CN117774557A

CN117774557A - Wheel end assembly and automobile chassis

Info

Publication number: CN117774557A
Application number: CN202311583998.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 龚炫; 卢金良
Original assignee: Dongfeng Dana Axle Co Ltd
Current assignee: Dongfeng Dana Axle Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-11-24
Filing date: 2023-11-24
Publication date: 2024-03-29

Abstract

The application discloses a wheel end assembly and an automobile chassis. The wheel end assembly includes: the steering device comprises a hub, a steering knuckle, an oil seal seat ring, a spacer bush and a wheel end bearing, wherein the wheel end bearing is used for respectively press-fitting the spacer bush on the hub from two ends of the spacer bush, and the oil seal seat ring is arranged on the steering knuckle; the threaded hole of the knuckle, the through hole of the oil seal seat ring and the cavity of the wheel end bearing are communicated to form a grease injection channel for injecting lubricating grease from outside. Through the structure grease injecting channel, the wheel end lubricating grease can be injected by connecting the grease injecting hole on the knuckle side with the grease injecting machine without disassembling the tire and the wheel end assembly and only taking off the wheel end cover, so that the wheel end maintenance is performed.

Description

Wheel end assembly and automobile chassis

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of automobile chassis parts, in particular to a wheel end assembly and an automobile chassis.

Background

The wheel end assembly is used as one of important assemblies of chassis parts, the service life of the wheel end assembly influences the service life of the whole vehicle, and after the whole vehicle is generally operated to a certain mileage, grease needs to be regularly filled into bearings of the wheel end assembly for maintenance.

In the related art, the maintenance of the wheel end bearing generally needs to be carried out by detaching the wheel end assembly and smearing lubricating grease on the inner cavity of the wheel hub and the bearing position again, and the wheel end assembly is detached in the mode, and the tire, the brake and the like also need to be detached, so that the maintenance is time-consuming and expensive.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, the application provides a wheel end assembly and an automobile chassis, and solves the problems of complex maintenance process, long working hours, high maintenance cost and the like in the existing scheme.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a wheel end assembly comprising:

the steering device comprises a hub, a steering knuckle, an oil seal seat ring, a spacer bush and a wheel end bearing, wherein the wheel end bearing is used for respectively press-fitting the spacer bush on the hub from two ends of the spacer bush, and the oil seal seat ring is arranged on the steering knuckle;

the threaded hole of the steering knuckle, the through hole of the oil seal seat ring and the cavity of the wheel end bearing are communicated to form a grease injection channel for injecting lubricating grease from outside.

Optionally, the oil seal race is configured with locating spigots to enable installation of the oil seal race, knuckle.

Optionally, a limit bolt is installed at one end of the threaded hole of the steering knuckle, and the other end is sealed through blocking.

Optionally, one end of the spacer bush is pressed by the wheel end bearing through the clamp spring.

Optionally, the spacer bush presents one end great, one end less shape, the big end of spacer bush with the jump ring is assembled mutually, the tip of spacer bush inserts in the wheel hub hole.

Optionally, the small end of the spacer sleeve is in interference fit with the hub hole.

Optionally, the wheel end locking assembly is further used for providing wheel end locking torque when lubricating grease is injected from outside, the wheel end locking assembly comprises a locking gasket, a locking nut and a fastening bolt, the locking nut and the fastening bolt are in threaded fit with each other, and the locking gasket is lined on the locking nut.

Optionally, the locking washer comprises a washer body, an inner edge of the washer body being provided with a flange for positioning on the knuckle.

Optionally, the gasket body is provided with a stress relief hole.

In a second aspect, the present application provides an automotive chassis comprising a wheel end assembly as described above.

According to the technical scheme disclosed by the application, through constructing the grease injection channel, the tire and wheel end assembly do not need to be disassembled, only the hub end cover needs to be taken off, the grease injection machine is connected to the grease injection hole at the knuckle side, the filling of wheel end lubricating grease can be completed, and the wheel end maintenance is performed.

Drawings

Technical solutions and other advantageous effects of the present application will be made apparent from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wheel end assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an oil seal race provided in an embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a spacer provided in an embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a hub assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a wheel end assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a schematic structural view of a lock nut according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a locking spacer according to an embodiment of the present application.

Wherein, the above element symbols are as follows:

1-locking the nut; 11-a nut body; 11 a-a threaded nut hole; 11 b-a main threaded hole; 2-locking gaskets; 21-a gasket body; 22-flanges; 21 a-shim threads; 21 b-a stress relief hole; 3-locking a bolt; 4-knuckle; 4a threaded bore of the knuckle; 5-wheel end bearings; 6-spacer bush; 61-small end; 62-big end; the method comprises the steps of carrying out a first treatment on the surface of the 7-clamping springs; 8-a hub; 8 a-a hub bore; 8 b-a clamp spring groove; 8 c-screw holes of the hub; 9-an oil seal seat ring; 9 a-a through hole of the oil seal seat ring; 9 b-locating the spigot; 10-a brake assembly; 11-wheel assembly.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in connection with the embodiments of the present application. It will be apparent that the described embodiments are only some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments herein without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the present application.

In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying a relative importance or an implicit indication of the number of technical features being indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality" is two or more, unless explicitly defined otherwise.

In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, and may be either fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, for example; can be mechanically connected, electrically connected or can be communicated with each other; can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be communicated with the inside of two elements or the interaction relationship of the two elements. The specific meaning of the terms in this application will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art as the case may be.

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present application. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present application, the components and arrangements of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present application. Furthermore, the present application may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples, which are for the purpose of brevity and clarity, and which do not in themselves indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and/or arrangements discussed. In addition, the present application provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize the application of other processes and/or the use of other materials.

When facing the technical need for how to lubricate the wheel end bearings conveniently, a means that is more easily conceived by those skilled in the art is to optimize the construction, shape, or make adjustments to the mounting structure of the wheel end bearings and the hub. Although the above approach can achieve a certain effect in realizing the disassembly of the wheel end bearing, the convenient disassembly effect is still to be improved.

Through careful study, the inventor creatively configures the grease injecting channel, does not need to disassemble the tire and the wheel end assembly, only needs to take off the hub end cover, and can finish the filling of the wheel end lubricating grease by communicating the grease injecting machine outside the grease injecting hole at the corresponding side of the steering knuckle, thereby carrying out the maintenance of the wheel end. Based on this, the present invention has been created.

Referring to fig. 1 and 5, an embodiment of the present application provides a wheel end assembly, including:

the steering device comprises a hub 8, wherein a steering knuckle 4, an oil seal seat ring 9, a spacer bush 6 and a wheel end bearing 6 are assembled on the hub 8, the spacer bush 6 is pressed on the hub 8 from two ends of the spacer bush by the wheel end bearing 5 respectively, and the oil seal seat ring 9 is installed on the steering knuckle 4;

the threaded hole 4a of the knuckle, the through hole 9a of the oil seal race, and the cavity (not shown) of the wheel end bearing are communicated to form a grease injection passage for injecting lubricating grease from outside.

It will be appreciated that although in the above description of the wheel end assembly reference is made to only the components of the knuckle 4, oil seal race 9, spacer 6, wheel end bearing 5, hub 8, it is not intended that the hub assembly include only these components, and that other components that are widely used in wheel end assemblies, such as the brake assembly 10, the wheel assembly 11, are also contemplated.

From the foregoing "the threaded hole 4a of the knuckle constitutes the grease filling passage", it is known that the threaded hole 4a of the knuckle has a role which is specifically taken part in grease filling in the present invention.

Regarding the configuration or shape or size or material, etc. of the threaded bore 4a of the knuckle previously described, as an exemplary implementation, it may be a threaded bore of specifications m16x1.5-6H.

A grease filling pipeline connector (not shown in the figure) can also be arranged on the steering knuckle 4 and used for communicating the grease filling channel.

As a preferred embodiment, one end of the threaded hole 4a of the knuckle is provided with a limit bolt (not shown), and the other end is sealed by a plug (not shown).

Therefore, when grease injection is needed, the plug is removed, and the plug of the grease injection machine is directly connected to the threaded hole to finish the grease injection. Meanwhile, the limit bolt can well position the threaded hole of the steering knuckle, and the thread is prevented from being touched due to the fact that the thread is pulled by the plug of the grease injection machine to a certain extent.

It is worth supplementing that the position of the limit bolts such as the rod part can be threaded, flat grooves are symmetrically milled, and the locking washer 2 (which will be referred to later) is guaranteed to be matched for preventing looseness of the wheel end.

Referring to fig. 2, the number of through holes 9a of the oil seal ring may be two as shown in fig. 2. The pore diameter can be phi 12mm. The outside of the oil seal race 9, i.e., the side of the oil seal race where the through hole 9a is located, communicates with the screw hole 4a of the knuckle, and the inside of the oil seal race 9 may be located opposite to the retainer of the inner end bearing 5.

As an exemplary form of the installation referred to in the foregoing "installation of the oil seal race 9 on the knuckle 4", the oil seal race 9 is provided with a positioning spigot 9b to effect the installation of the oil seal race 9, the knuckle 4.

Here, the positioning spigot 9b may be provided in a position, shape, or structure such that the oil seal race 9 is fitted to the end face of the knuckle 4.

Referring to fig. 4, the hub 8 may be provided with a hub hole 8a and a clip spring groove 8b, and a screw hole 8c of the hub is located at an end face of the hub 8de to mount an end cover of the hub 8 by bolting.

In order to press-fit the spacer 6 onto the hub 8 of the wheel end bearing 5, as an exemplary way, one end of the spacer 6 is pressed-fit by the wheel end bearing 5 via a snap spring 7, i.e. the spacer, between the wheel end bearings 5, is provided with a snap spring 7.

The clamping spring can advantageously eliminate the play between the wheel bearing 5 and the spacer 6, and prevent the wheel end bearing 5 from rotating unstably when a rotational force is applied.

Referring to fig. 3, the spacer 6 may be plate-shaped, for example, a steel plate with a wall thickness of 5mm is integrally formed by stamping, the inner rounded corner may be R5mm, the outer rounded corner may be R10mm, and the outer diameter portion of the outer circle may be machined as required by ensuring interference fit with the mating portion of the hub 8.

As a further exemplary form of a plate shape, the spacer 6 may take on a shape with a larger end and a smaller end. The large end 62 of the spacer bush is assembled with the clamp spring 7, and the small end 61 of the spacer bush 6 is inserted into the hub hole 8 a.

It is easily conceivable that the snap spring groove 8b has been designed in its entirety to accommodate a snap spring.

Optionally, the small end of the spacer 6 is interference fit with the hub bore 8a to prevent radial play of the spacer 6.

The "wheel end bearing 5" referred to above may include an inner bearing and an outer bearing, which are located at both end surfaces of the knuckle, respectively, and from which the knuckle 4 is mounted, respectively. Thereby, steering stability of the knuckle 4 is achieved by press fitting both end surfaces of the knuckle.

As an exemplary form of the press-fit portion of the wheel end bearing 5, an outer ring of the wheel end bearing may be used.

The inventor creatively found that, when lubricating grease is injected from the outside, in order to accelerate the injection speed of the lubricating grease, the air pressure selected when the external grease injector is operated is relatively large, for example, the air pressure requirement of 300-400 KPa is frequently faced, and at this time, the connection structure between the hub 8 and the knuckle 4 may be damaged.

Based on the effective response of the above problems, the wheel end locking assembly can be further configured to provide a wheel end locking torque when lubricating grease is injected from the outside, the wheel end locking assembly comprises a locking gasket 2, a locking nut 1 and a fastening bolt 3, the locking nut 1 and the fastening bolt 3 are in mutual threaded fit, and the locking gasket 2 is lined on the locking nut 1.

Therefore, the wheel end locking assembly formed by the locking gasket 2, the locking nut 1 and the locking bolt 3 provides good locking force, and the locking nut 1 and the locking gasket 2 are connected into a whole and cannot axially rotate, so that the anti-loose effect is achieved.

Referring to fig. 7, as an exemplary form of the locking washer 2, the locking washer 2 includes a washer body 21, and a flange 22 for positioning on a knuckle is provided at an inner edge portion of the washer body 21.

In this way, the flange 22 is engaged with the milled groove of the shank of the knuckle 4, preventing axial rotation.

Referring again to fig. 7, a gasket screw hole 21a may be formed in the gasket body 21 so as to be aligned with the nut screw hole 11a of the end surface of the lock nut 1.

Here, the number of the spacer screw holes 21a may be 12, may be distributed at the middle position of the spacer body 21, and may be annularly arranged.

Referring again to fig. 7, a stress relief hole 21b may be provided in the gasket body 21 to relieve excessive stress between the lock bolt 3 and the lock nut 1.

The number of the destressing holes 21b may be four, and the four destressing holes 21b are uniformly arranged at intervals of 90 degrees.

Referring to fig. 6, as an exemplary form of the lock nut 1, the lock nut 1 may have a nut body 11 of a regular hexagonal cross section in an external shape, the nut body 11 having a transition rounded portion, the end surface of the nut body 11 being processed to uniformly distribute, for example, six or the like nut screw holes 11a not limited to this number, and the inner hole being a main screw hole 11b.

The primary threaded bore 34 may be raised to 450Nm from the tightening torque of a conventional cotter pin structure of 200 Nm.

The foregoing is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions easily contemplated by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present application should be covered by the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A wheel end assembly, comprising:

2. The wheel end assembly of claim 1, wherein the oil seal race is configured with locating spigots to enable installation of the oil seal race, knuckle.

3. The wheel end assembly of claim 1, wherein one end of the threaded bore of the knuckle is fitted with a stop bolt and the other end is sealed by a plug.

4. The wheel end assembly of claim 1, wherein one end of the spacer is press fit by the wheel end bearing via a snap spring.

5. The wheel end assembly of claim 1 wherein the spacer presents a shape with a larger end and a smaller end, the larger end of the spacer fits with the snap spring, and the smaller end of the spacer fits within the hub bore.

6. The wheel end assembly of claim 5 wherein the small end of the spacer is in interference fit with the hub bore.

7. The wheel end assembly of claim 1, further comprising a wheel end locking assembly for providing wheel end locking torque when grease is injected from the outside, the wheel end locking assembly comprising a locking washer, a locking nut, and a fastening bolt, the locking nut, the fastening bolt being threadably engaged with one another, the locking washer being lined on the locking nut.

8. The wheel end assembly of claim 7, wherein the locking washer includes a washer body having an inner edge portion provided with a flange for positioning on a knuckle.

9. The wheel end assembly of claim 8, wherein the shim body is provided with a destressing hole.

10. An automotive chassis comprising a wheel end assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.