Sensorized suspension assembly for vehicles, including a wheel hub unit and a suspension upright or knuckle, and an associated method and wheel hub unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022396092-A1
Application number	US-202217820586-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2022
Priority date	Dec 9, 2019
Publication date	Dec 15, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a vehicle suspension assembly a sensorized system applied to a wheel hub unit, in which radially outer cylindrical surface of an outer ring of the wheel hub unit configured for coupling to a suspension upright or knuckle has four circumferential flats formed to be angularly spaced from each other on the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface, each flat delimiting a plane surface which extends axially over a pair of annular tracks for rolling bodies of the outer ring; each flat carries integrally a sensor module including a pair of extensometers positioned parallel to each other and each at the position of a respective annular track, orientated in a circumferential direction so as to extend along a circumferential development of the annular track; an electrical circuit picks up a signal from each sensor module and sends it to a data socket carried by the suspension upright or knuckle.

First claim

1 . A vehicle suspension group, comprising a wheel hub unit, a suspension upright for the wheel hub unit, and a sensorized system for detecting mechanical stresses acting on the wheel hub unit; the wheel hub unit comprising:
a radially outer ring stationary in use, a flanged hub arranged coaxial and radially on an inside of the radially outer ring and facing, when in use, an outside of a vehicle, and a plurality of rolling bodies inserted within the outer ring to render the flanged hub rotatable with respect to the outer ring, wherein the sensorized system comprises, four flats arranged angularly and spaced from one another on a radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, each flats extending axially over at least one pair of annular rolling tracks for the rolling bodies made on a radially inner lateral surface of the outer ring and orientated in a circumferential direction transverse to an axis of symmetry (A) of a radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, wherein the flats are formed on the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring; a deformation sensing module fixed integrally on each flat, each sensing module including at least a pair of deformation sensor arranged at a respective annular rolling track for the rolling bodies and orientated according to a circumferential direction, so as to extend along a circumferential profile of the annular rolling track; and an electric circuit to pick up a signal related to each sensing module in order to detect, in use and in real-time, forces and torques applied on a tire of a wheel mounted on the wheel hub unit.

2 . The vehicle suspension group claim 1 , wherein the radially outer ring of the hub bearing unit further comprises a pair of rolling tracks arranged axially in tandem, and the pair of deformation sensors are arranged parallel to one another, fixed on respective portions of each of the four flats, and arranged in an axial position substantially identical to that of the pair of rolling tracks.

3 . The vehicle suspension group of claim 1 , wherein the radially outer ring is fitted by interference in a first transverse hole of the suspension upright and arranged perpendicular to a first face and to a second face of the suspension upright, wherein the first face faces towards the outside of the vehicle when in use and the second face faces towards an inside of the vehicle when in use.

4 . A wheel hub unit for a vehicle suspension group comprising a sensorized system for detecting the mechanical stresses acting on the wheel hub unit and a suspension upright, the wheel hub unit configured to couple with the suspension upright of the vehicle suspension group, the wheel hub unit comprising:
a rolling bearing comprising a stationary radially outer ring, a flanged hub disposed coaxial and radially on an inside of the radially outer ring and facing, when in use, towards an outside of the vehicle, and a plurality of rolling bodies inserted within the outer ring for rendering the flanged hub rotatable with respect to the outer ring, wherein the sensorized system comprises:
four flats arranged angularly and spaced from each other on a radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, each flat extending axially over at least one annular rolling track for the rolling bodies made on a radially inner lateral surface of the outer ring and orientated in a circumferential direction transverse to an axis of symmetry (A) of the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, wherein the flats are formed on the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring;
a deformation sensing module fixed integrally on each flat, each sensing module including at least one deformation sensor arranged at a respective annular rolling track for the rolling bodies and orientated circumferentially so as to extend along a circumferential profile of the annular rolling track; and
an electric circuit for picking up a signal related to each sensing module,
wherein a position of each deformation sensor corresponds to a position of a respective portion of a flat surface delimited by each flat, on which portions of the deformation sensors are fixed integrally, the portions of the flat surface arranged at a crossing of a line of contact angle of each of the at least one annular rolling tracks with respect to the flat surface delimited by each flattening.

5 . The hub bearing unit of claim 4 , wherein the sensorized system further comprises:
at least one circular seat axially passing through a flanged rim of a second end of the outer ring and arranged opposite a first end of the outer ring, the at least one seat configured to abut, when in use, against the suspension upright, and wherein the seat is configured to receive, when in use, a cylindrical pin inserted in a cantilever fashion in the suspension upright, and the seat, when in use, is configured to at least partially engage the pin by a circumferential portion of the pin greater than half of its circumstance.

6 . The wheel hub unit of claim 4 , wherein the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring is provided with an annular groove that intercepts the four flats and is delimited by a bottom wall obtained substantially flush with the flats, and wherein the electric circuit comprises an electrically insulated conductive strip housed within the annular groove and substantially flush with the annular groove so as to pass over and contact each sensing module, the conductive strip configured to connect, in parallel, the sensing modules with a data socket configured to be fixed, when in use, integrally with the suspension upright.

7 . The wheel hub unit of claim 6 , wherein the conductive strip is folded at an angle towards the flanged rim of the second end of the outer ring, the conductive strip passing through the flanged rim at an axial groove of the flanged rim made radially through the flanged rim.

8 . The wheel hub unit of claim 7 , wherein each of the four flats delimits at least one flat surface, the at least one flat surface arranged perpendicular to the axis of symmetry (A), and wherein the flats are circumferentially spaced from each other with a constant pitch.

9 . The hub bearing unit of claim 4 , wherein the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring comprises an annular groove that intercepts each of the four flats and that is delimited by a bottom wall that is substantially flush with the flats and wherein the electric circuit comprises an electrically insulated conductive strip housed within the annular groove and substantially flush with the annular groove so as to pass over and contact each sensing module, the conductive strip configured to connect, in parallel, the sensing modules with a data socket configured to be fixed, when in use, integrally with the suspension upright.

10 . The wheel hub unit of claim 9 , wherein the conductive strip is folded at an angle towards the flanged rim of the second end of the outer ring, the conductive strip passing through the flanged rim at an axial groove of the flanged rim made radially through the flanged rim, electrically connecting with the data socket.

11 . The wheel hub unit of claim 10 , wherein each of the four flats delimits at least one flat surface, the at least one flat surface arranged perpendicular to the axis of symmetry (A), and wherein the flats are circumferentially spaced from each other with a constant pitch.

12 - 13 . (canceled)

14 . The vehicle suspension group of claim 3 , wherein the sensorized system further comprises:
at least one pin disposed in a cantilever fashion within a sec

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Bertola Maurizio
• Cambiano Marco
• Dorrestijn Igor
• Galeazzi Alessandro
• Gulli Carmelo

Classifications

• B60G2204/115

  Wheel hub bearing sensors · CPC title

• B60G3/00

  Resilient suspensions for a single wheel (pivoted suspensions arms per se, attachment thereof to sprung part of the vehicle, buffer means for limiting movement of arms B60G7/00; {rigid axle suspensions B60G9/00;} characterised by arrangement, location or type of springs B60G11/00) · CPC title

• B60G2206/50

  Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments · CPC title

• B60B27/0005

  with ball bearings · CPC title

• F16C19/522

  related to load on the bearing, e.g. bearings with load sensors or means to protect the bearing against overload · CPC title