Wheel Hub and Articulation Housing Bearing Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel carrier apparatuses for motor vehicles have high manufacturing and assembly costs, and are heavy due to complex configurations.
Innovation Solution
A wheel carrier apparatus with a divided inner bearing ring, where one element is integrated with the wheel hub and the other with the articulation housing, allowing for adjustable axial distance and biasing of the wheel bearing, thus simplifying manufacturing and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single-row or double-row rolling bearing is used with separate inner bearing ring elements, then the wheel hub can be rotatably supported on the wheel carrier, but the manufacturing and assembly costs are relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the first inner bearing ring element with the wheel hub and the second inner bearing ring element with the articulation housing, creating integrated components that are manufactured as single pieces. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly processes for the inner bearing ring elements, thereby reducing manufacturing and assembly costs while maintaining the rotational support function through the wheel bearing.
2Reliability
If multiple separate components are used for the wheel carrier apparatus, then the bearing can be assembled, but the weight of the wheel carrier apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into fewer components by integrating the first inner bearing ring element with the wheel hub and the second inner bearing ring element with the articulation housing. This reduction in component count directly reduces the overall weight of the wheel carrier apparatus while preserving the complete bearing assembly capability through the integrated structures.
3Manufacturing precision
If the articulation housing is screwed to the wheel hub with fixed axial distance, then the wheel bearing biasing is determined, but the manufacturing and assembly effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the second inner bearing ring element directly into the articulation housing during its manufacturing process, establishing the axial distance and wheel bearing biasing as inherent features of the housing design. This preliminary integration eliminates the need for separate assembly operations to achieve the correct axial positioning and biasing, thereby reducing manufacturing and assembly effort while maintaining precise bearing biasing.
Data Source
AI summary
Wheel carrier apparatus for a motor vehicle including a wheel hub to which a vehicle wheel can be fastened, and an articulation apparatus for torque transmission having an articulation housing and an articulation drive element operatively connected to the articulation housing. The articulation housing is arranged coaxially to the wheel hub and is connected to the wheel hub in a rotationally fixed manner. The wheel carrier apparatus further includes a wheel carrier on which the wheel hub and the articulation housing are borne via a wheel bearing in a rotationally fixed manner. The wheel bearing includes an outer bearing ring fastened to the wheel carrier, an inner bearing ring divided in the axial direction, and multiple rolling bodies arranged radially between the inner bearing ring and the outer bearing ring. The divided inner bearing ring includes a first inner bearing ring element and a second inner bearing ring element.