Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
  • B23Q3/00—Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine
  • B23Q3/02—Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine for mounting on a work-table, tool-slide, or analogous part
  • B23Q3/06—Work-clamping means
  • B23Q3/062—Work-clamping means adapted for holding workpieces having a special form or being made from a special material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23B—TURNING; BORING
  • B23B5/00—Turning-machines or devices specially adapted for particular work; Accessories specially adapted therefor
  • B23B5/02—Turning-machines or devices specially adapted for particular work; Accessories specially adapted therefor for turning hubs or brake drums
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D7/00—Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings
  • B62D7/18—Steering knuckles; King pins
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49481—Wheel making
  • Y10T29/49492—Land wheel
  • Y10T29/49533—Hub making
  • Y10T29/49536—Hub shaping
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49998—Work holding
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/53—Means to assemble or disassemble
  • Y10T29/53796—Puller or pusher means, contained force multiplying operator
  • Y10T29/5383—Puller or pusher means, contained force multiplying operator having fluid operator
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/53—Means to assemble or disassemble
  • Y10T29/53796—Puller or pusher means, contained force multiplying operator
  • Y10T29/53839—Puller or pusher means, contained force multiplying operator having percussion or explosive operator
  • Y10T29/53843—Tube, sleeve, or ferrule inserting or removing

Definitions

• the present teachings generally pertain to a method and apparatus for final finishing flange faces of a wheel hub of a knuckle assembly.
• motor vehicles typically incorporate knuckle assemblies for interconnecting the vehicle suspension with the rotors and wheels.
• the knuckle assemblies generally include a wheel hub and a knuckle. Each wheel hub is rotationally coupled to an associated knuckle through a wheel bearing assembly.
• the wheel bearing assemblies include an outer bearing race coupled to the knuckle and two inner bearing races coupled to the wheel hub.
• the brake rotor and wheel are, in turn, coupled to the wheel hub.
• One critical aspect to control is lateral runout of the hub.
• a hub with too much lateral runout will wobble as it rotates and create a perceived dynamic imbalance.
• Various arrangements have been proposed for final finishing flange faces of a wheel hub assembly of a knuckle assembly to reduce lateral runout. While known arrangements may have proven to be acceptable for their intended purposes, a continuous need for improvement exists within the pertinent art.
• the present teachings provide a fixture for final finishing flange faces of a hub of a knuckle assembly.
• the fixture includes a mounting surface, a drive arrangement and a clamping arrangement.
• the drive arrangement is operative for engaging and rotating the hub of the knuckle assembly relative to the remainder of the knuckle assembly.
• the drive arrangement includes a drive member extending along a drive axis.
• the drive member is rotatable about the drive axis.
• the clamping arrangement is carried by the mounting surface.
• the clamping arrangement radially surrounds the drive arrangement and is operative for clamping the fixture relative to the mounting surface.
• the clamping arrangement includes a housing, a piston assembly radially positioned between the housing and the drive member, and a clamping sleeve radially disposed between the piston assembly and the clamping sleeve.
• the piston is movable in a first direction generally parallel to the drive axis.
• the clamping sleeve and the piston are cooperatively configured to radially force an upper end of the piston assembly radially outward in a second direction in response to movement of the piston in the first direction for engaging a back bore of the knuckle assembly.
• the present teachings provide a fixture for final finishing flange faces of a hub of a knuckle assembly.
• the fixture includes a mounting surface, a drive arrangement and a clamping arrangement.
• the drive arrangement is operative for engaging and rotating the hub of the knuckle assembly relative to the remainder of the knuckle assembly.
• the drive arrangement includes an upper shaft portion and a lower shaft portion. The upper shaft portion and the lower shaft portion are coupled for rotation and commonly aligned on a drive axis.
• the clamping arrangement is carried by the mounting surface.
• the clamping arrangement radially surrounds the drive arrangement and is operative for clamping the fixture relative to the mounting surface.
• the present teachings provide a method of securing a knuckle assembly in a fixture for final finishing flange faces of a hub of the knuckle assembly.
• the method includes providing a fixture having a drive arrangement and a clamping arrangement.
• the clamping arrangement includes a housing, a piston assembly radially positioned between the housing and the drive member, and a clamping sleeve radially disposed between the piston assembly and the clamping sleeve.
• the piston is movable in a first direction generally parallel to the drive axis.
• the method additional includes translating the piston in the first direction and radially forcing the upper end of the piston assembly outward in the second direction in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
• the method further includes engaging a backbore of the knuckle assembly with the upper end of the piston assembly.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fixture for final finishing a wheel hub of a knuckle assembly in accordance with the present teachings.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the fixture of Figure 1 , the fixture shown exploded relative to the knuckle assembly.
• Figure 3 is an exploded side view of a portion of the fixture of
• Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the fixture and knuckle assembly of Figure 1 .
• Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the fixture of Figure 1 .
• Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through the fixture of Figure 1 , the fixture illustrated to include a drive arrangement for rotating a main drive shaft.
• Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken through the fixture and knuckle assembly of Figure 1 .
• an apparatus or fixture for final finishing a wheel hub of a knuckle assembly in accordance with the present teachings is illustrated and generally identified at reference character 10.
• the fixture 10 is operatively illustrated with the knuckle assembly 12. As will become apparent below, the fixture 10 may be used for final finishing of a wheel hub of the knuckle assembly.
• knuckle assembly 12 Prior to addressing the construction and operation of the fixture of the present teachings, a brief understanding of the knuckle assembly 12 is warranted. It will be understood that the knuckle assembly 12 illustrated throughout the drawings is exemplary. In this regard, the present teachings may be adapted to other knuckle assemblies within the scope of the present invention.
• the knuckle assembly 12 generally includes a knuckle 14 and a hub 16.
• the knuckle 14 may be cast of iron or otherwise suitably formed and includes a main body 18 defining a cylindrical bore 20.
• a plurality of attachment arms 22 extend from the main body 18 and are attached to the vehicle suspension in a manner well known in the art.
• the hub 16 may be formed of steel or other suitable material and generally includes a flange 24 and a neck 26.
• the flange 24 defines a generally circular disc and includes a plurality of apertures 28 through which mounting bolts 30 extend.
• the mounting bolts 30 include threaded ends.
• the threaded ends are oriented with threaded ends extending outwardly.
• the threaded ends connect a rotor (not shown) and an associated wheel (not shown) onto the hub 16 in a conventional manner.
• the hub 16 includes a face directed toward the rotor which may be finished with a lathe (not shown). As will become more apparent below, the fixture 10 of the present teachings may be used to reduce lateral runout of this face of the hub 16 upon final finishing.
• the knuckle 14 and the hub 16 are rotatably coupled with a wheel bearing 32.
• the wheel bearing 32 radially surrounds the neck 26 of the hub 16.
• the wheel bearing 32 includes a pair of inner races 34 and an outer race 36.
• the inner races 34 may be press-fit to the neck 26 of the hub 16 for rotation therewith.
• the outer race 36 may be press-fit into the cylindrical bore 20 of the knuckle 14 for rotation therewith.
• the fixture 10 may generally include a holder or drive shaft 40, a spindle driver 42, a main clamping shaft 44, a centering collet 46 and a nut 48.
• the drive shaft 40 and the main clamping shaft 44 may collectively define a drive member for rotating the hub 16 in a manner discussed below.
• the fixture 10 is further illustrated to generally include a clamping collet 50, a clamping piston 52, a clamping cylinder housing 54, a clamping sleeve 55 and a knuckle interface housing 56.
• the clamping collet 50 and the clamping piston 52 may be coupled for relative movement and thereby cooperate to define a piston.
• the clamping cylinder housing 54 and the knuckle interface housing 56 may cooperatively define a clamp housing or housing for a clamping arrangement.
• the fixture 10 may further include a mounting plate 58 to which the remainder of the fixture 10 may be secured.
• the drive shaft 40 may be generally cylindrical and elongated along an Axis A (see Figure 7, for example).
• a lower end of the drive shaft 40 may extend through a bore in the plate 58 and may be configured to cooperate with a drive arrangement 60 disposed below the plate 58 and within a housing 62.
• the drive arrangement 60 may rotate the drive shaft 40 about the Axis A under a source of power.
• An upper end of the drive shaft 40 may carry the spindle driver 42.
• the spindle driver 42 may be integrally formed with the drive shaft 40 (as shown in Figure 3, for example) or formed as a separate element (as shown in Figures 6 and 7, for example) and secured to the drive shaft 40 in any manner well known in the art.
• the spindle driver 42 may be configured to engage and drive the main clamping shaft 44 in response to rotation of the drive shaft 40.
• One of the spindle driver 42 and a lower end of the clamping shaft 44 may include a male element and the other of the spindle driver 42 and the lower end of the clamping shaft 44 may include a cooperate female element for transferring torque therebetween.
• the spindle driver 42 may include a keel 64 or similar structure that may be received within a cooperating slot 66 defined in a lower end of the clamping shaft 44.
• the spindle driver 42 may include the slot 66 and the lower end of the clamping shaft 44 may include the slot.
• the clamping shaft 44 may be disposed on the Axis A and thus be co-linear with the drive shaft 40. As illustrated, the lower end of the drive shaft 40 may be enlarged relative to an elongated shaft of the main clamping shaft 44 and may be generally frustoconical in shape. The frustoconical shape may taper in a downward direction.
• allowing the drive shaft 40 and the main clamping shaft 44 to be non-collinear allows a rotational axis of the wheel hub 16 to be non-collinear to an axis of a lathe spindle rotating the wheel hub 16.
• Aligning the rotational axes of the main clamping shaft 44 and the bearing 32 ensures that the wheel hub 16 is rotated about its own axis. Rotating the wheel hub 16 about its own axis rather than rotating the wheel hub 16 about the lathe spindle axis during finishing may thereby improves perpendicularity of the finished wheel hub flange faces and the bearing axis.
• the centering collet 46 may radially surround the elongated shaft of the clamping shaft 44. As illustrated, the centering collet 46 may be disposed proximate the enlarged lower end of the clamping shaft 44.
• the centering collet 46 may define a plurality of splines for engaging cooperating splines conventionally defined within a bore 68 of the hub 16. The centering collet 46 is operative to center the clamping shaft 44 relative to the hub 16.
• An upper end of the clamping shaft 44 may be threaded.
• the threads may engage the nut 48.
• the nut 48 may be tightened to clamp the knuckle assembly 12 and pre-load the bearing 32.
• the two inner races 34 are displaced axially toward one another prior to finish turning.
• the clamping sleeve 55 includes a lower flange 70 and an upwardly extending cylinder 72.
• the lower flange 70 may be disposed in a counterbore 74 defined by the plate 58 such that the lower flange 70 is vertically supported within the opening 74 and laterally constrained therein.
• the clamping sleeve 55 defines a bore 76 that receives the drive shaft 40.
• the clamping cylinder housing 54 and the knuckle interface housing 56 cooperate to define a clamping housing that radially surrounds the clamping sleeve 55.
• the housings 54 and 56 may be two separate components that are welded, bolted or otherwise suitably secured to one another in a conventional manner. Where the clamping cylinder housing 54 and the knuckle interface housing 56 are distinct components, they may be manufactured of distinct materials. Alternatively, the clamping cylinder housing 54 and the knuckle interface housing 56 may be formed as a single component, [inventors to identify the particular materials of the clamping cylinder housing 54 and the knuckle interface housing 56]
• the clamping cylinder housing 54 includes a lower flange 78 and an upper cylindrical portion 80.
• the lower flange 78 may be vertically supported on the flange 70 of the clamping sleeve 55.
• the knuckle interface housing 56 may upwardly extend from the clamping cylinder housing 54 and may be generally frustoconical in shape. In this regard, the knuckle interface housing 56 may taper upwardly. As shown in Figure 7, the upper end of the knuckle interface housing 56 may be received within a counterbore of the knuckle 14.
• the clamping piston 52 may be radially positioned between the clamping cylinder housing 54 and the clamping sleeve 55.
• the clamping piston 52 is vertically displaceable in a downward direction as indicated by Arrow B in Figure 7. This clamping movement will be described further below.
• the clamping collet 50 may be radially disposed between the knuckle interface housing 56 and the clamping sleeve 55. As perhaps best shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 7, a lower end of the clamping collet 50 is captured by the clamping piston 52 and thereby coupled together for relative movement in a vertical direction. As such, when the clamping piston 52 moves in the direction of Arrow B, the clamping collet 50 correspondingly moves downward, as indicated by Arrow C.
• An upper end of the clamping sleeve 55 is formed to include a taper.
• the upper end of the clamping collet 50 is formed to include a cooperating taper.
• the clamping piston 52 may cooperate with the clamping collet 50 to clamp the main clamping shaft 44 within a back bore of the knuckle 14 of the knuckle assembly 12. Centering the main clamping shaft 20 within the wheel hub 14 and clamping the main clamping shaft 20 within the knuckle back bore aligns the rotational axes of the main clamping shaft 20 and the wheel hub 14 so that the wheel hub 14 may be rotated about the preloaded bearing axis.
• the wheel hub 16 Prior to clamping the knuckle assembly 12, the wheel hub 16 may be placed over the main clamping shaft 44 and the nut 48 may be tightened. Tightening of the nut 48 onto the main clamping shaft 44 preloads the wheel bearing 32 of the knuckle assembly 14 by displacing the two inner bearing races axially in relation to each other.
• the nut 48 may be tightened using a service torque (e.g., 160 ft/lb) and the drive shaft 40 can be fixed to prevent the main clamping shaft 44 from rotating while the nut 48 is tightened.
• the knuckle back bore may be positioned on the knuckle interface housing 56 and the arm 22 can be positioned between the hydraulic clamps 82.
• the clamping piston 52 may be hydraulically actuated in the direction of the Arrow A (e.g., generally downward as shown in Figure 7).
• the clamping piston 52 may act on the clamping collet 50 generally in the same direction (e.g., as indicated by Arrow C) to downwardly displace the clamping collet 50.
• Arrow C a wedged end of the clamping sleeve 55 biases the clamping collet 50 radially outward against the knuckle back bore, as indicated by the Arrow D of Figure 7.
• the knuckle assembly 12 is rotationally captured.
• the fixture 10 is further illustrated to include a pair of hydraulic clamps 82.
• the hydraulic clamps 82 bias capture one of the arms 22 of the knuckle 14 to prevent the knuckle 14 from rotating during the finishing process. Alternately, this could be accomplished with one hydraulic clamp and a fixed stop.
• the knuckle 14 is now fixed relative to the fixture 10.
• the hub 16 may be rotated relative to the lathe for final finishing of flange faces of the hub 16.
• One of the flange faces for finishing is located radially inward from the plurality of wheel bolts 30 carried by the hub 16.
• Another of the flange faces for finishing is located radially outward from the plurality of wheel bolts 30.
• Both flange faces may be finished perpendicular to the preloaded bearing axis which ensures proper rotor positioning and thereby minimizes uneven rotor wear in service, which may result in rotor thickness variation and subsequent customer dissatisfaction.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Grinding Of Cylindrical And Plane Surfaces (AREA)
• Gripping On Spindles (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=44857621

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (6)

Families Citing this family (24)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2011
  • 2011-04-29 NO NO11775630A patent/NO2563639T3/no unknown
  • 2011-04-29 ES ES11775630.4T patent/ES2671598T3/es active Active
  • 2011-04-29 WO PCT/US2011/034559 patent/WO2011137343A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-04-29 EP EP11775630.4A patent/EP2563639B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2011-04-29 US US13/097,173 patent/US8656568B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (1)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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