Hub Bearing Assembly Mounting Procedure for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bearing assemblies for motor vehicle wheels face issues with local load distribution, reduced bearing resistance and lifespan, and increased weight due to the need for larger pressure centers, which are exacerbated by the use of a single inner ring and cage design that can fail under high loads.
Innovation Solution
A new mounting procedure for hub bearing assemblies that allows for symmetrical or asymmetrical configurations with increased pitch diameter, integrating the hub with the constant velocity joint and reducing the number of components, including the inner ring, to enhance stiffness and reduce weight and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the pitch diameter of the bearing is increased to improve stiffness and bearing resistance, then the bearing performance and lifespan are improved, but the weight increases dramatically with the pitch-squared value
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly is divided into modular components: a hub assembly (including hub, flange, and integrated inner ring), outer ring, two separate rolling body crowns, and two separate cages. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled flexibly to achieve desired pitch diameter without proportionally increasing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub is integrated with the inner ring function, and the flange is integrated with the hub, creating a combined hub-flange-inner ring component. This merging eliminates separate parts and reduces overall weight while maintaining the increased pitch diameter for improved bearing resistance.
2Device complexity
If a single cage is used for both rolling bodies to reduce component count and cost, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the cage may disintegrate or melt under high loads from differing ball speeds
Solution Approach 1:
Two separate cages are used instead of a single cage to accommodate the two rolling body crowns. This segmentation allows each cage to be independently designed and sized to handle the specific load conditions of its associated rolling bodies, preventing cage failure under high loads.
Solution Approach 2:
Each cage is specifically designed for its location and load conditions. The first cage for the axially outer rolling bodies and the second cage for the axially inner rolling bodies can have different geometries, materials, and reinforcement levels appropriate to their respective positions and load requirements.
3Weight of moving object
If the hub is integrated with the constant velocity joint bell to reduce weight and cost, then overall unit weight and cost are reduced, but the manufacturing and assembly precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is integrated with the constant velocity joint bell, creating a combined hub-bell component. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting operations and reduces the number of parts, thereby reducing overall weight and assembly complexity despite increased manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated hub-bell component serves multiple functions: it provides the bearing inner ring support, the constant velocity joint bell structure, and the mounting interface for the rolling bodies. This multi-functionality reduces the total component count and weight while consolidating precision requirements into a single manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A procedure for mounting of a hub bearing assembly having a rotatable hub, and a bearing unit having a stationary radially outer ring, and two bodies rolling crowns disposed between the radially outer ring and the hub. The assembly process involves the following steps: a) pressing-fit a first seal on the hub, b) mounting an axially external cage and the axially outside rolling bodies, in correspondence with a track of the axially outer hub, c) the radially outer ring assembly and inclination of the same outer ring of a predetermined angle with respect to the hub, d) mounting of the axially interior rolling bodies in correspondence with a track of the axially inner hub, and the radially outer ring alignment to the hub, f) snap insertion of the axially internal cage on rolling bodies and g) the pressing-fit a second seal on its seat.