Hub Making Patents (Class 29/894.36)
  • Publication number: 20150130261
    Abstract: A method of designing and producing the spoke section of a vehicle wheel using chopped carbon fiber pre-impregnated composite material is provided, wherein the method allows wheel designers to machine several different wheel designs, wheel diameters, and wheels with different offsets without using different material molds for each, as is customary with traditional carbon fiber reinforced plastic wheels designed using a layup procedure. The present method greatly reduces material waste, engineering design effort for each wheel, and the cost of each wheel over existing methods by using a single mold that can accommodate different wheel designs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Patrick Warren
  • Patent number: 9028151
    Abstract: A hub bearing assembly includes a hub made of lightweight metallic material and forming a cylindrical portion, on which a tubular inner ring providing a raceway is mounted; a second inner ring is fixed on the first tubular inner ring and provides a second raceway; a cylindrical interstice is formed between the cylindrical portion of the hub and the tubular inner ring and contains a bonding brazing material which integrally joins the hub to the first tubular inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Stefano Galfre', Antonio Ruiu, Laura Sguotti
  • Patent number: 9016951
    Abstract: A hub bearing assembly includes a hub made of lightweight metallic material and forming a cylindrical portion, on which a tubular inner ring providing a raceway is mounted; a second inner ring is fixed on the first tubular inner ring and provides a second raceway; a cylindrical interstice is formed between the cylindrical portion of the hub and the tubular inner ring and contains a structural adhesive which integrally joins the hub to the first tubular inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Wijbe Buising, Alessandro Garrone, Cornelius Petrus Antonius Vissers
  • Patent number: 8881405
    Abstract: A raceway member (6) of a wheel support hub unit, having wheel or vehicle body fixing portions (7) extending radially outward from a solid or hollow shaft portion, and a wheel or vehicle body positioning cylindrical portion (9) extending concentrically with the shaft portion, the fixing portion (7) being formed by the cold side extrusion so that the fixing portion is integral with the shaft portion (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto Kobayashi, Kiyoshi Ootuka, Yuu Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8776372
    Abstract: A method of imparting superior fatigue performance to a vehicle wheel cast from a magnesium alloy by selective application of friction stir processing to regions of the casting known to be subject to high in-service stresses is described. The method may be particularly applicable to open wheel designs in which a plurality of spokes is used to connect the hub and rim portions of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul E. Krajewski, Ravi Verma
  • Publication number: 20140103701
    Abstract: A cap configured to be connected to a wheel having a hub and a series of openings configured to receive fasteners attaching the wheel to a vehicle. The cap includes a disc defining a series of openings. The number of openings in the cap is less than the number of openings in the wheel. Each opening in the cap is configured to align with a corresponding opening in the wheel. Additionally, the cap is configured to conceal a remainder of the openings in the wheel that are not aligned with the openings in the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Suny Chung, Myles Kovacs
  • Patent number: 8689445
    Abstract: An axle spindle and wheel end assembly includes a precision-formed axle spindle, wheel hub, and axle spindle nut. The axle spindle is formed with parallel inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, a shoulder that is perpendicular to the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, and threads for a spindle nut that are aligned with the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces. The wheel hub is formed with inboard and outboard bearing surfaces that are in parallel alignment with one another, and bearing axial stop surfaces that are perpendicular to the wheel hub bearing surfaces. The spindle nut is formed with threads on its inner periphery and a flat inboard surface that is perpendicular to the threads. The axle spindle, wheel hub, and spindle nut cooperate to enable an axle spindle nut assembly to consistently provide a light preload on a bearing cone and spacer group of the wheel end assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jay D. White, Jeffrey S. Morris, Donald R. Hester
  • Publication number: 20140077586
    Abstract: A hub assembly includes a retainer housing, a retaining member, a biasing element, and an occlusion. The retainer housing includes a wheel mounting sleeve and a pin sleeve. The wheel mounting sleeve includes an axle bore configured to receive an axle. The pin sleeve has a first end and a second end. The pin sleeve includes a conduit between the first end and the second end. The first end is in fluid communication with the axle bore. The retaining member and the biasing element are in the conduit. The retaining member is configured to engage a groove in an axle. The biasing element is configured to bias the retaining member towards the axle bore. The occlusion is proximate to the second end of the pin sleeve. The occlusion is configured to inhibit the retaining member from exiting the conduit at least prior to coupling the hub assembly to a wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: GEO PLASTICS
    Inventor: Michael Abraham Morris
  • Patent number: 8661679
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing device for a wheel, the method including forming an inner shaft so that an outside diameter of the inner shaft at a first portion is smaller than an outside diameter of the inner shaft at a second portion which is adjacent to the first portion, the peripheral surface of the inner shaft at the first portion is to be heat-treated, and the peripheral surface of the inner shaft at the second portion is not to be heat-treated, and the first portion has a predetermined length in an axial direction, and heat-treating the peripheral surface of the inner shaft at the first portion, and finishing a peripheral surface of the inner shaft by lathe turning whereby a step is not formed at a border between the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Coporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 8656592
    Abstract: An axle spindle and wheel end assembly includes a precision-formed axle spindle, wheel hub, and axle spindle nut. The axle spindle is formed with parallel inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, a shoulder that is perpendicular to the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, and threads for a spindle nut that are aligned with the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces. The wheel hub is formed with inboard and outboard bearing surfaces that are in parallel alignment with one another, and bearing axial stop surfaces that are perpendicular to the wheel hub bearing surfaces. The spindle nut is formed with threads on its inner periphery and a flat inboard surface that is perpendicular to the threads. The axle spindle, wheel hub, and spindle nut cooperate to enable an axle spindle nut assembly to consistently provide a light preload on a bearing cone and spacer group of the wheel end assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jay D. White, Jeffrey S. Morris, Donald R. Hester
  • Patent number: 8635775
    Abstract: This invention provided a manufacturing method to process a small-diameter step section 18 on an inside end section of a hub body 13a that comprises an outward facing flange 15 and a positioning cylinder 16 stably and with high precision. In this invention, an intermediate material 40 is pressed between a lower punch 36 and an upper punch 46 with an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate material 40 being held by a lower die 37 and an upper die 43, and then a part of the intermediate material 40 is pressed into the lower punch 36 such that the small-diameter step section 18 is formed by cold plastic working.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto Kobayashi, Yuu Yasuda, Kiyoshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 8510950
    Abstract: A method of making a rear hub of a bicycle comprises: swaging a straight pipe into an hour-glass-shaped semi product, extruding the semi-product to form a hub flange, punching a plurality of holes in the hub flange of the semi-product, binding an edge of an end of the semi-product, necking down the edge-bound end of the semi-product, trimming the semi-product, and chamfering the holes of the semi-product to form a chamfer structure on an edge of the respective holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Bitex Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kin-Ho Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8424205
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a bearing ring member such as an outer ring comprising an installation portion on the outer peripheral surface and a double row of outer-ring raceways on the inner peripheral surface, in which a raw material is processed to obtain a final stage intermediate member through a first upsetting process, a forward-backward extrusion process, a second upsetting process, a burr removing process, and a punching process, wherein a movable die which leaves a stationary die in the final step is used in the second upsetting process, and the excess metal material is moved toward outside in the radial direction to a portion which become the installation section and a burr formation section, exposing a high pure metal material at least in a portion where the load of rolling bodies acts so as to ensure the rolling fatigue life of the both of outer-ring raceways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto Kobayashi, Hiroshi Koyama, Yuu Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20130076110
    Abstract: A wheel hub extends from an outboard end to an inboard end and has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface spaced radially inward of the outer peripheral surface. A first air passage extends from the outboard end toward the inboard end. A second air passage extends from the inner peripheral surface to intersect the first air passage. The second air passage comprises a removed portion that extends circumferentially beyond a cross-section of the first air passage at the intersection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: David C. Kelley, Scott A. Jenkinson
  • Patent number: 8402661
    Abstract: A raceway member 6 of a wheel support hub unit, having wheel or vehicle body fixing portions 7 extending radially outward from a solid or hollow shaft portion, and a wheel or vehicle body positioning cylindrical portion 9 extending concentrically with the shaft portion, the fixing portion 7 being formed by the cold side extrusion so that the fixing portion is integral with the shaft portion 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto Kobayashi, Kiyoshi Ootuka, Yuu Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8261447
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a drive wheel bearing device is provided. During the manufacturing, a swaged portion is formed in a manner as a non-hardened region, and in a manner that variations based on a reference surface in the axial direction of the flat surface are restricted within +/?0.2 mm. The reference surface is provided with an end face on an outboard side of a flange for an attachment of a wheel or an end face on an inboard side of the flange for attachment to a vehicle body. Part of the swaged portion making contact with an outer joint member of to drive wheel bearing device is formed into a flat surface. Serrations and a pilot part are formed on an inner periphery of a first inner member of the drive wheel bearing device. An inner peripheral surface of the pilot part is formed as a turned surface, and the turned surface has been turned after forming the swaged portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Tajima, Hisashi Ohtsuki, Akira Torii, Motoharu Niki
  • Publication number: 20120153586
    Abstract: A hub assembly includes a retainer housing, a retaining member, a biasing element, and a restraining element. The retainer housing includes an axle bore configured to receive an axle and a pin sleeve. The pin sleeve includes a first end in fluid communication with the axle bore, a second end, and a conduit between the first end and the second end. The retaining member is in the conduit and is configured to operatively engage a groove in an axle. The biasing element is in the conduit and is configured to bias the retaining member towards the axle bore. The restraining element is configured to prevent the retaining member from exiting the second end of the pin sleeve at least prior to coupling the hub assembly to a wheel. A wheel assembling can include the hub assembly and a wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: GEO PLASTICS
    Inventor: Michael A. Morris
  • Publication number: 20120047740
    Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method for a vehicle hub unit in which a hub wheel is arranged radially inward of an outer ring via rolling elements, an inner ring member is fixed to an end portion of a hub spindle of the hub wheel by clinching, a spline tooth portion that meshes with a tooth portion of a constant velocity joint that transmits driving force to the hub unit is formed at a clinched portion of the hub spindle, and a protruding portion is formed at a radially inner side portion of a bottom of the spline tooth portion. The clinched portion is formed by plastically deforming a cylindrical end portion of the hub spindle outward with a clinching tool. The clinching tool includes a punch and an oscillating spindle to which the punch is non-rotatably attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro SHIRAKAMI, Hiroyuki OUMI
  • Publication number: 20110302741
    Abstract: In one embodiment a bearing comprises an outer ring surrounding a central hub with inner and outer portions. In this embodiment, the inner portion is longer than the outer portion. The outer ring may be positioned between the inner portion and the outer portion of the central bearing hub. The outer ring may be offset relative to the center of the overall length of the bearing. A drive wheel may comprise a hub, a wheel portion, and a pair of bearings. In this embodiment, the wheel portion may be attached to an outer surface of the hub. The first bearing and the second bearing may be positioned within the hub such that an end of the first bearing abuts an end of the second bearing. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first end of the hub and at least a portion of the second end of the hub are crimped inward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: OCS IntelliTrak, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles P. Tabler
  • Patent number: 8028412
    Abstract: A method for making an axle rotating portion including a hub, at least one rolling bearing, and a stub axle, the rotating portion configured to receive a brake disc. The method includes at least one machining of the support surface of the hub, against which the disc is configured to be urged to press, the machining being carried out on a subassembly foamed by assembling at least the hub and the roller bearing and to obtain at least one part of the support surface substantially perpendicular to the axis of the roller bearing in the subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Auto Chassis International SNC
    Inventors: Emmanuel Bonnet, Loic Arnoux, Serge Renouard
  • Patent number: 7963036
    Abstract: An outer ring of a bearing device for a vehicle has a cylindrical main body extending from an inner vehicle side to an axially opposite side. The main body has a raceway at an inner peripheral surface. A flange is provided at an outer peripheral surface of the outer ring toward the ring's vehicle inner side end. A cylindrical fitting tolerance part also is provided at the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring, at a position closer to the vehicle inner side end than the flange. The axial length of the cylindrical fitting tolerance part may be designed to be any of various lengths. The bearing device is manufactured by turning the cylindrical main body while holding the flange, such as for embodiments in which the cylindrical fitting tolerance part has a short length unsuitable for holding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Mitarai, Shunji Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20100301665
    Abstract: An axle spindle and wheel end assembly includes a precision-formed axle spindle, wheel hub, and axle spindle nut. The axle spindle is formed with parallel inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, a shoulder that is perpendicular to the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, and threads for a spindle nut that are aligned with the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces. The wheel hub is formed with inboard and outboard bearing surfaces that are in parallel alignment with one another, and bearing axial stop surfaces that are perpendicular to the wheel hub bearing surfaces. The spindle nut is formed with threads on its inner periphery and a flat inboard surface that is perpendicular to the threads. The axle spindle, wheel hub, and spindle nut cooperate to enable an axle spindle nut assembly to consistently provide a light preload on a bearing cone and spacer group of the wheel end assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: HENDRICKSON USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jay D. White, Jeffrey S. Morris, Donald R. Hester
  • Patent number: 7650696
    Abstract: After a hub supporting member is mounted on an end portion of a spindle, correction work is applied to a ring-shaped supporting surface which is an end face of the hub supporting member, whereby perpendicularity of the supporting surface relative to a rotational center axis of the spindle is improved. Thereafter, while the hub main body is made to rotate together with the spindle in such a state that the mounting surface abuts with the supporting surface, grinding finishing work is applied to a cylindrical surface portion (a portion on which inner rings are fitted) of the hub main body. As a result, the perpendicularity of the mounting surface relative to the geometric center axis of the cylindrical surface portion is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuki Sensui, Masaru Hashida, Nobuhiro Nakazawa, Tatsuo Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20090151164
    Abstract: A brake disk mounting surface is ground by bringing it into contact with an annular grinding wheel, while an inner ring having the brake disk mounting surface is rotated around its center axis, in a state where a part of the annular grinding wheel overlaps with a recess over an entire region of the annular grinding wheel in a radial direction, and in a state where a grinding surface of the annular grinding wheel is inclined with respect to the brake disk mounting surface so that a distance between the brake disk mounting surface and the annular grinding wheel grows larger in a direction toward an outer edge of the brake disk mounting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Takeshi Fukao
  • Publication number: 20090045670
    Abstract: When an inner ring 3 of a driving-wheel supporting hub unit is fixed to a hub 2, a pressing die 24 is displaced downward and an annular working surface 27 at a lower end surface of the pressing die 24 is pressed against a front end of a cylindrical portion 13a over its whole periphery. Further, in this state, the pressing die 24 is pressed downward toward the hub 2 without rocking the pressing die 24 relative to the hub 2. Thus, the cylindrical portion 13a is plastically deformed radially outward along the working surface 27 simultaneously over its whole periphery. By adopting this method, the operation of plastically deforming the cylindrical portion 13a at the inner end of the hub 2 to form a caulking portion, can be easily and performed accurately. Accordingly, the structure of the caulking portion forming apparatus 21 can be simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Enomoto, Nobuyuki Hagiwara, Masahiro Yasumura
  • Patent number: 7393064
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drum or rotor wheel hub having a cast hub having a machined pilot in a flange portion and a machined pilot in a cylindrical portion, and a cast portion which separates the cylindrical pilot from the flange pilot, whereby a machined radii is not incorporated in the pilot construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Webb Wheel Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Hall, Jeremy L. Zills, Sik-Kan Huang, Byron E. Cornett
  • Patent number: 7380334
    Abstract: A clamping device (1) for receiving and for the clearance-free prestressing of a wheel bearing comprises a clamping mechanism (3) which radially prestresses the wheel bearing (8) from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: FAG Kugelfischer AG
    Inventors: Lothar Ulmann, Karl Bywalez
  • Patent number: 7197823
    Abstract: A magnet (10) that is an annular member is fixed or secured on an outer circumference surface or an inner circumference surface of a yoke (4) that is a cylindrical member. An lower end surface in the axial direction of the magnet is fixed or secured to the same plane as a lower end surface in the axial direction of the yoke (4), or the lower end surface in the axial direction of the magnet is fixed or secured so as to protrude a little from the lower end surface in the axial direction of the yoke. An annular groove (4a) that is recessed outward in the radial direction or inward in the radial direction is formed on a part of the outer circumference surface or the inner circumference surface that is continuous to the yoke (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Fujii, Yosuke Yamada, Akira Otagaki
  • Patent number: 7125012
    Abstract: A feed wheel includes a hub and a discontinuous tread removably fitted about the hub. At leading and trailing ends of the discontinuous tread are mateable non-planar female and male surfaces which interfit with one another and tend to interlock the tread ends together. The tread has locking lugs formed under leading and trailing ends and an intermediate segment of the tread which fit into holes configured and located in the hub complimentarily to the locking lugs. The holes and locking lugs are oriented relative to one another so as to enable the tread to be retained about the hub with the tread ends interlocked together during operation of the feed wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventors: Gregory James Newell, James H. Tippett
  • Patent number: 7047645
    Abstract: At a surface opposite to a mounting surface 28 at a part of the mounting flange 13, a projecting part 27 is provided so as to surround the opening part of the mounting holes 23 for press-fitting each stud thereinto. A finishing process of the mounting surface 28 is carried out after the stud 24 is press-fitted into the mounting hole 23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeyasu Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7041186
    Abstract: The wheel hub of a bicycle is made of a single part of structural fiber based material, typically carbon fiber material, after reticulation in a mould which exploits the expansion of a core to obtain the application of a radial pressure to the tubular body consisting of layers of structural fiber based fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Campagnolo, S.r.l.
    Inventor: Mario Meggiolan
  • Patent number: 6857190
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming an annular collar (11) that is essentially radial on the hollow annular end portion (12) of a port (7). This method has the following steps: A. radially deforming the end portion (12) by means of a first tool (16), in which the axis (18) of the tool (16) and the axis (5) of the end portion (12) form a non-zero angle ? between them to obtain an essentially radial collar preform (17); and B. deforming this preform (17) by means of a second tool (23) to obtain a final shaping of the collar (11) by pressing. This invention also relates to a method of retaining a bearing (1) on a shaft (7), and to the assembly that comprises this shaft (7) and bearing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: S.N.R. Roulements
    Inventors: Cedric Gavard, Andre Odelin
  • Patent number: 6851759
    Abstract: A vehicle corner apparatus and method of fabricating a vehicle corner apparatus, utilize a wheel spindle adapted for receiving a self-tapping screw for securing a brake rotor to the wheel spindle. Using a self-tapping screw allows manufacturing and assembly costs to be significantly reduced, in comparison to prior vehicle corners that used a machine screw and a threaded hole in a wheel spindle for securing a rotor to the spindle, and provides greater assurance that the lateral run out of the brake rotor will be maintained at a lower value than can be achieved in prior vehicle corners. The wheel spindle includes a retaining screw hole having a conical web adapted to receive and facilitate installation and increase holding force of the self-tapping screw. The retaining screw hole may also include a counter bore for receipt of a locator pin that is used during subsequent formation of wheel bolt holes in the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Meeker, Richard A. Scheufler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6782622
    Abstract: A cylindrical portion formed in the inside end portion of the hub is caulked and spread using a pressing mold assembled to an oscillating/caulking apparatus to thereby form the caulking portion. In working or forming the caulking portion, a cylindrical projecting portion formed in the central portion of the leading end face of the pressing mold is inserted into the cylindrical portion to thereby prevent the inside diameter of the cylindrical portion from reducing excessively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hagiwara, Shoji Horike
  • Publication number: 20040031153
    Abstract: A method for cold forming splined transmission hubs is provided. A blank (10) with an inner surface and an outer surface is secured on a tool insert support member (100). The tool insert support member (100) has an internal spline tooth profile (110) machined into it. A forming roller (120) is inserted inside the blank and then moves radially under pressure until it contacts an inner surface of the blank. A set of teeth (111) are created on the outer surface of the blank (10) and the blank (10) is rotated relative to the forming roller (120) to form an oil reservoir on the inner surface of the blank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Richard James Hastings, Luigi Ricci, Giso Czychoratzki
  • Patent number: 6640438
    Abstract: A hub (2) includes a spindle (14) which projects through a housing (4) and rotates relative to the housing (4) on a bearing (6) that is located between the spindle (14) and the housing (4). The bearing (6) has two sets of raceways (28,40) that are oblique to the axis x, and in addition rolling elements (36) arranged in two rows between the sets of raceways (28,40). The inner raceways (28) that fit around the spindle (14) and have back faces (32), with the back face (32) for one of the races (26) being against a shoulder (18) from which the spindle (14) projects. Initially, the end of the spindle (14) projects straight beyond the back face (32) of the outer race—indeed, so that the races (26) can be installed over the spindle (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventors: Alan Charles Webb, Peter Holland, Peter Standring, Douglas H. Smith, Larry L. Bahney
  • Patent number: 6634266
    Abstract: A part clamping fixture assembly for locating and holding a wheel hub assembly for final finishing a flange face of the wheel hub includes a top portion having a bore formed therethrough. The fixture assembly includes a puller member having an upper end for communicating with a drive mechanism and a lower end opposite the upper end. The puller member has an encasing disposed therearound. The encasing has a lower portion for engaging a bearing of the wheel hub assembly and an upper portion in communication with the top portion. The fixture assembly also includes a lift mechanism for lifting the wheel hub assembly generally upward such that a surface of the bearing engages the lower end of the puller member. The lift mechanism is engageable with the lower end of the puller member such that the drive mechanism will rotate the puller member and the lift mechanism together to accomplish the final finishing of the flange face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Simpson Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brinker, Brian Elzerman, Ben Merrill, Robert Veldman
  • Patent number: 6575535
    Abstract: A wheel spindle flange (and the like) has stud holes with soft surface hardness formed therein which permit non-rotational splines, studs and the like to be press-fitted therein with minimal press force at a centered press zone established between intentionally formed and dimensioned counterbores within the flange to minimize flange distortion and lateral run out of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Eugene Meeker, Richard Allen Scheufler, Jr., Christopher J. Zuck, John R. Beverick
  • Publication number: 20020108248
    Abstract: The wheel hub of a bicycle is made of a single part of structural fibre based material, typically carbon fibre material, after reticulation in a mould which exploits the expansion of a core to obtain the application of a radial pressure to the tubular body consisting of layers of structural fibre based fabric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: CAMPAGNOLO Srl
    Inventor: Mario Meggiolan
  • Patent number: 6415508
    Abstract: An automotive hub assembly, which carries a brake disk, has a hub provided with a spindle which rotates in a housing on a double row antifriction bearing having its raceways oriented obliquely to the axis of rotation so that the bearing accommodates both radial and axial loads. The bearing is set to a condition of preload so no free motion exists in it. The hub also has a flange at one end of its spindle, and the flange is machined on its face that is presented away from the housing to provide a machined mounting surface against which the brake disk is installed. The machining occurs after the hub assembly is assembled. To this end, the housing of the hub assembly is held fast while the hub is rotated on the bearing. With the hub rotating, a cutting tool is moved across the face of the flange, and it produces the machined mounting surface which is perpendicular to the axis of the bearing. The machined mounting surface has essentially no runout, so that the brake disk acquires no runout from the hub assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Larry D. Laps
  • Publication number: 20020062564
    Abstract: A cylindrical portion formed in the inside end portion of the hub is caulked and spread using a pressing mold assembled to an oscillating/caulking apparatus to thereby form the caulking portion. In working or forming the caulking portion, a cylindrical projecting portion formed in the central portion of the leading end face of the pressing mold is inserted into the cylindrical portion to thereby prevent the inside diameter of the cylindrical portion from reducing excessively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hagiwara, Shoji Horike
  • Publication number: 20010005939
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for producing a one-part vehicle wheel are provided, in which a substantially disk-shaped, undercut-free preform is cast. Immediately after casting the preform is conveyed to a flow-forming machine, whilst maintaining a residual heat and is fixed therein. The circumferential area of the fixed preform is split and by subsequent spinning and flow-forming is constructed as an intermediate form with a rim, which already substantially has the wall thickness of the rim of the finished vehicle wheel. The intermediate form is cooled, sized and undergoes a final end-working.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Applicant: Leico GmbH & Co. Werkzeugmaschinenbau
    Inventor: Guenter Pollkoetter