Bearings – Rotary bearing – Antifriction bearing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2001-11-27
Footland, Lenard A. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Antifriction bearing
C384S537000, C384S544000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322253
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle wheel hub bearing, of the type identified in the preamble of claim
1
. The invention further relates to a method for mounting the bearing on the suspension strut of a motor vehicle.
A bearing of the said type, known from European Patent Application EP-A-0 794 072 is illustrated in FIG.
1
. With reference to
FIG. 1
, a bearing generally indicated
1
comprises a radially outer race
2
which has two rolling raceways for respective sets of rolling balls
3
. The balls can rotate on radially inner raceways
4
and
5
which are mounted on a flanged hub
6
fixed for rotation in a known way to an axle
7
.
The outer race
2
includes an annular main portion
6
which extends to only one axially inner side (that is to say facing towards the interior of the vehicle) forming an axial tubular projection
10
which defines, with the main annular portion
9
, an axial abutment shoulder
11
able to abut against the outer lateral surface
12
of the strut
13
.
A cylindrical seat
14
is formed in the strut
13
, into which the outer cylindrical surface
15
of the tubular projection
10
is force fitted. This tubular projection has an axial dimension greater than the axial thickness of the strut
13
, in such a way that the axially inner rim of the tubular projection
10
can be folded and radially outwardly deformed against the axially inner lateral surface
16
of the strut
13
by means of a cold-rolling plastic deformation operation, to obtain a rolled edge
17
which thus axially fixes the bearing onto the suspension strut.
This arrangement, which is advantageous as it makes it possible to fix the bearing onto the suspension without causing deformations in the region of the raceways of the outer race of the bearing, does, however, have a disadvantage due to the fact that it requires very accurate mechanical finishing in particular for the formation of the shoulder
11
. The outer race of the bearing is moreover made heavier by that portion of the material which forms the said shoulder.
An object of the invention is to provide a bearing of the above-identified type, having an outer race of less weight and which involves, for its finishing, a simpler and more rugged turning operation, which is therefore economically advantageous.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bearing in which the material from which it is made is utilized in an optimal manner.
A yet further object is to center a bearing in an improved and more “flexible” manner on the motor vehicle suspension.
These objects are achieved according to the present invention by a bearing for a motor vehicle wheel hub, comprising an outer race adapt to be mounted in a cylindrical seat formed in a suspension strut and fixed in the said seat by cold forming, said outer race having:
a main annular portion forming raceways for rolling elements;
an outer cylindrical surface to be fitted in said seat; wherein said cylindrical surface extends over the whole axial dimension of the outer race and has an axial dimension greater than that of the strut, and wherein the two opposite axial ends of said cylindrical surface comprise respective axial tubular projections extending from said main portion; said tubular projections being dimensioned so that their ends can be plastically deformed by cold forming radially outwardly towards respective opposite lateral surfaces of the strut so as to fix the bearing to the strut.
According to another aspect of the invention, these objects are achieved by a method for mounting a motor vehicle wheel hub bearing to a suspension strut, the method comprising the following steps:
(a) providing a suspension strut having an axial cylindrical seat extending between two opposite lateral surfaces;
(b) providing a bearing comprising an outer race having:
a main annular portion forming raceways for rolling elements; and
an outer cylindrical surface adapted to be inserted into said seat of the strut, said cylindrical surface extending over the whole axial dimension of the outer race and having a greater axial dimension than the axial thickness of the strut; the two opposite axial ends of the cylindrical surface comprising respective axial tubular projections extending from said main portion;
(c) inserting the outer ring into said seat of the strut in such a way as to leave opposite end portions of the tubular projections projecting beyond said opposite lateral surfaces by predetermined distances;
(d) cold forming said end portions in radially outwardly directions towards the said respective opposite lateral surfaces o f the strut, thereby forming deformed edges which fix the bearing to the strut.
Further important characteristics of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
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Footland Lenard A.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
SKF Industrie S.P.A.
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