Wheel drive device and motor vehicle
The wheel drive device addresses clicking noises in motor vehicles by using a gearing mechanism with a retaining ring and sealing ring to secure the wheel hub axially, decoupling the wheel bearing preload and preventing noise during dynamic load changes.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102024002352
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-29
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-07-18
AI Technical Summary
Existing wheel drive systems in motor vehicles, particularly electrically powered vehicles, experience clicking noises during acceleration and load changes due to dynamic torque transmission at the contact surface of the wheel bearing with the side shaft or lateral drive shaft, which are not adequately addressed by existing solutions like anti-cracking discs or molycoating.
A wheel drive device with a gearing mechanism where the wheel hub is non-rotatably connected to a joint housing via a pin with complementary toothings, featuring a circumferential groove for a retaining ring to secure the wheel hub axially, and a sealing ring to prevent axial movement, eliminating the need for additional components and assembly steps.
Prevents clicking noises during dynamic load changes by decoupling the wheel bearing preload and sealing the gap between the driveshaft and collar, ensuring smooth torque transmission without additional components or assembly processes.
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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a wheel drive device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a motor vehicle according to claim 7.
[0002] In motor vehicles, especially electrically powered vehicles, clicking noises can occur during acceleration and load changes. These clicking noises are particularly likely to occur at the contact surface of a wheel bearing with a side shaft or lateral drive shaft.
[0003] It is known to use an anti-cracking disc. A disadvantage is that an additional component is required. It is also known to molycoat the contact surfaces. However, this does not completely solve the problem and requires an additional work step. Furthermore, face gears are known.
[0004] DE 10 2006 030 682 A1 describes a wheel hub constant velocity swivel joint unit in which a wheel hub with a through-hole, which carries an internal shaft toothing, is clamped to the joint housing of a constant velocity swivel joint, on which a pin with an external shaft toothing is integrally formed, wherein the internal shaft toothing of the through-hole and the external shaft toothing of the pin interlock and a double-row wheel bearing is pushed onto the wheel hub, which includes an inner bearing ring on which an end face of the joint housing is directly supported, wherein the pitch circle diameter of the rolling bearing is larger than the pitch circle diameter of the constant velocity swivel joint. Similar wheel hub constant velocity joint units are known from DE 10 2020 100 157 A1 and DE 10 2015 211 456 A1, in both cases a retaining ring is used to axially secure the wheel hub to the joint housing.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a novel wheel drive device for a motor vehicle and a novel motor vehicle.
[0006] The problem is solved according to the invention by a wheel drive device for a motor vehicle with the features of claim 1 and by a motor vehicle with the features of claim 7.
[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.
[0008] A wheel drive device for a motor vehicle is proposed, comprising a wheel hub rotatably mounted about a wheel axis of rotation, a joint housing having a joint bell and a pin non-rotatably connected to the joint bell, and a gearing device having a first toothing on the wheel hub side and a second toothing arranged on an outer circumference of the pin, wherein the first toothing engages with the second toothing, thereby non-rotatably connecting the wheel hub to the joint housing, and wherein in an axial region of the gearing device the wheel hub radially surrounds the pin. According to the invention, the pin has a first circumferential groove on a side of the gearing device facing away from the joint bell, with respect to a direction of the wheel axis of rotation, in which a retaining ring is arranged for axially securing the wheel hub to the joint housing.
[0009] In the prior art, particularly in electric drives, a clicking noise occurs during dynamic load changes in the area of a collar on the wheel hub, often also referred to as a crimp, especially due to a sudden torque transmission from the joint housing to the collar. This clicking noise is prevented by the solution according to the invention.
[0010] In the context of the present application, the term “rotationally fixed” is used as follows: Two rotatably mounted elements are rotationally fixed to each other if they are arranged coaxially to each other and are connected to each other in such a way that they rotate at the same angular velocity.
[0011] The terms "axial" and "radial" refer to the wheel's axis of rotation.
[0012] The term "axial area" refers to an area of extension (here, the area of extension of the gearing device) in the axial direction. This area is thus to be understood as a spatial region that extends axially from the beginning to the end of the gearing device and that extends infinitely in the other two spatial directions.
[0013] The wheel hub, joint housing, and pin are all arranged coaxially. The first and second toothed sections are axially overlapping, meaning they are located within a region of identical axial coordinates.
[0014] In one embodiment, the wheel hub has a contact surface arranged perpendicular to the direction of the wheel's axis of rotation for contact with the retaining ring.
[0015] In one embodiment, a sealing ring is arranged on an outer circumference of the joint housing on a side of the gearing device facing the joint housing with respect to the axial direction, to seal a gap between the wheel hub and the joint housing.
[0016] In one embodiment, a second circumferential groove or a support ring for receiving the sealing ring is arranged on the outer circumference of the joint housing.
[0017] In one embodiment, a rolling bearing is arranged in an axial area between the sealing ring and the retaining ring on an outer circumference of the wheel hub with respect to the direction of the wheel's axis of rotation.
[0018] In one embodiment, the wheel hub has a radially outward-facing collar at one of its axial ends facing the ball joint, with the collar abutting the sealing ring. The collar of the wheel hub is often also referred to as a crimp.
[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, a motor vehicle with multiple wheels is proposed, comprising one or more of the wheel drive devices described above.
[0020] The motor vehicle may, for example, have at least one electric drive and / or an internal combustion engine.
[0021] The motor vehicle can be, for example, a passenger car, a commercial vehicle or a bus.
[0022] The present invention proposes to fix at least one side shaft or side drive shaft of the motor vehicle without preload via a retaining ring (for example according to DIN 471 or in a similar design) and to decouple the wheel bearing preload from the assembly.
[0023] This prevents a stick-slip effect between the wheel bearing and the driveshaft. To prevent moisture from entering the splines, a sealing ring can be inserted between the driveshaft contour and the collar (flanged contour) of the wheel bearing.
[0024] This prevents cracking noises during start-up and load changes. A normally required bolting process during assembly is no longer necessary.
[0025] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.
[0026] This shows: Fig. 1 A schematic view of a joint housing of a side shaft of a motor vehicle according to the prior art, which is in engagement with a wheel hub of a wheel of the motor vehicle.
[0027] The only Fig.Figure 1 is a schematic view of a joint housing 1 of a side shaft or lateral drive shaft of a motor vehicle, for example, a passenger car, a commercial vehicle, or a bus, particularly with an electric drive and / or an internal combustion engine. The joint housing 1 has a joint bell 6 and a pin 3 that engages in a wheel hub 2 of a wheel of the motor vehicle, in particular in an axial receptacle 4 of the wheel hub 2. The pin 3 and the axial receptacle 4 are connected to each other in a rotationally fixed manner by a toothed device 7. For this purpose, the pin 3 and the axial receptacle 4 have complementary, for example, straight, toothed sections by which the axial receptacle 4 is connected to the pin 3 in a rotationally fixed manner. The pin 3 may have an axial bore 5 with an internal thread into which a central screw (not shown) with an external thread could be screwed.However, this is not required in the present invention.
[0028] The wheel hub 2 can have an end face 9 on an inner surface facing towards the side shaft. The joint housing 1 can also have an end face 10 at the level of a projection of the pin 3, which, when the pin 3 is inserted into the receptacle 4, is opposite the end face 9, but does not necessarily abut it.
[0029] The pin 3 has a first circumferential groove 11 on one side of the toothing device 7 facing away from the joint bell 6 with respect to a direction of the wheel rotation axis, in which a retaining ring 12 is arranged for axial securing of the wheel hub 2 against the joint housing 1.
[0030] Unlike in the prior art, the wheel hub 2 is therefore not pressed against the joint housing 1, but is secured more loosely against axial movement by the retaining ring 12.
[0031] In one embodiment, the wheel hub 2 can have a contact surface 8 arranged perpendicular to the direction of the wheel axis of rotation for contact with the retaining ring 12.
[0032] Furthermore, with regard to the axial direction, a sealing ring 13 can be arranged on an outer circumference of the joint housing 1 on one side of the gearing device 7 facing the joint bell 6 to seal a gap 14 between the wheel hub 2 and the joint housing 1.
[0033] In one embodiment, a second circumferential groove 15 or a support ring for receiving the sealing ring 13 can be arranged on the outer circumference of the joint housing 1.
[0034] In one embodiment, a rolling bearing 16 can be arranged in an axial area between the sealing ring 13 and the retaining ring 12 on an outer circumference of the wheel hub 2 with respect to the direction of the wheel rotation axis.
[0035] In one embodiment, the wheel hub 2 can have a radially outwardly directed collar 17 at one axial end of the wheel hub 2 facing the joint bell 6, wherein the collar 17 abuts the sealing ring 13.
[0036] In the prior art, particularly in electric drives, a clicking noise occurs in the area of the collar 17 on the wheel hub 2 during dynamic load changes (torque transmission from the joint housing 1 via the collar 17); this clicking noise is prevented by the solution according to the invention. Reference symbol list 1 Joint housing 2 Wheel hub 3 cones 4 recording 5 holes 6 Joint bell 7 Gear cutting device 8 Plant area 9 Front surface 10 Front surface 11 Nut 12 retaining ring 13 Sealing ring 14 columns 15 Nut 16 rolling bearings 17 collars
Claims
[1] Wheel drive device for a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel hub (2) rotatably mounted about a wheel axis, a joint housing (1) which has a joint bell (6) and a pin (3) non-rotatably connected to the joint bell (6), and a gearing device (7) which has a first toothing on the wheel hub side and a second toothing arranged on an outer circumference of the pin (3), wherein the first toothing engages with the second toothing, thereby connecting the wheel hub (2) non-rotatably to the joint housing (1), wherein in an axial region of the gearing device (7) the wheel hub (2) radially surrounds the pin (3), characterized by, that the pin (3) has a first circumferential groove (11) on a side of the toothing device (7) facing away from the joint bell (6) with respect to a direction of the wheel rotation axis, in which a retaining ring (12) is arranged for axially securing the wheel hub (2) against the joint housing (1). [2] Wheel drive device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the wheel hub (2) has a contact surface (8) arranged perpendicular to the direction of the wheel axis of rotation for contact with the retaining ring (12). [3] Wheel drive device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that with respect to the axial direction on a side of the gearing device (7) facing the joint bell (6) a sealing ring (13) is arranged on an outer circumference of the joint housing (1) to seal a gap (14) between the wheel hub (2) and the joint housing (1). [4] Wheel drive device according to claim 3, characterized by, that a second circumferential groove (15) or a support ring for receiving the sealing ring (13) is arranged on the outer circumference of the joint housing (1). [5] Wheel drive device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by , that with respect to the direction of the wheel rotation axis in an axial area between the sealing ring (13) and the retaining ring (12) on an outer circumference of the wheel hub (2) a rolling bearing (16) is arranged. [6] Wheel drive device according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by , that the wheel hub (2) has a radially outwardly directed collar (17) at one axial end of the wheel hub (2) facing the joint bell (6), wherein the collar (17) rests against the sealing ring (13). [7] Motor vehicle with multiple wheels, comprising one or more wheel drive devices according to any one of the preceding claims.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
wheel hub joint unit
DE102006030682A1
Drive module for a driven axle of a motor vehicle
DE102015211456A1
Wheel bearing unit for a vehicle
DE102020100157A1