Integrated CV Joint Hub Housing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional constant velocity joint assemblies with separate wheel hub devices suffer from increased weight, manufacturing cost, backlash, and quality degradation due to spline coupling and hub nut fastening.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a single hub housing as both the external race of the constant velocity joint and the wheel hub device, utilizing a hub housing with internal and external bearing balls, a lock nut, and a lock ring to apply preload, while maintaining specific geometric ratios to ensure strength and reduce size and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate constant velocity joint and wheel hub device are assembled through spline coupling and hub nuts, then the assembly can be manufactured using conventional processes, but weight and manufacturing cost increase due to increase in number of parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the constant velocity joint external race and the wheel hub device into a single integrated hub housing structure. This eliminates the need for separate parts and assembly operations, directly reducing weight while maintaining manufacturability through integrated forming processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub housing is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the external race for the constant velocity joint and the wheel hub device structure. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of parts needed while maintaining all required mechanical functions.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate constant velocity joint and wheel hub device are assembled through spline coupling, then the components can be manufactured independently, but backlash occurs due to the spline coupling
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the external race and wheel hub device into a single monolithic hub housing structure, the patent eliminates the spline coupling interface entirely. This removes the source of backlash while maintaining independent manufacturability of the integrated component through modern forming and machining processes.
3Ease of repair
If hub nuts are used to fasten the constant velocity joint to the wheel hub device, then the assembly can be disassembled for maintenance, but quality degradation arises due to unfastening of hub nuts
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the external race and wheel hub device into a single structure eliminates the hub nut fastening interface. This prevents quality degradation from repeated unfastening while maintaining serviceability through alternative maintenance approaches such as sealed bearing units or tool-less release mechanisms.
4Weight of moving object
If a single hub housing is used as both external race and wheel hub device, then weight and cost are reduced through reduction in number of parts, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While integrating the external race and wheel hub device, the patent maintains functional segmentation through internal features such as bearing mounting areas, sealing zones, and structural ribs. This allows complex functionality to be achieved within a single component without requiring excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub housing employs local quality variations through strategic placement of reinforcing ribs, varying wall thicknesses, and localized material properties in specific areas. This achieves the required structural strength and complexity only where needed, rather than uniformly throughout the entire component.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integrated design reduces weight and manufacturing cost, eliminates coupling noise and backlash, and provides a high-strength structure with improved packaging and steering performance by optimizing the geometric relationships between components.
Implementation Method 1
a lock nut is coupled to the hub housing to apply a preload to the circumferentially-internal ring
Data Source
AI summary
A constant velocity joint assembly integrated with a wheel hub device may include an internal race coupled to an end portion of a driveshaft, a plurality of joint balls held in the internal race, and a hub housing accommodating and coupling the internal race holding the joint balls therein, with a bearing coupled to an external circumferential surface thereof, the hub housing provided as an external race of a constant velocity joint and the wheel hub device.