Knuckle-supported wheelend assembly with improved shaft-hub interface
US6869151B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 7, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 7, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T403/7028
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A knuckle-supported wheelend assembly includes a shaft having a contoured peripheral surface portion proximate to an outboard end featuring a minimum radius and a maximum radius, and a hub mounted on the shaft's contoured surface portion via a complementary, contoured central bore. The nontapered contoured hub-shaft interface includes a slight twist or jog to reduce backlash and to permit a relative shortening of the length of axial hub-shaft engagement to as little as about 45% of the maximum radius, thereby advantageously reducing scrub radius for a given wheel-tire combination. By eliminating any required taper of the contoured interface, the hub's inboard face firmly abuts the machined face of the inner race of a knuckle-mounted, shaft-supporting bearing assembly to achieve reduced assembly runout. The hub's wheel-mounting face and integral annular friction surfaces are each machined with reference to the inboard hub face to ensure a high degree of parallelism.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.