A rotating assembly specifically designed to guide the wheels of motor vehicles.

Abstract

A motor vehicle drive wheel assembly (10) includes a fixed sub-assembly (12) and a rotating sub-assembly (14). The fixed sub-assembly (12) includes two outer raceways (22, 24), and the rotating sub-assembly (14) includes a first inner bearing (30, 34), a second inner bearing (36), and two rows of balls (16, 18) arranged in two pitch planes PP1 and PP2. The second inner bearing (36) has an outer diameter (Φ) measured in a cross-sectional plane (PC) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (100) and located between the first pitch plane (PP1) and the second pitch plane (PP2). The cross-sectional plane is located at a measured distance DM from the first pitch plane (PP1), and the measured distance DM is greater than a given threshold VS.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotating assembly, and more particularly to a rotating assembly suitable for guiding the wheels, especially drive wheels, of a motor vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] A motor vehicle drive wheel assembly mounted on a vehicle typically includes a fixed subassembly designed to securely attach to the vehicle's suspension elements and including a first outer raceway and a second outer raceway defining an axis of rotation; a rotating subassembly rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the fixed member, and including a hub, a drive cylinder, a first inner raceway positioned relative to the first outer raceway, and a second inner raceway positioned relative to the second outer raceway; and balls forming a first row of balls between the first outer raceway and the first inner raceway, and a second row of balls between the second outer raceway and the second inner raceway. The hub has an attachment interface for the rim and brake disc. Therefore, the assembly typically has a series of technical functions arranged along the axis of rotation from the inside to the outside of the vehicle: torque transmission, attachment to the vehicle's suspension, rotational guidance, braking, and rolling, which requires a large dimension in the axial direction (i.e., transverse to the vehicle's coordinate system).

[0003] Reference FR 3,052,104 proposes a method of sleeved inner support rings for the second inner raceway onto the drive cylinder. This allows for a reduction in the axial dimension for a given distance between the two rows of balls, while simultaneously increasing the pitch diameter of the row of balls located inside the vehicle. Given that the load and camber stiffness are increasing functions of the distance between the two rows of balls and their pitch diameters, this structure provides a solution for a coordinated reduction in axial volume and good performance in terms of both load and camber stiffness.

[0004] Electric and hybrid vehicle powertrains often have larger drive wheels in the width direction of the vehicle compared to internal combustion engine powertrains, resulting in a shorter lateral drive axle. This shortening is undesirable because it leads to a larger deflection angle in the drive joint during wheel movement relative to the chassis. In this context, any measure that could potentially increase, or even slightly increase, the available space in the lateral drive axle is desirable. Therefore, there is an increased need for greater compactness of the drive wheel assembly in the axial direction, without sacrificing performance, particularly in terms of load capacity and stiffness. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide, for example, a rotating assembly for guiding the drive wheels of a motor vehicle, which combines axial compactness, high effective load and good level of camber stiffness.

[0006] Therefore, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotating assembly is provided, the rotating assembly comprising:

[0007] - An external sub-assembly, which includes a first annular outer raceway and a second annular outer raceway centered on a common axis of rotation;

[0008] - An internal sub-assembly including a first inner support ring and a second inner support ring, a first inner raceway formed on the first inner support ring having a raceway bottom diameter DI1, a second inner raceway formed on the second inner support ring having a raceway bottom diameter DI2 larger than the raceway bottom diameter DI1 of the first inner raceway, the second inner support ring and the first inner support ring being fixed relative to each other; and

[0009] - Balls, which form a first row of balls capable of rolling on a first outer raceway and a first inner raceway and a second row of balls capable of rolling on a second outer raceway and a second inner raceway, for guiding the outer subassembly and the inner subassembly to rotate relative to each other about a rotation axis, the balls of the first row of balls having a diameter DC1, and a first segment plane containing the center of the first row of balls being positioned at a non-zero distance L from the second segment plane containing the center of the second row of balls;

[0010] According to the present invention, the second inner support ring has an outer diameter (Φ), which is measured at a measurement distance DM from the first section plane in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation and located between the first section plane and the second section plane, the measurement distance DM being greater than a given threshold VS, wherein:

[0011]

[0012] These dimensional characteristics reflect the fact that the second inner support ring, which carries the second inner raceway, is close to the first raceway and has a significant thickness near the first raceway, thereby giving the inner sub-assembly high rigidity and the rotating assembly satisfactory axial compactness.

[0013] Preferably, the second inner support ring includes an axial end face facing the first section plane, the axial end face abutting the support surface of the first inner support ring along the axial support, and the axial end face is positioned in a transverse plane located between the first section plane and the second section plane, at a distance D (preferably less than half the diameter DC1 of the balls in the first row of balls) from the first section plane. Preferably, the axial end face is flat. The axial end face has an outer diameter preferably equal to or approximately equal to the outer diameter of the support surface. The outer diameter of the axial end face is preferably greater than or equal to the raceway bottom diameter DIl. In particular, the outer diameter of the axial end face is less than a threshold VS. In a cross-section in the plane containing the axis of rotation, the outer surface of the second inner support ring is concave in the portion located between the axial end face and the cross-sectional plane PC, and the distance from the current point on the outer surface of the second inner support ring to the axis of rotation increases continuously as the current point moves away from the axial end face and closer to the cross-sectional plane PC.

[0014] In order to effectively control the position of the balls in the first row of balls during installation or use, a first one-piece support guard is preferably provided. The first one-piece support guard includes a ring defining a reference axis of the first support guard and retaining claws distributed around the perimeter of the ring to define a unit for accommodating the balls in the first row of balls.

[0015] The second inner support ring occupies the volume immediately adjacent to the first raceway, leaving almost no space for a cage whose ring will be located between the first and second section planes. Therefore, preferably, the ring is positioned on the side of the first section plane opposite to the second section plane, and the retaining claws extend from the ring across the first section plane in the direction of the second section plane. The retaining claws have free distal ends, and each unit is defined by two adjacent retaining claws of the first one-piece cage and a portion of the ring connecting the two adjacent retaining claws. Thus, the first cage does not have a ring located between the first and second section planes near the second inner support ring. More space is allocated to the second inner support ring to increase its outer diameter in the region between the axial end face and the section plane PC.

[0016] Preferably, the unit is enclosed, with the claws surrounding the balls to prevent them from escaping during assembly. According to one embodiment, each of the two adjacent retaining claws of each unit includes a concave retaining guide surface facing the balls housed within the unit. The retaining guide surface is preferably at least partially located inside a first cylindrical section having a first circular section as its base, passing through the center of the balls in the first row of balls and centered on the axis of rotation. The retaining guide surface is preferably at least partially located between a first and a second section plane. Preferably, the annular portion connecting the two adjacent retaining claws includes an end guide surface facing the balls housed within the unit, and this end guide surface is preferably at least partially located radially outside the first cylindrical section.

[0017] According to a first variant, the first support cage further includes additional claws distributed around the periphery of the ring, each of the additional claws being coupled to one of the retaining claws and having a free distal end located radially outside and opposite to the coupled retaining claw. Preferably, for each of the units, each of the two additional claws coupled to two adjacent retaining claws includes a concave additional guide surface facing a ball received in the unit, the additional guide surface being at least partially located outside the first section cylinder and at least partially located between the first section plane and the second section plane.

[0018] According to the second variation, for each unit, each of the two adjacent retaining claws includes a concave additional guide surface facing the ball housed in the unit, the concave additional guide surface being at least partially located outside the first section cylinder and at least partially located between the first section plane and the second section plane.

[0019] Advantageously, a means for stacking cages for storing cages is provided before the drive wheel assembly is installed on the assembly line. For this purpose, the ring of the first support cage further includes a flat annular stacking surface axially opposed to the retaining claw, and a centering support portion having rotational symmetry about a reference axis of the first support cage. The first support cage further includes a flat surface axially opposed to the annular stacking surface, which, when viewed in an orthogonal projection onto the stacking plane including the flat annular stacking surface, overlaps with the flat annular stacking surface; and a centering surface opposite the centering support portion, such that, when viewed in an orthogonal projection onto the stacking plane, the centering surface faces the centering support portion. Therefore, the cages can be stacked while remaining centered without the risk of them attaching to each other.

[0020] In order to effectively control the position of the balls in the second row of balls during installation or use, a second one-piece support guard is preferably provided. The second one-piece support guard includes a ring that defines a reference axis of the second support guard and retaining claws distributed around the periphery of the ring to define a unit for accommodating the balls in the second row of balls.

[0021] The second inner and outer support rings occupy a volume between the first and second section planes and adjacent to the second raceway, leaving almost no space for a cage whose ring would be located between the first and second section planes. Preferably, the ring of the second support cage is thus positioned on the side of the second section plane opposite to the first section plane, and the retaining claws of the second support cage extend from the ring of the second support cage toward the first section plane across the second section plane. The retaining claws of the second support cage have free distal ends, and each unit is defined by two adjacent retaining claws and a portion of the ring connecting the two adjacent retaining claws. Thus, the second cage does not have a ring located between the first and second section planes. More space can be allocated to the second inner support ring to increase its outer diameter, and more space can be allocated to the outer support ring to decrease its inner diameter between the first and second section planes.

[0022] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the balls forming the first row of balls have a ball diameter DC1 that is less than or equal to the ball diameter DC2 of the balls forming the second row of balls. The increased diameter of the balls in the second row reduces the distance between the two rows of balls, which limits bending in the second inner support ring and thus limits the risk of separation between parts of the internal sub-assemblies. The outer raceways are preferably enclosed in the axial direction, in this sense, because each outer raceway has a raceway bottom located in an intermediate axial position between the axial ends of the raceways.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the second inner support ring is fitted onto the fitted support portion of the first inner support ring. Alternatively, the first and second inner support rings can be fitted onto a common solid or hollow portion.

[0024] The second inner support ring is preferably a solid metal component, for example, made of steel. Similarly, the first inner support ring is preferably a solid metal component, for example, made of steel.

[0025] The rotating assembly described above is particularly suitable for guiding wheels, especially drive wheels. According to one embodiment, an outer sub-assembly constitutes a fixed sub-assembly of a motor vehicle drive wheel guide, and an inner sub-assembly constitutes a rotating sub-assembly of the motor vehicle drive wheel guide, the rotating sub-assembly being rotatable relative to the fixed sub-assembly about a rotation axis. The rotating sub-assembly includes a hub with a flange having an interface for attaching a rim or brake disc, the attachment flange forming a mounting surface for the rim or brake disc axially facing a removal direction parallel to the rotation axis. A first inner support ring is formed by or fitted onto the hub, and a second inner support ring is fitted onto a fitted support portion of the hub.

[0026] Once the component is integrated into the vehicle, the first raceway and the first row of balls are designed to be further away from the longitudinal central vertical plane of the vehicle than the second raceway and the second row of balls.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the rotary subassembly further includes a drive cylinder, with an inner support ring supporting and abutting the drive cylinder at an annular contact interface that extends at least radially relative to the axis of rotation. Preferably, the annular contact interface is at least partially and preferably completely positioned between the first and second section planes, which contributes to a higher compactness of the rotary assembly.

[0028] The second inner support ring has a specific geometry that allows the second inner raceway to be radially positioned outside the first inner raceway, and allows the portion of the transmission cylinder, including the surface of the annular support portion, to be accommodated in the recess formed by the inner support ring.

[0029] Preferably, the hub is a solid, one-piece metal component, which contributes to the greater rigidity of the assembly. Alternatively, the hub can be a solid, one-piece dual-material component, such as a combination of steel / aluminum or steel / composite materials.

[0030] Where appropriate, the swivel subassembly further includes a brake disc supported on a mounting surface, a rim supported on the brake disc, and elements for attaching the rim and brake disc to an attachment flange. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from reading the following disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotating assembly for guiding the drive wheels of a motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Isometric view of the support cage of the rotating component.

[0034] Figure 3 It shows something similar to Figure 2 The cage has two support cages, one of which is mounted on... Figure 1 Before that, stack them one on top of the other.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotating assembly for guiding the drive wheels of a motor vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 5 It is used according to Figure 1 or Figure 4 The rotating component as Figure 2 Isometric view of a variant of the support and protection frame.

[0037] Figure 6 It shows something similar to Figure 5 The cage has two support cages, one of which is mounted on... Figure 1 or Figure 4 Before that, stack them one on top of the other.

[0038] Figure 7 It is used according to Figure 1 or Figure 4 The rotating component as Figure 2 Isometric view of a variant of the support and protection frame.

[0039] Figure 8 It shows something similar to Figure 7 The cage has two support cages, one of which is mounted on Figure 1 or Figure 4 Before that, stack them one on top of the other.

[0040] Figure 9 It is used according to Figure 1 or Figure 4 The rotating component as Figure 2 Isometric view of a variant of the support and protection frame.

[0041] Figure 10 It shows something similar to Figure 9 The cage has two support cages, one of which is mounted on Figure 1 or Figure 4 Before that, stack them one on top of the other.

[0042] For clarity, identical or similar elements in all the accompanying drawings are identified by the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Figure 1 A rotating assembly for guiding the drive wheels 10 of a motor vehicle is shown. The rotating assembly includes: a fixed outer subassembly 12, which is designed to be secured to a suspension component (not shown) of the motor vehicle and defines a rotation axis 100; an inner rotating subassembly 14, which is rotatable about the rotation axis 100 within the fixed outer subassembly 12; and guide balls 16, 18, which are located between the rotating subassembly 14 and the fixed subassembly 12.

[0044] Here, the fixed external subassembly 12 is composed of a one-piece solid metal outer race 20, on which coaxial first outer races 22 and second outer races 24 are formed, defining a rotation axis 100. The outer race further includes at least one radially outwardly extending attachment clamping portion 26, in which holes (not shown in the figure) are formed for attaching the attachment clamping portion 26 to the suspension member via attachment elements (not shown).

[0045] The inner rotating sub-assembly 14 includes a hub 30, a drive cylinder 32, and optional first inner support ring 34 and second inner support ring 36.

[0046] The hub 30 is a single-piece solid metal part, and includes a flange 38 for attaching the drive wheel rim 40 and the brake disc 41. The flange 38 has a surface 42 for supporting the brake disc 41, and the flange 38 is provided with an attachment hole 43, thereby allowing the insertion of attachment elements 143 of the rim 40 and the brake disc 41.

[0047] The hub 30 also has a centering skirt 44, which extends axially relative to the flat support surface 42 in the direction 200 of disassembly of the rim 40 and brake disc 41. The centering skirt 44 has a preferably stepped, radially outwardly facing centering support 45, which includes a first cylindrical portion for centering the rim 40 during assembly and a second cylindrical portion with an equal or larger diameter for centering the brake disc 41. The centering support does not necessarily need to remain in contact with the rim 40 and brake disc 41 after assembly.

[0048] The transmission cylinder 32 is a solid, single-piece metal component with a protruding end portion 46 and a flared intermediate portion 48, the flared intermediate portion 48 defining the cavity 50 of the constant speed joint. The protruding portion 46 of the transmission cylinder 32 is preferably splined and can be freely installed, assembled, or fitted into the splined tubular cavity 47 of the hub 30, thereby forming a splined contact interface. Furthermore, Figure 1 A device for attaching the drive cylinder 32 and the hub 30 is shown, which, for example, implements a nut 188 that is screwed onto the threaded end 190 of the protrusion 46 and abuts against the shoulder 84 of the hub 30.

[0049] The first inner support ring 34 is fitted onto the cylindrical fitted support portion 52 of the hub 30, and the first inner support ring 34 axially supports and abuts against the annular shoulder 54 formed on the hub 30. The first inner raceway 56 facing the first outer raceway 22 is formed on the first inner support ring 34.

[0050] The second inner support ring 36 is also fitted onto the cylindrical fitted support portion 52 of the hub 30. The second inner support ring 36 has a lateral end face 57 that axially supports the lateral surface 59 of the first inner support ring 34. The second inner support ring 36 has an annular abutment surface 58, which is truncated conical but can be flat. The annular abutment surface 58 is axially opposite to the first inner raceway 56 and protrudes axially relative to the hub 30 to support the annular support surface 60 formed on the drive cylinder 32. The second inner raceway 62, opposite to the second outer raceway 24, is formed on the second inner support ring 36. The balls 16 and 18 are formed on one hand by the first row of balls 16 rolling on the first outer raceway 22 and the first inner raceway 56, and on the other hand by the second row of balls 18 forming the second outer raceway 24 and the second inner raceway 62.

[0051] For the remainder of this specification, we will focus on some of the component's notable dimensional characteristics, which require some initial definition. Therefore, we note that:

[0052] -PP1, the pitch plane where the pitch circle is located, which forms the trajectory of the center of the first row of balls 16 with nominal size;

[0053] -PP2, the pitch plane where the pitch circle is located, which forms the trajectory of the center of the second row of balls 18 with nominal size;

[0054] -DP1, pitch circle diameter of the first row of 16 balls;

[0055] -DP2, pitch circle diameter of the second row of 18 balls;

[0056] -CP1, pitch cylinder, which is centered on the rotation axis 100 and has the pitch circle of the first row of balls 16 as its base;

[0057] -DC1, the diameter of the first row of ball bearings 16;

[0058] -DC2, the diameter of the second row of ball bearings 18;

[0059] -DI1, the bottom diameter of the first inner raceway 56, which is defined as the minimum diameter of the raceway 56.

[0060] -DI2, the bottom diameter of the second inner raceway 62, which is defined as the minimum diameter of raceway 62;

[0061] -DE1, the diameter of the bottom of the first outer raceway 22, which is defined as the maximum diameter of the outer raceway 22;

[0062] -PB, a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 100 and tangent to the axial end face 57 of the second inner support ring 36;

[0063] -D, the distance between plane PB and the first section plane PP1.

[0064] The first section plane PP1 is located at a non-zero distance L from the second section plane PP2. Clearly, the raceway bottom diameter DI2 of the second inner raceway 62 is larger than the raceway bottom diameter D11 of the first inner raceway 56, and preferably larger than the raceway bottom diameter DE1 of the first outer raceway 22. Therefore, the second inner support ring 36 has a shape that flares outward from the axial end face 57 in the direction opposite to the disassembly direction, allowing a portion of the transmission cylinder 32 to be accommodated within the second inner support ring 36. The second inner support ring 36 is accommodated in a narrow volume with a generally truncated conical profile between the outer support ring 20 and the transmission cylinder 32. To impart high rigidity to the second inner support ring 36, the outer diameter of the inner support ring 36, measured radially relative to the axis of rotation 100, increases rapidly as it moves away from the axial end face 57.

[0065] The increase in diameter can be characterized by observing the outer diameter Φ of the second inner support ring 36 in the cross-sectional plane PC. The cross-sectional plane PC is perpendicular to the axis of rotation 100 and is located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. The cross-sectional plane PC is located at a measured distance DM from the first section plane PP1, such that...

[0066]

[0067] Its characteristic is that the outer diameter Φ is greater than the threshold VS, which is equal to the larger of two values: 110% of the raceway bottom diameter DI1 corresponding to the first inner raceway 56 and the sum of the raceway bottom diameter DI1 of the first inner raceway 56 and the radius of the balls 16 of the first row of balls.

[0068]

[0069] The contact interface between the axial end face 57 and the annular support surface 59 is located on the plane PB. The plane PB is preferably located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. The distance D between the plane PB and the first section plane PP1 is preferably less than half the diameter DC1 of the ball 16 in the first row of balls. This positioning contributes to the better axial compactness and excellent rigidity of the assembly 10.

[0070] The first row of balls 16 are held in the volume between the first inner raceway and the first outer raceway by a first one-piece support cage 70. Figure 2(As shown in detail below) Guided by this, the first one-piece support cage 70 includes a ring 72 defining a reference axis 300 of the first cage 70 and retaining claws 74 distributed around the periphery of the ring 72 to define units 76 for receiving balls 16 of a first row of balls. The reference axis 300 of the first support cage 70 is intended to coincide with the axis of rotation 100 when the rotating assembly 10 is in the reference position.

[0071] The rapid increase in the outer diameter of the second inner support ring 36 adjacent to the first inner raceway 56 results in a volume reduction to position the first support cage 70. To maximize the available volume of the second inner support ring 36 in the space between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2, the ring 72 of the first support cage is advantageously positioned on one side of the first section plane PP1 opposite the second section plane PP2. A retaining claw 74 extends from the ring toward the second section plane PP2 across the first section plane PP1. Therefore, the first cage does not have a ring between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2, such that the retaining claw 74 has a free distal end 78. Each unit 76 is defined by two adjacent retaining claws 74 of the retaining claws of the first support cage 70 and a portion of the ring 72 connecting the two adjacent retaining claws 74.

[0072] For each unit 76, each of the two adjacent retaining claws 74 includes a concave retaining guide surface 80 facing the balls 16 housed in the unit 76, and the annular portion 721 connecting the two adjacent retaining claws 74 includes an end guide surface 82 facing the balls 16 housed in the unit. The end guide surface 82 is at least partially located radially outside the first segment cylinder CP1, the base of which is the pitch circle of the first row of balls 16 and centered on the axis of rotation 100. The retaining guide surface 80 is at least partially located inside the first segment cylinder CP1 and at least partially located between the first segment plane PP1 and the second segment plane PP2.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first support retainer 70 further includes additional claws 84 distributed around the periphery of the ring 72. Each of the additional claws 84 is coupled to one of the retaining claws 74 and has a free distal end 86 located radially outside and facing the coupled retaining claw 74. For each unit, each of the two additional claws 84 coupled to two adjacent retaining claws 74 includes a concave additional guide surface 88 facing the ball 16 housed in the unit 76. The additional guide surface 88 is at least partially located outside the first section cylinder CP1 and at least partially located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. Thus, an encapsulated retainer 70 is created, in which the ball 16 cannot be inserted into the unit and can only be removed from the unit by elastically deforming either the retaining claw 74 or the additional claw 84, or simultaneously by elastically deforming both the retaining claw 74 and the additional claw 84. Therefore, there is no risk of ball loss during assembly.

[0074] The ring 72 of the first support retainer 70 includes a flat annular stacked surface 722 axially opposed to the retaining claw 74, and a centering support portion 724 having rotational symmetry about the axis of symmetry 300 of the first support retainer 70. The free end 86 of the additional claw 84 is axially opposed to the flat annular stacked surface 722, and when viewed in orthogonal projection onto the stacking plane including the flat stacked surface 722, the free end 86 overlaps with the flat annular stacked surface 722. The retaining claw 74 further includes a centering surface 742 radially opposed to the centering support portion 724, such that when viewed in orthogonal projection onto the stacking plane, the centering surface 742 faces the centering support portion 724. Therefore, as... Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, before the two support holders identical to the first single-piece support holder 70 are installed in the rotating assembly 10, when they are stacked on top of each other, the free end 86 of the additional claw 84 of the support holder 70 supports against the annular stacking surface 722 of the adjacent support holder 70, while the centering surface 742 is opposite to the centering support portion 724. This ensures the controlled relative positioning of the two support holders 70 and prevents them from becoming inseparable entangled.

[0075] The balls 18 of the second row of balls are guided in the volume between the second inner raceway 62 and the second outer raceway 24 by a second one-piece support cage 90, which includes a ring 92 and retaining claws 94. The ring 92 defines a reference axis of the second cage, and the retaining claws 94 are distributed around the perimeter of the ring 92 to define units for accommodating the balls 18 of the second row of balls.

[0076] To maximize the volume available for the second inner support ring 36 and the outer support ring 20, the second inner support ring 36 and the outer support ring 20 are located in the space between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2, with ring 92 preferably positioned on the side of the second section plane PP2 opposite to the first section plane PP1. Retaining claws 94 protrude from the ring toward the first section plane PP1, while simultaneously crossing the second section plane PP2. The retaining claws 94 have free distal ends 98, and each unit is defined by two adjacent retaining claws 94 in the retaining claws of the second support retainer 90 and a portion of the ring 92 connecting the two adjacent retaining claws 94. Furthermore, the second support retainer 90 has substantially the same configuration as the first support retainer 70, naturally having dimensions adapted to the diameter of the balls 18 and the pitch diameter adapted to the second row of balls 18.

[0077] The outer raceways 22 and 24 formed on the outer support ring 20 are enclosed in the axial direction. In this sense, each of the outer raceways 22 and 24 has a raceway bottom 64 and 66 located in the middle position between the axial ends of the corresponding raceways 22 and 24.

[0078] In this embodiment, the balls forming the first row of balls 16 have a diameter DC1, which is preferably less than or equal to the diameter DC2 of the balls forming the second row of balls 18. Choosing a relatively small diameter for the first row of balls 16 ensures sufficient axial thickness of the second inner support ring 36 in the shrinkage mating area on the hub 30 near the first row of balls 16 and allows the pitch planes PP1 and PP2 to be brought together. The larger diameter of the second row of balls 18 ensures good load resistance while maintaining a relatively small distance between the two pitch planes PP1 and PP2.

[0079] Figure 4 Implementation examples and Figure 1 The difference in this embodiment is that the first inner raceway 56 is formed directly on the hub 30, thus constituting the first inner support ring 34 and having a reduced-fit support portion 52 and a shoulder portion 159. Therefore, the second inner support ring 36 is reduced-fitted onto the reduced-fit support portion 52 and axially supported against the shoulder portion 159 of the hub 30, and axially supported against the annular support surface 60 of the drive cylinder 32.

[0080] Figures 5 to 6 A variation of the first support cage 70 is shown, designed to be equipped with Figure 1 or Figure 4 The rotating assembly of the motor vehicle 10 for guiding the drive wheels. Figure 5 and Figure 6The first support retainer 70 differs from the previous support retainer specifically in the position of the first stacking surface 722 and the position of the centering surface 742. The first stacking surface 722 is recessed relative to the axial end of the ring 72 of the support retainer 70, and the centering surface 742 is formed on the additional claw 84. Figure 6 Specifically, the cooperation between the centering surface 742 and the centering support 724, and between the free end 86 of the additional claw 84 and the annular stacking surface 722, is shown to allow the first support frame 70 to be stacked one on top of the other on the assembly line of the rotating assembly 10.

[0081] Figures 7 to 8 Another variation of the first support cage 70 is shown, designed to be equipped with Figure 1 or Figure 4 The rotating assembly of the motor vehicle 10 for guiding the drive wheels. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The first support cage 70 differs from previous support cages in that it comprises only one set of solid retaining claws 74, without any additional claws. The retaining claws 74 have a retaining guide surface 80 and an additional guide surface 88. The retaining guide surface 80 is designed to be at least partially located inside the first cylindrical section CP1 and at least partially located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. The additional guide surface 88 is designed to be at least partially located outside the first cylindrical section CP1 and at least partially located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. Thus, an encapsulated cage 70 is created, in which the ball 16 cannot be inserted into the cell and can only be removed from the cell by elastically deforming the retaining claws 74. Figures 5 to 8 In one embodiment, the ball 16 is mounted in the first support cage 70 by movement having a zero radial component or a certain radial component oriented toward the reference axis 300.

[0082] Figures 9 to 10 Another variation of the first support cage 70 is shown, designed to be equipped with Figure 1 or Figure 4 The rotating assembly of the motor vehicle 10 for guiding the drive wheels. Figure 9 and Figure 10The first support retainer 70 differs from the previous support retainer in that it includes only one set of hook-shaped retaining claws 74, without any additional claws. The retaining claws 74 have a retaining guide surface 80 and an additional guide surface 88. The retaining guide surface 80 is designed to be at least partially located inside the first cylindrical section CP1 and at least partially located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. The additional guide surface 88 is designed to be at least partially located outside the first cylindrical section CP1 and at least partially located between the first section plane PP1 and the second section plane PP2. Thus, an enclosed retainer 70 is created, in which the ball 16 cannot be inserted into the unit and can only be removed from the unit by elastically deforming the retaining claws 74. This embodiment of the first support retainer 70 also differs from the previous embodiment in that the ball 16 is mounted in the support retainer 70 by movement having a radial component from the interior to the exterior of the support retainer 70.

[0083] In all embodiments, the second support retainer 90 may be similar to the first support retainer 70.

[0084] Alternatively, the balls 16 and 18 in the two rows of balls can have the same diameter.

[0085] As a variation, a fixing subassembly may be provided in multiple components, wherein a clamping portion 26 in one or more portions is formed to an attachment clamping portion of the vehicle's suspension elements, and two coaxial outer support rings are sleeved in the clamping portion.

[0086] It should be emphasized that, as those skilled in the art can deduce from this specification, the drawings and the appended claims, all features can be combined with other features or groups of features disclosed herein, even if specifically these features are described only in relation to other defined features (alone or in any combination), provided that these features are not explicitly excluded or that the technical circumstances make such combinations impossible or meaningless.

[0087] Throughout this application, "fixed subassembly" has been used to refer to a subassembly that constitutes a fixed coordinate system for the rotation of the movable subassembly. Those skilled in the art will understand that, depending on the geometry of the suspension inserted between the vehicle body and the fixed subassembly, the subassembly itself needs to move relative to the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A rotating assembly (10), comprising: - External sub-assembly (12), which constitutes a fixed sub-assembly (12) of a motor vehicle drive wheel guide, the external sub-assembly (12) including a first annular outer raceway (22) and a second annular outer raceway (24) centered on a common rotation axis (100); - An internal subassembly (14) constituting a rotating subassembly (14) of the vehicle drive wheel guide, the internal subassembly (14) being rotatable relative to the fixed subassembly (12) about the rotation axis (100), the rotating subassembly including a hub (30), the hub (30) including a flange (38), the flange (38) being provided with an interface for attaching a rim (40) or a brake disc (41), the flange (38) A mounting surface (42) is formed for the rim (40) or the brake disc (41), the mounting surface (42) facing axially toward the disassembly direction (200) of the rim (40) or the brake disc (41), the disassembly direction (200) being parallel to the rotation axis (100), the internal sub-assembly (14) including a first inner support ring (34) and a second inner support ring (36), a first inner raceway (56) being formed on the first inner support ring (34), and so on. The first inner raceway (56) has a raceway bottom diameter DI1, and the second inner raceway (62) is formed on the second inner support ring (36). The second inner raceway (62) has a raceway bottom diameter DI2, which is larger than the raceway bottom diameter DI1 of the first inner raceway (56). The second inner support ring (36) and the first inner support ring (34) are fixed relative to each other. The first inner support ring (34) is part of the hub (30) or is fitted onto the hub (30). The second inner support ring (36) is fitted onto the fitted support portion (52) of the hub (30). The rotating assembly further includes a drive cylinder (32). The second inner support ring (36) is supported against the drive cylinder (32) at an annular contact interface (58, 60), which extends at least in the radial direction relative to the axis of rotation (100). as well as - Balls (16, 18), the balls (16, 18) forming a first row of balls capable of rolling on the first annular outer raceway (22) and the first inner raceway (56), and forming a second row of balls capable of rolling on the second annular outer raceway (24) and the second inner raceway (62), for guiding the outer subassembly (12) and the inner subassembly (14) to rotate relative to each other about the axis of rotation (100), the balls (16) of the first row of balls having a diameter DC1, the first segment plane (PP1) containing the center of the balls (16) of the first row of balls being located at a non-zero distance L from the second segment plane (PP2) containing the center of the balls (18) of the second row of balls; in: - The second inner support ring (36) has an outer diameter (Φ) measured in a cross-sectional plane (PC) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (100) and located between the first section plane (PP1) and the second section plane (PP2), the cross-sectional plane (PC) being at a measured distance DM from the first section plane (PP1), the outer diameter (Φ) being greater than a given threshold VS, wherein:

2. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second inner support ring (36) includes an axial end face (57), which faces the first section plane (PP1) axially. The axial end face (57) supports the support surface (59) of the first inner support ring (34) axially. The axial end face (57) is positioned in a transverse plane (PB) between the first section plane (PP1) and the second section plane (PP2). The transverse plane (PB) is a distance D from the first section plane (PP1). The distance D is less than half the diameter DC1 of the ball (16) in the first row of balls.

3. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating assembly (10) further includes a first one-piece support retainer (70), which includes a ring (72) and retaining claws (74). The ring (72) defines a reference axis (300) of the first one-piece support retainer (70), and the retaining claws (74) are distributed around the periphery of the ring (72) to define units (76) for receiving the balls (16) of the first row of balls.

4. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ring (72) is positioned on the side of the first section plane (PP1) opposite to the second section plane (PP2). The retaining claw (74) protrudes from the ring (72) across the first section plane (PP1) in a direction toward the second section plane (PP2). The retaining claw (74) has a free distal end. Each of the units (76) is defined by two adjacent retaining claws (74) of the retaining claws (74) of the first one-piece support retainer (70) and a portion (721) of the ring (72) connecting the two adjacent retaining claws (74).

5. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that, For each of the units (76), each of the two adjacent retaining claws (74) includes a concave retaining guide surface (80) facing the ball (16) housed in the unit (76). The retaining guide surface (80) is at least partially located inside a first cylindrical section (CP1) having a first circular section as its base, passing through the center of the ball (16) of the first row of balls and centered on the axis of rotation (100). The retaining guide surface (80) is at least partially located between the first plane (PP1) and the second plane (PP2).

6. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that, For each of the units (76), the portion (721) of the ring (72) connecting the two adjacent retaining claws (74) includes an end guide surface (82) facing the ball (16) housed in the unit (76), the end guide surface (82) being at least partially located radially outside the first cylinder (CP1).

7. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first single-piece support retainer (70) further includes additional claws (84) distributed around the perimeter of the ring (72), each of the additional claws (84) being coupled to one of the retaining claws (74), and each of the additional claws (84) having a free distal end located radially outside the coupled retaining claw (74) and opposite to the coupled retaining claw (74).

8. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that, For each of the units (76), each of the two additional claws (84) connected to the two adjacent retaining claws (74) includes a concave additional guide surface (88) facing the ball (16) housed in the unit (76). The additional guide surface (88) is at least partially located outside the first section cylinder (CP1) and at least partially located between the first section plane (PP1) and the second section plane (PP2). The first section cylinder (CP1) has a first section circle as its base, which passes through the center of the ball (16) of the first row of balls and is centered on the axis of rotation (100).

9. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that, For each of the units (76), each of the two adjacent retaining claws (74) includes a concave additional guide surface (88) facing the ball (16) housed in the unit (76), the additional guide surface (88) being at least partially located outside the first section cylinder (CP1) and at least partially located between the first section plane (PP1) and the second section plane (PP2).

10. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ring (72) of the first one-piece support retainer (70) further includes a flat annular stacking surface (722) and a centering support portion (724), the flat annular stacking surface (722) being axially opposed to the retaining claw (74), the centering support portion (724) having rotational symmetry about the reference axis (300) of the first one-piece support retainer (70), the first one-piece support retainer (70) further including a flat surface and a centering surface (742), the flat surface being axially opposed to the flat annular stacking surface (722), the flat surface being superimposed on the flat annular stacking surface when viewed in an orthogonal projection in a stacking plane including the flat annular stacking surface (722), the centering surface (742) being radially opposite to the centering support portion (724) such that when viewed in an orthogonal projection in the stacking plane, the centering surface (742) faces the centering support portion (724).

11. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating assembly (10) further includes a second one-piece support cage (90), the second one-piece support cage (90) including a ring (92) and retaining claws (94), the ring (92) of the second one-piece support cage (90) defining a reference axis of the second one-piece support cage (90), the retaining claws (94) being distributed around the periphery of the ring (92) of the second one-piece support cage (90) to define units for receiving the balls (18) of the second row of balls, the ring (92) of the second one-piece support cage (90) being positioned on the second section plane (P). On the side of P2 opposite to the first section plane (PP1), the retaining claws (94) of the second one-piece support retainer (90) extend across the second section plane (PP2) from the ring (92) of the second one-piece support retainer (90) toward the first section plane (PP1), the retaining claws (94) of the second one-piece support retainer (90) having free distal ends, each of the units being defined by two adjacent retaining claws of the retaining claws (94) of the second one-piece support retainer (90) and a portion of the ring (92) connecting the two adjacent retaining claws (94).

12. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter DC1 of the ball (16) in the first row of balls is less than or equal to the diameter DC2 of the ball (18) forming the second row of balls.

13. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular contact interface (58, 60) is at least partially located between the first section plane (PP1) and the second section plane (PP2).

14. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hub (30) is a solid, single-piece metal component.

15. The rotating assembly (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The annular contact interface (58, 60) is completely positioned between the first section plane (PP1) and the second section plane (PP2).

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