Wheel Hub Inner Ring Front Toothing Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming front toothing on wheel hubs, such as orbital forming, result in teeth that are not uniformly profiled and prone to flattening, leading to incorrect engagement with constant-velocity joints, which causes noise, reduced traction, and premature wear due to incomplete torque transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method using a plurality of independently moving cutters to impress the toothing on a swaged collar, with a concave annular seat to contain and guide the deformation, ensuring a uniform and rounded tooth profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If orbital forming is used to form front toothing on wheel hubs, then the forming process can be completed, but the teeth are not uniformly profiled and are prone to flattening
Solution Approach 1:
The forming tool is segmented into multiple independently movable cutters instead of a single orbital forming tool. Each cutter can be individually controlled to maintain the correct radial position, ensuring uniform tooth profiling without flattening during the forming process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the motion parameters from orbital forming to independent linear movement of multiple cutters. Each cutter moves independently along its own path, allowing precise control of the forming parameters to maintain uniform tooth profiles and prevent flattening.
2Device complexity
If a single orbital forming tool is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the tooth profile uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The forming tool is divided into multiple independent cutters, each capable of independent movement. This segmentation allows each cutter to maintain precise radial positioning, ensuring uniform tooth profiles while the overall device complexity is managed through modular design.
3Reliability
If orbital forming is used, then the forming process can be completed, but noise and wear increase due to incorrect engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the orbital forming mechanical system with a multi-cutter independent movement system. This substitution ensures correct tooth engagement by maintaining uniform tooth profiles, thereby eliminating the noise and wear caused by incorrect engagement while preserving traction.
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 a higher precision and uniformity in tooth profile, preventing flattening and ensuring correct engagement, reducing noise and wear, and maintaining traction by maintaining the rounded tip of the teeth.
Implementation Method 1
forming by plastic deformation a front toothing on an inner ring of a wheel hub
Implementation Method 2
containment of any radial plastic flow of the metallic material forming the collar
Data Source
AI summary
Equipment including a rigid plate provided with a plurality of cutters configured to be impressed in sequence against a swaged annular collar of an inner ring of a wheel hub, the collar being formed with a first radial profile; the cutters sliding axially through the plate and towards a first face of the plate resting in abutment against the collar; wherein the first face of the plate is provided in the region of the cutters with a concave annular seat having a second radial profile configured to copy at least partly the first radial profile of the collar, the annular seat being configured to be passed through by the cutters during the step for impression against the collar and to contain any radial flow of the metallic material which forms the collar.