Circlip-type locking device for mounting bearings on MOTOR VEHICLES

Abstract

The invention relates to a circlip-type device for assembling and locking a bearing ring (2) onto a wheel assembly (3), characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical body (1) having, on a first edge (1a), a flared, elastically deformable flank (11) extending inwards towards the body via a flat (12), and, on a second edge (1b) opposite the first edge (1a), a radial shoulder (13). (Fig. 3)

Description

Title of the invention: Circlip-type locking device for mounting bearings on MOTOR VEHICLES

[0001] The invention relates, in general, to the field of bearings and is more particularly concerned with the mounting of these bearings on the wheel assemblies of motor vehicles.

[0002] It is known to assemble and lock cylindrical mechanical components using "circlips". Circlips are locking elements, in the form of flat, elastic rings, positioned in a groove previously formed on one of the components, thus creating a shoulder that allows the various components of the assembly to be joined together.

[0003] In the automotive field, bearing rings are generally retained on the wheel assemblies and braked to prevent their slippage by means of stops arranged on the outer side of the ring and a circlip mounted on its inner side.

[0004] However, in this context, the circlip used only ensures that the bearing ring is locked in one direction. Furthermore, there may be challenging situations, particularly when assembling a hub and a drive wheel bearing, where this traditional assembly is no longer possible, both due to accessibility issues and a lack of space for installing the thrust bearing, which then becomes too bulky.

[0005] US patent 9505266B2 describes a hub architecture that incorporates a bearing retained on the steering pivot by a circlip housed in an annular groove.

[0006] However, the profile and structure of this circlip do not allow its use in the application envisaged by the invention to hold, block and brake the bearing ring of a wheel assembly in both directions, and therefore on both sides of the ring, by means of a single element.

[0007] In this context, the invention sought a suitable solution for a method of assembling and locking an assembly comprising a bearing ring and a hub intended for a wheel train, possibly drive wheels, and for braking this ring.

[0008] More specifically, the invention aims to provide a means that can be applied to specific and restrictive cases where existing circlips, which are used for ordinary assemblies, do not allow overcoming the difficulties encountered due to a restricted environment.

[0009] This goal is achieved, according to a first aspect of the invention, by means of a circlip-type device for the assembly and braking of a bearing ring on a wheel assembly, characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical body provided, on a first edge, with a flexible flared side extending towards the interior of the body by a flat and, on a second edge opposite to the first edge, with a radial shoulder.

[0010] According to a specific variant of the device of the invention, the lateral wall of the cylindrical body is provided with a longitudinal slot opening on either side of said body, delimiting two semi-cylindrical parts.

[0011] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the flared side and the flat extend at least partially in projection inside the cylindrical body.

[0012] According to another feature of the device of the invention, the flared side connects to the flat by a fillet facilitating the local deformation of the body in the radial direction.

[0013] According to another embodiment of the device of the invention, the flat has at least one opening allowing the introduction of a tool for dismantling the device.

[0014] Another object of the invention is a method of mounting a bearing ring on a wheel assembly of a motor vehicle using the device as defined above, characterized in that the flexible flared side of the body is forced apart to spread its lateral wall and mounted on the bearing ring, then the assembly is mounted on the wheel assembly in such a way that the retention of the assembly is ensured, on one side of the ring by the radial shoulder and on the opposite side by the flat.

[0015] In parallel, another object of the invention is a method of dismantling an assembly comprising a bearing ring associated with a wheel assembly and an assembly and braking device as defined above and having at least one orifice allowing the introduction of a tool, characterized in that the flexible flared side is pressed to release the wheel assembly and then the tool is engaged in the orifice of the body to forcefully spread its lateral wall and separate it by pulling from the ring.

[0016] Yet another object of the invention is a motor vehicle ground connection assembly comprising a wheel assembly, a bearing ring and a ring assembly and braking device having the characteristics defined above.

[0017] A final object of the invention is a motor vehicle equipped with a ground connection assembly as defined above.

[0018] Thus, in its most general principle, the invention proposes to replace, in motor vehicles, the traditional circlips currently used for mounting and locking a suspension assembly comprising, in particular, a ring bearings and a wheel assembly, by means of an advanced device which alone provides the locking and braking of the bearing ring on both sides of this assembly.

[0019] Thus, the invention finds a particularly advantageous application in situations where the constrained environment of this linkage assembly does not allow the use of two separate locking and / or braking elements and, in particular, of a traditional circlip which can only perform these functions in one direction.

[0020] Consequently, the invention offers a significant cost saving by reducing the number of parts and materials and, moreover, facilitates the assembly process of this assembly by eliminating the long and laborious machining, assembly and control operations.

[0021] The assembly method of the invention is designed to be reversible and the dismantling of the connecting assembly becomes a particularly easy and quick operation which facilitates the task of maintenance teams.

[0022] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying figures, for which:

[0023] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the assembly and braking device of the invention.

[0024] [Fig.2] is a side cross-sectional view of the assembly and braking device of the [Fig.l].

[0025] [Fig.3] is a half-cross-sectional view of one use of the device of the [Fig.l] for mounting on a bearing ring and a wheel assembly of a motor vehicle.

[0026] [Fig.4] is a complete simplified cross-sectional view of a use of the device of [Fig.1] for mounting in an assembly including, in particular, a bearing ring and a wheel assembly of a motor vehicle.

[0027] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

[0028] Naturally, the embodiments of the assembly and braking device of the invention, schematically illustrated in the figures above and described below, are given only by way of non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided within the scope of the invention that different embodiments can be proposed and combined to create others.

[0029] It is specified that all the features, as they appear to a person skilled in the art from reading this description, the figures and the associated claims, even if in practice they have only been described in relation to other specific features, both individually and in any combinations, can be combined with other features or groups of features disclosed herein, provided that this has not been expressly excluded or that the technical context makes such combinations impossible or meaningless.

[0030] The invention relates to the general field of ground connection assemblies and, in particular, to wheel assemblies equipping motor vehicles and is more particularly concerned with circlip-type devices intended for the assembly and braking of the bearing ring integrated into such assemblies.

[0031] More specifically, the invention sought to develop a solution adapted to a method of assembling and locking an assembly, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, comprising, in particular, a bearing ring 2 and a hub 3 intended for a wheel train, possibly drive wheels, and for braking this ring.

[0032] In particular, the invention proposes an assembly and braking device intended to be used in specific and constraining cases where existing circlips, which are used for ordinary assemblies, do not allow overcoming the difficulties encountered due to a restricted space environment.

[0033] Indeed, traditionally, circlips are used in association with stops and are intended to ensure the locking of the bearing ring on only one side and braking in only one direction.

[0034] However, there may be constraining situations, in particular, in the case of the assembly of a hub and a drive wheel train bearing, where this traditional assembly is no longer possible, both for reasons of accessibility and a lack of space available for the installation of the thrust bearing which is generally massive and bulky.

[0035] The assembly and braking device of the invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is generally similar to a circlip but comprises a cylindrical body 1 having, on a first longitudinal edge la, a flank 11 with a flared profile which has elastic deformation properties and which extends, towards the interior of the body 1, by a flat 12. The body 1 has, on a second edge 1b opposite to the first edge la, a radial shoulder 13.

[0036] The flat 12 and the radial shoulder 13 extend at least partially in projection inside the body 1. The flared flank 11 connects to the flat 12 by a fillet 1 extending, for its part, towards the outside of the body and facilitating its local deformation in the radial direction for the purpose of its mounting on the ring 2.

[0037] With the same objective and in a complementary manner, the lateral wall of the cylindrical body 1 is provided with a longitudinal slot 10 opening out on both sides, delimiting two identical and semi-cylindrical parts which thus facilitate the transverse opening and widening of the body.

[0038] In the flat 12 there is at least one orifice 14 and, in the embodiment illustrated by [Fig.1], two orifices allowing the introduction of a tool such as pliers, for the possible dismantling of the device.

[0039] Thus, the device of the invention alone ensures the locking of the assembly of the ground connection assembly and the braking of the ring 2 by the joint action, on the outside side la of the vehicle, of the flat 12 in contact against the ring 2 and, on the inside side 1b of the vehicle, by the action of the radial shoulder 13.

[0040] The implementation of the method of the invention for mounting the bearing ring 2 on the wheel assembly 3 is carried out in the following manner using the device described above.

[0041] First, the flared side 11 of the body 1 is forced to elastically spread its lateral wall and mount it on the bearing ring 2. Then, the ring 2 / body 1 assembly is mounted on the wheel train 3 in such a way that the retention of the assembly is ensured, on the side a1 of the ring 2 by the flat 12 and on the opposite side 1b, by the radial shoulder 13, as illustrated by figures 3 and 4.

[0042] As illustrated in detail by [Fig. 3], clamping the components of the assembly allows the bearing to be positioned. On the inner side 1b, the assembly is then locked by wedging the radial shoulder 13 of the body 1 between the inner part of the bearing 3 and the inner edge of the ring 2. On the outer side 1a, locking is ensured both by the horizontal support of the flat 12 against the outer edge of the ring 2 and by the vertical support of the outer part of the bearing 3 against the flank 11 of the body 1.

[0043] Since this assembly is reversible, the assembly can be disassembled by separating the device of the invention from the assembly. To this end, the flared side 11 is first pressed to push it inside the body 1 and release the wheel assembly 2. Then, a tool (pliers or other hand tool) is inserted into the openings 14 of the body to forcefully spread its lateral wall apart and then separate it from the ring 2 by pulling.

Claims

Demands

1. Circlip-type device for assembling and locking a bearing ring (2) on a wheel assembly (3), characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical body (1) having, on a first edge (la), a flexible flared side (11) extending towards the interior of the body by a flat (12) and, on a second edge (1b) opposite the first edge (la), a radial shoulder (13), the lateral wall of the cylindrical body (1) being provided with a longitudinal slot (10) opening on either side of said body by delimiting two semi-cylindrical parts, and said flat (12) having at least one orifice (14) allowing the introduction of a tool for dismantling the device.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat (12) and the radial shoulder (13) extend at least partially in projection inside the cylindrical body (1).

3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flared side (11) connects to the flat (12) by a fillet (lia) facilitating the local deformation of the body (1) in the radial direction.

4. Method of mounting a bearing ring (2) on a wheel assembly (3) of a motor vehicle by means of the device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flared side (11) of the body is forced to elastically spread its lateral wall and mounted on the bearing ring, then the assembly is mounted on the wheel assembly in such a way that the retention of the assembly is ensured, on one side (1a) of the ring (2), by the flat (12) and, on the opposite side (1b), by the radial shoulder (13).

5. Method of dismantling an assembly comprising a bearing ring (2) associated with a wheel assembly (3) and an assembly and braking device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flared side (11) is pressed to push it into the body (1) and release the wheel assembly (3) then a tool is engaged in the orifice (14) of the body to forcefully spread its side wall apart and separate it from the ring (2) by pulling.

6. Motor vehicle ground connection assembly comprising a wheel assembly, a bearing ring and an assembly and braking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. Motor vehicle equipped with a ground connection assembly according to claim 6.

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