WO2023244054A1

WO2023244054A1 - Wheel bearing assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2023244054A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/008324
Authority: WO
Inventors: 홍용석; 조선기; 염성민; 홍성범; 장귀봉
Original assignee: 주식회사 일진글로벌
Priority date: 2022-06-15
Filing date: 2023-06-15
Publication date: 2023-12-21
Also published as: KR20230172359A

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, provided is a wheel bearing assembly for rotatably mounting a vehicle wheel to a chassis and supporting same. A wheel bearing assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a wheel hub having a wheel-mounting flange and having a containing space formed on a chassis-side end so as to contain a rolling member of a constant-velocity joint; one or more inner races press-fitted and mounted to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub; an outer race having a chassis-side mounting flange; multiple rolling elements for supporting the wheel hub to be able to rotate relative to the outer race; and a rubber boot for preventing external foreign materials from entering the containing space of the wheel hub. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inner race may be configured to be fixed by a forming portion formed by plastically deforming the chassis-side end of the wheel hub. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rubber boot may comprise a boot portion, a wheel-side mounting portion provided on a wheel-side end of the boot portion, and a chassis-side mounting portion provided on a chassis-side end of the boot portion. The wheel-side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured so as to be engagement-coupled and mounted to the forming portion.

Description

wheel bearing assembly

The present invention relates to a wheel bearing assembly that supports a vehicle wheel by rotatably mounting it on a vehicle body, and more specifically, to a wheel bearing assembly configured to be assembled by inserting the rolling member of the constant velocity joint into the inside of the wheel bearing.

Wheel bearings are devices that support the wheels of a vehicle by rotatably mounted on the vehicle body. They can be divided into wheel bearings for driving wheels mounted on the driving wheels of a vehicle and wheel bearings for driven wheels mounted on the driven wheels of a vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventionally used wheel bearing assembly for a drive shaft (the so-called third generation wheel bearing assembly) is shown as an example.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wheel bearing assembly 10 for the drive shaft is connected to the non-rotating element 30 fixed to the vehicle body through the rolling element 40 so that the rotating element 20 on which the wheel is mounted is connected to the wheel to the vehicle body. It is configured to be rotatably mounted, and a constant velocity joint 50 is coupled to one side of the wheel bearing to transmit the power generated by the driving device to the wheel bearing.

The constant velocity joint 50 typically has a structure in which a rolling member 70 (e.g., a ball member) and an inner member supporting the same are accommodated in the outer member 60, and a central axis 80 connected to a driving device is coupled to this inner member. It is formed at the wheel side end of the outer member 60, and a stem portion 65 extending in the axial direction is formed so that the splines formed on the outer peripheral surface of the stem portion 65 engage with the splines formed on the inner peripheral surface of the rotating element 20. It is configured to do so.

Meanwhile, a rubber boot 90 may be mounted on the vehicle body side portion of the constant velocity joint 50 to prevent external foreign substances from entering the constant velocity joint 50 where the rolling member 70 is located.

For example, the rubber boot 90 may be formed in a corrugated tubular structure with both ends open, with one end coupled to the outer member 60 of the constant velocity joint 50 and the other end connected to the central axis of the constant velocity joint 50. It is coupled to (80) and performs the function of sealing the inside of the constant velocity joint (50) from the outside.

However, the wheel bearing assembly 10 of this structure is configured so that the rolling member 70 of the constant velocity joint 50 is located axially outside the rotating element 20 of the wheel bearing. The length becomes longer, and the wheel bearing and constant velocity joint are configured to be joined through axial splines, which may cause problems with noise or vibration during power transmission.

As a way to improve this problem, a wheel bearing assembly (4th generation wheel bearing assembly), which has a structure in which a constant velocity joint (for example, a rolling member of a constant velocity joint, etc.) is inserted and coupled to the inside of the wheel hub of the wheel bearing, has been proposed.

This 4th generation wheel bearing assembly is configured to couple the constant velocity joint to the wheel bearing with a part of the constant velocity joint located inside the wheel hub of the wheel bearing, so the length of the wheel bearing assembly can be shortened, which may result in the wheel bearing It has the advantage of being able to achieve miniaturization and weight reduction of the assembly.

However, since the wheel bearing assembly of this 4th generation structure is assembled by inserting the rolling member of the constant velocity joint into the inside of the wheel hub, it is not easy to install a rubber boot to prevent foreign substances from entering the internal space of the constant velocity joint. There is.

For example, in the case of the conventional wheel bearing assembly shown in Figure 1, the rubber boot 90 could be mounted by coupling one end (wheel side end) of the rubber boot 90 to the outer member of the constant velocity joint, but the 4th generation structure In the case of the wheel bearing assembly, the rolling member of the constant velocity joint is inserted inside the wheel hub and the wheel hub is configured to perform the function of the outer member of the constant velocity joint, so a mounting part for coupling the wheel side end of the rubber boot 90 is installed. There is a problem with securing it.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-described conventional problems, and provides a rubber boot for preventing external foreign substances from entering the constant velocity joint in a wheel bearing assembly configured to be installed by inserting the rolling member of the constant velocity joint into the wheel hub of the wheel bearing. The purpose is to provide a wheel bearing assembly configured to enable easier and more stable installation.

A representative configuration of the present invention to achieve the above-described object is as follows.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a wheel bearing assembly is provided that supports a vehicle wheel by rotatably mounting it on a vehicle body. A wheel bearing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a wheel hub having a wheel mounting flange and a receiving space formed at an end of the vehicle body for accommodating the rolling member of the constant velocity joint; One or more inner rings press-fitted and mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub; an outer ring having a vehicle body side mounting flange; a plurality of rolling elements that support the wheel hub so that it can rotate relative to the outer ring; It may be configured to include a rubber boot that prevents external foreign substances from entering into the receiving space of the wheel hub. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inner ring may be configured to be fixed by a forming portion formed by plastically deforming an end of the vehicle body side of the wheel hub. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rubber boot includes a boot portion; a wheel-side mounting portion provided at the wheel-side end of the boot portion; It may include a vehicle body side mounting portion provided at the vehicle body side end of the boot portion, and the wheel side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured to be mounted by engaging the forming portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the forming part may be configured to support the inner wheel by contacting the body-side end of the inner wheel, and the wheel-side mounting part of the rubber boot is configured to be mounted by engaging between the body-side end of the inner wheel and the forming part. It can be.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wheel side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured to include a ring-shaped elastic member.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ring-shaped elastic member provided on the wheel side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured to be surrounded by the wheel side end portion of the boot portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured to be mounted on the rotation axis of the constant velocity joint.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured to be coupled by a clip ring.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the boot portion may be formed in a corrugated tubular structure with both ends open.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the boot portion may be formed of an elastic rubber material.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a heat treatment hardened portion may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving space, and this heat treatment hardened portion may be formed to include all of the recesses formed in the receiving space.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a heat treatment hardened portion may be formed on all or part of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a constant velocity joint that is inserted and coupled to the receiving space formed at the end of the vehicle body side of the wheel hub may be further included.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the constant velocity joint may be coupled to the wheel hub so that the rolling member is accommodated and mounted in a recess of an accommodation space formed at an end of the vehicle body side of the wheel hub.

In addition to this, the wheel bearing assembly according to the present invention may further include other additional components without impairing the technical spirit of the present invention.

The wheel bearing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention forms an accommodating space in which the rolling member (e.g., ball member) of the constant velocity joint can be accommodated at the end of the vehicle body of the wheel hub, and the rolling member of the constant velocity joint is inserted into this accommodating space. Since it is configured to be mounted, the overall length of the wheel bearing assembly can be shortened, the wheel bearing assembly can be miniaturized and lightweight, and the occurrence of noise or vibration when transmitting driving force can be suppressed.

Moreover, the wheel bearing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention has a simple structure by engaging a rubber boot that prevents foreign substances from entering into the receiving space where the rolling member of the constant velocity joint is located by engaging the forming part of the wheel hub. This allows the wheel side end of the rubber boot to be fixed to the wheel bearing.

Figure 1 exemplarily shows a conventional wheel bearing assembly (a wheel bearing assembly of a third generation structure).

Figure 2 exemplarily shows the overall structure of a wheel bearing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 exemplarily shows the cross-sectional structure of a wheel bearing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 exemplarily shows a structure in which the wheel-side end of the rubber boot is engaged with the forming portion of the wheel hub in the wheel bearing assembly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

100: Wheel bearing assembly

200: wheel bearing

210: wheel hub

220: inner ring

230: paddle

240: rolling element

250: Accommodation space

260: recess

300: Constant velocity joint

310: Cloud member

320: inner member

330: intermediate member

340: rotation axis

400: rubber boot

410: boot portion (of rubber boot)

420: Wheel side mounting portion (of rubber boot)

430: Body side mounting portion (of rubber boot)

The embodiments described below are illustrative for the purpose of explaining the technical idea of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments or detailed descriptions presented below.

All technical and scientific terms used in this specification, unless otherwise defined, have meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and all terms used in this specification refer to the present invention. It was selected for the purpose of explaining more clearly and was not selected to limit the scope of the present invention.

As used herein, expressions such as “comprising,” “comprising,” “having,” and the like are open terms implying the possibility of including other embodiments, unless otherwise stated in the phrase or sentence containing the expression. -ended terms).

In this specification, “axial direction” refers to a direction extending along the central axis of rotation of the wheel bearing assembly, and “radial direction” refers to a direction perpendicular to this “axial direction” away from or close to the central axis of rotation. “Circumferential direction” means the direction of rotation centered on the aforementioned “axial direction.”

The singular forms used herein may include the plural, unless otherwise stated, and this also applies to the singular forms used in the claims.

In this specification, when a component is referred to as being “located” or “formed” on one side of another component, this means that the component is positioned or formed in direct contact with one side of the other component. Alternatively, it should be understood that it can be positioned or formed with another new component interposed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that a person skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, identical or corresponding components are indicated by the same reference numerals, and in the description of the following embodiments, duplicate descriptions of identical or corresponding components may be omitted. However, even if descriptions of specific components are omitted in the description below, this does not mean that such components are not included in the embodiment.

2 to 4, a wheel bearing assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is exemplarily shown. As shown in the drawing, the wheel bearing assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention has rotating elements (e.g., wheel hub 210 and inner ring 220) similar to a typical vehicle wheel bearing and non-rotating elements. [For example, the outer ring 230] is coupled to the rolling element 240 and performs the function of rotatably supporting the wheel of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, and a receiving space 250 is provided at the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210. It can be configured to insert and couple the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 into the wheel bearing 200.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wheel hub 210 may be formed into a substantially cylindrical structure extending along the axial direction, and a wheel mounting flange 212 (hub flange) is provided on one outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210. It can be provided. The wheel mounting flange 212 is formed in a shape that extends radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210 and can be used to mount a vehicle wheel to the wheel hub 210 using a hub bolt or the like. Meanwhile, the inner ring 220 may be mounted on the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210, and a raceway surface (inner raceway surface) of the rolling element is formed on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210, so that the rolling element 240 ) may be configured to support the radial inner side.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more inner rings 220 may be configured to be mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210, and a raceway surface (inner raceway surface) of the rolling element is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 220. It may be configured to support the rolling element 240 in the radial direction. For example, the inner ring 220 may be configured to be press-fitted and coupled to the seating portion 214 provided near the end of the vehicle body side of the wheel hub 210, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner ring 220 It may be configured to be supported/fixed by the forming portion 216 formed by plastically deforming the end of the vehicle body.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the outer ring 230 has a vehicle body side mounting flange 232 on the outer peripheral surface used to mount the wheel bearing assembly to the vehicle body, and has a raceway surface with which the rolling element 240 contacts the inner peripheral surface. It may be configured to be provided. The raceway (outer raceway) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 230 cooperates with the raceway (inner raceway) formed on the wheel hub 210 and/or the inner ring 220, and the rolling element, which is a rolling element, is between these raceway surfaces. It may be configured to accommodate and support (240).

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rolling element 240 includes a rotating element (e.g., wheel hub 210 and/or inner ring 220) and a non-rotating element (e.g., outer ring 230) of the wheel bearing 200. ] is interposed between them, and can perform the function of supporting the rotating element to enable relative rotation with respect to the non-rotating element.

However, in the case of the embodiment shown in the drawing, the wheel bearing is configured in such a way that one raceway surface for supporting the rolling element is formed directly on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub. However, the wheel bearing according to one embodiment of the present invention is It is not necessarily limited to this structure, and may be modified into various other structures, such as mounting two inner rings on a wheel hub and supporting the rolling element through the two inner rings.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210 supports the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 from the outside (for example, the function performed by the outer member of the constant velocity joint in FIG. 1). function). For this purpose, the wheel bearing 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a receiving space 250 formed by being axially recessed at the end of the vehicle body side of the wheel hub 210, and has a radius on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving space 250. It may be provided with a recess 260 having a structure that is recessed outward in the direction, so that the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 is accommodated and coupled to this recess 260.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the recess 260 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the vehicle body side end (inner peripheral surface of the receiving space) of the wheel hub 210 is determined by the number of rolling members 310 provided in the constant velocity joint 300. It may be configured to have one or more corresponding numbers along the circumferential direction.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a heat treatment hardening portion is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the receiving space 250 where the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 is accommodated to stabilize the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300. It can be configured to support.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heat treatment hardened portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving space 250 is at least the rolling member of the constant velocity joint 300 to provide a stable rolling motion to the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300. The member 310 may be configured to include all contact parts.

For example, the heat treatment hardened portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving space 250 may be configured to include all of the recesses 260 into which the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 is inserted and comes into contact.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wheel hub 210 may be configured to have a heat treatment hardening portion on all or part of the outer peripheral surface (eg, rolling element raceway surface, inner ring mounting portion, etc.). For example, the heat treatment hardening portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210 starts at a position on the wheel side compared to the rolling element raceway surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210 to provide a stable rolling element raceway surface and/or inner ring press-fit surface. It may be configured to extend to the part before the end of the vehicle body side of the inner ring 220 that is press-fitted into the wheel hub 210.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat treatment hardening portion formed on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the wheel hub 210 can be performed through various known heat treatment methods such as high-frequency quenching and pre-hardening heat treatment, and can provide a stable raceway surface and/ Alternatively, it may be formed to have a predetermined hardness (eg, Hv 500 or more) to provide a mounting surface.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the constant velocity joint 300 may be inserted and coupled to the receiving space 250 provided at the end of the wheel hub 210 on the vehicle body side. For example, the constant velocity joint 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a rolling member 310 as shown in the drawing; An inner member 320 supporting the rolling member 310 on the radial inner side; It may be configured to include an intermediate member 330 (cage) having a pocket into which the rolling member 310 is inserted, and the inner member 320 of the constant velocity joint 300 includes a rotation shaft 340 connected to the drive shaft of the driving device. It can be configured to be combined.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a rubber boot 400 is mounted between the wheel bearing 200 and the constant velocity joint 300 to prevent external foreign substances from entering the receiving space where the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 is located. (250) It may be configured to prevent inflow into the interior.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rubber boot 400 includes a boot portion 410 that performs a sealing function; a wheel-side mounting portion 420 provided at the wheel-side end of the boot portion 410; It may be configured to include a vehicle body-side mounting portion 430 provided at the vehicle body-side end of the boot portion 410.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the boot portion 410 may be formed in a corrugated tubular structure with both ends open as shown in the drawing, and may be formed using an elastic rubber material or the like.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 may be configured to be engaged with the forming portion 216 of the wheel hub 210. Specifically, the forming portion 216 of the wheel hub 210 may be configured to support the inner ring 220 by contacting the body-side end of the inner ring 220 as shown in the drawing, and the wheel-side mounting portion of the rubber boot may be configured to support the inner ring 220. It may be configured to be mounted by engaging between the vehicle body end of the inner ring 220 and the forming portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to include a ring-shaped elastic member (e.g., a ring-shaped spring member), and is used by the elastic force of the ring-shaped elastic member. It may be configured to be engaged with the forming portion 216 of the wheel hub 210.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a ring-shaped elastic member (e.g., a ring-shaped spring member) provided on the wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 is surrounded by the wheel side end of the boot portion 410. It can be configured as follows.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body side mounting portion 430 of the rubber boot 400 may be configured to be mounted on the rotation axis 340 of the constant velocity joint 300, similar to a typical wheel bearing assembly.

*For example, the vehicle body side mounting portion 430 of the rubber boot 400 may be configured to mount the vehicle body side end of the boot portion 410 to the rotation axis 340 of the constant velocity joint 300 using an elastic member such as a clip ring. there is.

As described above, the wheel bearing assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention has the rolling member 310 (e.g., ball member) of the constant velocity joint 300 accommodated at the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210. Since the accommodating space 250 is formed so that the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 is inserted and mounted within the accommodating space 250, the overall length of the wheel bearing assembly 100 can be shortened. The wheel bearing assembly 100 can be miniaturized and lightweight, and the occurrence of noise or vibration when transmitting driving force can be suppressed.

In addition, the wheel bearing assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a rubber boot 400 that prevents foreign substances from entering the receiving space 150 where the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300 is located. It is configured to be engaged with the forming part 216 of the wheel hub 210, so that the wheel side end of the rubber boot 400 can be fixed to the wheel bearing with a simpler structure.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific details such as specific components and limited examples, the examples are provided only to facilitate a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Anyone with ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field can make various modifications and variations from this description.

Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and all modifications equivalent to or equivalent to the claims as well as the claims described below shall fall within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. will be.

Claims

It is a wheel bearing assembly (100) that supports the wheels of a vehicle by rotatably mounting them on the vehicle body,

a wheel hub 210 having a wheel mounting flange 212 and a receiving space 250 formed at an end of the vehicle body for accommodating the rolling member 310 of the constant velocity joint 300;

One or more inner rings 220 press-fitted and mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210;

an outer ring 230 having a vehicle body side mounting flange 232;

a plurality of rolling elements 240 that support the wheel hub 210 to rotate relative to the outer ring 230;

It includes a rubber boot 400 that prevents external foreign substances from entering the receiving space 250 of the wheel hub 210,

The inner ring 220 is configured to be fixed by a forming portion 216 formed by plastically deforming the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210,

The rubber boot 400 includes a boot portion 410; a wheel-side mounting portion 420 provided at the wheel-side end of the boot portion 410; It includes a vehicle body-side mounting portion 430 provided at a vehicle body-side end of the boot portion 410,

The wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to be mounted by engaging the forming portion 216.

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to paragraph 1,

The forming portion 216 is configured to support the inner ring 220 by contacting the vehicle body side end of the inner ring 220,

The wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to be mounted by engaging between the vehicle body side end of the inner wheel 220 and the forming portion 216.

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to paragraph 2,

The wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to include a ring-shaped elastic member,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to paragraph 3,

The ring-shaped elastic member provided on the wheel side mounting portion 420 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to be surrounded by the wheel side end portion of the boot portion 410,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to any one of claims 1 to 4,

The vehicle body side mounting portion 430 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to be mounted on the rotation axis 340 of the constant velocity joint 300.

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to clause 5,

The vehicle body side mounting portion 430 of the rubber boot 400 is configured to be coupled by a clip ring,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to any one of claims 1 to 6,

The boot portion 410 is formed in a corrugated tubular structure with both ends open,

Wheel bearing assembly.
In clause 7,

The boot portion 410 is formed of an elastic rubber material,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to any one of claims 1 to 8,

A heat treatment hardening portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving space 250,

The heat treatment hardening portion is formed to include all of the recesses 260 formed in the receiving space 250,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to any one of claims 1 to 9,

A heat treatment hardening portion is formed on all or part of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub 210,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to any one of claims 1 to 10,

A constant velocity joint 300 is inserted and coupled to the receiving space 250 formed at the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210,

Wheel bearing assembly.
According to clause 11,

The constant velocity joint 300 is coupled to the wheel hub 210 so that the rolling member 310 is accommodated and mounted in the recess 260 of the receiving space 250 formed at the vehicle body side end of the wheel hub 210.

Wheel bearing assembly.