Vehicle wheel bearing

Details Vehicle wheel bearing Vehicle wheel bearing

2002-02-11

2004-10-26

Footland, Lenard A (Department: 3682)

Bearings

Rotary bearing

Antifriction bearing

C384S544000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06808311

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to vehicles, and more particularly to a vehicle wheel bearing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles include automotive vehicles having wheel bearings such as the wheel bearing
10
shown in a below-centerline, cross-sectional view in prior art FIG.
1
. The bearing
10
includes the outer race assembly
12
having studs
14
to which a wheel (not shown) is attached. The bearing
10
also includes outboard and inboard inner races
16
and
18
, balls
20
and
21
and outboard and inboard seals
22
and
24
. These separate pieces are assembled together into a greased unit. A shaft
26
is pressed into the bore
28
of a knuckle member
30
(only a portion of which is shown) from the inboard side
32
until a shoulder
34
of the shaft
26
abuts an inboard-facing surface
36
of the knuckle member
30
. Then, the bearing
10
is pressed onto the shaft
26
and against an outboard-facing surface
38
of the knuckle member
30
. Finally, a retention nut
40
is threaded onto a threaded end of the shaft
26
. An anti-lock-braking-system (ABS) speed sensor
42
is attached to the knuckle member
30
and senses the rotation of a target ring
44
attached to the rotating outer race assembly
12
. The retention nut
40
has the potential to loosen which can lead to reduced bearing life, bearing noise, and ABS speed sensor
42
failure. Although the bearing components are protected from the wheel environment by the outboard and inboard seals
22
and
24
, the ABS speed sensor
42
and the target ring
44
are not and require separate protection from the wheel environment. The prior art bearing
10
of
FIG. 1
is relatively costly to manufacture, assemble into a unit, and attach to the knuckle member
30
.
What is needed is an improved vehicle wheel bearing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first expression of a first embodiment of the invention is for a vehicle wheel bearing having a vehicle-wheel-bearing monolithic shaft and a vehicle-wheel-bearing monolithic outer race assembly. The shaft includes an inboard inner race and an outboard inner race. The outer race assembly surrounds the shaft and includes an outboard outer race and an inboard outer race.
A second expression of a first embodiment of the invention is for a vehicle wheel bearing having a vehicle-wheel-bearing monolithic, non-rotatable shaft and a vehicle-wheel-bearing monolithic, rotatable outer race assembly. The shaft is attachable to a vehicle suspension component and includes an inboard inner race and an outboard inner race. The outer race assembly is attachable to a vehicle wheel, surrounds the shaft, and includes an outboard outer race and an inboard outer race.
A third expression of a first embodiment of the invention is for a vehicle wheel bearing assembly including a vehicle knuckle member and a vehicle wheel bearing. The vehicle knuckle member has a bore and has a substantially-outboard-facing surface and a substantially-inboard-facing surface. The vehicle wheel bearing has a monolithic, non-rotatable shaft, an inboard inner race, and a monolithic, rotatable outer race assembly. The shaft includes an outboard inner race and a shoulder. The shaft is located in and circumferentially contacts the bore. The shoulder abuts the substantially-outboard-facing surface. The shaft is attached to the vehicle knuckle member against the substantially-inboard-facing surface. The outer race assembly surrounds the shaft and includes an outboard outer race and an inboard outer race. In one example, the shaft and the inboard inner race define a monolithic structure. In the same or a different design, the shaft has a deformed portion which abuts the substantially-inboard-facing surface.
A first expression of a second embodiment of the invention is for a vehicle wheel bearing including a vehicle-wheel-bearing shaft having an inner race, including a vehicle-wheel-bearing outer race assembly having an outer race, and including an end cap. The outer race assembly is positioned radially outwardly apart from the shaft creating a bearing cavity. The bearing cavity has a substantially-circular outboard opening. The end cap is attached to the outer race assembly and has a portion covering the outboard opening, wherein the portion is at least partially disposed in the bearing cavity, and wherein the portion has a substantially toroidal shape.
A second expression of a second embodiment of the invention is for a vehicle wheel bearing including a vehicle-wheel-bearing non-rotatable shaft having an inner race, including a vehicle-wheel-bearing rotatable outer race assembly including an outer race, and including an inboard seal. The outer race assembly is positioned radially outwardly apart from the shaft creating a bearing cavity. The bearing cavity has a substantially-circular inboard opening. The inboard seal has a member attached to the outer race assembly, wherein the member has a first portion substantially covering the inboard opening and has a second portion extending radially outwardly of the outer race assembly. The second portion defines a target ring for an anti-lock-braking-system speed sensor.
A first expression of a third embodiment of the invention is for a vehicle wheel bearing including a vehicle-wheel-bearing non-rotatable shaft having an inner race, including a vehicle-wheel-bearing rotatable outer race assembly having an outer race, including an anti-lock-braking-system (ABS) speed sensor, and including a target ring. The outer race assembly is positioned radially outwardly apart from the shaft creating a bearing cavity. The bearing cavity has a substantially-circular outboard opening. The ABS speed sensor is positioned in the bearing cavity and is attached to the shaft proximate the outboard opening. The target ring is positioned in the bearing cavity, is attached to the outer race, and has a portion located to be sensed by the ABS speed sensor.
Several benefits and advantages are derived from one or more of the expressions and embodiments of the invention. Having a monolithic shaft with inboard and outboard inner races and having a monolithic outer race assembly with inboard and outboard outer races reduces manufacturing costs. Having a monolithic shaft with an outboard inner race, a shoulder, and a deformed portion, wherein the shoulder abuts the outboard-facing surface of the vehicle knuckle member and wherein the deformed portion abuts the inboard-facing surface of the knuckle member secures the bearing to the knuckle member without using a retention nut which can loosen leading to reduced bearing life, bearing noise, and ABS speed sensor failure. Having an outboard end cap with a toroidal portion in the bearing cavity allows the toroidal portion to act as a safety retention ring when arcuate finger-type ball separators are used in the bearing cavity thus integrating sealing and safety retention functions into a single member reducing costs. Having an inboard seal extend outside the bearing cavity to also function as a target ring for an ABS speed sensor integrates sealing and target ring features into a single member reducing costs. Having an ABS speed sensor positioned in the bearing cavity and attached to the shaft proximate the outboard opening of the cavity and having the target ring positioned in the bearing cavity and attached to the outer race assembly places the ABS speed sensor and target ring inside the bearing where an existing bearing seal or end cap offers protection from the wheel environment without the need for a separate seal for the ABS speed sensor and target ring.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3938864 (1976-02-01), Haussels
patent: 4504099 (1985-03-01), Miki et al.
patent: 6485187 (2002-11-01), Meeker et al.
patent: 6574865 (2003-06-01), Meeker et al.
patent: 6622377 (2003-09-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 2002/0106140 (2002-08-01), Uchman

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