Wheel Hub Inner Ring Front Toothing With Consistent Tooth Profiles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for forming front toothing on wheel hub inner rings are complex and fail to produce teeth with consistent profiles, leading to incorrect intermeshing with constant-velocity joints, noise, and potential loss of traction due to uneven torque transmission.

Innovation Solution

A novel equipment system using a combination of first and second pressing elements arranged in crown configurations, with engraving heads and hammerheads, allows for precise plastic deformation to create teeth with rounded crests and consistent geometry, ensuring proper interlocking and reduced noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If existing methods for forming front toothing are used, then the toothing can be produced, but the tooth profiles are inconsistent and intermeshing is incorrect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetooth profile consistencyVSAvoidforming method complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The forming tool is segmented into multiple pressing elements (first pressing elements and second pressing elements) arranged in crown configurations. Each pressing element independently forms a portion of the toothing, allowing for precise control of individual tooth profiles while maintaining overall consistency through the segmented approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If complex forming methods are used, then tooth profiles can be formed, but the crests are not properly rounded and geometry is inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetooth geometry consistencyVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing elements are designed with curved or rounded contact surfaces that impart proper curvature to the tooth crests during forming. This ensures that the crests are naturally rounded rather than sharp or irregular, achieving consistent geometry through the inherent curvature of the forming tools.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If improper toothing formation is used, then the toothing can be produced, but incorrect intermeshing with constant-velocity joints occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintermeshing accuracyVSAvoidforming process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different pressing elements are designed with specific local geometries tailored to form particular features of the toothing. The first and second pressing elements have differentiated contact surfaces that locally control specific aspects of tooth formation, ensuring that each region of the toothing achieves the precise quality needed for correct intermeshing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Object-affected harmful factors

If inconsistent tooth profiles are produced, then the toothing can be formed, but noise and loss of traction occur due to uneven torque transmission

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise and traction lossVSAvoidtooth profile uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The first pressing elements and second pressing elements work in combination during the forming process, with their actions merged to simultaneously achieve multiple objectives: proper tooth shape, correct crest rounding, and consistent geometry. This combined action ensures uniform torque transmission across all teeth, eliminating noise and preventing traction loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution achieves highly consistent tooth profiles and improved torque transmission, reducing noise and ensuring reliable traction by enabling precise formation of teeth with controlled plastic deformation.

Implementation Method 1

forming by plastic deformation a front toothing on an inner ring of a wheel hub

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11806943B2Apparatus and method for forming a front toothing on an inner ring of a wheel hub and associated front toothing

Publication Date: 2023.11.07 AB SKF SKF PATENT DEPARTMENT

AI summary

An apparatus including a plurality of first and second pressing elements arranged in crown symmetrically around an axis of symmetry (B) so that a first end of a first pressing element cooperates in contact with a second end of a second pressing element; wherein the first and second pressing elements are supported slidingly and passing through by, respectively, a first and a second plate coupled and bound to each other, in respective second and first slits angularly spaced apart; the first pressing elements being provided with hammerheads circumferentially wider than the second slits and which cooperate circumferentially without play in contact with each other, and the second pressing elements being provided with engraving heads circumferentially wider than the first slits, which cooperate circumferentially without play in contact with each other.