High compatibility automatic assembly production line for hub assembly and method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a hub assembly high-compatibility automatic assembly production line and a method thereof. The production line comprises bearing part press-fitting devices for press-fitting a plurality of bearing outer rings in a hub in a spatial position sequence, bolt press-fitting devices for press-fitting a plurality of bolts on an outer wall of the hub, brake member assembly stations for assembling brake members and the hub, dynamic balance testing devices for elastically inserting and driving the bearing outer rings in the hub to rotate coaxially and measuring weight distribution of the hub, gear ring and oil seal press-fitting devices for press-fitting the gear ring and the oil seal synchronously, run-out testing devices for inserting and positioning the bearing outer rings in the hub, rotating against an outer wall of the driving brake member and measuring surface flatness of the brake member and assembly height of the gear ring, and a plurality of mechanical arms for reciprocating transfer between the devices. The application realizes high compatibility of the whole production line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of wheel hub manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to a highly compatible automated assembly line and method for wheel hub assemblies. Background Technology

[0002] Before assembly, the wheel hub and brake disc need to be connected. The production process of the wheel hub and brake disc involves the assembly process of the outer ring of the wheel hub and bearing, the assembly process of the brake disc and wheel hub, the assembly process of the brake disc, gear ring and oil seal, etc. For example, the existing patent number CN201620696720.0, "Automotive Front Axle Wheel Hub Brake Disc Assembly", discloses the assembly structure of the brake disc and wheel hub, and the assembly structure of the gear ring and brake disc.

[0003] The assembly of wheel hub assemblies requires performance testing, which typically includes runout testing and dynamic balancing testing. For example, the existing patent CN201210577564.2, "Production Line for Assembly of Wheel Hub and Brake Disc Assembly," discloses a main conveyor chain that moves a pallet and wheel hub, transporting the wheel hub to a bolt press-fitting machine for bolt press-fitting. The bolts are then tightened by a bolt tightening machine. Dynamic balancing testing is performed on the wheel hub and brake disc. Based on the dynamic balancing test results, milling is performed. After dynamic balancing, the wheel hub is sent to a bearing press-fitting machine, and after bearing press-fitting, it is sent to an oil seal and gear ring press-fitting machine. The aforementioned production lines primarily use conveyor chains to transport wheel hubs or other components. Wheel hubs must traverse the entire production line during transport to complete assembly, making them unsuitable for semi-finished operations or wheel hubs with special manufacturing processes. In the assembly process of these production lines, dynamic balancing testing is performed after the wheel hub and brake disc are assembled, followed by bearing press-fitting. Due to the structural characteristics of the wheel hub assembly, in some cases where the bearing diameter is larger than the brake disc's inner diameter, if the brake disc is installed on the wheel hub first, the outer ring of the bearing cannot be assembled again. These traditional production lines impose significant limitations on the assembly structure of the wheel hub assembly and have low compatibility. While these production lines are suitable for assembling brake discs and wheel hubs, they do not disclose an assembly structure applicable to brake drums and wheel hubs, thus limiting their production application. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the aforementioned technical problems by providing a highly compatible automated assembly line and method for wheel hub assemblies. This achieves high compatibility across the entire production line, making it suitable for the assembly of brake discs and wheel hubs, as well as brake drums and wheel hubs. Furthermore, it expands the applicability of brake disc and brake drum assembly. To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0005] The highly compatible automated assembly line for wheel hub assemblies includes: a bearing component pressing device arranged in spatial order for pressing several bearing outer rings into the wheel hub; a bolt pressing device for pressing several bolts onto the outer wall of the wheel hub; a brake assembly station for assembling brake components and the wheel hub; a dynamic balancing testing device for elastically inserting and coaxially driving the outer rings of the bearings inside the wheel hub to rotate and measuring the weight distribution of the wheel hub; a gear ring and oil seal pressing device for synchronously pressing gear rings and oil seals; a runout testing device for inserting and positioning the outer rings of the bearings inside the wheel hub and driving the outer wall of the brake components to rotate and measuring the surface flatness of the brake components and the assembly height of the gear rings; and several robotic arms that reciprocate between the various devices.

[0006] A highly compatible automated assembly production method for wheel hub assemblies includes the following steps:

[0007] 1) The lower bearing outer ring and the upper bearing outer ring are pre-automatically transferred to the bearing component pressing device, and the wheel hub is automatically transferred to the bearing component pressing device. The bearing component pressing device synchronously presses the upper bearing outer ring and the lower bearing outer ring into the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the wheel hub to form the first assembly.

[0008] 2) The first assembly is transported and positioned to the bolt pressing device. The bolt pressing device drives the first assembly to perform bolt pre-installation and pressing. Several bolts are symmetrically pressed into the outer wall of the hub to form the second assembly.

[0009] 3) The second assembly is transported, transferred, and positioned to the brake component assembly station, where the brake component is assembled with the wheel hub screws to form the third assembly;

[0010] 4) The third assembly is transported, transferred, and positioned to the dynamic balancing test device. The dynamic balancing test device is inserted, positioned, and drives the outer ring of the upper bearing of the hub to rotate, and the weight distribution of the third assembly is tested during the rotation process.

[0011] 5) The third assembly, which has passed the dynamic balance test, is transferred and positioned to the gear ring and oil seal pressing device. The gear ring and oil seal are pressed simultaneously to form the fourth assembly.

[0012] 6) The fourth assembly is transported and positioned to the runout testing device. The runout testing device is inserted into the outer ring of the lower bearing and the outer ring of the upper bearing in the positioning hub, and at the same time drives the brake to rotate along the outer wall of the brake component. The flatness of the brake component and the assembly height of the gear ring are tested during the rotation of the fourth assembly.

[0013] 7) The fourth assembly that has passed the bounce test is transported and positioned to the grease injection device, which sprays oil into the inner cavity of the wheel hub.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the high-compatibility automated assembly line and method for wheel hub assemblies of this invention are mainly reflected in:

[0015] The wheel hub undergoes several steps on the production line, including bearing outer ring assembly, bolt pressing, brake assembly, dynamic balancing testing, gear ring oil seal pressing, runout testing, and oil spraying. The entire production line utilizes robotic arms for transfer and handling, avoiding the traditional conveyor chain method. This allows for flexible integration and application during later expansion or reconfiguration. Product components do not need to traverse the entire production line; single or multiple workstations can be used flexibly. Before dynamic balancing testing, the bearing outer ring is assembled with the wheel hub, greatly ensuring the coaxiality of the wheel hub's axis and the bearing outer ring. This effectively reduces testing errors during dynamic balancing. The bearing outer ring, assembled within the wheel hub's inner cavity, is closer to the hub. The dynamic balance performance under actual rotation ensures the validity of the test results. The bearing outer ring is assembled inside the wheel hub before the brake disc or brake drum is installed with the gear ring and oil seal. This allows for a wider range of brake drum or brake disc sizes, not limited to the diameter of the bearing outer ring. The assembly methods of the brake drum and brake disc with the wheel hub are diverse, improving the compatibility of the production line. The entire production line can be applied to both drum-type and disc-type wheel hubs, greatly improving production efficiency and avoiding the cumbersome problems caused by repeated product transfers in traditional single-product production lines. The common structural features of both types of wheel hubs are pre-assembled, and dynamic balance and runout tests are rationally optimized. Product switching operations are simple and quick, maximizing the versatility of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a top view of the production line structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bearing component press-fitting device in this embodiment;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bolt pressing device in this embodiment;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hub mount structure in this embodiment;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the turntable structure in this embodiment;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the brake component assembly station structure in this embodiment;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the dynamic balancing test device in this embodiment;

[0023] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the balance shaft structure in this embodiment;

[0024] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the gear ring oil seal press-fitting device in this embodiment;

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the vibration testing device in this embodiment;

[0026] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the grease injection device in this embodiment;

[0027] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the disc hub structure in this embodiment;

[0028] Figure 13 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the disc hub in this embodiment;

[0029] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the drum-type wheel hub structure in this embodiment;

[0030] Figure 15 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the drum-shaped wheel hub in this embodiment;

[0031] The numbers in the diagram represent:

[0032] 1. Wheel hub, 11. Bolt, 12. Lower bearing outer ring, 13. Upper bearing outer ring, 14. Oil seal, 15. Brake disc, 151. First gear ring, 152. First screw, 16. Brake drum, 161. Second screw, 162. Second gear ring, 2. Bearing component press-fitting device, 21. Wheel hub base, 22. Lower press-fitting ring, 23. Upper press-fitting ring, 3. Bolt press-fitting device, 31. Wheel hub carrier, 32. Turntable, 33. Conveyor line, 34. Movable frame, 35. Top plate structure, 36. Double-headed pressure bar, 37. Turntable hole 38 Sliding groove, 39 Through hole, 4 Brake assembly station, 41 Assembly plate, 42 Loading seat, 5 Dynamic balance test device, 51 Balance shaft, 52 Elastic expansion sleeve, 53 Clamp, 54 Positioning plug, 6 Gear ring oil seal press-fit device, 61 Wheel hub fixing frame, 62 Push structure, 63 Press-fit component, 64 Heating plate, 7 Runout test device, 71 Rotary shaft, 72 Test bearing, 73 Connecting joint, 74 Drive roller, 8 Grease injection device, 81 Workbench, 82 Oil injection nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0034] Example 1:

[0035] Reference Figure 1-15As shown, this embodiment is a highly compatible automated assembly line for wheel hub assemblies. This line is suitable for the assembly and production of wheel hub assemblies, specifically including disc wheel hubs and drum wheel hubs. Both disc wheel hubs and drum wheel hubs include a wheel hub 1 and a braking component. The outer wall of the wheel hub 1 is circumferentially provided with several axially inserted bolts 11 for locking the wheel hub 1 and the tire (not shown in the figure). The upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1 are respectively press-fitted with bearing outer rings, which are divided into a lower bearing outer ring 12 and an upper bearing outer ring 13. The bearing outer rings are interference-fitted with the inner ring of the wheel hub 1. An oil seal 14 is press-fitted onto the end face of the wheel hub 1, and the oil seal 14 is interference-fitted with the end face of the wheel hub 1.

[0036] The brake component of the disc wheel hub is a brake disc 15 disposed on the end face of the hub 1. A first gear ring 151 is press-fitted onto the end face of the brake disc 15. The inner ring of the brake disc 15 is locked and fixed to the end face of the hub 1 by a number of first screws 152. The brake component of the drum wheel hub is a brake drum 16 disposed on the end face of the hub 1. The brake drum 16 is fitted onto the outer wall of the hub 1 and locked and fixed by a number of second screws 161. A second gear ring 162 is press-fitted onto the end face of the hub 1.

[0037] Based on the common structural features of disc hubs and drum hubs, the assembly station of hub 1 and the bearing outer ring is determined to be the initial end of the production line. Analysis of the results of dynamic balancing and runout tests optimizes the station layout of the dynamic balancing and runout testing devices to ensure the accuracy of the test results.

[0038] The production line includes a bearing component pressing device 2, a bolt pressing device 3, a brake component assembly station 4, a dynamic balancing testing device 5, a gear ring oil seal pressing device 6, a runout testing device 7, a grease injection device 8, and several robotic arms that reciprocate to transport products between the various devices.

[0039] The bearing component pressing device 2 includes a hub base 21 for supporting and positioning the hub 1, a lower pressing ring 22 disposed inside the hub base 21 and driven to move up and down for positioning the lower bearing outer ring 12, and an upper pressing ring 23 disposed above the hub base 21 and driven to move up and down for positioning the upper bearing outer ring 13; the lower pressing ring 23 and the upper pressing ring 22 are coaxially arranged corresponding to each other. Several robotic arms include a first robotic arm for respectively transporting the bearing, the lower bearing outer ring, and the upper bearing outer ring to the bearing component pressing device. The lower bearing outer ring 12 is transported by the first robotic arm to the top of the hub base 21 and positioned on the outer periphery of the lower press-fit ring 22. The upper bearing outer ring 13 is transported by the first robotic arm to the outer periphery of the upper press-fit ring 23. The hub 1 is transported by the first robotic arm to the top of the hub base 21 and positioned. The lower press-fit ring 22 and the upper press-fit ring 23 are press-fitted simultaneously, pressing the lower bearing outer ring 12 and the upper bearing outer ring 13 into the inner cavity of the hub 1 respectively. The hub 1, the lower bearing outer ring 12, and the upper bearing outer ring 13 form a whole and are then transported to the next work station.

[0040] The bolt pressing device 3 includes a turntable 32 for receiving the hub carrier 31 and feeding bolts 11, a conveyor line 33 located below the turntable 32, a hub carrier 31 that transfers the hub 1 along the conveyor line 33 and is driven to rise and fall, a top plate structure located within the conveyor line 33 for driving the movable frame 3435 inside the hub carrier 31 to rise and fall and rotate, and a double-headed pressure rod 36 located above the top plate structure 35 for pressing the pre-placed bolts 11 on the hub 1. The turntable 32 is provided with a plurality of turntable holes 37 around its circumference for positioning the hub carrier 31. The sides of the turntable holes 37 are provided with sliding grooves 38. The bottom of the hub carrier 31 is provided with a limit rod corresponding to the sliding grooves 38 and driven to rise and fall. The limit rod is installed on the conveyor line 33 and is connected to a cylinder that drives its rise and fall. The hub carrier 31 has a through hole 39 at its center. Several positioning pins are arranged around the through hole 39. The through hole 39 corresponds to and avoids the top plate structure 35. The top of the through hole 39 supports the positioning movable frame 34. The outer periphery of the movable frame 34 is limited by several positioning pins. The lifting height of the movable frame 34 does not exceed the height of the positioning pins, so that the movable frame 34 is always kept within the circumference enclosed by several positioning pins and the movable frame 34 does not completely detach from the hub carrier 31.

[0041] The first robotic arm transports the wheel hub 1 with the assembled bearing outer ring to the wheel hub carrier 31. The wheel hub carrier 31 is driven to raise the wheel hub 1 at the front end of the conveyor line 33 and moves along the conveyor line 33 to above the turntable 32. The limit rod enters the sliding groove 38 to avoid it. The limit rod descends and places the wheel hub carrier 31 on the turntable hole 37 of the turntable 32. The limit rod disengages from the wheel hub carrier 31 without affecting the rotation of the turntable 32. The turntable 32 transfers the wheel hub carrier 31 to the bolt feeding station. Several robotic arms include a second robotic arm for inserting bolts 11 to the wheel hub on the turntable 32. The second robotic arm picks up several bolts and pre-inserts them onto the outer wall of the hub 1. The hub carrier 31 returns to the end of the conveyor line 33. The limit rod lifts the hub carrier 31 out of the turntable hole 37 on the turntable 32 and transfers the hub carrier 31 to the top plate structure 35. The top plate structure 35 includes a driven lifting plate. The top plate rises to the position of the through hole 39 and abuts against the bottom end of the movable frame 34. The movable frame 34 is driven to rise above the surface of the hub carrier 31. The double-headed pressure rod 36 is driven to descend and press the pre-installed bolt positions on both sides of the hub 1, so that a set of symmetrical bolts 11 are pressed to the outer wall of the hub 1. The movable frame 34 is driven to rotate a certain angle, and the double-headed pressure rod 36 descends again to press the other set of symmetrical bolts 11. The double-headed pressure rod 36 is kept evenly distributed on both sides of the circumference of the hub 1 to ensure the stability of the bolts 11. The top plate descends and detaches from the movable frame 34, which is positioned on the surface of the wheel hub carrier 31. The wheel hub carrier 31 moves along the conveyor line 33 to its front end, and the wheel hub 1 with the bolts 11 already pressed in awaits transfer to the next station. The bolt pressing device 3 performs pre-installation and pressing of the bolts 11 on the wheel hub 1, which is a preliminary operation for the subsequent assembly of the brake disc 15 and brake drum 16. The assembly of the brake drum 16 avoids the position of the bolts 11 when it is fitted with the wheel hub 1, ensuring the assembly stability of the brake drum 16. At the same time, by placing the bolt pressing device 3 behind the bearing component pressing device 2, the station with the same assembly requirements for disc wheel hubs and drum wheel hubs is placed at the front end of the overall production line, which greatly improves the compatibility of the production line.

[0042] The brake assembly station 4 includes a rotating assembly disc 41 and an assembly loading seat 42 mounted on the assembly disc 41. The top of the assembly loading seat 42 supports the brake components. A first robotic arm transports the wheel hub 1 with the pre-pressed bolts 11 into the assembly loading seat 42. The brake disc 15 is locked and fixed to the wheel hub 1 by a number of first screws 152, or the brake drum 16 is locked and fixed to the wheel hub 1 by a number of second screws 161. The wheel hub 1 with the assembled brake disc 15 or brake drum 16 awaits transfer to the next station.

[0043] The dynamic balancing testing device 5 includes a driven rotating balance shaft 51, an elastic expansion sleeve 52 disposed on the balance shaft 51, a gripper 53 disposed above the balance shaft 51 and driven to rise and fall, and a positioning plug 54 clamped by the gripper 53 and correspondingly inserted and positioned with the elastic expansion sleeve 52; the positioning plug 54 is correspondingly inserted and positioned with the outer ring 13 of the inner upper bearing of the hub 1. Several robotic arms include a third robotic arm for transporting the hub 1 and the brake assembly. The third robotic arm transports the hub 1 and positions it outside the balance shaft 51. The gripper 53 descends to fit the positioning plug 54 onto the elastic expansion sleeve 52. At the same time, the outer ring 13 of the inner upper bearing of the hub 1 is positioned outside the positioning plug 54. The hub 1 rotates synchronously with the balance shaft 51. A weight sensor is installed inside the balance shaft 51 to detect the weight distribution on the balance shaft 51 and determine whether the weight distribution of the hub 1 is balanced circumferentially. After assembling the bearing outer ring inside the wheel hub 1, a dynamic balance test is performed to ensure the coaxiality of the wheel hub 1 and the bearing outer ring in the axial direction to the greatest extent. The dynamic balance test results are accurate and errors are reduced. After the bearing outer ring is assembled in the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1, it is closer to the dynamic balance performance of the wheel hub under actual rotation, providing effective data support for subsequent adjustment of weight distribution deviation.

[0044] The gear ring oil seal pressing device 6 includes a hub fixing frame 61 for positioning the hub 1 and the brake component, a push structure 62 driven to rise and fall inside the hub fixing frame 61, and a pressing component 63 driven to rise and fall above the hub fixing frame 61; several robotic arms include a fourth robotic arm for transporting the gear ring and oil seal 14. A heating plate 64 for heating the gear ring is provided on the side of the hub fixing frame 61. The heating plate 64 heats the gear ring to be suitable for installation in a drum-type hub. Since the second gear ring 162 of the drum-type hub is installed on the outer ring of the end face of the hub 1, the second gear ring 162 expands due to heat and is easily installed into the outer ring of the end face of the hub 1. The third robotic arm transports the wheel hub 1, which has passed the dynamic balancing test, to the wheel hub mounting bracket 61. The fourth robotic arm transports the oil seal 14 and the gear ring, positioning them on the pressing component 63. When the brake component is a brake disc 15, the gear ring is pressed onto the end face of the brake disc 15 by the pressing component 63, and the oil seal 14 is pressed onto the end face of the wheel hub 1. When the brake component is a brake drum 16, the gear ring is pre-positioned on the heating plate 64 for heating before being positioned onto the pressing component 63. After heating, the gear ring is pressed onto the end face of the wheel hub 1 by the pressing component 63. The jacking structure 62 is driven to push the wheel hub 1 away from the wheel hub mounting bracket 61, and the third robotic arm transports the wheel hub 1 with the assembled gear ring and oil seal 14 to the next station. The gear ring and oil seal pressing device 6 is suitable for different assembly position requirements of the gear ring. It can be used directly when the gear ring needs to be assembled onto the brake disc 15, and can be used after heating when the gear ring needs to be assembled onto the wheel hub 1. It can simultaneously meet the assembly requirements of disc wheel hubs and drum wheel hubs.

[0045] The runout testing device 7 includes a rotating shaft 71, a test bearing 72 mounted on top of the rotating shaft 71 to support the outer ring 12 of the inner lower bearing of the positioning hub 1, a coupling 73 mounted above the test bearing 72 to position the outer ring 13 of the inner upper bearing of the hub 1 and raised and lowered, a set of drive rollers 74 mounted on the side of the rotating shaft 71 to abut against the side wall of the brake component, and a test sensor mounted on the side of the coupling 73 to detect the surface flatness of the brake component. For the brake disc 15, the test sensor can detect whether the surface flatness of the brake disc 15 and the assembly height of the gear ring are consistent, thereby determining whether the runout data meets the requirements. For the brake drum 16, the test sensor can detect the external contour curvature, verticality and flatness of the brake drum 16, thereby determining whether the runout data meets the requirements. This ensures the product quality and assembly quality of the brake component. The third robotic arm transports the wheel hub 1, which has been assembled with the gear ring and oil seal 14, and places it on the rotating shaft 71. The coupling 73 lowers to position the wheel hub 1, and a set of drive rollers 74 drives the wheel hub 1 to rotate, which in turn drives the coupling 73 and the test bearing 72 to rotate. The test sensor detects the runout of the brake component. The third robotic arm then transports the wheel hub 1, which has passed the runout test, to the next station. In this process, the set of drive rollers 74 synchronously drives the rotation and stably abuts against the outer wall angle of the brake component, ensuring smooth rotation of the brake component.

[0046] The grease injection device 8 includes a worktable 81 and a grease injection nozzle 82 that is driven to move up and down above the worktable 81. The outer wall of the grease injection nozzle 82 has several spray holes, and the outside of the nozzle is connected to an oil supply pipeline. Grease is sprayed from the spray holes. A third robotic arm transports the wheel hub 1 to the worktable 81, and the grease injection nozzle 82 descends into the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1. Grease is sprayed from the spray holes into the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1, where it adheres. The third robotic arm then transports the grease-treated wheel hub 1 again for unloading.

[0047] Example 2:

[0048] Reference Figure 1-15 As shown, this embodiment is a highly compatible automated assembly production method for wheel hub assemblies, including the following steps:

[0049] 1) The lower bearing outer ring 12 and the upper bearing outer ring 13 are pre-automatically transferred to the bearing component pressing device 2. The wheel hub 1 is automatically transferred to the bearing component pressing device 2. The bearing component pressing device 2 synchronously presses the upper bearing outer ring 13 and the lower bearing outer ring 12 into the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1 to form the first assembly.

[0050] 2) The first assembly is transported and positioned to the bolt pressing device 3. The bolt pressing device 3 drives the first assembly to pre-install and press the bolts 11. Several bolts 11 are symmetrically pressed into the outer wall of the hub 1 to form the second assembly.

[0051] 3) The second assembly is transported and positioned to the brake assembly station 4. The brake assembly station 4 assembles the brake component and the wheel hub 1 with screws to form the third assembly. The brake component includes a brake disc 15 or a brake drum 16. The brake disc 15 is installed on the end face of the wheel hub 1, and the brake drum 16 is fitted and connected to the outer wall of the wheel hub 1.

[0052] 4) The third assembly is transported and positioned to the dynamic balancing test device 5. The dynamic balancing test device 5 is inserted and positioned and drives the outer ring 13 of the upper bearing of the hub 1 to rotate. The weight distribution of the third assembly is tested during the rotation process.

[0053] 5) The third assembly, after passing the dynamic balance test, is transferred and positioned to the gear ring oil seal pressing device 6. The gear ring oil seal pressing device 6 selectively heats the gear ring for the brake component. When the brake component is the brake drum 16, the gear ring is heated and pressed into the end face of the wheel hub 1. When the brake component is the brake disc 15, the gear ring is directly installed into the end face of the brake disc 15. The gear ring and oil seal 14 are pressed into place simultaneously to form the fourth assembly.

[0054] 6) The fourth assembly is transported and positioned to the runout test device 7. The runout test device 7 is inserted into the lower bearing outer ring 12 and the upper bearing outer ring 13 in the positioning hub 1, and at the same time, it drives the brake component to rotate along the outer wall of the brake component. The flatness of the brake component and the assembly height of the gear ring are tested during the rotation of the fourth assembly.

[0055] 7) The fourth assembly that passed the bounce test is transported and positioned to the grease injection device 8, and the grease injection device 8 sprays oil into the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1.

[0056] 8) The fourth assembly is transported and unloaded through spray painting.

[0057] When applying the above embodiments, the wheel hub 1 undergoes the following steps on the production line: bearing outer ring assembly, bolt pressing, brake assembly, dynamic balancing test, gear ring oil seal pressing, runout test, and oil spraying. The entire production line uses a robotic arm transfer method, avoiding the traditional conveyor chain method for product transfer and transportation. This allows for full combination and application during later expansion or reorganization of the production line. The wheel hub components do not need to travel the entire production line through the transfer method, and can be flexibly applied at single or multiple workstations. Before the dynamic balancing test, the bearing outer ring is assembled with the wheel hub 1 in the wheel hub assembly structure, which can greatly ensure the coaxiality of the wheel hub 1's axis and the bearing outer ring. The dynamic balancing test effectively reduces test errors. After the bearing outer ring is assembled in the inner cavity of the wheel hub 1, it more closely approximates the dynamic balance performance of the wheel hub 1 under actual rotation, ensuring the validity of the test results. The gear ring and oil seal 1 are then installed in the brake disc 15 or brake drum 16. Before assembly 4, the outer ring of the bearing is assembled inside the wheel hub 1. The size and model of the brake drum 16 or brake disc 15 are more widely applicable and are not limited to the diameter of the outer ring of the bearing. The assembly methods of the brake drum 16 and brake disc 15 with the wheel hub 1 are diversified, improving the compatibility of the production line. A bolt pressing device 3 is set before the brake component assembly station. During the assembly of the drum-type wheel hub, the brake drum 16 needs to avoid the position of the bolt 11 when it is fitted onto the wheel hub 1. After the bolt 11 is installed in the wheel hub 1 by the bolt pressing device 3, it is flipped and positioned in the brake component assembly station 4. The way the brake drum 16 avoids the bolt 11 when assembling the wheel hub 1 is not affected by the position of the bolt 11. The wheel hub 1 can be effectively assembled onto the brake component at the brake component assembly station 16. This avoids the bolt pressing device 3 being designed behind the brake component assembly station 4. The bolt pressing device 3 needs to be designed separately for the two types of wheel hub 1 to avoid the brake component, which would make it impossible to produce and use them interchangeably.

[0058] The entire production line is applicable to both drum-type and disc-type wheel hubs, greatly improving production efficiency and avoiding the cumbersome problems caused by the repeated transport and transfer of products in traditional single-product production lines. The common structural features of the two types of wheel hubs are pre-assembled and produced, and dynamic balance and runout tests are reasonably optimized. Product switching operations are simple and quick, and the versatility of the production line is maximized.

[0059] In this specification, the term "specific embodiment" refers to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0060] While the embodiments disclosed in this invention are as described above, the content is merely for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make any modifications and changes to the form and details of the implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein; however, the scope of patent protection of this invention shall still be determined by the scope defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A highly compatible automated assembly line for wheel hub assemblies, characterized in that: Including those arranged in spatial order: The bearing component pressing device (2) is used to simultaneously press the upper bearing outer ring (13) and the lower bearing outer ring (12) into the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the hub (1); Bolt pressing device (3) is used to press a number of bolts (11) onto the outer wall of the hub (1); Brake assembly station (4) is used to assemble the brake component with the wheel hub (1), wherein the brake component is a brake disc (15) or a brake drum (16); Gear ring oil seal press-fitting device (6), used for synchronous press-fitting of gear ring and oil seal (14); The dynamic balancing test device (5) is used to elastically insert and coaxially drive the outer ring (13) of the upper bearing in the hub (1) to rotate after the operation of the bearing component pressing device (2) and before the operation of the gear ring oil seal pressing device (6) in order to measure the weight distribution of the hub assembly. The runout test device (7) is used to insert and position the lower bearing outer ring (12) and the upper bearing outer ring (13) inside the hub (1) and abut against the outer wall of the brake to rotate, so as to measure the surface flatness of the brake and the gear assembly height. And several robotic arms that reciprocate between the bearing component pressing device (2), bolt pressing device (3), brake component assembly station (4), dynamic balance testing device (5), gear ring oil seal pressing device (6) and runout testing device (7) to transfer the wheel hub assembly; The bearing component press-fitting device includes a hub base for supporting and positioning the hub, a lower press-fitting ring disposed inside the hub base and driven to move up and down for positioning the outer ring of the lower bearing, and an upper press-fitting ring disposed above the hub base and driven to move up and down for positioning the outer ring of the upper bearing; the lower press-fitting ring and the upper press-fitting ring are coaxially arranged corresponding to each other. The dynamic balancing test device includes a balance shaft that is driven to rotate, an elastic expansion sleeve disposed on the balance shaft, a gripper that is driven to rise and fall above the balance shaft, and a positioning plug that is clamped by the gripper and inserted into the elastic expansion sleeve for positioning; the positioning plug is inserted into the outer ring of the upper bearing inside the wheel hub for positioning.

2. The high-compatibility automated assembly line for wheel hubs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bolt pressing device includes a turntable for receiving the wheel hub carrier and feeding bolts, a conveyor line located below the turntable, a wheel hub carrier that moves the wheel hub along the conveyor line and is driven to rise and fall, a top plate structure located within the conveyor line for driving the movable frame inside the wheel hub carrier to rise, fall and rotate, and a double-headed pressure bar located above the top plate structure for pressing pre-placed bolts on the wheel hub.

3. The high-compatibility automated assembly line for wheel hubs according to claim 2, characterized in that: The turntable has a plurality of turntable holes around its circumference for positioning the hub carrier. The sides of the turntable holes are provided with sliding grooves. The bottom of the hub carrier is provided with a limit rod that corresponds to the sliding groove and is driven to rise and fall. The limit rod is installed on the conveyor line.

4. The high-compatibility automated assembly production line for wheel hubs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brake assembly station includes a rotating assembly plate and a loading seat mounted on the assembly plate; the top of the loading seat supports the brake component.

5. The high-compatibility automated assembly line for wheel hubs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear ring oil seal press-fitting device includes a hub fixing frame for positioning the hub and brake components, a push structure that is driven to rise and fall inside the hub fixing frame, and a press-fitting component that is driven to rise and fall above the hub fixing frame.

6. The high-compatibility automated assembly production line for wheel hubs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The runout testing device includes a rotating shaft, a test bearing located on top of the rotating shaft to support the outer ring of the lower bearing inside the positioning hub, a coupling head located above the test bearing to position the outer ring of the upper bearing inside the hub and which is raised and lowered, a set of drive rollers located on the side of the rotating shaft to abut against the side wall of the brake component, and a test sensor located on the side of the coupling head to detect the surface flatness of the brake component.

7. The high-compatibility automated assembly line for wheel hubs according to claim 1, characterized in that: A grease injection device is provided behind the vibration test device. The grease injection device includes a worktable and a grease injection nozzle that is driven to move up and down above the worktable. The grease injection nozzle is driven to move into the inner cavity of the wheel hub.

8. The high-compatibility automated assembly production method for wheel hub assemblies according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) The lower bearing outer ring and the upper bearing outer ring are pre-automatically transferred to the bearing component pressing device, and the wheel hub is automatically transferred to the bearing component pressing device. The bearing component pressing device synchronously presses the upper bearing outer ring and the lower bearing outer ring into the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the wheel hub to form the first assembly. 2) The first assembly is transported and positioned to the bolt pressing device. The bolt pressing device drives the first assembly to perform bolt pre-installation and pressing. Several bolts are symmetrically pressed into the outer wall of the hub to form the second assembly. 3) The second assembly is transported, transferred, and positioned to the brake component assembly station, where the brake component is assembled with the wheel hub screws to form the third assembly; 4) The third assembly is transported, transferred, and positioned to the dynamic balancing test device. The dynamic balancing test device is inserted, positioned, and drives the outer ring of the upper bearing of the hub to rotate, and the weight distribution of the third assembly is tested during the rotation process. 5) The third assembly, which has passed the dynamic balance test, is transferred and positioned to the gear ring and oil seal pressing device. The gear ring and oil seal are pressed simultaneously to form the fourth assembly. 6) The fourth assembly is transported and positioned to the runout testing device. The runout testing device is inserted into the outer ring of the lower bearing and the outer ring of the upper bearing in the positioning hub, and at the same time drives the brake to rotate along the outer wall of the brake component. The flatness of the brake component and the assembly height of the gear ring are tested during the rotation of the fourth assembly. 7) The fourth assembly that has passed the bounce test is transported and positioned to the grease injection device, which sprays oil into the inner cavity of the wheel hub.

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