Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Hub
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-30
2001-05-08
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Hub
C384S537000, C029S898090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227624
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention systems and in particular to an improved structure for such a vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system and method for producing the same.
One example of a known vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system, indicated generally at
10
, is illustrated in prior art FIG.
1
. As shown therein, the prior art vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system
10
is associated with a wheel (not shown) of a vehicle and includes a wheel hub
12
and a bearing unit
14
. The wheel hub
12
defines a longitudinal axis X and includes a generally stepped body having an opened inboard end
16
, an opened outboard end
18
, and a generally axially extending main body
20
having a radially outwardly extending flange
22
. The wheel hub
12
is provided with a bearing seat
24
for receiving the bearing unit
14
.
The flange
22
of the wheel hub
12
has a plurality of circumferentially spaced lug bolt receiving holes
22
A formed therein (only two of such lug bolt receiving holes
22
A are illustrated in FIG.
1
). A lug bolt
26
is disposed in each of the lug bolt receiving holes
22
A to secure a brake rotor (not shown) and the vehicle wheel to the wheel hub
12
for rotation therewith. The outboard end
18
of the wheel hub
12
is adapted to receive a dust cover (not shown) to prevent dirt, mud, water, and other debris from entering into the interior of the wheel hub
12
through the opened outboard end
18
.
The illustrated bearing unit
14
is a pregreased, sealed-for life, one-piece cartridge style bearing pack assembly and includes an outwardly extending flange
28
. The flange
28
has a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting bolt receiving holes
28
A formed therein (only one of such mounting bolt receiving holes
28
A is illustrated in FIG.
1
). A mounting bolt (not shown) is disposed in each of the mounting bolt receiving holes
28
A to secure the bearing unit
14
to a non-rotatable component of the vehicle, such as the steering knuckle (not shown), so as to rotatably support the wheel hub
12
relative thereto.
A spanner nut
30
is installed on the wheel hub
12
adjacent the opened inboard end
16
thereof to secure the bearing unit
14
on the wheel hub
12
and to preload the bearing unit
14
. As shown in prior art
FIG. 3
, the spanner nut
30
is a generally annular shaped nut and includes an inner end wall
32
, an outer end wall
34
, an inner cylindrical side wall
36
, and an outer cylindrical side wall
38
. The outer end wall
34
of the spanner nut
30
defines an engagement surface which is oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of wheel hub
12
. The engagement surface
34
is adapted to engage an inboard end surface
14
A of the bearing unit
14
when the spanner nut
30
is installed and tightened on the wheel hub
12
, as will be described below. The spanner nut
30
is preferably formed from stainless steel or carbon steel, and may be electroplated with zinc for corrosion protection. However, the spanner nut
30
can be formed from other materials, such as for example, aluminum.
As best shown in prior art
FIG. 2
, the spanner nut
30
is further provided a plurality of slots
40
(four slots
40
being illustrated in prior art
FIG. 2
) formed in the outer cylindrical side wall
38
. The slots
40
extend from the inner end wall
32
to the outer end wall
34
of the spanner nut
30
and are adapted to allow a conventional tool (not shown) to be used to tighten the spanner nut
30
on the wheel hub
12
. To accomplish this, the inner cylindrical side wall
36
of the spanner nut
30
is provided with internal threads
36
A. The internal threads
36
A of the spanner nut
30
mate with external threads
12
A provided on the wheel hub
12
adjacent the inboard end
16
thereof As is known, the spanner nut
30
is tightened against the inboard end surface
14
A of the bearing unit
14
to a predetermined torque in order to exert a predetermined clamp load on the bearing unit
14
.
The prior art vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system
10
is subjected to various loads during vehicle operation. Typically, the loads which the prior art vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system
10
are subjected to include radial loads, bending loads, and torsional loads. Depending on the magnitude of the associated loads and the rotational motion of the associated wheel hub
12
during vehicle operation, the spanner nut
30
can rotate and loosen from its installed position resulting in the loss of the preset bearing preload. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved structure for a vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system which improves the retention of the bearing unit on the wheel hub in order to maintain a preset bearing preload and yet is simple and inexpensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system and method for producing the same, the vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system including a wheel hub, a bearing unit, and a bearing retention and preload device. The wheel hub includes an inboard end, an outboard end, and a main body. The bearing unit is provided onto a bearing seat of the wheel hub. The material of the inboard end of the wheel hub is re-shaped against the bearing retention and preload device to thereby secure the device on the wheel hub and prevent axial and radial movement of said device relative to the wheel hub. The method for producing a vehicle wheel hub and bearing retention system comprising the steps of: (a) providing a wheel hub defining a longitudinal axis and including an inboard end, an outboard end, and a main body, the wheel hub defining a bearing seat and a wheel hub shoulder; (b) providing a bearing unit onto the bearing seat of the wheel hub adjacent the wheel hub shoulder; (c) providing a bearing unit retention and preload device on the opened inboard end of the wheel hub adjacent the bearing unit; and (d) re-shaping the material of the inboard end of the wheel hub against the bearing unit retention and preload device to thereby secure the bearing unit retention and preload device on the wheel hub and prevent axial movement of the bearing unit relative to the wheel hub.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 1052679 (1913-02-01), MacDonald
patent: 1188611 (1916-06-01), Berry
patent: 5174839 (1992-12-01), Schultz et al.
patent: 5328275 (1994-07-01), Winn et al.
patent: 5353890 (1994-10-01), Clohessy
patent: 5443316 (1995-08-01), Deane et al.
patent: 5490732 (1996-02-01), Hofmann et al.
patent: 5560687 (1996-10-01), Hagelthorn
patent: 5727886 (1998-03-01), Hata et al.
patent: 5782565 (1998-07-01), Bertetti et al.
patent: 736398 (1996-10-01), None
Koch Gary L.
Wiacek Michael F.
Kelsey-Hayes Company
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Stormer Russell D.
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