WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR SECURING AT LEAST ONE ATTACHMENT MEANS IN SUCH A WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A wheel bearing assembly includes a bearing unit having first and second bearing rings mounted for relative rotation, the first bearing ring including a flange configured to connect the first bearing ring to a wheel rim, the flange including a plurality of threaded bores. A plurality of stud bolts each having a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate collar separating the first portion from the second portion are mounted in the bores such that the first portions are located in the bores and the first axial face of the intermediate collar abuts the flange. A second axial face and/or a radially outer portion of the intermediate collar includes at least one projection or groove configured to form an interference fit with another component.

Claims

1. A wheel bearing assembly comprising: a bearing unit having a first bearing ring and a second bearing mounted for rotation relative to each other, the first bearing ring including a flange configured to connect the first bearing ring to a wheel rim, the flange including a plurality of threaded bores; and a plurality of stud bolts each including a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate collar separating the first portion from the second portion, the intermediate collar having a first axial face, a second axial face and a radially outer portion, the first portion of each of the plurality of stud bolts being threaded into a respective one of the bores such that the first axial face of the intermediate collar abuts the flange, wherein the second axial face and/or the radially outer portion of the intermediate collar includes at least one projection or groove.

2. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one projection or groove is formed on the radially outer portion and comprises a plurality of serrations each having an axial end at the second axial face.

3. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one projection or groove is formed on the second axial face and comprises at least one tooth.

4. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one projection or groove comprises serrations formed on the radially outer portion and a plurality of teeth projecting from the second axial surface.

5. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the radially outer portion of the intermediate collar includes first and second opposed surfaces configured to interact with a tool.

6. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 5, wherein first and second opposed surfaces are parallel.

7. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate collar is configured integrally with the stud bolt.

8. The wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate collar is formed separate from the stud bolt and threadedly engaged with the stud bolt.

9. A wheel assembly comprising: the wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, a wheel rim having a plurality of openings, and a component having an annular portion, the annular portion including a plurality of holes and being located between the flange and the wheel rim, wherein each of the plurality of stud bolts of the wheel bearing assembly extends through a respective one of the plurality of holes of the annular portion and a respective one of the plurality of openings of the wheel rim, and wherein the at least one projection or groove of the intermediate collar forms an interference fit with the annular portion.

10. The wheel assembly according to claim 9, including a plurality of nuts threaded onto the stud bolts, the plurality of nuts pressing the wheel rim against the annular portion and the annular portion against the intermediate collars.

11. The wheel assembly according to claim 9, wherein the component comprises a brake disk.

12. A method comprising: providing a wheel bearing assembly according to claim 1, providing a brake disk having an annular portion with a plurality of holes, providing a wheel rim having a plurality of openings, mounting the brake disk on the wheel bearing assembly such that each of the plurality of stud bolts extends through a respective one of the plurality of holes in the brake disk, after mounting the brake disk, mounting the wheel rim on the wheel bearing assembly such that each of the plurality of stud bolts extends through a respective one of the plurality of openings in the wheel rim, and pressing the wheel rim axially against the annular portion of the brake disk to press the annular portion of the brake disk against the intermediate collars so that the at least one projection or groove is pressed into the annular portion to form an interference fit with the annular portion.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pressing comprises placing a nut on each of the plurality of stud bolts and tightening the plurality of nuts against the wheel rim.

14. A wheel assembly comprising: a wheel bearing assembly including: a bearing unit having a first bearing ring and a second bearing mounted for rotation relative to each other, the first bearing ring including a flange configured to connect the first bearing ring to a wheel rim, the flange including a plurality of threaded bores; and a plurality of stud bolts each including a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate collar separating the first portion from the second portion, the intermediate collar having a first axial face, a second axial face and a radially outer portion, the first portion of each of the plurality of stud bolts being threaded into a respective one of the bores such that the first axial face of the intermediate collar abuts the flange; a wheel rim having a plurality of openings; and a component having an annular portion, the annular portion including a plurality of holes and being located between the flange and the wheel rim; wherein each of the plurality of stud bolts of the wheel bearing assembly extends through a respective one of the plurality of holes of the annular portion and a respective one of the plurality of openings of the wheel rim, and wherein the intermediate collar forms an interference fit with the annular portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view, partly in section, of a wheel bearing assembly according to the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an attachment means of FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an intermediate collar of the attachment means of FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of a bearing unit of the bearing assembly of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In the following, identical or functionally equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numbers.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a three-quarter perspective view, partly in section, of a wheel bearing assembly 1 according to a first embodiment. The wheel bearing assembly 1 is in particular a wheel bearing assembly for a motor vehicle and comprises a bearing unit 3 (FIG. 4) that has a first bearing ring 24 and a second bearing ring 26 that are rotatable relative to each other, wherein the first bearing ring includes a flange 4. In particular, the bearing unit can include a plurality of rolling elements 28 that are disposed between the first and the second bearing ring. For example, the rolling elements 28 can be tapered rollers. However, other rolling element types are also conceivable, such as, for example, balls. Furthermore, the bearing unit can be a preassembled multi-row, in particular double row, bearing unit. Alternatively a single bearing or at least two individual bearings can also form the bearing unit. Furthermore, the wheel bearing assembly 1 comprises a brake element 2, in particular a brake disk, to which flange 4 is attachable.

[0030] Furthermore, the flange 4 is configured to connect the first bearing ring 24 to a wheel rim 30 or a rim that is configured to carry a wheel. For this purpose, in FIG. 1 a plurality of attachment means 6 are provided by which the rim 30 can be secured to the flange 4 as is described below. In the completely installed state the rim 30 is part of a wheel. Specifically, the rim includes a plurality of holes through which the attachment means can extend.

[0031] In the wheel bearing assembly 1 shown in FIG. 1, each attachment means 6 is a threaded bolt 8 (stud bolt) having an intermediate collar 10 (see also FIG. 2). As can be seen in FIG. 2, the intermediate collar 10 divides the threaded bolt 8 into a first section 9 and a second section 11, each of the two sections having an axial length. The axial length of the first section 9 is chosen so that the threaded bolt 8 can be screwed into bores in the flange 4 until an axial surface 13 of the intermediate collar abuts against the flange 4. The axial length of the second section 11 can in particular be chosen such that it is sufficiently long that the rim 30 as well as a further attachment means, for example, a nut, can be installed onto the second section 11.

[0032] Furthermore, the intermediate collar 10 is configured so that at least part of the intermediate collar 10 interacts with the brake element 2 to secure the attachment means 6 in the flange 4 against loosening. For this purpose the intermediate collar 10 preferably includes at least one first region 12 that includes at least one interference element 14, such as a projection or a groove, that is configured to interact with the brake element 2 in an interference-fit manner. Alternatively a different element than the brake element 2 can also be provided with which intermediate collar 10 interacts. For example, an annular disk can assume this function.

[0033] In particular, the interference element 14 can be configured, for example, to engage into the brake element 2 to prevent a loosening of the attachment means 6 even with high loads and deformations of the wheel bearing assembly 1. For example, the interference element 14 can locally plastically deform the brake element 2 or also a different element that is used as securing means for the attachment means 6. In FIG. 1 the interference element 14 is configured as a gearing (e.g., a plurality of serrations) on a radial circumferential surface of the intermediate collar 10. Alternatively or additionally, the interference element 14 can also have sharp edges.

[0034] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the brake element 2 includes a plurality of through-holes 16 through which the threaded bolts 8 of the attachment means 6 are introducible. As already mentioned above, the intermediate collar 10 is configured to at least partially plastically deform a region of the brake element 2 in order to secure the attachment means 6 in the flange 4. This can advantageously be effected in the region of the through-holes 16. For this purpose the axial forces that are required to deform the brake element 4 or the further element can be provided by attachment nuts (not depicted) that are used to secure the wheel rim 30 against the attachment means 6. The wheel rim 30 can thereby be installed in one step, and the attachment means 6 secured so that the installation effort is advantageously not further increased.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an attachment means 6 of FIG. 1 which includes a bolt 8. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the intermediate collar 10 has a second region 18 that is configured to interact with a tool (not depicted). A simple screwing in of the attachment means 6 into the flange 4 can thereby be made possible.

[0036] In FIG. 2, the second region 18 comprises two mutually opposed parallel surfaces 20 (in FIG. 2 only one surface 20 can be seen) that are spaced such that they are graspable by a tool, in particular a wrench. For example, a dimensioning of the second region 18, in particular of the two mutually opposed surfaces 20, can be based on a bolt head of a standard bolt set. The attachment means 6 can thereby be tightened like a bolt so that a thread load required for the securing of the attachment means 6 is also achieved. In addition to serrations 14 that are disposed on the radial circumferential surface, the intermediate collar 10 of the attachment means 6 of FIG. 2 also has sharp edges 22, possibly in the form of teeth, that are disposed on the flat axial surfaces of the intermediate collar 10. This makes possible an improved securing of the attachment means 6 in the flange 4 and the brake element 2.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows an intermediate collar 10 of the attachment means of FIG. 2. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the intermediate collar 10 can also be embodied as a separate element that can be screwed like a nut onto the threaded bolt 8 of the attachment means.

[0038] To secure the attachment means 6 in the flange 4, the first section 9 of the threaded bolt 8 of the attachment means 6 is first screwed into a threaded bore of the flange 4. Depending on whether the intermediate collar 10 is formed integrally with the threaded bolt 8, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or whether the intermediate collar 10 is present as a separate element, either the attachment means 6 is tightened directly by a suitable tool with the aid of the second region 18, or the intermediate collar 10 is attached to the threaded bolt 8 of the attachment means 6 and fixed after the threaded bolt 8 has already been screwed into the threaded bore of the flange 4.

[0039] The brake element 2 is subsequently pushed onto the second section 11 of the attachment means by its through-holes 16 and finally secured with the aid of an attachment nut by tightening of the nut until the brake element lies at least partially over the intermediate collar 10. It is thereby ensured in particular that the region of the intermediate collar 10 provided with the interference-fit element 14 at least partially deforms the brake element 2 and thus secures the attachment means 6 in the flange 4 against an undesired releasing.

[0040] In summary, due to the interaction of the brake element 2 and the intermediate collar 10, in particular of the interference element 14, the attachment means 6 is secured against the flange 4 and cannot loosen even under a heavy load. For this purpose, with the aid of an interference-fit element 14 provided on the intermediate collar, the brake disk 2 or an alternative element thereto, such as, for example, an annular disk, is advantageously deformed so that an interference fit is generated. The axial forces that are required in order to deform the brake element 2 can advantageously be provided by attachment nuts that are used to secure the wheel rim 30 to the attachment means 6. The wheel rim can thereby be installed in one step and the attachment means 6 secured so that the installation effort is advantageously not further increased.

[0041] Representative, non-limiting examples of the present invention were described above in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed above may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved wheel bearing assemblies.

[0042] Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the above detailed description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the invention. Furthermore, various features of the above-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims below, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

[0043] All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0044] 1 Wheel bearing assembly [0045] 2 Brake element [0046] 3 Bearing unit [0047] 4 Flange [0048] 6 Attachment means [0049] 8 Threaded bolt [0050] 9 First section [0051] 10 Intermediate collar [0052] 11 Second section [0053] 12 First region [0054] 14 Interference-fit element [0055] 16 Through-hole [0056] 18 Second region [0057] 20 Surface [0058] 22 Teeth [0059] 24 First bearing ring [0060] 26 Second bearing ring [0061] 28 Rolling element [0062] 30 Wheel rim