Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-02
2001-04-17
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217046
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a wheel suspension for a non-driven steerable vehicle wheel, comprising an axle member, which at each end has a conical through-bore, which holds a conical central portion of a kingpin, which is provided with kingpin ends extending outside the bore into the member, and a spindle unit, having, firstly, spaced upper and lower spindle ears holding bearings into which the kingpin ends extend and of which the upper bearing is a roller bearing and the lower bearing is a journal bearing, and, secondly, an axle end on which a wheel hub is intended to be mounted.
The most common type of steering knuckle arrangement for trucks has the spindle unit mounted in a taper roller bearing at the upper end of the kingpin and a journal bearing at its lower end. The upper bearing takes up both axial and radial forces while the lower bearing only takes up radial forces. In such a spindle bearing, the axial force on the upper bearing is load-dependent, i.e. the axial load on the bearing varies with the total weight of the vehicle. When taking a curve, the radial forces on the lower bearing from the kingpin will be such that they strive to tip the lower bearing bushing in its seat in the lower spindle ear. Since the bushing is forced into its seat and the kingpin is mounted with the minimum possible play in the bushing, the bushing cannot even out the force couples which apply an asymmetric load. This results in the upper and lower areas of the bearing race being subjected to radial forces and greater wear than the middle portion, and this in turn can lead to gaps occurring after a relatively short time when driving with heavy loads on winding roads.
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a wheel suspension of the type described by way of introduction with a lower kingpin bearing which has a longer life than previously known bearings of the type in question.
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a wheel suspension of the type described by way of introduction, which makes more rapid and simpler assembly possible of the upper roller bearing, so that assembly costs can be appreciably reduced.
This is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that the roller bearing has an inner ring, which is made in one piece with a spacer sleeve having an end surface abutting it a surface fixed relative to the axle member, said surface surrounding the conical bore, and that an elastic sealing ring abuts against an external cylindrical surface on the spacer sleeve and an opposing internal cylindrical surface on the spindle ear.
The embodiment according to the invention permits, after forcing the sealing ring onto the spacer sleeve portion of the bearing inner ring, all of the components in the upper bearing, i.e. the bearing, the spacer sleeve and the seal, to be mounted as a unit, which means that the assembly can be automated with advantage.
The invention presupposes that by making the components with narrower tolerances than previously it is possible to eliminate the need for shims and is based on the fact that increased production costs for the components will in this case be more than compensated for in reduced assembly costs.
In a preferred embodiment, the exterior surface of the spacer sleeve is provided with a peripheral groove so that a radially outwardly directed lower flange is formed, the upwardly facing surface of which, after the sealing ring has been slipped onto the spacer sleeve, serves as an abutment surface and assures that the sealing ring is retained in placed during the assembly of the bearing.
In a further development of the wheel suspension according to the invention, the spacer sleeve has an inner diameter which is greater than the outer diameter of the portion of the kingpin surrounded by the spacer sleeve. This, in combination with suitable adapting of the dimensions of the spacer sleeve to the clamping force makes it possible, with the clamping force, to affect the deformation of the spacer sleeve axially to such an extent that minor tolerance deviations can be compensated for.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4915530 (1990-04-01), Tomlinson
patent: 5413365 (1995-05-01), Bodin et al.
patent: 5975547 (1999-11-01), Stroh et al.
patent: 6029986 (2000-02-01), Bodin et al.
patent: 37 34 503 (1988-04-01), None
patent: WO 97/13674 (1997-04-01), None
Bodin Jan-Olof
Dagh Ingemar
Rice Kenneth R.
Volvo Lastvagnar AB
Young & Thompson
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