Axle Box Patents (Class 301/109)
  • Publication number: 20110254352
    Abstract: A wheel hub assembly with two rows of rolling elements has a central axis of rotation and inner raceway and outer raceways for each row of elements, the associated inner and outer raceways being axially displaced in accordance with a respective angle of contact and along a respective load line such that the assembly is capable of accommodating combined loading. The raceways of each row of rolling elements have osculation ratios which are defined by the ratio between the radius of curvature of the raceways and the outside diameters of the rolling elements of the associated row of rolling elements. The angle of contact and the osculation ratios of a first one of the two rows of the rolling elements are different than the angle of contact and osculation ratios of a second one of the two rows of the rolling elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventor: Luca Ciulla
  • Publication number: 20110254353
    Abstract: A wheel hub assembly with two rows of rolling elements has a central axis of rotation and inner raceway and outer raceways for each row of elements, the associated inner and outer raceways being axially displaced in accordance with a respective angle of contact and along a respective load line such that the assembly is capable of accommodating combined loading. The raceways of each row of rolling elements have osculation ratios which are defined by the ratio between the radius of curvature of the raceways and the outside diameters of the rolling elements of the associated row of rolling elements. The osculation ratios of a first one of the two rows of the rolling elements are different than the osculation ratios of a second one of the two rows of the rolling elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventor: Luca Ciulla
  • Publication number: 20110254356
    Abstract: A wheel speed detecting apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus has an inner ring axially secured on a wheel hub. A protecting cover, with a substantially dish-shaped configuration, is press-formed from a non-magnetic austenitic stainless steel sheet. The cover includes a cylindrical fitting portion adapted to be fit onto the outer member. A disc-shaped shielding portion extends radially inward from the fitting portion. A bottom portion extends from the shielding portion, via an inclined portion, to close the inner side end of the inner member. The protecting cover is positioned to abut against a stepped portion formed on the end face or the inner circumference of the outer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari YAMAMOTO, Kohei YOSHINO, Nobukatsu UCHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110254355
    Abstract: An asymmetric wheel hub assembly with two rows of rolling elements of different pitch diameters has a central axis of rotation and inner raceway and outer raceways for each row of elements, the associated inner and outer raceways being axially displaced in accordance with a respective angle of contact and along a respective load line such that the assembly is capable of accommodating combined loading. The raceways of each row of rolling elements have osculation ratios which are defined by the ratio between the radius of curvature of the raceways and the outside diameters of the rolling elements of the associated row of rolling elements. The angle of contact and the osculation ratios of a first one of the two rows of the rolling elements is different than the angle of contact and osculation ratios of a second one of the two rows of the rolling elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventor: Luca Ciulla
  • Publication number: 20110248555
    Abstract: A wheel carrier for a motor vehicle in which the wheel carrier is typically manufactured from aluminum. The wheel carrier comprises a recess (1) for receiving an outer ring (2) of a wheel bearing (3). An inner ring (4) of the wheel bearing (3) is fixed in a hub (15) of a wheel flange (12) of a vehicle axle. An axial end of the outer ring (2) of the wheel bearing (3) abuts against a shoulder of the wheel carrier (6), and a rim section (5) of the wheel carrier (6) is at least partially deformed to abut an opposite axial end of the outer ring (2) of the wheel bearing (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
    Inventors: Hartmut Werries, Metin Ersoy
  • Publication number: 20110241416
    Abstract: A rotary forming method for producing a rivet flange of a wheel hub on which a wheel bearing is mounted. A rivet flange is formed from a cylindrical part of a wheel huh by a hobbing tool oriented along a direction of the axis of rotation of the wheel hub. The method keeps material stresses low and accurately adjusts the preload of the bearing. For this purpose, first rotating rolling elements of at least one first row of rolling elements of the tool form the rivet flange. Axes of rotation of the first rolling elements form a first angle with the axis of rotation of the rolling bearing during the riveting operation, ensuring uniformity on the entire circumference of the cylindrical part of the wheel hub using a smaller deformation force while allowing the rolling bearing to be temporarily preloaded by a holding element even before the cold forming process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Kaiser, Roland Langer, Sebastian Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20110181102
    Abstract: A wheel assembly for a non-driven wheel includes a rotating wheel hub with a shaft portion supporting a bearing inner race. A magnetic encoder is mounted for rotation with the shaft portion. A non-rotating component radially surrounds the shaft portion and has a bearing outer race. A cap is secured to the non-rotating component and covers the outer and inner races, the shaft portion and the magnetic encoder inboard of the races to seal an inboard side of the outer and inner races. A sensor is mounted to a non-rotating vehicle steering member externally to, not covered by, and not extending through the cap. The sensor is configured to deflect to be biased into continuous contact with an outer surface of the cap to read the magnetic encoder through the cap without extending through the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Todd D. Albertson, Vincent R. Sicilia, Josef Mack, Phanu Amatyakul, William P. Job, Robert G. Sutherlin, Michael L. Holly, Douglas N. Reed
  • Publication number: 20100301666
    Abstract: A wheel support bearing assembly, in which rust preventive treatment is conducted to a pilot portion of a hub axle thereof to thereby increase the productivity and the reliability, is provided. This wheel support bearing assembly includes an outer member having rolling surfaces, an inner member having rolling surfaces opposed to the rolling surfaces of the outer member, and rows of rolling elements interposed between those opposed rolling surfaces. One of the outer and inner members that serves as a rotating member includes a hub axle having a wheel mounting hub flange and a cylindrical pilot portion protruding on an outboard side from a root portion of the hub flange for guiding a brake rotor and a wheel, both fitted to the hub flange. A coating layer of ultraviolet curable coating material is formed on a peripheral surface of the pilot portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiyotake Shibata, Kiyoshige Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20100194182
    Abstract: A wheel hub (8) for a two-wheeled vehicle and a traction element transmission that can be coupled to the wheel hub (8) are described. The wheel hub (8) comprises, inter alia, an axle, a housing, a driver, a transmission, which couples the driver and the housing to one another, an output wheel (13) of a traction element transmission, and a releasable coupling, which couples the output wheel (13) to the driver. The output wheel (13) is attached to the two-wheeled vehicle in such a way that it remains on the two-wheeled vehicle when the coupling between the driver and the output wheel (13) is released. The traction element transmission for a two-wheeled vehicle, in which the rear wheel is attached rigidly to the frame or is supported in a sprung manner on a swing arm, comprises an input wheel (12), an output wheel (13) and an endless coupling means (14). In this arrangement, the input wheel (12) and the output wheel (13) interact directly with the endless coupling means (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: Katz Biking GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Katz
  • Publication number: 20100109424
    Abstract: An axle bearing apparatus includes a hub shaft including a wheel-mounting flange formed at its outer end portion, and a cylindrical portion formed on an inner side surface of the flange, a bearing portion press-fitted on the cylindrical portion of the hub shaft and including an inner ring, an outer ring and rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer rings, and a slinger having a through hole formed through its central portion. The through hole is fitted on the cylindrical portion such that an outer diameter of the slinger is generally equal to an outer diameter of the flange, and the slinger is press-clamped to the inner side surface of the flange by bolts press-fitted respectively in a plurality of bolt holes formed in the flange. An adhesive bonds the slinger to the flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Inoue, Chikayoshi Murotani, Shigeaki Furusawa, Takumi Harada, Yutaka Koma
  • Publication number: 20100066158
    Abstract: The two-piece wheel rim assembly includes first and second hub sections affixed together and rotatably mounted on an axle by a set of bearings which are longitudinally spaced apart on the axle. The hub sections have radially inboard wall segments and radially outboard segments. The inboard segments form a radial cavity about the axle longitudinally bounded by the bearings. An oil bath substantially fills the radial cavity except for a small thermal expansion air pocket. The thermal expansion air pocket is positioned above the axle and the bearings when the hub-tire combination is in use. The thermal expansion air pocket has a nominal size only sufficient to account for thermal expansion and contraction of the wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas S. Hamilton
  • Publication number: 20090108668
    Abstract: A hub shaft of a hub wheel for the mounting of a wheel thereon and an outer ring of a constant velocity joint are connected together. A first side surface spline is formed on an end surface of the hub shaft, and a second side surface spline is formed on an end surface of a side wall portion of the outer ring abutting against the end surface of the hub shaft, and the first and second side surface splines are meshed with each other to connect the hub shaft of the hub wheel and the outer ring of the constant velocity joint together in a torque-transmitting manner, each of the two side surface splines having a number of spline teeth. At least one of the spline teeth of at least one of the two side surface splines is removed to form a removal portion which forms a drain passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kamikawa, Satoru Murao
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20080144985
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle has road wheels that are coupled to suspension uprights of the vehicle through wheel ends that have the capacity to monitor lateral loads that act on the road wheels at tire patches where the road wheels contact a road surface. Each wheel end offsets displacements that would be produced within the wheel end by vertical loads with displacements that would be produced by moments induced by the vertical loads, so that the remaining displacements within the wheel end reflect essentially lateral loads exerted at the tire patch. The wheel end contains a sensor and a target that the sensor monitors to detect the presence and magnitude of the displacements and hence the magnitude and direction of the lateral force at the tire patch. The sensor may also monitor angular velocity, angular position, and temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: THE TIMKEN COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark A. Joki, Mircea Gradu, Scott A. Warren, Steven A. Roman, John D. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 7137183
    Abstract: A drive axle assembly for motor vehicles, includes a support beam member having a substantially flat, enlarged central plate section and two opposite arm sections, a differential assembly module secured to the central plate section and enclosed into a housing formed by a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of the central plate section. A method for assembling the drive axle assembly comprises the steps of securing the front cover to a front mounting surface of the support beam member, fastening the differential assembly module to the central plate section of the support beam member, and fastening the rear cover to the rear mounting surface of the support beam member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Eugene Stuart, Timothy Bernard Allmandinger, Sean Karl Hoefer, Earl James Irwin, Parvinder Singh Nanua, Gregory James Maser
  • Patent number: 6672681
    Abstract: A railway axle hub unit of the type including an axle box housing (1) for supporting a bearing, is provided with a sensor body (3, 9) containing sensors (4, 5) for detecting vibration in the vertical direction and the horizontal axial direction. The sensor body is mounted onto a stationary support element (2, 1, 15) rigidly secured to the bearing, preferably an annular sealing insert. The sensors perform monitoring of the operation condition of the hub unit by generating and transmitting signals indicative of the detected level of vibration to an electronic processing unit mounted on board of the railway vehicle or the train. The processing unit is capable of signalling in real time an impending failure and/or a damaged condition associated with the monitored hub unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: SKF Industrie S.p.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Moretti, Silvano Sema, Matteo Genero
  • Patent number: 5967242
    Abstract: On a compactor wheel having outer and inner cylindrical drums, the inner drum being mounted on the vehicle axle, there is provided an axially extending shroud. The shroud is equipped with a cover plate which together serves to define a cavity enclosing the axle seals and bearings preventing trash from intruding into those components of the compactor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Caron Compactor Co.
    Inventors: James O. Caron, Scott F. P. Caron, Donald Chris Bettencourt
  • Patent number: 4530543
    Abstract: A wheeled support structure for use in a vacuum cleaner or the like. The wheeled support structure includes a wheel mount on the body of the vacuum cleaner defining an outwardly opening recess having an inwardly facing lock surface. The wheel mount further defines a fixed annular bearing surface coaxially of the recess and spaced radially outwardly therefrom for journaling the wheeled support slidably concentrically mounted thereon. The wheel further includes a latch element extending inwardly through the recess and having turned latch shoulders arranged to be disposed inwardly of the lock surface for preventing axially outward removal of the latch element, thereby maintaining the wheel mounting surface slidably mounted on the bearing surface of the vacuum cleaner support wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Keane
  • Patent number: 4473129
    Abstract: The hub assembly comprises a wheel flange, a transmission joint and a rolling bearing. The confronting radial surfaces of the flange and the inner race of the bearing are separated throughout their height by a gap and consequently do not bear against each other. The connection between these two elements is achieved by means of a circumferential weld. By means of such an arrangement, there is avoided a harmful heating of the rolling bearing and of the joint by transmission of heat from the wheel flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Glaenzer Spicer
    Inventor: Pierre Guimbretiere
  • Patent number: 4090751
    Abstract: A wheel bearing assembly has an outer bearing ring for mounting on a wheel support and an inner bearing ring having a bore and connected to a wheel hub. A constant velocity torque transmitting joint has an outer joint member disposed within the inner bearing ring bore and nonrotatably connected to the wheel hub. The inner joint member is centered with respect to the wheel hub. The outer joint member is rotatable within the inner bearing ring but is secured therein against axial movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1978
    Assignee: Uni-Cardan AG
    Inventor: Werner Krude