Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wheel hub bearing unit includes providing a bearing ring having at least one raceway surface, the bearing ring preferably being a bearing outer ring which is preferably formed of a steel having a carbon content of between about 0.55% by weight and 0.60% by weight. The bearing ring is carbonitrided within a furnace having an enclosed atmosphere containing ammonia gas. The bearing ring is then tempered by heating the ring to at least five hundred degrees Celsius (500° F.). Next, the induction hardening the at least one raceway surface of the ring is induction hardened, preferably by means of special inductor coil. Finally, the raceway surface(s) of the ring is machined to desired final dimensions and surface finish.

Abstract: A combined insulator and conductor assembly is for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing and includes an annular insulator disposeable about the bearing outer ring. The insulator is configured to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing and includes one or more axial mounting tabs. An electrical conductor has an outer radial end, an inner radial end and at least one retainer, the at least one retainer being engageable with the at least one mounting tab to releasably couple the conductor with the insulator. Each retainer includes a radially-extending prong engageable with a separate tab. The conductor outer radial end or/and a portion of the conductor between the outer and inner ends is conductively engageable with the housing and the conductor inner radial end being conductively engageable with the shaft so as to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the housing.

Abstract: A combined insulator and conductor assembly for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing includes an annular insulator disposeable about the bearing outer ring and having inner and outer circumferential surfaces and formed of an electrically insulative material or having one or more insulative layers to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing. A conductive carrier includes a cylindrical portion having an inner surface disposed about the insulator outer surface and an outer surface disposeable against the housing inner surface and a disk portion extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical portion having an inner radial end spaced outwardly from the shaft. An annular conductive brush subassembly is coupled with the carrier disk portion and includes a plurality of electrically conductive fibers contactable with the shaft outer surface to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the carrier, and thereafter to the housing.

Abstract: An electrically conductive assembly is for a bearing disposed about a shaft and disposed within a housing. The conductive assembly includes an annular retainer coupleable with a bearing outer ring or with the bearing housing and having a centerline and an open inner end defining an annular groove. At least two and preferably several conductors each have a radially outer end disposed within the retainer groove and a radially inner end contactable with the shaft. Each conductor is formed of a plurality of conductive fibers arranged to extend radially inwardly from the retainer inner end. The at least two conductors are spaced apart circumferentially about the centerline so as to define at least two axial passages between the retainer and the shaft. Preferably, the conductors are separated by spacers formed of conductive fibers each having a length shorter than the length of the fibers of the conductors.

Abstract: A method of determining bearing preload by vibration measurement including mounting the bearing on a vibration tester, the outer ring clamped preventing rotation, mounting a sensor proximate the outer ring to measure vibration, the bearing inner ring rotated to excavate eigen-frequencies, the measured vibration data transmitted from the sensor to a computer workstation, the computer workstation performs a numerical FFT transforming data to Frequency Domain, spectral data from the FFT analyzed with the computer workstation, a peak detection algorithm determines the peaks that are the various modes of the outer ring, the modes are sorted and main modes identified, numerical relationship is obtained for each mode between the resonance and preload, the mode relationships are compared to one or more references, a match between the numerical relationships for each mode and the ideally referenced graph modes indicates a correct preload is determined. Also, a system for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A combined insulator and conductor assembly for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing includes an annular insulator disposeable about the bearing outer ring and having inner and outer circumferential surfaces and formed of an electrically insulative material or having one or more insulative layers to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing. A conductive carrier includes a cylindrical portion having an inner surface disposed about the insulator outer surface and an outer surface disposeable against the housing inner surface and a disk portion extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical portion having an inner radial end spaced outwardly from the shaft. An annular conductive brush subassembly is coupled with the carrier disk portion and includes a plurality of electrically conductive fibers contactable with the shaft outer surface to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the carrier, and thereafter to the housing.

Abstract: An electrically conductive assembly is for a bearing disposed about a shaft and disposed within a housing. The conductive assembly includes an annular retainer coupleable with a bearing outer ring or with the bearing housing and having a centerline and an open inner end defining an annular groove. At least two and preferably several conductors each have a radially outer end disposed within the retainer groove and a radially inner end contactable with the shaft. Each conductor is formed of a plurality of conductive fibers arranged to extend radially inwardly from the retainer inner end. The at least two conductors are spaced apart circumferentially about the centerline so as to define at least two axial passages between the retainer and the shaft. Preferably, the conductors are separated by spacers formed of conductive fibers each having a length shorter than the length of the fibers of the conductors.

Abstract: A hub bearing unit includes an inner ring having inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing inner race on an outer surface. An outer ring is disposed about the inner ring and has inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing outer race on an inner surface. One ring is coupled with a wheel and is rotatable about an axis and the other ring is fixedly coupled with a vehicle. An annular displacement limiter extends radially outwardly from the inner ring and has a radial stop surface spaced axially from the inboard end of the outer ring. The stop surface engages with the outer ring end when one ring displaces axially relative to the other ring. Preferably, the limiter is integrally formed with an annular insert providing a bearing inner race, but may be separately formed and disposed about the insert or the inner ring outer surface.

Abstract: A hub bearing unit includes an inner ring having inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing inner race on an outer surface. An outer ring disposed about the inner ring has inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing outer race on an inner surface. One ring is coupled with a wheel and rotatable about an axis and the other ring is fixedly coupled with a frame. An annular displacement limiter extends radially from one ring and has a circumferential stop surface spaced radially from a surface of the other ring. The stop surface engages with the ring surface when the ring displaces radially relative to the other ring. A seal includes an annular sealing member coupled with one ring and is sealingly engageable with the limiter or is mounted on the limiter and sealingly engageable with one ring or a rigid seal member coupled with one ring.

Abstract: A hub bearing unit includes an inner ring having inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing inner race on an outer surface. An outer ring disposed about the inner ring has inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing outer race on an inner surface. One ring is coupled with a wheel and rotatable about an axis and the other ring is fixedly coupled with a frame. A plurality of rolling elements is rollable upon the inner and outer races. A displacement limiter extends radially from one ring and has a frustoconical stop surface spaced radially from a surface of the other ring. The limiter stop surface engages with the ring surface when the ring displaces radially and/or axially relative to the other ring to prevent brinelling impacts on the bearing races. Preferably, the displacement limiter is located axially between the rolling elements and the ring inboard ends.

Abstract: A hub bearing unit includes an inner ring having inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing inner race on an outer surface. An outer ring is disposed about the inner ring and has inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing outer race on an inner surface. One ring is coupled with a wheel and is rotatable about an axis and the other ring is fixedly coupled with a vehicle. An annular displacement limiter extends radially outwardly from the inner ring and has a radial stop surface spaced axially from the inboard end of the outer ring. The stop surface engages with the outer ring end when one ring displaces axially relative to the other ring. Preferably, the limiter is integrally formed with an annular insert providing a bearing inner race, but may be separately formed and disposed about the insert or the inner ring outer surface.

Abstract: A hub bearing unit includes an inner ring having inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing inner race on an outer surface. An outer ring disposed about the inner ring has inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing outer race on an inner surface. One ring is coupled with a wheel and rotatable about an axis and the other ring is fixedly coupled with a frame. An annular displacement limiter extends radially from one ring and has a circumferential stop surface spaced radially from a surface of the other ring. The stop surface engages with the ring surface when the ring displaces radially relative to the other ring. A seal includes an annular sealing member coupled with one ring and is sealingly engageable with the limiter or is mounted on the limiter and sealingly engageable with one ring or a rigid seal member coupled with one ring.

Abstract: A hub bearing unit includes an inner ring having inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing inner race on an outer surface. An outer ring disposed about the inner ring has inboard and outboard axial ends and a bearing outer race on an inner surface. One ring is coupled with a wheel and rotatable about an axis and the other ring is fixedly coupled with a frame. A plurality of rolling elements is rollable upon the inner and outer races. A displacement limiter extends radially from one ring and has a frustoconical stop surface spaced radially from a surface of the other ring. The limiter stop surface engages with the ring surface when the ring displaces radially and/or axially relative to the other ring to prevent brinelling impacts on the bearing races. Preferably, the displacement limiter is located axially between the rolling elements and the ring inboard ends.

Abstract: A method of determining bearing preload by vibration measurement including mounting the bearing on a vibration tester, the outer ring clamped preventing rotation, mounting a sensor proximate the outer ring to measure vibration, the bearing inner ring rotated to excavate eigen-frequencies, the measured vibration data transmitted from the sensor to a computer workstation, the computer workstation performs a numerical FFT transforming data to Frequency Domain, spectral data from the FFT analyzed with the computer workstation, a peak detection algorithm determines the peaks that are the various modes of the outer ring, the modes are sorted and main modes identified, numerical relationship is obtained for each mode between the resonance and preload, the mode relationships are compared to one or more references, a match between the numerical relationships for each mode and the ideally referenced graph modes indicates a correct preload is determined. Also, a system for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly includes an outer member configured to be mounted to a non-rotatable portion of the vehicle and an inner member rotatably supported in the outer member by a bearing. An annular target body is coupled to the inner member. A first magnetic target track is disposed on the annular target body, and a first sensor is located adjacent to the first magnetic target track and configured to sense angular displacement of the first magnetic target track and to produce a first output signal. A second magnetic target track is disposed on the annular target body, and the second magnetic target track is spaced from the first magnetic target track. A second sensor is located adjacent to the second magnetic target track for sensing angular displacement of the second target track and is configured to produce a second output signal.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly includes an outer member configured to be mounted to a non-rotatable portion of the vehicle and an inner member rotatably supported in the outer member by a bearing and configured to support a vehicle wheel. A first target member is coupled with the inner member, and a first sensor is fixed to the outer member and positioned to sense an angular displacement of the first target member relative to the outer member and to produce a first output signal. A second target member is coupled with the inner member and is spaced axially from the first target member, and a second sensor is fixed to the outer member and positioned to sense an angular displacement of the second target member relative to the outer member and to produce a second output signal.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly includes an outer member configured to be mounted to a non-rotatable portion of the vehicle and an inner member rotatably supported in the outer member by a bearing. An annular target body is coupled to the inner member. A first magnetic target track is disposed on the annular target body, and a first sensor is located adjacent to the first magnetic target track and configured to sense angular displacement of the first magnetic target track and to produce a first output signal. A second magnetic target track is disposed on the annular target body, and the second magnetic target track is spaced from the first magnetic target track. A second sensor is located adjacent to the second magnetic target track for sensing angular displacement of the second target track and is configured to produce a second output signal.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly includes an outer member configured to be mounted to a non-rotatable portion of the vehicle and an inner member rotatably supported in the outer member by a bearing and configured to support a vehicle wheel. A first target member is coupled with the inner member, and a first sensor is fixed to the outer member and positioned to sense an angular displacement of the first target member relative to the outer member and to produce a first output signal. A second target member is coupled with the inner member and is spaced axially from the first target member, and a second sensor is fixed to the outer member and positioned to sense an angular displacement of the second target member relative to the outer member and to produce a second output signal.