Wheel Hub Inner Ring Front Toothing With Two-Step Knife Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming a front toothing on a wheel hub's inner ring, such as orbital forming and using sliding knives, fail to achieve high uniformity and precision in tooth geometry, leading to issues like incorrect meshing, noise, and premature wear, especially under high torque conditions.
Innovation Solution
A two-step plastic deformation method using a set of knives with specific circumferential profiles to form the teeth, where the first step creates rounded ridges and the second step forms the flanks and roots, ensuring precise geometry and avoiding damage to the wheel hub.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If orbital forming or sliding knives are used to form front toothing, then the toothing can be formed on the inner ring, but the uniformity and precision of tooth geometry is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the toothing formation process into multiple sequential steps: first forming the basic tooth shape, then refining the tooth flanks, and finally finishing the tooth ridges. Each step uses specifically designed knives with different geometries to progressively improve tooth uniformity and precision, resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and geometric precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs knives with varying circumferential profiles (different radii, angles, and geometries) tailored to each formation step. By changing the knife parameters systematically across multiple steps, the process achieves high tooth geometry uniformity while maintaining reliable meshing under high torque conditions.
2Power
If high torque is transmitted through the toothing, then the wheel hub performs its function, but the teeth may flatten or wear prematurely due to poor geometry uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary formation of the tooth basic shape followed by sequential refinement steps before the toothing is subjected to high torque loads. This preliminary multi-step formation ensures that the teeth have correct geometry and uniform dimensions, preventing flattening and premature wear during power transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
By systematically varying the knife circumferential profiles across multiple formation steps, the patent creates teeth with precise geometric parameters that can withstand high torque transmission without flattening or premature wear, thus ensuring both power transmission capability and tooth durability.
3Productivity
If a single-step forming method is used, then the process is simple and fast, but the tooth geometry uniformity and precision are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the toothing formation into multiple sequential steps, each with specific objectives. While this increases process complexity compared to single-step methods, each step builds upon the previous one to progressively improve tooth uniformity and precision, ultimately achieving both acceptable productivity and high manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The systematic change of knife parameters across multiple steps allows the process to achieve high tooth geometry uniformity. The multi-step approach with progressively refined knife geometries compensates for the increased process time, delivering precision that single-step methods cannot achieve.
4Productivity
If the knives are impressed with high force to form the teeth, then the toothing is formed quickly, but the wheel hub may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the forming process into multiple steps with progressively increasing force application. Each step deforms the material to a certain extent, and subsequent steps complete the formation with refined forces. This segmented approach prevents sudden high-force impacts that could damage the wheel hub, while still achieving rapid overall formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary formation of the tooth basic shape before final refinement. This preliminary action prepares the material in a controlled manner, reducing the risk of damage during subsequent steps. The sequential preparation and formation ensure high productivity without compromising the wheel hub.
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
This method achieves greater dimensional and geometric uniformity of the teeth, preventing flattening and ensuring correct meshing, reducing noise and wear, and maintaining traction by distributing the forming load across multiple steps.
Implementation Method 1
at least one operation for plastic deformation of the annular collar in which a plurality of knives arranged in a ring, symmetrically about an axis of symmetry (A) of the annular collar and guided axially slidably parallel to said axis of symmetry, are axially and sequentially impressed on the annular collar
Data Source
AI summary
A method and equipment for forming a front toothing having a plurality of radial teeth on an annular collar of an inner ring of a wheel hub, wherein a plurality of first knives are axially and sequentially impressed on the annular collar and have a first predetermined circumferential profile (P1) configured to form radial reliefs which are spaced by imprints and have a rounded circumferential profile corresponding to the profile of the ridges of the radial teeth to be obtained; thereafter, a plurality of second knives are axially and sequentially impressed on the annular collar inside the imprints and have a third predetermined circumferential profile (P3) configured to reproduce in reverse at least part of respective opposite flanks of the radial teeth of the front toothing to be obtained.