Threaded Outer Ring Wheel Hub Assembly Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle wheel hub assemblies are costly and time-consuming to produce and mount due to the need for multiple bolts and a second flange, which increases weight and restricts the design of the upright, especially when made of coined sheet metal.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle wheel mount assembly with a reduced axial bulk and lighter weight is achieved by replacing the second flange with a smaller axial shoulder flange and a threaded section on the outer ring, allowing for easier and automatic mounting without the need for bolt orientation, and incorporating circumferential facets for direct screwing onto the upright.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a second flange with multiple bolts is used to fasten the wheel hub assembly to the upright, then the connection strength is improved, but the weight and axial bulk of the assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the second flange and the fastening mechanism into a single integrated threaded section on the outer ring. The threaded section directly engages with the upright, eliminating the need for a separate second flange and multiple bolts, thereby reducing weight while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the second flange from the wheel hub assembly design. By taking out this unnecessary component and replacing it with a threaded section, the design achieves weight reduction while still providing the required fastening function through direct threading into the upright.
2Reliability
If a second flange with multiple bolts is used for fastening, then the connection reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and mounting time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fastening function into a single threaded section that engages with the upright in one operation. This eliminates the need for multiple separate screwing operations required by the bolt-and-flange design, significantly reducing mounting time while maintaining connection reliability through the threaded engagement.
3Strength
If multiple bolts are used to fasten the second flange to the upright, then the connection strength is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple fastening elements (second flange and multiple bolts) into a single threaded section on the outer ring. This simplification reduces device complexity by eliminating unnecessary components while maintaining the fastening strength through direct threaded engagement with the upright.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the second flange and multiple bolts from the design, replacing them with a simpler threaded section. This extraction of unnecessary components directly reduces structural complexity and manufacturing cost while preserving the essential fastening function.
4Device complexity
If the second flange is positioned away from the upright, then the assembly structure is simplified, but the stress distribution on rolling bodies worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the threaded section (replacing the second flange) to engage with the upright in a way that brings the load application point closer to the rolling bodies. This dimensional repositioning improves stress distribution by reducing the moment arm and associated bending stresses on the rolling elements, while the threaded design maintains structural simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A vehicle wheel mount assembly (1) including a supporting element (2) associable with a vehicle and a wheel hub assembly (3) including an inner ring (4) and an outer ring (5) coaxially mounted and rotatable with respect to each other about a common symmetry axis (A) by interposition of two crowns of rolling bodies (8) therebetween; wherein a first axial end (14) of the outer ring, which is facing the side opposite to a flange (10) of the inner ring to which a wheel is fastenable, is delimited by an outer side surface (16) which is threaded along at least one axial section (17) thereof of predetermined length; the outer ring (5) is radially externally equipped with an axial shoulder (18) facing the first end and the supporting element has a threaded seat (30) for receiving the first end (14), the outer ring (5) being directly screwed onto the supporting element (2), within the seat, with the shoulder (18) axially abutting on the supporting element.