Driven wheel bearing unit with ingegrated torque measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016207353-A1
Application number	US-201414904530-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 14, 2014
Priority date	Jul 25, 2013
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel bearing unit ( 1 ) for supporting a vehicle wheel which can be driven. This wheel bearing unit ( 1 ) includes a wheel hub ( 2 ) which forms a hollow space ( 11 ) and is rotatably supported by a wheel bearing ( 3 ) formed as a rolling bearing , wherein the wheel bearing is inserted ( 3 ) in a wheel carrier. Furthermore the wheel hub ( 2 ) is connected by a hub flange ( 21 ) to the vehicle wheel and reciprocally to the hub flange ( 21 ) by an end toothing ( 9 ) in positive engagement with a drive joint ( 8 ). A measurement of a torque or a torsion takes place by a sensor ( 18 ) at an inner wall ( 17 ) of the hollow space ( 11 ) of the wheel hub ( 2 ).

First claim

1 . A wheel bearing unit for supporting a drivable vehicle wheel, comprising a wheel hub that forms a hollow space and is supported for rotation by a wheel bearing formed as a rolling bearing and supported in a wheel carrier, the wheel hub is connected to the vehicle wheel by a hub flange and on the opposite side relative to the wheel flange, the wheel hub meshes with a positive fit connection with a drive element by spur gearing and is secured with a non-positive-fit connection by a threaded connection, and for measuring a torque, a sensor module including at least one sensor, that determines torque at an inner wall of the hollow space of the wheel hub.

2 . The wheel bearing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the torque is determined through an inverse magnetostrictive effect on the inner wall.

3 . The wheel bearing unit according to claim 2 , wherein for determining the inverse magnetostrictive effect, the at least one sensor is formed as a coil or semiconductor sensor and detects changed magnetic properties and is provided within the wheel hub.

4 . The wheel bearing unit according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor used for detecting the changed magnetic properties is connected to evaluation electronics that together form a measurement device.

5 . The wheel bearing unit according to claim 4 , wherein a wireless signal and energy transmission is provided between the at least one sensor and the evaluation electronics.

6 . The wheel bearing unit according to claim 4 , wherein the measurement device also includes at least one of a temperature sensor or a rotational speed sensor.

7 . A wheel bearing unit for detecting and controlling drive torques on drivable vehicle wheels, comprising:
a sensor for measuring a drive torque on each drivable vehicle wheel by an inverse magnetostrictive effect on an inner wall within a wheel hub, evaluation electronics that detect all measurement values of the inverse magnetostrictive effect from the sensor, and a controller that is configured to control the drive torque.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Mock Christian
• Schmitt Christian
• Koniger Florian

Classifications

• F16C19/186

  with three raceways provided integrally on parts other than race rings, e.g. third generation hubs · CPC title

• F16C41/00

  Other accessories, {e.g. devices integrated in the bearing not relating to the bearing function as such} · CPC title

• B60B27/0068 Primary

  the element being a sensor · CPC title

• B60B27/0005

  with ball bearings · CPC title

• B60B27/0031

  of the axial type, e.g. front teeth · CPC title