Preload inspection method for bearing device for vehicle wheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12352648-B2
Application number	US-202118012758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2021
Priority date	Aug 19, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

The rotational torque inspection method for a bearing device comprises: a press-fitting step (S 02 ); a first bearing preload value calculation step (S 03 ) for calculating a first bearing preload value (P 1 ); a post-press-fit rotational torque measurement step (S 05 ) for measuring a post-press-fit rotational torque (Ta); a crimping step (S 06 ) for crimping the small diameter step part to the inner ring; a post-crimping rotational torque measurement step (S 07 ) for measuring a post-crimping rotational torque (Tb); a second bearing preload value calculation step (S 08 ) for calculating a second bearing preload value (P 2 ); and a determination step (S 09 ) for determining the suitability of the preload depending on whether or not the second bearing preload value (P 2 ) is within a range of a reference value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel including:
an outer member having a plurality of rows of outer raceway surfaces on an inner periphery;
an inner member including a hub ring that has a small-diameter step portion extending in an axial direction on an outer periphery and an inner ring that is press-fitted into the small-diameter step portion of the hub ring, the inner member having a plurality of rows of inner raceway surfaces facing the plurality of rows of outer raceway surfaces; and
a plurality of rows of rolling bodies rollably accommodated between both raceway surfaces of the outer member and the inner member, the preload inspection method comprising:
a press-fitting step of press-fitting the inner ring into the small-diameter step portion of the hub ring to a position where the inner ring abuts on the hub ring in the axial direction;
a first bearing preload value calculation step of calculating a first bearing preload value of the bearing device for a vehicle wheel based on an axial negative gap between the both raceway surfaces and the rolling body after the press-fitting step;
a post-press-fitting rotational torque measurement step of measuring post-press-fitting rotational torque of the bearing device for a vehicle wheel when the inner member and the outer member are relatively rotated after the press-fitting step;
a crimping step of crimping an inner-side end portion of the small-diameter step portion to the inner ring after the post-press-fitting rotational torque measurement step;
a post-crimping rotational torque measurement step of measuring post-crimping rotational torque of the bearing device for a vehicle wheel when the inner member and the outer member are relatively rotated after the crimping step;
a second bearing preload value calculation step of calculating a second bearing preload value by adding, to the first bearing preload value, a preload change amount between after the press-fitting step and after the crimping step, the preload change amount being obtained based on differential torque between the post-press-fitting rotational torque and the post-crimping rotational torque; and
a determination step of determining appropriateness or inappropriateness of a preload applied to the bearing device for a vehicle wheel depending on whether or not the second bearing preload value is within a range of a reference value.

2. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 , wherein
the reference value is set in consideration of a variation in rotational torque caused by crimping of the small-diameter step portion to the inner ring.

3. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 , wherein
in the second bearing preload value calculation step, the preload change amount is obtained from the differential torque by using a relationship between rotational torque and a preload according to ambient temperature.

4. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 , wherein
in the second bearing preload value calculation step, the preload change amount is obtained from the differential torque by using a relationship between rotational torque and a preload according to surface temperature of the bearing device for a vehicle wheel.

5. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 4 , wherein
the surface temperature of the bearing device for a vehicle wheel is measured by a contact type temperature sensor or a non-contact type temperature sensor.

6. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 , the preload inspection method further comprising:
a rotational torque correction step of correcting the post-crimping rotational torque based on a temperature increase amount of the inner ring due to the crimping processing and calculating corrected post-crimping rotational torque between the post-crimping rotational torque measurement step and the second bearing preload value calculation step, wherein
in the second bearing preload value calculation step, a preload change amount between after the press-fitting step and after the crimping step is obtained based on a difference between the post-press-fitting rotational torque and the corrected post-crimping rotational torque, and a second bearing preload value is calculated by adding the preload change amount to the first bearing preload value.

7. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 6 , wherein
in the crimping step, crimping processing time, which is time required for the crimping processing, is measured, and,
in the rotational torque correction step,
an increase amount of the post-crimping rotational torque caused by a temperature increase of the inner ring due to the crimping processing is obtained based on the crimping processing time, and
the corrected post-crimping rotational torque is calculated by subtracting an increase amount of the post-crimping rotational torque from the post-crimping rotational torque.

8. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 7 , wherein
in the rotational torque correction step,
an increase amount of the post-crimping rotational torque is obtained by using a relationship between the crimping processing time and an increase amount of the post-crimping rotational torque corresponding to ambient temperature during the crimping processing among relationships between the crimping processing time and an increased amount of the post-crimping rotational torque obtained for a plurality of ambient temperatures.

9. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 7 , the preload inspection method further comprising a processing time determination step of determining whether or not the crimping processing time exceeds a predetermined upper limit value after completion of the crimping processing, and discharging a bearing device for a vehicle wheel in a case where the crimping processing time is determined to exceed a predetermined upper limit value.

10. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 8 , the preload inspection method further comprising a processing time determination step of determining whether or not the crimping processing time exceeds a predetermined upper limit value after completion of the crimping processing, and discharging a bearing device for a vehicle wheel in a case where the crimping processing time is determined to exceed a predetermined upper limit value.

11. A rotational torque inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 , wherein
in the post-press-fitting rotational torque measurement step and the post-crimping rotational torque measurement step, the rotational torque is measured by relatively rotating the inner member and the outer member at a rotational speed of 60 rotations/min or lower.

12. The preload inspection method for a bearing device for a vehicle wheel according to claim 1 , wherein
a space between the hub ring and the outer member is filled with grease, the preload inspection method further comprising a lubrication step performed at least between the press-fitting step and the post-press-fitting rotational torque measurement step, the lubrication step being a step of relatively rotating the inner member and the outer member to lubricate the rolling body with the grease.

13. The preload inspection method for a bearing device f

Assignees

• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tamaki Shun
• Hayashi Masaaki
• KUBOTA Sadayuki
• Baba Tomoko

Classifications

• G01L1/26

  Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload · CPC title

• F16C2233/00

  Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration · CPC title

• F16C2226/12

  by press-fit, e.g. plug-in · CPC title

• F16C19/18

  with two or more rows of balls · CPC title

• B60B27/0094

  one or more of the bearing races are formed by the hub · CPC title