US 10,207,539 B2 · Vehicle spindle and a method of attaching the spindle to a portion of an axle housing

Abstract

A vehicle spindle and a method of attaching the spindle to a portion of an axle half shaft housing. The spindle has an inner surface, an outer surface, one or more bearing journals on the outer surface of the spindle and a radially protruding portion circumferentially extending from at least a portion of the outer surface of an axially inboard end portion of the spindle. Prior to attaching the spindle to the axle half shaft housing, the one or more bearing journals are ground, a clocking angle for the radially protruding portion of the spindle is determined and the spindle is aligned to the determined clocking angle. Once the spindle is aligned to the determined clocking angle, the axially inboard end portion of the spindle is attached to an axially outboard end portion of the axle half shaft housing using one or more welds.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of attaching a spindle to an axle half shaft housing comprising:

providing a spindle, said spindle comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an axially outboard end portion, an axially inboard end portion, one or more bearing journals on said outer surface of said spindle, and a radially protruding portion circumferentially extending from at least a portion of said outer surface of said axially inboard end portion of said spindle;
providing an axle half shaft housing, said axle half shaft housing comprising an inner surface, an outer surface an axially outboard end portion, and an axially inboard end portion;
grinding said one or more bearing journals on said outer surface of said spindle;
determining a clocking angle for said radially protruding portion of said spindle;
aligning said radially protruding portion of said spindle to said determined clocking angle;
and
attaching said axially inboard end portion of said spindle to said axially outboard end portion of said axle half shaft housing with one or more energy beam welds.

4 more elements

A spindle assembly comprising:

a spindle having an inner surface, an outer surface, an axially outboard end portion, an axially inboard end portion;
wherein said inner surface and said outer surface of said spindle defines a hollow portion therein;
wherein said axially inboard end portion of said spindle comprises a first bearing journal, a first increased diameter portion, a second increased diameter portion, a third increased diameter portion, and a radially protruding portion;
wherein said second increased diameter portion of said spindle is disposed axially inboard from and adjacent to said first increased diameter portion of said spindle;
wherein said third increased diameter portion of said spindle is disposed axially inboard from and adjacent to said second increased diameter portion of said spindle;
wherein said radially protruding portion of said spindle circumferentially extends from at least a portion of said outer surface of said third increased diameter portion of said spindle;
wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of said first increased diameter portion of said spindle comprises said first bearing journal;
wherein said axially outboard end portion of said spindle comprises a threaded portion, a second bearing journal, and a reduced diameter portion;
wherein said reduced diameter portion of said axially outboard end portion of said spindle has an axially outboard portion and an axially inboard portion;
wherein at least a portion of said axially outboard portion of said reduced diameter portion of said spindle has said threaded portion;
and
wherein said second bearing journal is disposed axially inboard from and adjacent to said threaded portion of said spindle.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle spindle and a method of attaching the spindle to a portion of an axle housing

Life of this patent

Vehicle spindle and a method of attaching the spindle to a portion of an axle housing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19