Driven Wheel Assembly Hub Mounting for Oil-Free Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driven wheel assemblies for large commercial vehicles require costly and time-consuming maintenance operations, particularly the removal of brake discs and drive shafts, which often necessitate disassembly and handling of bearings, leading to oil loss and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A driven wheel assembly design where the drive shaft is mounted on the hub, the brake disc is mounted on the drive shaft, and the wheel rim is mounted on the brake disc, allowing for easy removal of the brake disc and drive shaft without disassembling the bearing or opening the oil-containing volume, using radially extending mounting flanges and screws for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the brake disc is mounted directly on the rotating drive shaft (as in prior art), then the brake disc can be easily removed, but the drive shaft cannot be removed without removing the bearing and emptying the oil
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the mounting structure into separate segments: the drive shaft is mounted on the hub rather than directly on the bearing assembly. This segmentation allows the drive shaft to be removed independently by unfastening from the hub, while the bearing remains intact on the spindle, resolving the contradiction between easy brake disc removal and complex drive shaft removal
2Ease of repair
If maintenance operations require removal of bearings and emptying of oil, then complete disassembly is achieved, but maintenance time and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The drive shaft is pre-mounted on the hub with a flange structure that allows for preliminary fastening with multiple screws. This preliminary action enables the drive shaft to be securely attached during normal operation but allows for quick removal by simply unfastening the screws, eliminating the need for complete disassembly and bearing removal during maintenance
3Strength
If the drive shaft is mounted on the bearing assembly, then structural integrity is maintained, but oil loss occurs during maintenance operations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drive shaft mounting from the bearing assembly and relocates it to the hub. The drive shaft flange is taken out and mounted on the hub with its own fastening system, separating the drive shaft removal process from the bearing and oil system. This extraction allows drive shaft removal without touching the bearing or oil, preventing oil loss while maintaining structural integrity through the hub mounting
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel assembly includes a fixed axle spindle, a rotating drive shaft extending inside the axle spindle, a bearing, a hub, a brake disc, and a wheel rim. An inner ring of the bearing is mounted on the spindle, the hub is mounted on an outer ring of the bearing and the drive shaft, the brake disc and the rim are fast in rotation with the hub. The drive shaft is mounted on the hub, the brake disc is mounted on the drive shaft and the rim is mounted on the brake disc, in that order, from an interior side to an exterior side of the wheel assembly with respect to a vehicle provided with said wheel assembly.