Wheel bearing apparatus and axle module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9505266-B2
Application number	US-201314014753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2013
Priority date	Apr 4, 2008
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A recess-projection fitting structure includes projections extending in an axial direction on an outer diameter surface of a shaft section of an outer joint member or an inner diameter surface of a hole of a hub wheel, press-fitting the projections in another of the outer diameter surface and the inner diameter surface along the axial direction, and forming recesses brought into contact and fitted with the projections by press fitting in the other of the outer diameter surface and the inner diameter surface, the projections and the recesses being held in contact with each other through intermediation. An outer member is fitted in a hole of a knuckle of a vehicle. Annular grooves are formed respectively in an outer peripheral surface of the outer member and an inner peripheral surface of the hole of the knuckle, and a snap ring is engaged with both the annular grooves.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wheel bearing device comprising:
an outer member having double-row outer raceway surfaces;
an inner member having double-row inner raceway surfaces;
a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the double-row outer raceway surfaces of the outer member and the double-row inner raceway surfaces of the inner member; and
an outer joint member having a shaft section formed therein, wherein
the inner member has a hub wheel having a hole and a flange for attachment to a wheel,
the shaft section of the outer joint member is inserted in a fitting manner into the hole of the hub wheel and is coupled to the hub wheel,
an axially extending projection is provided on an outer diameter surface of the shaft section of the outer joint member, the axially extending projection being press-fitted along an axial direction into an initial recess provided on an inner diameter surface of the hole of the hub wheel, and a recess is formed in the hole of the hub wheel by the press-fitting of the projection, to thereby form a recess-projection fitting structure in which the projection and the recess are held in close contact with each other over an entire region of fitting contact regions therebetween,
the initial recess has a volume that is smaller than a volume of the recess,
a surface of the recess is a cut face formed by removing material including the initial recess by the press-fitting of the projection, and
a shaft section press-fitting guide structure for guiding the projection during press fitting of the shaft section to the hole of the hub wheel is provided on a projection press-fitting start side of the hole of the hub wheel.

2. A wheel bearing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the projection is configured by a male spline having a plurality of projections and the shaft section press-fitting guide structure is configured by a female spline, and
the female spline has a plurality of guiding recesses provided at a same predetermined pitch as a pitch of the projections.

3. A wheel bearing device according to claim 2 , wherein
radial gaps are formed between vertexes of the projections and bottoms of the guiding recesses.

4. A wheel bearing device according to claim 3 , wherein
circumferential gaps are further formed between sides of the projections and sides of the guiding recesses.

5. A wheel bearing device according to claim 4 , wherein
the recess is a plurality of recesses formed by cutting caused by the press-fitting of the projections.

6. A wheel bearing device according to claim 4 , wherein
a press-fitting start end surface of each of the projections is a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

7. A wheel bearing device according to claim 4 , wherein
the recess-projection fitting structure allows separation by application of drawing force in the axial direction, and
the hub wheel and the shaft section of the outer joint member are fixed with a bolt member threadedly engaged with a screw hole formed at a shaft center portion of the shaft section of the outer joint member along the axial direction.

8. A wheel bearing device according to claim 3 , wherein
the recess is a plurality of recesses formed by cutting caused by the press-fitting of the projections.

9. A wheel bearing device according to claim 3 , wherein
a press-fitting start end surface of each of the projections is a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

10. A wheel bearing device according to claim 3 , wherein
the recess-projection fitting structure allows separation by application of drawing force in the axial direction, and
the hub wheel and the shaft section of the outer joint member are fixed with a bolt member threadedly engaged with a screw hole formed at a shaft center portion of the shaft section of the outer joint member along the axial direction.

11. A wheel bearing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the recess is a plurality of recesses formed by cutting caused by the press-fitting of the projections.

12. A wheel bearing device according to claim 2 , wherein
a press-fitting start end surface of each of the projections is a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

13. A wheel bearing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the recess-projection fitting structure allows separation by application of drawing force in the axial direction, and
the hub wheel and the shaft section of the outer joint member are fixed with a bolt member threadedly engaged with a screw hole formed at a shaft center portion of the shaft section of the outer joint member along the axial direction.

14. A wheel bearing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the recess is formed by cutting caused by the press-fitting of the projection.

15. A wheel bearing device according to claim 1 , wherein
a press-fitting start end surface of the projection is a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

16. A wheel bearing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the recess-projection fitting structure allows separation by application of drawing force in the axial direction, and
the hub wheel and the shaft section of the outer joint member are fixed with a bolt member threadedly engaged with a screw hole formed at a shaft center portion of the shaft section of the outer joint member along the axial direction.

Assignees

• Yamauchi Kiyoshige
• Ozawa Masahiro
• Umekida Mitsuru
• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamauchi Kiyoshige
• Ozawa Masahiro
• Umekida Mitsuru

Classifications

• F16C35/0635

  the bore of the inner ring being of special non-cylindrical shape which co-operates with a complementary shape on the shaft, e.g. teeth, polygonal sections · CPC title

• B60B27/0042 Primary

  characterised by the fixation of the homokinetic joint to the hub · CPC title

• B60B35/14

  composite or split, e.g. half- axles; Couplings between axle parts or sections · CPC title

• F16C2226/74

  with snap-fit, e.g. by clips · CPC title

• F16D3/223

  the rolling members being guided in grooves in both coupling parts · CPC title