JP3491395B2 - Rolling bearing unit with rotation speed detector - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device according to the present invention is used to rotatably support a vehicle wheel with respect to a suspension device and to detect the rotation speed of the wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Antilock brake system (AB
S) or Traction Control System (TCS)
In order to control, it is necessary to detect the rotation speed of the wheels. Therefore, in order to rotatably support the wheel with respect to the suspension device and detect the rotation speed of the wheel, a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detection device is required. As such a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device, one having a structure as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-297530 has been conventionally known.

FIG. 5 shows a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device described in this publication. An outer ring 2 is internally fitted and fixed to a holding cylinder 1 supported by a suspension device. In addition, on the outer peripheral surface of the hub 3, a rotating wheel is formed together with the hub 3.
The inner rings 4 and 4 constituting the above are externally fitted and fixed. A drive shaft 5 is spline-engaged with the inside of the hub 3, and the drive shaft 5 is rotationally driven via a constant velocity joint 6 when the automobile is running. The first is a circumferential surface the outer ring raceway 7, 7 on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2, the outer peripheral surface of the inner races 4,4
Inner ring raceways 8 and 8 are formed in each of them. And, between these outer ring raceways 7 and 7 and inner ring raceways 8 and 8,
A plurality of balls 13, 13 each of which is a rolling element are provided so that they can roll.

Also, the outer peripheral side base end portions of the seal rings 9, 9 are locked to the inner peripheral surfaces of both ends of the outer ring 2, respectively, and the inner peripheral side leading edges of these seal rings 9, 9 are respectively arranged as described above. It is slidably contacted with the outer peripheral surfaces of the inner rings 4, 4. Both of these seal rings 9 and 9 play a role of preventing the grease existing in the installation portions of the balls 13 and 13 from leaking to the outside. Further, a tone wheel 10 made of a magnetic material in an annular shape is externally fitted and fixed to a portion of one end (the left side in FIG. 5) of the inner ring 4 protruding from the end edge of the outer ring 2. By forming gear-like irregularities on the outer peripheral surface of the tone wheel 10, the magnetic characteristics of the outer peripheral surface are alternately changed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The tip end surface of the sensor 11 penetratingly supported by the holding cylinder 1 is attached to the tone wheel 1
The outer peripheral surface of No. 0 is opposed via a minute gap. Further, another seal ring 12 is provided at the opening end of the holding cylinder 1.
The base end of the outer peripheral side is locked, and the leading edge of the inner peripheral side of the seal ring 12 is brought into sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the hub 3. The seal ring 12 serves to prevent foreign matter such as muddy water from entering the portion where the tone wheel 10 and the sensor 11 are installed.

In the case of the rolling bearing unit with the rotation speed detecting device as described above, the wheel fixed to the hub 3 is replaced by the outer ring 2
Can be rotatably supported by the suspension device via the holding cylinder 1 in which is fixed. When the hub 3 rotates together with the wheels, the output of the sensor 11 facing the outer peripheral surface of the tone wheel 10 fixed to the hub 3 via the inner ring 4 changes. The frequency at which the output of the sensor 11 changes is proportional to the rotational speed of the wheels. Therefore, by inputting the output signal of the sensor 11 to a controller (not shown), the rotation speed of the wheels can be obtained and the ABS or TCS can be appropriately controlled.

[0006]

In the case of the above-mentioned conventional structure, it is desired to improve the following points. Reduce the number of man-hours required for assembly at an automobile manufacturer's factory to improve the efficiency of assembly work at this factory. That is, in the case of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 5, the parts excluding the holding cylinder 1, the drive shaft 5, the constant velocity joint 6, and the sensor 11 are assembled by the bearing manufacturer into a raw unit, and Deliver to automobile manufacturers. Then, an automobile manufacturer combines this unit with the separately delivered holding cylinder 1, drive shaft 5, constant velocity joint 6, and sensor 11 to form a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device as shown in FIG. . For this reason, the number of assembly steps in the factory of the automobile manufacturer increases. Moreover, in the assembly at the factory of the automobile manufacturer, the first step is to press-fit the outer ring 2 of the rolling bearing into the holding cylinder 1, so that it is necessary to handle the holding cylinder 1 in the subsequent steps. However, the holding cylinder 1 is provided with an arm or the like for attaching it to a suspension device, which increases the size and weight. For this reason, the efficiency is remarkably reduced as the number of assembling steps increases. It prevents the tone wheel 10 from being damaged or being displaced from the installation position during transportation. That is, in the case of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 5, the tone unit exposed outside until the bearing unit factory assembles the elemental unit and sends it to the automobile manufacturer's factory, and further assembles the elemental unit at a predetermined portion. There is a possibility that the wheel 10 may hit some portion, be damaged, or be displaced from the installation position. As described above, the unit unit in which the tone wheel 10 is damaged or the installation position is displaced must be discarded as a defective product, which causes a cost increase due to a deterioration in yield, which is not preferable. The rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device of the present invention is invented to solve any of the problems described above.

[0007]

Bearing unit rolling with the rotational speed detecting device of the present invention According to an aspect of the rotation and the outer ring which does not rotate during use has an outer ring raceway on an inner peripheral surface, in use has an inner ring raceway on an outer peripheral surface to the rotating ring formed by externally fitted inner ring at the inner end of the hub, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the outer ring raceway and inner ring raceway, the inner end portion of the inner ring constituting the rotary wheel To
The tone wheel fixed to the formed shoulder by external fitting ,
At the inner end of the outer ring, project inward from the inner end surface of this outer ring
A cover that is externally fitted and fixed in a state and a sensor supported by the cover are provided.

In particular, in the rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device of the present invention , the tone wheel has a circular ring portion, and at least the inner surface of the circular ring portion facing the sensor is magnetic. The characteristics are changed in the circumferential direction alternately and at equal intervals. Further, the sensor is opposed through the axial direction of the small gap to the inner surface of the circular ring portion. The first seal ring provided between the annular portion and the rolling member installation portion, and a seal between the rolling elements installed part and the tone wheel,
The tip edge of the second seal ring whose base end is locked to the inner peripheral edge of the cover is fixedly connected to the hub.
A part of the constant velocity joint that rotationally drives the hub is slidably contactable with the outer peripheral surface .

[0009]

The rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device of the present invention configured as described above rotatably supports the wheel and detects the rotation speed of the wheel fixed to the rotation wheel in combination with the sensor. The action itself in this case is almost the same as that of the conventional rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device.

Particularly, in the case of the rolling bearing unit with the rotation speed detecting device of the present invention, the rolling bearing unit portion, the sensor, the tone wheel, and the first and second seal rings are integrated in a bearing manufacturer's factory. It can be assembled and delivered to the automaker's factory. Therefore, the number of man-hours for assembling at the automobile manufacturer's factory is reduced, and the efficiency of the assembling work at the automobile manufacturer's factory can be improved. The work of assembling the rolling bearing unit with the rotation speed detector at the factory of the bearing manufacturer can be handled as a single rolling bearing, and because the size and weight are small, the efficiency of the assembling work decreases with the increase of the assembling work. This is far less than the reduction in efficiency when assembling to the suspension system part in an automobile factory. Therefore, a sufficiently large efficiency improving effect can be obtained as a whole.

Further, in the case of the rolling bearing unit with the rotation speed detecting device of the present invention, since the tone wheel is covered with the cover and is not exposed to the outside, the tone wheel may collide with other articles during transportation. There is almost no. Therefore,
It is possible to improve the yield by eliminating defective products that are generated when the tone wheel is damaged or the installation position is displaced after the assembly is completed by the bearing manufacturer.

[0012]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention . The outer ring 14 that does not rotate during use is supported by a suspension device (not shown) by a mounting flange 15 formed on the outer peripheral surface. It forms a outer ring raceway 7, 7 on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 14. On the other hand, the rotating wheel that rotates during use includes a cylindrical hub 3 and an inner end of the hub 3 (an assembly shape for an automobile).
In FIG. 1, the right end in FIG. ) Part and one inner ring 4 fitted and fixed to the outside. And
These outer peripheral surfaces of the two members 3 and 4, to form an inner ring raceway 8,8. A plurality of balls 13, 13 each of which is a rolling element are provided between the outer ring raceways 7, 7 and the inner ring raceways 8, 8 to rotate the hub 3 and the inner ring 4 inside the outer ring 14. I am free. Incidentally, in the case of a rolling bearing unit for an automobile, which is heavy in weight, tapered rollers may be used as the rolling elements. A wheel is supported and fixed to a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the hub 3 that protrudes from the outer end of the outer ring 14 (the end that is the outer side in the width direction when mounted on a vehicle, which is the left end in FIG. 1). A mounting flange 16 is formed for this purpose.

Further, a tone wheel 17 is externally fitted and fixed to a shoulder portion existing at the inner end portion of the inner ring 4 which is separated from the inner ring raceway 8. This tone wheel 17
By pressing magnetic metal plate such as steel plate,
It has an L-shaped cross section and is formed in an annular shape as a whole. That is, the tone wheel 17 includes the cylindrical portion 18 and the cylindrical portion 1
8 is provided with a circular ring portion 19 which is bent at a right angle from the inner end edge to the diametrically outward direction. A large number of notches 20, 20 are formed in the circular ring portion 19 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the circular ring portion 19 is formed in a comb shape, and the magnetic characteristics of the inner and outer both side surfaces are alternately changed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Incidentally, in order to alternately change the magnetic characteristics on one side surface of the circular ring portion 19 in the circumferential direction, not only the notches 20 and 20 shown in the drawing but also various conventionally known structures are adopted. it can. For example, a plurality of through holes may be formed in the circular ring portion 19 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, or the circular ring portion 19 may be formed of a ferromagnetic material and the circular ring portion 1 may be formed.
It is also possible to magnetize 9 to the S pole and the N pole alternately, and to attach a permanent magnet to the ring portion 19 in which the S pole and the N pole are alternately magnetized.

A cover 21 is externally fitted and fixed to the inner end opening of the outer ring 14. The cover 21 is formed, for example, by drawing a metal plate such as a stainless steel plate,
The cross section is substantially L-shaped and the whole is formed in an annular shape. The cover 21 is composed of a bottom plate portion 26 and a peripheral wall portion 22. Of these, the peripheral wall portion 22 has a large-diameter portion 23 on the opening side and a small-diameter portion 24 on the rear side connected by a step 25. Become.
The cover 21 having such a peripheral wall 22 is attached to the outer ring 1
4, the large diameter portion 23 is fitted onto the inner end portion of the outer ring 14 by interference fitting, and the step portion 25 is abutted against the inner end surface of the outer ring 14. In this state, the cover 21
Is supported and fixed to the outer ring 14 in a predetermined positional relationship.

The small diameter portion 24 is a part of the cover 21.
In a portion surrounded by the bottom plate portion 26, a synthetic resin 27, which is also formed in an annular shape, in which a sensor (not shown) which is formed in an annular shape is embedded, is held and fixed. The sensor is an inner side surface of the circular ring portion 19 that constitutes the tone wheel 17 over the entire circumference (right side surface of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4).
And are opposed to each other via a minute gap 28 in the axial direction (left and right direction in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4). Such a sensor changes the output according to the change in the magnetic resistance between the tone wheel 17 and the tone wheel 17 that changes with the rotation of the hub 3 and the inner ring 4. Then, this output is taken out by the harness 29 and sent to an ABS or TCS controller (not shown). It should be noted that such an annular sensor is conventionally known and is not the subject of the present invention, as described in, for example, the Japan Society for Invention Publication Technical Report 94-16051. Is omitted. Further, when implementing the present invention,
The sensor does not necessarily have to be annular.

A first seal ring 30 is provided between the circular ring portion 19 and the installation portion of the balls 13, 13. The first seal ring 30 includes a metal cored bar 31.
And the elastic material 3 provided on the inner peripheral edge of the tip of the core metal 31.
It consists of 2. Of these, the cored bar 31 has a substantially L-shaped cross section and is formed in an annular shape as a whole, and the cylindrical portion 35 formed on the outer peripheral edge portion is fitted into the inner end portion of the outer ring 14 to thereby form the circle. It is supported and fixed between the ring portion 19 and the installation portion of the balls 13, 13. In this state, the inner peripheral edge of the tip end of the elastic member 32, which is also formed in an annular shape by rubber, elastomer, or the like, is the cylindrical portion 1 that constitutes the tone wheel 17.
It is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of 8. Therefore, the grease existing in the balls 13, 13 installation portion does not enter the tone wheel 17 or the sensor portion.

Further, the base end portion of the second seal ring 33 is locked to the inner peripheral edge portion of the bottom plate portion 26 constituting the cover 21. The second seal ring 33 is different from the first seal ring 30 described above (the cover 21
Since it is used as a core metal), it has no core metal and is composed only of elastic materials such as rubber and elastomer. And
The second seal ring 33 is arranged in the axial direction more than the cover.
Since the second seal ring 33 is provided so as to project inward, the tip edge of the second seal ring 33 can be slidably contacted with the outer peripheral surface of the constant velocity joint 6. A third seal ring 36 is fitted and fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer end of the outer ring 14, and the tip edge of the seal lip that constitutes the third seal ring 36 is attached to the inner surface of the mounting flange 16 and It is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the hub 3. These second and third seal rings 33, 3
Reference numeral 6 prevents foreign matter such as rainwater from entering the balls 13, 13 installation portion and the sensor portion.

In the rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device of the present invention constructed as described above, the mounting flange 15 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 14 is fixedly connected to the suspension device to form the hub 3
By fixing the wheel to a mounting flange 16 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel, the wheel is rotatably supported with respect to the suspension device. In this state, the rotation speed of the wheel is obtained from the output of the sensor which changes with the rotation of the tone wheel 17.

Particularly, in the case of the rolling bearing unit with the rotation speed detecting device of the present invention, the rolling bearing unit portion constituted by the outer ring 14, the hub 3, the inner ring 4, and the balls 13, 13, the sensor, the tone wheel 17, and The first and second seal rings 30 and 33 can be integrally assembled at the bearing manufacturer's factory and delivered to the automobile manufacturer's factory.
Then, in a factory of an automobile manufacturer that has delivered a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device configured by assembling these members, the mounting flange 15 is attached to a component member of a suspension device provided on the vehicle body side, and Only by spline-engaging the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 5 and the inner peripheral surface of the hub 3 connected to the joint 6, and further screwing a nut 34 (see FIG. 5) to the distal end portion of the drive shaft 5 to tighten them. The assembly work of the rolling bearing unit with the rotation speed detector can be completed.

Therefore, the number of assembling steps in the factory of the automobile manufacturer is reduced, and the assembling work in this factory can be made more efficient.
When assembling a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detection device at a bearing manufacturer's factory, the rolling bearing unit can be handled separately. Since the rolling bearing unit alone is not so large in size and weight, it is possible to work with each component member oriented in a direction with good assemblability (in the factory of an automobile manufacturer, it is necessary to handle the holding cylinder 1 together). Therefore, the assembly direction is limited in terms of dimensions and weight). Therefore, the decrease in the efficiency of the assembling work accompanying the increase in the assembling work in the factory of the bearing manufacturer is much less than the decrease in the efficiency of assembling the conventional structure to the suspension device part in the automobile factory. Therefore, a sufficiently large efficiency improving effect can be obtained as a whole.

Further, since the tone wheel 17 is covered with the cover 21 and is not exposed to the outside, there is almost no possibility that the tone wheel 17 will hit another article during transportation. Therefore, the tone wheel 17 should be
It is possible to improve the yield by eliminating defective products that are generated due to scratches or displacement of the installation position.

[0022]

Since the rolling bearing unit with the rotational speed detecting device of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, the following excellent effects can be obtained. It is possible to reduce the assembly man-hours in the automobile manufacturer's factory and to improve the efficiency of the assembly work in this factory. It is possible to prevent the tone wheel 10 from being damaged during transportation, or to prevent the installation position from shifting, and prevent the occurrence of defective products.
The cost can be reduced by improving the yield.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view seen from the right side of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the right part of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the upper part of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an essential part showing an example of a conventional structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 holding cylinder 2 outer ring 3 hubs 4 inner ring 5 drive shaft 6 constant velocity joint 7 Outer ring track 8 Inner ring track 9 seal ring 10 tone wheel 11 sensors 12 seal ring 13 balls 14 outer ring 15, 16 Mounting flange 17 tone wheel 18 Cylindrical part 19 Circle part 20 notches 21 cover 22 Peripheral wall 23 Large diameter part 24 Small diameter part 25 steps 26 Bottom plate 27 synthetic resin 28 Micro gap 29 harness 30 First seal ring 31 core metal 32 Elastic material 33 Second seal ring 34 nuts 35 Cylindrical part 36 Third Seal Ring

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An outer ring to 1. A inner peripheral surface does not rotate during use has an outer ring raceway, rotates during use has an inner ring raceway on an outer peripheral surface,
A rotating wheel having an inner ring fitted on the inner end of the hub, and the outer ring.
A plurality of rolling elements provided between the raceway and the inner ring raceway, this
The shoulder formed at the inner end of the inner ring that constitutes the rotating wheel of
Tone wheel fixed by external fitting and the inner end of the outer ring
In addition, in a rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device, which comprises a cover fixedly fitted outside in a state of protruding inward from the inner end surface of the outer ring, and a sensor supported by the cover. , The tone wheel has a circular ring portion, and at least the inner surface of the circular ring portion facing the sensor is magnetic.
Characteristics and and varied at equal intervals alternately over a circumferential direction, the sensor is opposed through the axial direction of the small gap to the inner surface of the circular ring portion, the annular portion and the rolling elements first sealing ring provided between the installation portion, and a seal between the rolling elements installed part and the tone wheel, is locked to the base end portion to the inner peripheral edge of the cover leading edge of the second seal ring, to said hub
Constant velocity joint that is fixedly connected and drives this hub to rotate
A rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detection device, characterized in that it is slidably contactable with a part of the outer peripheral surface of the. 2. The second seal ring is axial rather than the cover.
While projecting inward, place the base end of the cover inside the cover.
The rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detecting device according to claim 1, which is locked to a peripheral edge .