manufacturing a roller bearing module, the method comprising:
coupling a first sealing structure to an outboard roller bearing; and
coupling a second sealing structure to an inboard roller bearing to form the roller bearing module having;
an outboard roller bearing;
an inboard roller bearing;
a spacer coupling the outboard roller bearing to the inboard roller bearing, the spacer arranged in an axial direction between the outboard roller bearing and the inboard roller bearing the spacer having a first distal end and a second distal end, the second distal end is connected to an inner ring of the outboard roller bearing and the first distal end is axially aligned with, adjacent to, free-floating relative to, and not permanently affixed to an inner ring of the inboard roller bearing;
a first sealing structure arranged at an outwards facing side of the outboard roller bearing, and a second sealing structure arranged at an inwards facing side of the inboard roller bearing.

10. A method for forming a vehicle hub assembly, the method comprising:
mounting the roller bearing module having;
an outboard roller bearing;
an inboard roller bearing;
a spacer coupling the outboard roller bearing to the inboard roller bearing, the spacer arranged in an axial direction between the outboard roller bearing and the inboard roller bearing, the spacer having a first distal end and a second distal end, the second distal end is connected to an inner ring of the outboard roller bearing and the first distal end is axially aligned with, adjacent to, free-floating relative to, and not permanently affixed to an inner ring of the inboard roller bearing;
a first sealing structure arranged at an outwards facing side of the outboard roller bearing, and
a second sealing structure arranged at an inwards facing side of the inboard roller bearing, and
at least one sealing structure of the roller bearing module onto a vehicle hub module in a single mounting step.

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Cao Jiajie

Classifications

• F16C33/7813 Primary

  for tapered roller bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/6677

  from radial inside, e.g. via a passage through the shaft and/or inner ring · CPC title

• F16C41/04

  Preventing damage to bearings during storage or transport thereof or when otherwise out of use · CPC title

• F16C33/784

  mounted to a groove in the inner surface of the outer race and extending toward the inner race · CPC title

• F16C33/7876

  with sealing lips · CPC title