An isolation component, a steering unit, and a vehicle

By installing an isolation component on the vehicle steering unit, and utilizing the design of the housing assembly and gaskets, the isolation component separates the steering knuckle from the outer ring of the bearing, solving the problem of abnormal noise in the steering unit under different operating conditions, improving the comfort and stability of the vehicle, and reducing the difficulty of processing and material waste.

CN119037543BActive Publication Date: 2025-10-31DONGFENG MOTOR GRP
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411178727.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-08-27
Publication Date
2025-10-31
Estimated Expiration
2044-08-27

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The vehicle's steering unit is prone to making abnormal noises when starting, reversing, braking, and turning at low speeds, which affects the vehicle's comfort.

Method used

Design an isolation component including a housing assembly and a gasket. The housing assembly has a groove for a first isolation portion to contact the outer ring of the bearing, and the gasket has a second isolation portion to connect with the inner ring of the bearing and the drive shaft. The isolation component separates the steering knuckle from the outer ring of the bearing, and the second isolation portion rotates together with the inner ring of the bearing and the drive shaft to prevent instantaneous misalignment and deformation of the end face.

Benefits of technology

It effectively reduces abnormal noise from the steering unit under different working conditions, prevents dust from entering the bearings, reduces processing difficulty and material waste, improves material utilization, supports rapid wheelbase expansion and convenient loading and unloading, and ensures the concentricity and parallelism of components.

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Abstract

This application discloses an isolation component, a steering unit, and a vehicle, belonging to the field of automotive chassis technology. The isolation component is used to install on the steering unit of a vehicle. The steering unit includes a steering knuckle, a drive shaft, and a wheel hub bearing. The wheel hub bearing has an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring. The isolation component includes: a housing assembly having a first isolation portion for being disposed between the steering knuckle and the outer bearing ring, the first isolation portion having a groove on its side for contacting the outer bearing ring; and a gasket rotatably connected to the housing assembly about its axial direction, having a second isolation portion for being fixed between the inner bearing ring and the drive shaft.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of automobile chassis, and particularly relates to an isolation component, a steering unit, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the vehicle industry, especially with the increasing acceptance of new energy and pure electric vehicles by the public, and against the backdrop of the "new four modernizations"—electrification, networking, intelligence, and sharing—people have increasingly higher requirements for vehicle vibration and noise control, sensory experience, and comfort.

[0003] The vehicle's steering unit includes wheel hub bearings, a drive shaft, and a steering knuckle. The wheel hub bearing includes an inner bearing ring, an outer bearing ring, and steel balls positioned between the inner and outer rings. The steering knuckle is fixedly connected to the outer bearing ring, and the drive shaft extends into the inner bearing ring and is fixedly connected to it by a lock nut. Rotation of the drive shaft causes the inner bearing ring to rotate as well.

[0004] Steering units are prone to making abnormal noises when the vehicle starts, reverses, or brakes. In addition, they are also prone to making abnormal noises when the vehicle is stationary or turning at low speeds. As customers' demands for vehicle comfort increase, abnormal noise problems are receiving more and more complaints. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to at least partially solve the technical problem of abnormal noise easily occurring in steering units in related technologies. To this end, this application provides an isolation component, a steering unit, and a vehicle.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an isolation component for installation on a vehicle's steering unit, the steering unit including a steering knuckle, a drive shaft, and a wheel hub bearing, the wheel hub bearing having an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring, the isolation component comprising:

[0007] The housing assembly has a first isolation portion for being disposed between the steering knuckle and the outer ring of the bearing, and the first isolation portion has a groove on its side for contacting the outer ring of the bearing;

[0008] A gasket, rotatably connected to the housing assembly about the axial direction of the housing assembly, has a second isolation portion for fixing between the inner ring of the bearing and the drive shaft.

[0009] In some embodiments, the housing assembly includes an outer shell and a limiting member. The outer shell has a first isolation portion and a connecting portion and a limiting portion. The first isolation portion and the limiting portion are both angularly disposed with respect to the connecting portion. The connecting portion is located between the first isolation portion and the limiting portion and is connected to the first isolation portion and the limiting portion.

[0010] The limiting member is connected to the connecting portion and is disposed opposite to the limiting portion. The gasket also has a gasket limiting portion connected to the second isolation portion. The gasket limiting portion is located between the limiting member and the limiting portion. The second isolation portion extends out of the limiting member and the limiting portion. The gasket limiting portion and the limiting portion and the limiting member have an overlapping area in the radial projection of the housing assembly.

[0011] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the housing assembly, the first isolation portion and the limiting portion are respectively located at both ends of the connecting portion, and the first isolation portion surrounds the outer periphery of the connecting portion, the limiting portion surrounds the inner periphery of the connecting portion, and both the first isolation portion and the limiting portion are vertically disposed on the connecting portion; the groove is formed on the end face of the first isolation portion away from the limiting portion.

[0012] In some embodiments, the gasket limiting portion is disposed perpendicularly to the second isolation portion, and the gasket limiting portion surrounds the outer periphery of the second isolation portion, wherein the second isolation portion is perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing assembly.

[0013] In some embodiments, the limiting portion includes a first limiting portion, a second limiting portion, and a first connecting portion, and the limiting member includes a third limiting portion, a fourth limiting portion, and a first connecting portion;

[0014] The first limiting part and the third limiting part are disposed opposite to each other and are both fixedly connected to the connecting part; the second limiting part and the fourth limiting part are disposed opposite to each other and are both located between the first limiting part and the third limiting part.

[0015] The first connecting portion is located on the side of the first limiting portion away from the connecting portion, and is connected to the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion; the second connecting portion is located on the side of the third limiting portion away from the connecting portion, and is connected to the third limiting portion and the fourth limiting portion.

[0016] The gasket limiting portion is located simultaneously between the second limiting portion and the connecting portion, and between the fourth limiting portion and the connecting portion.

[0017] In some embodiments, the connecting portion, the limiting portion, the limiting member, and the gasket form an oil reservoir for storing lubricating oil.

[0018] In some embodiments, the housing assembly further includes a seal disposed between the second isolation portion and the second limiting portion to seal the gap between the second isolation portion and the second limiting portion; the seal is also disposed between the second isolation portion and the fourth limiting portion to seal the gap between the second isolation portion and the fourth limiting portion.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first isolation portion is further provided with a clearance hole for avoiding the connecting member that connects the steering knuckle and the outer ring of the bearing.

[0020] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a steering unit, comprising:

[0021] A hub bearing, having a rotating inner ring and an outer ring;

[0022] The drive shaft is partially located inside the inner ring of the bearing and is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing;

[0023] The isolation assembly described in the first aspect above is sleeved on the outer ring of the bearing, and the second isolation part is fixed between the inner ring of the bearing and the drive shaft;

[0024] The steering knuckle is fitted onto the isolation assembly and fixedly connected to the outer ring of the bearing. The second isolation part is located between the steering knuckle and the outer ring of the bearing.

[0025] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle including the isolation component described in the first aspect or the steering unit described in the second aspect.

[0026] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The isolation component of this invention includes a housing assembly and a gasket. The housing assembly has a first isolation portion, and the gasket has a second isolation portion. The first isolation portion is disposed between the steering knuckle and the outer ring of the bearing, separating the steering knuckle and the outer ring of the bearing. This, to a certain extent, prevents abnormal noise caused by momentary misalignment and deformation of the end face of the steering knuckle and the end face of the wheel hub bearing when the vehicle is stationary or turning at low speed. The second isolation portion is rotatably connected to the housing assembly about its axial direction and is fixedly disposed between the inner ring of the bearing and the drive shaft. Therefore, the second isolation portion can rotate with the inner ring of the bearing and the drive shaft. With this design, the end face of the inner ring of the bearing and the end face of the drive shaft are separated by the second isolation portion, thereby preventing abnormal noise caused by momentary misalignment and deformation of the end face of the drive shaft and the end face of the inner ring of the bearing when the vehicle starts, reverses, or brakes.

[0028] The first isolation section is located between the steering knuckle and the outer ring of the bearing, filling the gap between them. This effectively prevents external dust and impurities from entering the wheel hub bearing through this gap, ensuring stable operation. Furthermore, the side of the first isolation section that contacts the wheel hub bearing has a groove. This groove allows for the release of slight deformation under axial torsional loads, preventing contact with the end faces of the bearing outer ring and steering knuckle. This also helps avoid noise issues arising from contact between the bearing outer ring and the first isolation section, as well as between the steering knuckle and the first isolation section. In addition, the groove is located on the housing assembly, rather than on the steering knuckle or bearing outer ring. This reduces the machining difficulty of the steering knuckle and bearing outer ring. Furthermore, creating grooves on the steering knuckle or bearing outer ring typically involves turning, resulting in material waste and low material utilization. By placing the groove on the housing assembly, it can be integrally formed through stamping or other methods, further reducing material waste and improving material utilization.

[0029] Furthermore, this design allows for fine-tuning (millimeter-level adjustment) of the vehicle's track width by varying the thickness of the first isolation section. This enables different track width expansion schemes and facilitates rapid verification during vehicle development. For instance, if a track width expansion scheme is required during vehicle development, a formal solution might involve mold making and other lengthy manufacturing processes. In such cases, adjusting the thickness of the first isolation section allows for rapid verification of the track width expansion. In addition, the gasket in this design is mounted on the housing assembly. This allows the isolation component to be disassembled and installed as a whole, simplifying assembly and reducing the difficulty and efficiency of installation and removal. Furthermore, the housing assembly positions the gasket, ensuring concentricity and parallelism between the gasket and the housing assembly. The second isolation section also achieves higher installation precision, preventing interference from wear between the second isolation section and adjacent components such as sensors. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the isolation component from a first perspective in one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0032] Figure 2A schematic diagram of the isolation component from a second perspective in one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the isolation component from a third perspective in one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0034] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the isolation component from a fourth perspective in one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0035] Figure 5 It shows along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction.

[0036] Figure 6 It shows Figure 5 Enlarged view of section B in the middle.

[0037] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the first view of the steering unit in one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0038] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 An explosion diagram.

[0039] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the second perspective of the steering unit in one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0040] Figure 10 It shows along Figure 9 A cross-sectional view along the CC direction.

[0041] Figure 11 It shows Figure 10 Enlarged view of point D in the middle.

[0042] Reference numerals: 1000-Steering unit, 1000a-Mounting groove, 100-Isolation assembly, 100a-Oil reservoir, 110-Housing assembly, 111-Outer shell, 1111-First isolation part, 1111a-Groove, 1111b-Allowing hole, 1112-Connecting part, 1116-Limiting part, 1113-First limiting part, 1114-Second limiting part, 1115-First connecting part, 112-Limiting element, 1121-Third limiting part, 1122- Fourth limiting part, 1123-Second connecting part, 120-Gasket, 121-Second isolation part, 122-Gasket limiting part, 130-Seal, 131-First sealing part, 132-Second sealing part, 200-Steering knuckle, 210-Fourth end face, 300-Drive shaft, 310-First end face, 400-Hub bearing, 410-Bearing inner ring, 411-Second end face, 420-Bearing outer ring, 421-Third end face, 430-Ball, 440-Oil seal. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0045] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0047] With the rapid development of the vehicle industry, especially with the increasing acceptance of new energy and pure electric vehicles by the public, and against the backdrop of the "new four modernizations"—electrification, networking, intelligence, and sharing—people have increasingly higher requirements for vehicle vibration and noise control, sensory experience, and comfort.

[0048] The vehicle's steering unit includes wheel hub bearings, a drive shaft, and a steering knuckle. The wheel hub bearing includes an inner bearing ring, an outer bearing ring, and steel balls positioned between the inner and outer rings. The steering knuckle is fixedly connected to the outer bearing ring, and the drive shaft extends into the inner bearing ring and is fixedly connected to it by a lock nut. Rotation of the drive shaft causes the inner bearing ring to rotate as well.

[0049] Steering units are prone to making abnormal noises when the vehicle starts, reverses, or brakes. In addition, they are also prone to making abnormal noises when the vehicle is stationary or turning at low speeds. As customers' demands for vehicle comfort increase, abnormal noise problems are receiving more and more complaints.

[0050] In related technologies, vehicle steering units are prone to abnormal noise. This application provides an isolation component that can at least partially solve the problem of abnormal noise in steering units.

[0051] This application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:

[0052] You can refer to this. Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the inventors' analysis revealed that in related technologies, when the drive shaft 300 is fixed to the inner ring 410 of the bearing by a locking nut (not shown in the figure), along the axial direction of the drive shaft 300, the end face of the drive shaft 300 facing the inner ring 410 of the bearing (hereinafter referred to as the first end face 310 for ease of description) and the end face of the inner ring 410 of the bearing facing the drive shaft 300 (hereinafter referred to as the second end face 411 for ease of description) are in contact. When the vehicle starts, reverses, or brakes, the drive shaft 300 reacts faster than the inner ring 410 of the bearing, and the first end face 310 and the second end face 411 are momentarily misaligned and deformed, which in turn causes abnormal noise. In related technologies, the end face of the outer ring 420 of the bearing facing the steering knuckle 200 (hereinafter referred to as the third end face 421 for ease of description) and the end face of the steering knuckle 200 facing the outer ring 420 of the bearing (hereinafter referred to as the fourth end face 210 for ease of description) are in contact. When the vehicle is stationary or turning at low speed, the third end face 421 and the fourth end face 210 momentarily shift and deform, thereby generating abnormal noise.

[0053] The isolation assembly 100 is used for mounting on the steering unit 1000 of the vehicle, the steering unit 1000 including a steering knuckle 200, a drive shaft 300 and a wheel hub bearing 400 having an inner bearing ring 410 and an outer bearing ring 420.

[0054] The inner ring 410 and the outer ring 420 of the bearing are rotatably connected. The hub bearing 400 may also include a plurality of balls 430 disposed between the inner ring 410 and the outer ring 420 to allow the inner ring 410 and the outer ring 420 to be connected. The hub bearing 400 may also include an oil seal 440 disposed between the inner ring 410 and the outer ring 420 for sealing the gap between the inner ring 410 and the outer ring 420. The structure of the hub bearing 400 is diverse and is not limited in this application.

[0055] The steering knuckle 200 is fixedly connected to the outer ring 420 of the bearing. A portion of the drive shaft 300 extends into the inner ring 410 of the bearing and is fixedly connected to it. The inner ring 410 rotates synchronously with the drive shaft 300. A locking nut (not shown in the figure) can be connected to the end of the drive shaft 300 extending from the inner ring 410 of the bearing to fix the drive shaft 300 to the inner ring 410. A spline groove can be formed in the inner ring 410 of the bearing, and a protrusion adapted to the spline groove shape can be formed in the section of the drive shaft 300 located within the inner ring 410 of the bearing to allow the inner ring 410 of the bearing to rotate together with the drive shaft 300. The structures of the steering knuckle 200 and the drive shaft 300 are varied and are not limited in this application.

[0056] When the drive shaft 300 rotates, the inner ring 410 of the bearing rotates along with the drive shaft 300, while the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring 420 of the bearing do not rotate.

[0057] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the isolation assembly 100 includes a housing assembly 110 and a gasket 120.

[0058] The housing assembly 110 has a first isolation portion 1111 for being disposed between the steering knuckle 200 and the bearing outer ring 420, and a groove 1111a is provided on the side of the first isolation portion 1111 for contacting the bearing outer ring 420.

[0059] After the isolation assembly 100 is installed on the steering unit 1000, the first isolation portion 1111 is located between the third end face 421 and the fourth end face 210, and the third end face 421 and the fourth end face 210 clamp the first isolation portion 1111. Specifically, the surface of the first isolation portion 1111 that contacts the third end face 421 of the bearing outer ring 420 has a groove 1111a. One groove 1111a can be provided, or multiple grooves can be provided at intervals; this is not limited here.

[0060] In some designs, the steering knuckle 200 and the bearing outer ring 420 are fixedly connected by a connector. To avoid the connector, a clearance hole 1111b can be provided on the first isolation part 1111 to allow the connector between the steering knuckle 200 and the bearing outer ring 420 to pass. The connector can be a bolt, and the clearance hole 1111b is used to allow the connector to pass. After the steering knuckle 200 and the bearing outer ring 420 are fixed by the connector, the connector is located within the clearance hole 1111b.

[0061] The gasket 120 is rotatably connected to the housing assembly 110 about the axial direction of the housing assembly 110, and the gasket 120 has a second isolation portion 121 for fixing between the bearing inner ring 410 and the drive shaft 300.

[0062] After the isolation assembly 100 is installed on the steering unit 1000, the axis of the housing assembly 110 is coaxial with the axis of the drive shaft 300. The second isolation part 121 is located between the first end face 310 and the second end face 411, and the first end face 310 and the second end face 411 clamp the second isolation part 121. The second isolation part 121 will rotate synchronously with the drive shaft 300 and the bearing inner ring 410.

[0063] The isolation component 100 of the present invention includes a housing assembly 110 and a gasket 120. The housing assembly 110 has a first isolation portion 1111, and the gasket 120 has a second isolation portion 121. The first isolation portion 1111 is used to be disposed between the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring of the bearing 420, separating the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring of the bearing 420, thereby avoiding, to a certain extent, the abnormal noise caused by the instantaneous misalignment and deformation of the fourth end face 210 of the steering knuckle 200 and the third end face 421 of the outer ring of the bearing 420 when the vehicle is stationary or turning at low speed. The second isolation part 121 is rotatably connected to the housing assembly 110 about the axial direction of the housing assembly 110, and the second isolation part 121 is fixedly disposed between the bearing inner ring 410 and the drive shaft 300. Therefore, the second isolation part 121 can rotate together with the bearing inner ring 410 and the drive shaft 300. With this design, the second end face 411 of the bearing inner ring 410 and the first end face 310 of the drive shaft 300 are separated by the second isolation part 121, thereby avoiding to a certain extent the abnormal noise caused by the instantaneous misalignment and deformation of the first end face 310 of the drive shaft 300 and the second end face 411 of the bearing inner ring 410 when the vehicle starts, reverses, or brakes.

[0064] The first isolation section 1111 is disposed between the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring 420 of the bearing, filling the gap between the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring 420 of the bearing. It can prevent external dust, impurities and other contaminants from entering the wheel hub bearing 400 through the gap between the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring 420 of the bearing, thus ensuring the stable operation of the wheel hub bearing 400.

[0065] In addition, the side of the first isolation part 1111 that is in contact with the hub bearing 400 is provided with a groove 1111a, which allows the slight deformation of the housing assembly 110 after being subjected to axial torsional load to be released, and will not contact the end face of the bearing outer ring 420 or the fourth end face 210 of the steering knuckle 200. This avoids, to a certain extent, the problem of abnormal noise when the bearing outer ring 420 and the first isolation part 1111 are in contact, as well as the problem of abnormal noise when the steering knuckle 200 and the first isolation part 1111 are in contact. In addition, the groove 1111a is formed on the housing assembly 110, rather than on the steering knuckle 200 or the bearing outer ring 420. On the one hand, this reduces the machining difficulty of the steering knuckle 200 and the bearing outer ring 420. On the other hand, if the groove 1111a is formed on the steering knuckle 200 or the bearing outer ring 420, it is usually done by turning, which will result in material waste and low material utilization. By setting the groove 1111a on the housing assembly 110, the groove 1111a can be integrally formed by stamping or other methods, which can reduce material waste to a certain extent and improve material utilization.

[0066] Furthermore, this design allows for fine-tuning (at the millimeter level) of the vehicle's track width by varying the thickness of the first isolation section 1111. This enables different track width expansion schemes and facilitates rapid verification during vehicle development. For instance, if a vehicle development requires a track width expansion scheme, a formal solution might involve mold making and other lengthy manufacturing processes. In such cases, adjusting the thickness of the first isolation section 1111 can achieve track width expansion and rapid verification.

[0067] In addition, the gasket 120 of this solution is installed on the housing assembly 110. On the one hand, this allows the isolation component 100 to be disassembled or installed as a whole, which facilitates the installation and removal of the isolation component 100, helps to reduce the difficulty of installation and removal of the isolation component 100, and improves the efficiency of installation and removal. On the other hand, the housing assembly 110 positions the gasket 120, ensuring the concentricity and parallelism between the gasket 120 and the housing assembly 110. The installation accuracy of the second isolation part 121 is higher, which can prevent the second isolation part 121 from interfering with the adjacent sensors and other components by a certain extent.

[0068] In some embodiments, a limiting groove (not shown in the figure) is formed on the fourth end face 210, and a limiting protrusion (not shown in the figure) is provided on the end face where the first isolation part 1111 fits with the fourth end face 210. The limiting protrusion is located in the limiting groove, and the limiting protrusion and the limiting groove are matched to limit each other, so that the housing assembly 110 will not rotate around the axial direction of the housing assembly 110.

[0069] It should be noted that the slidable connection between the gasket 120 and the housing assembly 110 can be varied. For example, a circular groove can be formed on the housing assembly 110, with the axis of the groove coaxial with the axis of the housing assembly 110. A slide rail can be provided on the gasket 120, located within the groove, allowing the gasket 120 to slide axially around the housing assembly 110. Alternatively, a circular slide rail can be provided on the housing assembly 110, with the axis of the slide rail coaxial with the axis of the housing assembly 110. A groove can be formed on the gasket 120, with the slide rail located within the groove, allowing the gasket 120 to slide axially around the housing assembly 110.

[0070] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the housing assembly 110 includes an outer shell 111 and a limiting member 112. The outer shell 111 has a first isolation portion 1111, and the outer shell 111 also has a connecting portion 1112 and a limiting portion 1116. The first isolation portion 1111 and the limiting portion 1116 are both arranged at an angle to the connecting portion 1112. The connecting portion 1112 is located between the first isolation portion 1111 and the limiting portion 1116 and is connected to the first isolation portion 1111 and the limiting portion 1116. The limiting member 112 is connected to the connecting portion 1112 and is disposed opposite to the limiting portion 1116. The gasket 120 also has a gasket limiting portion 122 connected to the second isolation portion 121. The gasket limiting portion 122 is located between the limiting member 112 and the limiting portion 1116, and the gasket limiting portion 122, the limiting portion 1116 and the limiting member 112 have an overlapping area in the radial projection of the housing assembly 110. The second isolation portion 121 extends out of the limiting member 112 and the limiting portion 1116.

[0071] The angle setting can be a right angle, an acute angle, or an obtuse angle. The connecting part 1112 is fixedly connected to the first isolation part 1111 and the limiting part 1116. The limiting member 112 is fixedly connected to the connecting part 1112, and the limiting member 112 and the limiting part 1116 are arranged opposite to each other, with a certain distance between the limiting member 112 and the limiting part 1116. The limiting portion 1116 of the gasket 120 is fixedly connected to the second isolation portion 121. The limiting portion 1116 of the gasket 120 is located between the limiting member 112 and the limiting portion 1116. The projections of the gasket limiting portion 122, the limiting portion 1116, and the limiting member 112 in the radial direction of the housing assembly 110 have an overlapping area. That is, the first projection of the gasket limiting portion 122 in the radial direction of the housing assembly 110, and the second projections of the limiting portion 1116 and the limiting member 112 in the radial direction of the housing assembly 110 have an overlapping area. In other words, along the axial direction of the housing assembly 110, the size of the gasket limiting portion 122 is larger than the gap between the limiting portion 1116 and the limiting member 112, so that the limiting portion 1116 of the gasket 120 is limited between the limiting portion 1116 and the limiting member 112, so that the gasket 120 will not detach from the housing assembly 110. The second isolation part 121 extends out of the limit member 112 and the limit part 1116 through the gap between the limit member 112 and the limit part 1116.

[0072] With the above design, the gasket 120 is mounted on the housing assembly 110 via the gasket limiting part 122. The gasket 120 will not detach from the housing assembly 110 and can rotate around the axial direction of the housing assembly 110.

[0073] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the housing assembly 110, the first isolation portion 1111 and the limiting portion 1116 are respectively located at both ends of the connecting portion 1112, and the first isolation portion 1111 surrounds the outer periphery of the connecting portion 1112, and the limiting portion 1116 surrounds the inner periphery of the connecting portion 1112. The first isolation portion 1111 and the limiting portion 1116 are both vertically disposed on the connecting portion 1112; the groove 1111a is formed on the end face of the first isolation portion 1111 away from the limiting portion 1116.

[0074] The connecting portion 1112 is cylindrical and has two opposite ends along its axial direction. The first isolating portion 1111 and the limiting portion 1116 are located at these two ends, respectively. Figure 5As shown, the first isolating part 1111 is located at the left end of the connecting part 1112, and the limiting part 1116 is located at the right end of the connecting part. The first isolating part 1111 is located outside the connecting part 1112, while the limiting part 1116 and the limiting member 112 are both located inside the connecting part 1112. Both the first isolating part 1111 and the second isolating part 1111 are perpendicular to the axis of the connecting part 1112, and the axial direction of the connecting part 1112 is the same as the axial direction of the housing assembly 110. The end face of the first isolating part 1111 away from the limiting part 1116 is... Figure 5 The left end face of the middle. In these embodiments, the limiting part 1116 is annular, and the first isolation part 1111 can be annular or other shapes, such as Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the inner circle of the first isolation portion 1111 is circular and the outer circle is roughly triangular. The first isolation portion 1111 is provided with three clearance holes 1111b and three grooves 1111a. The three clearance holes 1111b are respectively located at the three corners of the first isolation portion 1111, and a groove 1111a is provided between every two adjacent clearance holes 1111b.

[0075] The first isolation part 1111 and the limiting part 1116 are located at both ends of the connecting part 1112, and the second isolation part 121 is located on one side of the limiting part 1116, so that the first isolation part 1111 and the second isolation part 121 are located on both sides of the connecting part 1112, and the second isolation part 121 is far away from the first isolation part 1111. The first isolation part 1111 and the second isolation part 121 are located outside the connecting part 1112 and inside the connecting part 1112, so that the first isolation part 1111 and the second isolation part 121 are staggered. The first end face 310 and the third end face 421 of the steering unit 1000 are spaced apart and staggered along the axial direction of the drive shaft 300. With the above design, the shape and structure of the housing assembly 110 are adapted to the shape and structure of the steering unit 1000, so that the housing assembly 110 can be smoothly installed on the steering unit 1000. With this design, the connecting part 1112 is fitted onto the outer ring 420 of the bearing, and the steering knuckle 200 is fitted onto the outside of the connecting part 1112. Therefore, the inner diameter of the connecting part 1112 should be greater than the outer diameter of the outer ring 420 of the bearing and smaller than the inner diameter of the steering knuckle 200.

[0076] In some embodiments, the gasket limiting portion 122 is disposed perpendicularly to the second isolation portion 121, and the gasket limiting portion 122 surrounds the outer periphery of the second isolation portion 121, the second isolation portion 121 being perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing assembly 110.

[0077] In these embodiments, the second isolation portion 121 is annular, the gasket limiting portion 122 is cylindrical, the gasket limiting portion 122 is sleeved outside the second isolation portion 121, and the second isolation portion 121 is located in the middle of the gasket limiting portion 122.

[0078] In some embodiments, the limiting portion 1116 includes a first limiting portion 1113, a second limiting portion 1114, and a first connecting portion 1115; the limiting member 112 includes a third limiting portion 1121, a fourth limiting portion 1122, and a second connecting portion 1123; the first limiting portion 1113 and the third limiting portion 1121 are disposed opposite to each other and are both fixedly connected to the connecting portion 1112; the second limiting portion 1114 and the fourth limiting portion 1123 are disposed opposite to each other and are both located at the first limiting portion 1113 and the third limiting portion 1121. Between; the first connecting part 1115 is located on the side of the first limiting part 1113 away from the connecting part 1112, and is connected to the first limiting part 1113 and the second limiting part 1114; the second connecting part 1123 is located on the side of the third limiting part 1121 away from the connecting part 1112, and is connected to the third limiting part 1121 and the fourth limiting part 1122; the gasket limiting part 122 is simultaneously located between the second limiting part 1114 and the connecting part 1112, and between the fourth limiting part 1122 and the connecting part 1112.

[0079] With this design, the gasket limiting portion 122 is sleeved outside the connecting portion 1112 and the fourth limiting portion 1122. The gasket limiting portion 122 is located on one side along the axial direction between the second limiting portion 1114 and the connecting portion 1112, and on the other side between the fourth limiting portion 1122 and the connecting portion 1112. The gasket limiting portion 122 is limited by the second limiting portion 1114 and the fourth limiting portion 1122, and the gasket limiting portion 122 will not detach along the radial direction of the housing assembly 110. In these embodiments, the second isolation portion 121 is partially located between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth isolation portion, and another part of the second isolation portion 121 extends out from the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth isolation portion, located between the first end face 310 and the second end face 411.

[0080] In some embodiments, both the outer shell 111 and the limiting member 112 are made of metal, and both are integrally formed by stamping. The limiting member 112 is welded to the outer shell 111. In some embodiments, the gasket 120 is also made of metal such as steel or iron. The second isolation portion 121 and the gasket limiting portion 122 of the gasket 120 can be integrally formed by casting or other methods, or formed separately and then fixed together by welding or other methods.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first limiting portion 1113, the second limiting portion 1114, the third limiting portion 1121, and the fourth limiting portion 1122 are parallel to and perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing assembly 110, and the first limiting portion 1113, the second limiting portion 1114, the third limiting portion 1121, and the fourth limiting portion 1122 are all annular.

[0082] The gasket 120 rotates with the drive shaft 300 and the inner ring 410 of the bearing, while the housing assembly 110 does not rotate with the drive shaft 300 and the inner ring 410 of the bearing. In order to reduce the frictional force on the gasket 120 when it rotates, reduce the wear of the gasket 120, and extend the life of the gasket 120, in some embodiments, the connecting part 1112, the limiting part 1116, the limiting member 112 and the gasket 120 form an oil reservoir 100a for storing lubricating oil.

[0083] Lubricating oil is stored in the oil reservoir 100a. The lubricating oil is used to lubricate the parts where the gasket 120 contacts the housing assembly 110, reducing the friction between the gasket 120 and the housing assembly 110, thereby reducing the wear of the gasket 120 and the housing assembly 110 and extending the service life of the isolation component 100. Specifically, the connecting part 1112, the first limiting part 1113, the second limiting part 1114, the first connecting part 1115, the third limiting part 1121, the second connecting part 1123 and the fourth limiting part 1122, the gasket limiting part 122 and the second isolation part 121 together form the oil reservoir 100a.

[0084] Lubricating oil is prone to leaking from the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122, and from the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114. In some embodiments, the housing assembly 110 further includes a seal 130 disposed between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114 to seal the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114; the seal 130 is also disposed between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122 to seal the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122.

[0085] By providing the seal 130, the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114, as well as the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122, are sealed to prevent lubricating oil from leaking from the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114, as well as the gap between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122.

[0086] In these embodiments, two sealing elements 130 are provided. One sealing element 130 is disposed between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114, and the other sealing element 130 is disposed between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122. The sealing element 130 can be fixed to the second isolation portion 121, or fixed to the second limiting portion 1114 and the fourth limiting portion 1122. Of course, the sealing element 130 can also be placed directly between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114, or between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122, without being fixed to the second isolation portion 121, the second limiting portion 1114, or the fourth limiting portion 1122. This is not a limitation.

[0087] The material of the seal 130 can be varied, such as rubber or silicone. In some embodiments, the seal 130 is an oil seal.

[0088] In some embodiments, the seal 130 includes a first sealing portion 131 and a second sealing portion 132 arranged at right angles.

[0089] For the seal 130 located between the second isolation part 121 and the second limiting part 1114, the first sealing part 131 fills the gap between the second isolation part 121 and the second limiting part 1114, the second sealing part 132 fills the gap between the gasket limiting part 122 and the second limiting part 1114, and the second sealing part 132 is interference-fitted onto the second limiting part 1114.

[0090] For the seal 130 located between the second isolation part 121 and the fourth limiting part 1122, the first sealing part 131 fills the gap between the second isolation part 121 and the fourth limiting part 1122, the second sealing part 132 fills the gap between the gasket limiting part 122 and the fourth limiting part 1122, and the second sealing part 132 is interference-fitted onto the fourth limiting part 1122.

[0091] In some embodiments, the gasket 120 is first subjected to carbonitriding heat treatment, and then Teflon material is sprayed on the part that contacts the first end face 310 and the second end face 411 after heat treatment, to further reduce the abnormal noise of the car during starting and reversing.

[0092] The following describes the assembly process of the isolation component 100 in this application:

[0093] First, the sealing member 130 located between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114 is installed on the second limiting portion 1114, and the inner ring of the second sealing portion 132 of the sealing member 130 located between the second isolation portion 121 and the second limiting portion 1114 is press-fitted with the second limiting portion 1114; then, the gasket 120 is installed on the sealing member 130; then, the sealing member 130 located between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122 is installed on the gasket 120; then, lubricating oil is added to the oil reservoir 100a; finally, the limiting member 112 is welded to the connecting portion 1112, and the second sealing portion 132 of the sealing member 130 located between the second isolation portion 121 and the fourth limiting portion 1122 is press-fitted with the fourth limiting portion 1122.

[0094] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, based on the same inventive concept, this application embodiment also provides a steering unit 1000, which includes a hub bearing 400, a drive shaft 300, a steering knuckle 200 and the aforementioned isolation component 100.

[0095] The hub bearing 400 has an inner bearing ring 410 and an outer bearing ring 420 that are rotatably connected; a drive shaft 300 is located on the inner bearing ring 410 and is fixedly connected to the inner bearing ring 410; an isolation assembly 100 is sleeved on the outer bearing ring 420, and a second isolation part 121 is fixed between the inner bearing ring 410 and the drive shaft 300; a steering knuckle 200 is sleeved on the outer bearing ring 420 and is fixedly connected to the outer bearing ring 420 by a connector, and the second isolation part 121 is located between the steering knuckle 200 and the outer bearing ring 420.

[0096] The inner ring 410 and outer ring 420 of the bearing are rotatably connected. The hub bearing 400 may further include a plurality of balls 430 disposed between the inner ring 410 and outer ring 420 to allow for contact between them. The hub bearing 400 may also include a seal 130 (e.g., an oil seal 440) disposed between the inner ring 410 and outer ring 420 to seal the gap between them. The structure of the hub bearing 400 varies and is not limited in this application. A portion of the drive shaft 300 extends into and is fixedly connected to the inner ring 410, and the inner ring 410 rotates synchronously with the drive shaft 300. A lock nut can be connected to the end of the drive shaft 300 extending out of the inner ring 410 to fix the drive shaft 300 to the inner ring 410. A spline groove can be formed in the inner ring 410 of the bearing, and a protrusion adapted to the spline groove can be formed in a section of the drive shaft 300 located in the inner ring 410 of the bearing, so that the inner ring 410 of the bearing can rotate together with the drive shaft 300. The structure of the steering knuckle 200 and the drive shaft 300 is varied and is not limited in this application. When the drive shaft 300 rotates, the inner ring 410 of the bearing rotates with the drive shaft 300, while the steering knuckle 200 and the outer ring 420 of the bearing do not rotate.

[0097] Specifically, the second isolating part 121 is located between the first end face 310 and the second end face 411, and the first end face 310 and the second end face 411 clamp the second isolating part 121. The second isolating part 121 will rotate synchronously with the drive shaft 300 and the inner ring of the bearing 410. The first isolating part 1111 is located between the third end face 421 and the fourth end face 210, and the third end face 421 and the fourth end face 210 clamp the first isolating part 1111.

[0098] Specifically, the connecting part 1112 is sleeved on the outer wall of the bearing outer ring 420, and the steering knuckle 200 is sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting part 1112. The connecting part 1112 is located between the outer wall of the bearing outer ring 420 and the inner wall of the steering knuckle 200.

[0099] Specifically, a mounting groove 1000a is formed between the hub bearing 400 and the drive shaft 300, and the limiting member 112 and the limiting part 1116 are located in the mounting groove 1000a.

[0100] Since the steering unit 1000 includes the isolation component 100 described above in this application, it naturally has all the beneficial effects of the isolation component 100 in this application, which will not be elaborated here.

[0101] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a vehicle, including the above-described isolation component 100 or the above-described steering unit 1000.

[0102] Since the vehicle includes the isolation component 100 described above in this application, it naturally possesses all the beneficial effects of the isolation component 100 described above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0103] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the 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. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0104] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0105] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An isolation component, characterized in that, For mounting on a steering unit (1000) of a vehicle, the steering unit (1000) includes a steering knuckle (200), a drive shaft (300), and a wheel hub bearing (400), the wheel hub bearing (400) having an inner bearing ring (410) and an outer bearing ring (420), the isolation assembly (100) including: The housing assembly (110) has a first isolation portion (1111) for being disposed between the steering knuckle (200) and the bearing outer ring (420), and a groove (1111a) is provided on the side of the first isolation portion (1111) for contacting the bearing outer ring (420). A gasket (120) is rotatably connected to the housing assembly (110) about the axial direction of the housing assembly (110) and has a second isolation portion (121) for fixing between the inner ring of the bearing (410) and the drive shaft (300). The housing assembly (110) includes an outer shell (111) and a limiting member (112). The outer shell (111) has a first isolation portion (1111), and the outer shell (111) also has a connecting portion (1112) and a limiting portion (1116). The first isolation portion (1111) and the limiting portion (1116) are both angularly arranged with the connecting portion (1112). The connecting portion (1112) is located between the first isolation portion (1111) and the limiting portion (1116) and is connected to the first isolation portion (1111) and the limiting portion (1116). The limiting member (112) is connected to the connecting portion (1112) and is disposed opposite to the limiting portion (1116). The gasket (120) also has a gasket limiting portion (122) connected to the second isolation portion (121). The gasket limiting portion (122) is located between the limiting member (112) and the limiting portion (1116). The second isolation portion (121) extends out of the limiting member (112) and the limiting portion (1116). The gasket limiting portion (122) overlaps with the limiting portion (1116) and the limiting member (112) in the radial projection of the housing assembly (110).

2. The isolation component according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the housing assembly (110), the first isolation portion (1111) and the limiting portion (1116) are respectively located at both ends of the connecting portion (1112), and the first isolation portion (1111) surrounds the outer periphery of the connecting portion (1112), and the limiting portion (1116) surrounds the inner periphery of the connecting portion (1112). The first isolation portion (1111) and the limiting portion (1116) are both vertically arranged on the connecting portion (1112); the groove (1111a) is opened on the end face of the first isolation portion (1111) away from the limiting portion (1116).

3. The isolation component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gasket limiting part (122) is perpendicular to the second isolation part (121), and the gasket limiting part (122) surrounds the outer periphery of the second isolation part (121), and the second isolation part (121) is perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing assembly (110).

4. The isolation component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting part (1116) includes a first limiting part (1113), a second limiting part (1114) and a first connecting part (1115), and the limiting member (112) includes a third limiting part (1121), a fourth limiting part (1122) and a second connecting part (1123). The first limiting part (1113) and the third limiting part (1121) are arranged opposite to each other and are both fixedly connected to the connecting part (1112). The second limiting part (1114) and the fourth limiting part (1122) are arranged opposite to each other and are both located between the first limiting part (1113) and the third limiting part (1121). The first connecting part (1115) is located on the side of the first limiting part (1113) away from the connecting part (1112), and is connected to the first limiting part (1113) and the second limiting part (1114). The second connecting part (1123) is located on the side of the third limiting part (1121) away from the connecting part (1112), and is connected to the third limiting part (1121) and the fourth limiting part (1122). The gasket limiting part (122) is located between the second limiting part (1114) and the connecting part (1112), and between the fourth limiting part (1122) and the connecting part (1112).

5. The isolation component according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connecting part (1112), the limiting part (1116), the limiting member (112) and the gasket (120) form an oil reservoir (100a) for storing lubricating oil.

6. The isolation component according to claim 5, characterized in that, The housing assembly (110) further includes a seal (130) disposed between the second isolation portion (121) and the second limiting portion (1114) to seal the gap between the second isolation portion (121) and the second limiting portion (1114); the seal (130) is also disposed between the second isolation portion (121) and the fourth limiting portion (1122) to seal the gap between the second isolation portion (121) and the fourth limiting portion (1122).

7. The isolation component according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The first isolation part (1111) is also provided with a clearance hole (1111b) for avoiding the connecting member connecting the steering knuckle (200) and the outer ring (420) of the bearing.

8. A steering unit, characterized in that, include: A hub bearing (400) has an inner bearing ring (410) and an outer bearing ring (420) that are rotatably connected. The drive shaft (300) is partially located inside the inner ring (410) of the bearing and is fixedly connected to the inner ring (410); The isolation component (100) according to any one of claims 1-7, the isolation component (100) is sleeved on the outer ring (420) of the bearing, and the second isolation part (121) is fixed between the inner ring (410) of the bearing and the drive shaft (300); Steering knuckle (200) is fitted onto the isolation assembly (100) and fixedly connected to the bearing outer ring (420). The second isolation part (1111) is located between the steering knuckle (200) and the bearing outer ring (420).

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the isolation component (100) according to any one of claims 1-7 or the steering unit (1000) according to claim 8.

Citation Information

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