WHEEL HUB TRANSMISSION UNIT FOR A WHEEL HUB OF A VEHICLE, WHEEL HUB, AND AN AUXILIARY DRIVEN VEHICLE

Abstract

A wheel hub transmission unit for a wheel hub defining an axis of rotation includes a pinion hub carrier arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation and onto which a pinion is mounted torsionally rigid to drive the wheel hub, a hub body arranged axially next to the pinion hub carrier and having an interior space, a transmission sleeve arranged concentrically inside the interior space and including a magnetically coded material that forms a measuring portion, a drive coupling via which the pinion hub carrier and the transmission sleeve are coupled, and an output coupling via which the transmission sleeve is coupled to the hub body such that the torque is detectable in the interior space by the measuring portion of the transmission sleeve by the magnetic properties of the magnetically coded material, wherein the magnetic properties change under the influence of the torque.

Claims

1. A wheel hub transmission unit for a wheel hub of a vehicle, the wheel hub defining an axis of rotation, the wheel hub transmission unit comprising: a pinion hub carrier arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation and onto which at least one pinion is mounted torsionally rigid to drive the wheel hub; a hub body arranged axially next to the pinion hub carrier and including an interior space arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation; the pinion hub carrier having a longitudinal end facing towards the hub body; a transmission sleeve arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation inside of the interior space, including a magnetically coded material that forms a measuring portion of the transmission sleeve, and having a longitudinal end facing towards the pinion hub carrier; a drive coupling via which the pinion hub carrier with the longitudinal end of the pinion hub carrier facing towards the hub body and the transmission sleeve with the longitudinal end of the transmission sleeve facing towards the pinion hub carrier are coupled; and an output coupling via which the transmission sleeve with its other longitudinal end is coupled to the hub body, such that a torque is transmittable from the pinion hub carrier to the hub body via the drive coupling, the output coupling, and the transmission sleeve, such that the torque is detectable in the interior space by the measuring portion of the transmission sleeve by magnetic properties of the magnetically coded material, and wherein the magnetic properties change under an influence of the torque.

2. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein: for coupling the hub body with the transmission sleeve, the output coupling is set at a portion of the longitudinal end of the hub body, the longitudinal end of the hub body faces away from the pinion hub carrier, and the portion of the longitudinal end of the hub body is limited in an axial direction towards the pinion hub carrier by a virtual plane that stands perpendicular to the measuring portion and that borders the measuring portion at the longitudinal end that faces away from the pinion hub carrier.

3. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein: for coupling the hub body with the transmission sleeve, the output coupling is set at a portion of the longitudinal end of the transmission sleeve, the longitudinal end of the transmission sleeve faces away from the pinion hub carrier, and the portion of the longitudinal end of the transmission sleeve extends in an axial direction towards the pinion hub carrier to the measuring portion.

4. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein: the transmission sleeve bridges a distance that extends at least from a first link plane defined for spokes to a second link plane defined for the spokes, the first link plane is defined at one of longitudinal ends of the hub body, and the second link plane is defined at the other of the longitudinal ends of the hub body.

5. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the transmission sleeve is configured such that an axial component of a flow of force is in the same direction along the transmission sleeve.

6. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein: the measuring portion is arranged in a portion of the interior space, the portion of the interior space is limited in an axial direction by two virtual link planes, the first of the two virtual link planes intersects link positions defined for spokes at one longitudinal end of the hub body, and the second of the two virtual link planes intersects link positions defined for the spokes at another longitudinal end of the hub body.

7. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the pinion hub carrier and the transmission sleeve are arranged at a distance from one another, and the drive coupling bridges the distance.

8. A wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive coupling is a freewheel.

9. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 8, wherein: the drive coupling includes a first freewheel part connected torsionally rigid with the pinion hub carrier, the drive coupling includes a second freewheel part connected torsionally rigid with the transmission sleeve, and the first freewheel part is arranged axially next to the second freewheel part.

10. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 9, wherein the first freewheel part and the second freewheel part of the wheel hub transmission unit can be axially displaced.

11. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 9, wherein the first freewheel part and the second freewheel part are configured to interact such that the torque is substantially entirely transmittable from the pinion hub carrier to the transmission sleeve only in one direction of rotation of the pinion hub carrier.

12. The wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the transmission sleeve is cantilever mounted.

13. The wheel hub comprising: the wheel hub transmission unit according to claim 1; and the at least one pinion being mounted torsionally rigid on the pinion hub carrier, and wherein for transmitting the torque in only one direction of rotation from a pinion to the hub body, the hub body is coupled torsionally rigid with the pinion via the drive coupling.

14. An auxiliary driven vehicle comprising: the wheel hub according to claim 13, a drive assembly with a control device for driving the wheel hub in measured quantities, and a measuring unit accommodated in the interior space for tapping off the measuring portion of the transmission sleeve, and the control device being controlled by the measuring unit such that a drive torque of the drive assembly is adapted to the torque transmitted by the wheel hub transmission unit.

15. The auxiliary driven vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the auxiliary driven vehicle is an electric bicycle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a wheel hub according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, and

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an illustration of a longitudinal section of the wheel hub shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0037] As shown FIGS. 1 and 2, a wheel hub 1 includes an axis of rotation 2, a wheel hub transmission unit 6, a wheel axle 36, and a hub body 3. The hub body 3 and the wheel axle 36 are arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation 2. A first wheel hub bearing 4 and a transmission sleeve bearing 12 are arranged on the wheel axle 36, wherein the first wheel hub bearing 4 and the transmission sleeve bearing 12 support together with a second wheel hub bearing 5 the hub body 3.

[0038] The wheel hub transmission unit 6 includes a pinion hub carrier 7, a drive coupling 26, an output coupling 14, and a transmission sleeve 13 that is arranged within an interior space 31 formed by the hub body 3. The transmission sleeve 13 is supported in a cantilever manner by the transmission sleeve bearing 12 and the second wheel hub bearing 5. The transmission sleeve 13 is coupled with the hub body 3 torsionally rigid via the output coupling 14. This coupling can be made, for example, by a form fit connection 29. The transmission sleeve 13 is additionally coupled with the pinion hub carrier 7 torsionally rigid in at least one direction of rotation by the drive coupling 26. For this purpose, the drive coupling 26 includes a first freewheel part 10 and a second freewheel part 11. The first freewheel part 10 is coupled to the pinion hub carrier 7 torsionally rigid and axially displaceable via a first form fit connection 27 and the second freewheel part 11 is coupled to the transmission sleeve 13 torsionally rigid and axially displaceable via a second form fit connection 28. In addition, the drive coupling 26 includes a first spring part 24 and a second spring part 25. These two spring parts 24 and 25 are arranged on the drive coupling 26 such that they press the first freewheel part 10 and the second freewheel part 11 against each other. In the exemplary embodiment, the freewheel parts 10 and 11 include several teeth that include a very steep and a very flat flank. Due to the arrangement of the flanks, the teeth wedge only in one direction of rotation, in the other direction of rotation they slide past each other. The freewheel parts 10 and 11 are formed, for example, as a ring and include a saw tooth profile at one longitudinal end.

[0039] A first pinion carrier bearing 8 and a second pinion carrier bearing 9 are additionally arranged on the wheel axle 36. The pinion hub carrier 7 is axially and radially supported by these bearings 8 and 9. The required distance between the first pinion carrier bearing 8 and the second pinion carrier bearing 9 can be maintained by a first distance sleeve 16. In addition, an axial position of the bearings 8 and 9 can be adjusted via a first axle part 17. The required distance between the second pinion carrier bearing 9 and the transmission sleeve bearing 12 can be adjusted with a second distance sleeve 22. The wheel axle 36 includes an additional axle part 20 at its opposite end, wherein the axial position of the first wheel hub bearing can be adjusted by the axle part 20, in addition, the axle part 20 includes a through opening 23. A centering pin 21 is provided for centering the axle part 20 with the wheel axle 36. For example, cables can be routed through the through opening 23 into the interior space 31. A cabling is not shown in the exemplary embodiment. In addition, a measuring unit 15 is arranged in the interior space 31 in immediate vicinity of the transmission sleeve 13. The measuring unit 15 detects a measuring signal at a measuring portion 30 of the transmission sleeve 13. With this measuring signal, it is possible to deduce a torque applied on the transmission sleeve 13 and/or a prevailing revolution speed.

[0040] A plane 32 borders on a longitudinal end of the measuring portion 30, wherein the longitudinal end faces away from the pinion hub carrier 7. The plane 32 is additionally arranged perpendicular with respect to the axis of rotation 2. The Figures show two additional planes, a first link plane 33 and a second link plane 34. The first link plane 33 is arranged at the longitudinal end of the hub body 3, wherein the longitudinal end of the hub body 3 faces towards the pinion hub carrier 7 and the second link plane 34 is arranged at the longitudinal end of the hub body 3, wherein the longitudinal end of the hub body 3 faces away from the pinion hub carrier 7. In addition, the link planes 33 and 34 are arranged perpendicular with respect to the axis of rotation 2 and centrally between link positions 35 that are intended for spokes at one of the longitudinal ends of the hub body 3.

[0041] For sealing of the interior space 31 against external influences, such as for example dirt particles, a first sealing element 18 and a second sealing element 19 are provided in the exemplary embodiment. The first sealing element 18 seals between the hub body 3 and the transmission sleeve 13 and the second sealing element 19 seals between the transmission sleeve 13 and the pinion hub carrier 7.

[0042] For the driving of the hub body 3, the torque that is oriented according to a drive direction of rotation acts on a pinion (not shown) that is mounted torsionally rigid on the pinion hub carrier 7. The first freewheel part 10 and the second freewheel part 11 of the drive coupling 26 form a form fit connection, whereby the torque is transmitted from the pinion via the pinion hub carrier 7 and the drive coupling 26 to the transmission sleeve 13. As a result of the transmission sleeve 13 being coupled torsionally rigid with the hub body 3 via the output coupling 14, the measuring portion 30 of the transmission sleeve 12 will be twisted. A magnetization pattern that is arranged on the measuring portion 30 changes depending on the strength of the torsion. This change is detected by the measuring unit 15 and guided outwards along the through opening 23 by the cabling. The transmission of the detected signals can also be, for example, wireless.

[0043] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0044] 1 Wheel hub [0045] 2 Axis of rotation [0046] 3 Hub body [0047] 4 First wheel hub bearing [0048] 5 Second wheel hub bearing [0049] 6 Wheel hub transmission unit [0050] 7 Pinion hub carrier [0051] 8 First pinion carrier bearing [0052] 9 Second pinion carrier bearing [0053] 10 First freewheel part [0054] 11 Second freewheel part [0055] 12 Transmission sleeve bearing [0056] 13 Transmission sleeve [0057] 14 Output coupling [0058] 15 Measuring unit [0059] 16 First distance sleeve [0060] 17 First axle part [0061] 18 First sealing element [0062] 19 Second sealing element [0063] 20 Second axle part [0064] 21 Centering pin [0065] 22 Second distance sleeve [0066] 23 Through opening [0067] 24 First spring part [0068] 25 Second spring part [0069] 26 Drive coupling [0070] 27 First form fit connection [0071] 28 Second form fit connection [0072] 29 Third form fit connection [0073] 30 Measuring portion [0074] 31 Interior space [0075] 32 Plane [0076] 33 First link plane [0077] 34 Second link plane [0078] 35 Link positions [0079] 36 Wheel axle