Drive Wheel Bearing Assembly With Nested Ring for Axial Compactness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric and hybrid vehicle powertrains often result in bulkier drive wheel assemblies in the width direction, leading to undesirable shortening of transverse drive shafts and increased angles in transmission joints, necessitating a compact yet performance-maintaining drive wheel assembly solution.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle drive wheel assembly design featuring a fixed subassembly with annular outer raceways, a rotating subassembly with a wheel hub and inner rolling bearing ring, and two rows of rolling bodies, where the inner rolling bearing ring is shrunk-fit over the wheel hub, allowing for axial compactness and increased payload and camber stiffness by optimizing the contact interface and pitch diameters of the rolling bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the drive wheel assembly is made compact in the axial direction to accommodate bulkier electric and hybrid vehicle powertrains, then space for transverse transmission shafts is increased, but payload capacity and camber stiffness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by shrinking the inner rolling bearing ring over the transmission bowl, placing one component inside another. This nested configuration reduces the overall axial size of the drive wheel assembly while maintaining the functional integrity of both components, thereby creating space for transverse transmission shafts without compromising payload capacity or camber stiffness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent increases the pitch diameter of the row of rolling bodies located on the inside of the vehicle, utilizing the radial dimension to compensate for the reduced axial size. This dimensional shift allows the assembly to maintain adequate payload capacity and camber stiffness through increased pitch diameter while achieving compactness in the axial direction
2Strength
If the pitch diameter of the row of rolling bodies is increased to improve payload and camber stiffness, then performance is enhanced, but the axial size of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting the inner rolling bearing ring over the transmission bowl, the patent reduces the axial space required for these components. This allows the pitch diameter of the rolling bodies to be increased for improved payload and camber stiffness without proportionally increasing the axial size, as the nested configuration efficiently utilizes the available radial and axial space
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality characteristics to different parts of the assembly: the inner rolling bearing ring is shrunk over the transmission bowl to reduce axial size, while the pitch diameter of the rolling bodies is increased to enhance payload and camber stiffness. This localized optimization allows simultaneous achievement of compactness and high performance
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
The design achieves axial compactness, high payload capacity, and good camber stiffness without compromising performance, providing increased space for transverse transmission shafts and reducing the risk of separation between assembly parts.
Implementation Method 1
the inner rolling bearing ring being shrunk over a shrink-fit bearing of the wheel hub
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle drive wheel assembly comprising a fixed subassembly comprising two outer raceways; a rotating subassembly comprising a wheel hub, two inner raceways and two rows of rolling bodies that are arranged in two pitch planes PP1 and PP2. One of the inner raceways is formed on a rolling bearing ring that bears against a transmission bowl at an annular contact interface situated between the two pitch planes.