Bearings – Rotary bearing – Antifriction bearing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-01
2001-03-20
Wright, Dirk (Department: 3681)
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Antifriction bearing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203204
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a detection system used for measuring rotary or angular motions. More particularly, the invention relates to a wheel bearing cap for a wheel bearing assembly that incorporates an integral sensor element that cooperates with a tone wheel to detect rotary and angular motions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Measuring rotary and angular motions, and, in particular, the speed and the rotational behavior of individual wheels on a vehicle is of great importance in connection with automotive vehicle control systems for anti-lock control brake systems (hereinafter ABS), traction slip control, and suspension control, etc. Sensors for these types of applications must be durable, reliable, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assembly easy to diagnose, replace and maintain.
There are a number of sensor types and sensor designs that are available for detecting rotary and angular motion of vehicle wheels. For example, in some commercially available vehicles with electronically controlled anti-lock and traction slip control systems, an incremental encoder, which is coupled mechanically to the vehicle wheel, cooperates with a transducer or sensor to collect positioning data for the vehicle wheel.
In known applications, the sensor is connected to a bearing dust cap by clips, bolts or other known fasteners. These methods of attachment is undesirable as it increases the number of components for the bearing assembly, translating into increased costs. Further, packaging concerns arise as it is necessary to provide additional space within the dust cap to properly accommodate the fasteners necessary to secure the sensor. As a result, positioning space for accommodating the encoder is undesirably limited, such that substantial packaging constraints for the encoder arise. Accordingly, the diameter of the encoder must be limited to insure proper operation of the encoder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor that cooperates with a tone wheel for detecting rotary and angular motion that is assembled to a wheel bearing cap such that the number of components is minimized. It is further object of the invention to provide a wheel bearing assembly that permits maximum tone wheel diameters to be used in a wheel bearing cap. These objects are accomplished by providing a wheel bearing cap that has a sensor element integrally connected a mounting member within the wheel bearing cap. In a preferred embodiment, the wheel bearing cap is a one-piece unit that includes an annular wall, a cover member, a mounting member and a terminal housing. The sensor element is welded to connector pins and then overmolded into the mounting member of the wheel bearing cap with a sensing face being flush with a surface of the wheel bearing cap.
In one preferred embodiment, the mounting member is L-shaped with the sensing face being positioned on one leg of the mounting member and flush with an interior surface of the mounting member. In another preferred embodiment, the sensing face is positioned adjacent the mounting member with the sensing face flush with the interior surface of the annular wall of the wheel bearing cap.
In operation, a tone wheel is fixedly connected to a wheel axle so as to rotate with the wheel axle. The wheel bearing cap is then fixedly secured to mating components of the wheel bearing assembly with cap serving as a cavity in which the tone wheel rotates. The sensing face, which is flush with an interior surface of the cap, is operatively positioned adjacent data generating sections that are disposed on the tone wheel. Thus, as the tone wheel rotates, sensor captures data regarding rotational and angular motions. Because the sensor is integrally molded to the wheel bearing cap, the number of components is reduced, translating into reduced manufacturing costs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5332964 (1994-07-01), Ouchi
patent: 5642042 (1997-06-01), Goossens et al.
patent: 5851074 (1998-12-01), Sakamoto
patent: 5920193 (1999-07-01), Tola et al.
patent: 5938346 (1999-08-01), Ouchi
patent: 6011388 (2000-01-01), Miyazaki et al.
Continental Teves Inc.
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
Wright Dirk
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