An integrated wheel end system and method of arranging a wheel end system

Abstract

The application discloses an integrated wheel-side system and a wheel-side system arrangement method, and the integrated wheel-side system comprises a steering knuckle, a wheel hub bearing unit and a brake disc, the wheel hub bearing unit comprises a bearing inner flange and a bearing outer ring, and the brake disc is integrated with the bearing inner flange into an integrated structure so as to eliminate the independent tolerance ring of the brake disc disc thickness in the axial dimension chain in the traditional split structure. The brake disc is integrated with the bearing inner flange into an integrated structure, so that the production, transportation and assembly costs can be directly saved, the integration degree is improved and the work flow is simplified; the integrated structure can eliminate a part of superimposed errors and assembly errors, and the design cost and the size chain calculation cost are reduced; when the wheel-side system is arranged, the wheel hub position, the wheel offset distance, the brake disc cap thickness and the bearing installation distance are considered so as to determine the positions of the steering knuckle and the bearing installation surface, and the integrated structure can reduce the brake disc cap thickness link in the size chain calculation, and the calculation amount is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive parts technology, specifically to an integrated wheel-side system and a method for arranging the wheel-side system. Background Technology

[0002] A traditional wheel-side system, from the outside to the inside of the vehicle, consists of the wheel, brake disc, wheel hub bearing, dust disc, caliper, and steering knuckle. The steering knuckle connects to the control arm inside the vehicle, enabling wheel hop and steering; it is a crucial supporting structure for the wheel-side system. The caliper is fixed to the steering knuckle with caliper bolts, and the outer ring of the bearing is fixed to the steering knuckle with connecting bolts. The brake disc and bearing flange are fixed together with a small bolt. Wheel bolts connect the wheel, brake disc, and bearing flange together. When the vehicle brakes, the brake disc, which rotates with the wheel, is clamped by the caliper fixed to the steering knuckle, achieving the braking function. This structure requires the assembly of many parts and standard components, and to ensure NVH stability during vehicle braking, the end hop of the brake disc needs to be controlled. The end hop of the brake disc is affected by the machining end hop of the brake disc itself, the machining end hop of the bearing flange, and the precision of the brake disc-bearing assembly process, which can easily lead to significant errors. From a cost and efficiency perspective, the current structure takes into account the cost of the brake disc-bearing flange connecting bolts and the assembly station costs of assembling the bearing, brake disc, and brake disc-bearing flange connecting bolts. In terms of efficiency, assembling these parts requires specific processes, resulting in assembly cycles. Furthermore, when designing the wheel rim system layout, numerous dimensional chain relationships need to be considered. If a design change occurs at any stage, the entire dimensional chain relationship must be recalculated, making the work prone to repetition. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides an integrated wheel rim system and a method for arranging the wheel rim system.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an integrated wheel-side system includes a steering knuckle, a wheel hub bearing unit, and a brake disc. The wheel hub bearing unit includes an inner bearing flange and an outer bearing ring. The brake disc and the inner bearing flange are integrated into a single structure to eliminate the independent tolerance loop of the brake disc thickness in the axial dimensional chain in traditional split structures. A steel ball assembly is provided between the inner bearing flange and the outer bearing ring to connect the two. The inner bearing flange has a mating end face for positioning and engaging with the wheel rim. The mating end face has a plurality of connecting holes for connecting with wheel bolts. The outer bearing ring has a mating step for engaging with the steering knuckle. The mating step has a mating surface for engaging with the steering knuckle.

[0005] An integrated wheel-side system according to an embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: The brake disc and the bearing inner flange are integrated into a single structure, which can directly save production, transportation, and assembly costs, improve the degree of integration, and simplify the workflow. Making it into a single structure will eliminate some superposition errors and assembly errors, and reduce design costs and dimensional chain calculation costs. When arranging the wheel-side system, it is necessary to consider the wheel center position, wheel offset distance, brake disc cap thickness, and bearing installation distance to determine the position of the steering knuckle and bearing mounting surface. The integrated structure can reduce the brake disc cap thickness step in the dimensional chain calculation, thus reducing the amount of calculation.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the steel ball assembly includes an inner steel ball and an outer steel ball.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the system satisfies the following geometric relationships: KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2] in, KT is the distance from the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel; MD represents the bearing mounting distance of the integrated structure. PD stands for brake disc pitch; WD is the wheel center distance.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a microscopic thermal management structure is provided on the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to control the conduction of braking heat to the steering knuckle.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the microscopic thermal management structure is a microgroove or thermal resistance coating disposed on the mating surface.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the integrated structure adopts a multi-material composite design, wherein the brake disc portion is made of a first material, and the inner flange portion of the wheel hub bearing unit is made of a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are different.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first material is cast iron and the second material is bearing steel; the integral structure is formed by bimetallic casting or friction welding.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a wheel rim system arrangement method is applied to the integrated wheel rim system described in any one of the above embodiments, comprising the following steps: Provides integrated wheel hub bearing units with brake discs; Obtain the brake disc pitch and wheel center distance; The target mating distance is calculated according to the preset algorithm KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2], which is the distance from the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel, where MD is the bearing installation distance of the integrated structure; The integrated wheel hub bearing unit is press-fitted to the steering knuckle, and the press-fitting position is precisely controlled so that the actual distance from the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel is equal to the target mating distance.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the step of precisely controlling the pressing position includes: during the pressing process, monitoring the pressing force and pressing displacement in real time using a dedicated pressing device, and servo controlling the final pressing position according to the target mating distance to compensate for manufacturing deviations in the brake disc pitch and wheel center distance.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, after the pressing step, a final finishing step is performed on the friction surface of the brake disc of the integral structure, with the rotation axis of the wheel hub bearing unit as a reference.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the split structure of an integrated wheel rim system; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of an integrated wheel-side system.

[0017] Icon labels: Steering knuckle 100, bearing inner flange 200, mating end face 210, bearing inner ring 300, bearing outer ring 400, mating surface 410, steel ball assembly 500, wheel center 600. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0019] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, "multiple" refers to two or more. The use of "first" and "second" is for distinguishing technical features only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features or their sequential relationship.

[0021] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0022] The following will be combined with the appendix Figures 1 to 2 The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the embodiments described below are some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments.

[0023] For a typical wheel-side structure, the bearing mounting distance (MD), brake disc thickness (PT), and wheel offset (ET) are dimensional parameters of the parts themselves or modular borrowed components, and do not involve layout calculations. What often needs to be designed is the relative position KT between the steering knuckle 100 bearing mounting surface and the wheel center 600. This value is not a dimension of the part itself, but rather a layout parameter value.

[0024] In actual calculations, the wheel center position coordinates are provided by the chassis suspension or chassis dynamics performance specifications. Therefore, multiplying the absolute value of the wheel center Y-coordinate by 2 gives the wheel center distance WD. Figure 1 From the geometric relationship, we can know that: (PD-WD) / 2=ET This formula expresses the relationship between wheel offset and suspension system layout, and also transfers and imports the mathematical relationship of suspension layout into wheel-side layout.

[0025] KT+ET=PT+MD This formula expresses the positional relationship of the various components within the wheel-side system. Then we have a formula to solve for KT: KT=PT+MD-ET KT = PT + MD - [(PD - WD) / 2] It can be seen that the position of the steering knuckle 100 and the bearing mating surface 410—the solution of the KT value—requires the participation of four arrangement parameters in the calculation.

[0026] This application provides an integrated wheel-side system, including a steering knuckle 100, a wheel hub bearing unit, and a brake disc. The wheel hub bearing unit includes an inner bearing flange 200, an inner bearing ring 300, and an outer bearing ring 400. The brake disc is integrated with the inner bearing flange 200 into a single structure, eliminating the independent tolerance loop of the brake disc thickness in the axial dimensional chain in traditional split structures. A steel ball assembly 500 connects the inner bearing flange 200 and the outer bearing ring 400. The inner bearing flange 200 has a mating end face 210 for positioning and engaging with the wheel rim, and the mating end face 210 has multiple connecting holes for bolt connection with the wheel. The outer bearing ring 400 has a mating step for engaging with the steering knuckle 100, and the mating step has a mating surface 410 for engaging with the steering knuckle 100. The steel ball assembly 500 includes inner steel balls and outer steel balls. In this design, the inner bearing flange 200 integrates the dual functions of the original bearing flange and brake disc, providing both a mounting plane for the wheel and braking functionality.

[0027] When arranging the wheel-side system, it can be seen that the brake disc thickness PT under the original structure no longer exists. Since the integrated structure bearing mounting distance MD = split structure MD + split structure PT, the dimensional chain calculation for the brake disc thickness PT is missing. (Refer to...) Figure 2 Then the relationship of the integrated structure becomes: ET = (PD - WD) / 2 KT+ET=MD The formula for calculating the distance KT from the bearing-steering knuckle 100 mating surface 410 to the wheel center is as follows: KT=MD-ET KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2] The system satisfies the following geometric relationship: KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2] in, KT is the distance from the mating surface 410 of the steering knuckle 100 and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel; MD represents the bearing mounting distance of the integrated structure. PD stands for brake disc pitch; WD is the wheel center distance.

[0028] This integrated structure directly saves on production, transportation, and assembly costs, improves integration, and simplifies workflows. Traditional split structures require brake disc and bearing manufacturers to supply parts separately to assembly plants, which then assemble the wheel assembly before delivering it to the OEM. Therefore, the integrated structure reduces individual component transportation costs, connector production costs, and bearing and brake disc assembly costs. Past design experience shows that the cumulative end runout of a split structure is 0.05mm. An integrated structure eliminates some of the superposition and assembly errors, achieving a bearing flange end runout of 0.02mm, a 60% improvement in accuracy. It also reduces design and dimensional chain calculation costs. When arranging the wheel system, the wheel center position, wheel offset distance, brake disc cap thickness, and bearing installation distance need to be considered to determine the position of the steering knuckle 100 and the bearing mounting surface. The integrated structure reduces the brake disc cap thickness (PT) step in dimensional chain calculations, reducing computational load. With a split structure, replacing bearings or steering knuckle 100 requires disassembly from the outside in, while the integrated structure reduces these disassembly and assembly steps.

[0029] Furthermore, by integrating the brake disc and wheel hub bearing unit into a single structure, the problem of the brake disc thickness (PT) participating in the dimensional chain calculation as an independent tolerance loop in the traditional split structure is completely eliminated, significantly reducing the cumulative error of the axial dimension and improving the assembly accuracy of the wheel-side system. By establishing the geometric relationship formula KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2], a precise axial dimension design basis is provided for the integrated structure, ensuring the accurate determination of the position of the steering knuckle 100 mating surface 410 and avoiding the uncertainty brought about by traditional experience-based design.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a micro-thermal management structure is provided on the mating surface 410 between the steering knuckle 100 and the wheel hub bearing unit to control the conduction of braking heat to the steering knuckle 100. By providing a micro-thermal management structure on the KT mating surface 410, the conduction path of braking heat to the steering knuckle 100 is actively controlled, preventing the internal grease of the bearing from failing due to high temperature. This effectively reduces the bearing operating temperature, prevents premature aging and loss of grease, and extends the bearing life by more than 30%. It also reduces the temperature rise of the steering knuckle 100 caused by heat conduction, avoids loosening of the mating surface 410 or changes in interference fit due to thermal expansion, and ensures the long-term stability of the KT value.

[0031] The microscopic thermal management structure comprises microgrooves or a thermally resistive coating on the mating surface 410. Microgrooves on the mating surface 410 can form an air insulation layer or a flow channel, while simultaneously increasing the heat dissipation area, achieving passive thermal management without the need for additional components. Alternatively, a special thermally resistive coating, such as a ceramic matrix composite material, can be used to significantly reduce the thermal conductivity coefficient while maintaining mating strength, achieving efficient thermal isolation suitable for high-performance braking scenarios. Both solutions can be flexibly selected based on vehicle type and braking load requirements, achieving the optimal balance between cost and performance.

[0032] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the integrated structure adopts a multi-material composite design, wherein the brake disc portion is made of a first material, and the inner flange portion of the wheel hub bearing unit is made of a second material, the first material and the second material being different. Specifically, the first material is cast iron, and the second material is bearing steel; the integrated structure is formed by bimetallic casting or friction welding. The brake disc portion uses wear-resistant and high-temperature-resistant materials (such as cast iron) to ensure braking performance; the bearing portion uses high-strength and high-toughness materials (such as bearing steel) to ensure load-bearing capacity and fatigue life.

[0033] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a wheel rim system arrangement method is applied to the integrated wheel rim system described in any one of the above embodiments, comprising the following steps: Provides integrated wheel hub bearing units with brake discs; Obtain the brake disc pitch and wheel center distance; The target mating distance is calculated according to the preset algorithm KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2], which is the distance from the mating surface 410 of the steering knuckle 100 and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel, where MD is the bearing installation distance of the integrated structure; The integrated wheel hub bearing unit is press-fitted to the steering knuckle 100, and the press-fitting position is precisely controlled so that the actual distance from the mating surface 410 of the steering knuckle 100 and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel is equal to the target mating distance.

[0034] By using calculation formulas to guide the press-fitting process, this method ensures that the KT value of each product precisely meets design requirements, eliminating the randomness of KT values ​​in traditional assembly. By directly applying the design formulas to the manufacturing process, a closed-loop technology from design to manufacturing is established, improving product consistency and reliability. This method is easily integrated into automated assembly lines.

[0035] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the step of precisely controlling the pressing position includes: during the pressing process, the pressing force and pressing displacement are monitored in real time by a dedicated pressing device, and the final pressing position is servo controlled according to the target mating distance to compensate for the manufacturing deviations of the brake disc pitch and wheel center distance, and to dynamically compensate for the manufacturing deviations: by monitoring the pressing force and displacement in real time, and servo controlling the pressing position according to the actual PD and WD values, the KT value fluctuation caused by the manufacturing tolerance of the parts can be effectively compensated, and "tailor-made" precise assembly can be achieved.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the present invention, after the press-fitting step, a final finishing step is performed on the friction surface of the integrated brake disc, using the rotation axis of the wheel hub bearing unit as a reference. Performing finishing on the brake disc friction surface after press-fitting completely eliminates the combined influence of factors such as the press-fitting process, component manufacturing errors, and thermal effects on the brake disc's accuracy, achieving ultimate precision assurance.

[0037] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "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 the invention. 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.

[0038] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated wheel rim system, characterized in that, The system includes a steering knuckle, a wheel hub bearing unit, and a brake disc. The wheel hub bearing unit includes an inner bearing flange and an outer bearing ring. The brake disc and the inner bearing flange are integrated into a single structure to eliminate the independent tolerance loop of the brake disc thickness in the axial dimensional chain in traditional split structures. A steel ball assembly connects the inner bearing flange and the outer bearing ring. The inner bearing flange has a mating end face for positioning and mating with the wheel rim. The mating end face has multiple connecting holes for connecting with wheel bolts. The outer bearing ring has a mating step for mating with the steering knuckle, and the mating step has a mating surface for mating with the steering knuckle.

2. The integrated wheel-side system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steel ball assembly includes an inner steel ball and an outer steel ball.

3. The integrated wheel-side system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system satisfies the following geometric relationship: KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2] in, KT is the distance from the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel; MD represents the bearing mounting distance of the integrated structure. PD stands for brake disc pitch; WD is the wheel center distance.

4. The integrated wheel-side system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A microscopic thermal management structure is provided on the mating surface between the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to control the conduction of braking heat to the steering knuckle.

5. The integrated wheel-side system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The microscopic thermal management structure is a microgroove or thermal resistance coating provided on the mating surface.

6. The integrated wheel-side system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The integrated structure adopts a multi-material composite design, wherein the brake disc is made of a first material, and the inner flange of the wheel hub bearing unit is made of a second material, and the first material and the second material are different.

7. The integrated wheel-side system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first material is cast iron, and the second material is bearing steel; the integral structure is formed by bimetallic casting or friction welding.

8. A method for arranging a wheel-side system, characterized in that, The wheel rim system arrangement method is applied to the integrated wheel rim system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and includes the following steps: Provides integrated wheel hub bearing units with brake discs; Obtain the brake disc pitch and wheel center distance; The target mating distance is calculated according to the preset algorithm KT = MD - [(PD - WD) / 2], which is the distance from the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel, where MD is the bearing installation distance of the integrated structure; The integrated wheel hub bearing unit is press-fitted to the steering knuckle, and the press-fitting position is precisely controlled so that the actual distance from the mating surface of the steering knuckle and the wheel hub bearing unit to the center surface of the wheel is equal to the target mating distance.

9. The wheel-side system arrangement method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The steps for precisely controlling the pressing position include: during the pressing process, monitoring the pressing force and pressing displacement in real time using a dedicated pressing device, and servo-controlling the final pressing position according to the target mating distance to compensate for manufacturing deviations in the brake disc pitch and wheel center distance.

10. The wheel-side system arrangement method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Following the press-fitting step, the process further includes a final finishing step of the brake disc friction surface of the integrated structure, using the rotation axis of the wheel hub bearing unit as a reference.

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