Sensorized suspension assembly for vehicles, including a wheel hub unit and a suspension upright or knuckle, and an associated method and wheel hub unit

A wheel hub unit for a vehicle suspension group comprising a sensorized system for detecting the mechanical stresses acting on the wheel hub unit and a suspension upright, the wheel hub unit configured to couple with the suspension upright of the vehicle suspension group, the wheel hub unit comprising:

• a rolling bearing comprising a stationary radially outer ring, a flanged hub disposed coaxial and radially on an inside of the radially outer ring and facing, when in use, towards an outside of the vehicle, and a plurality of rolling bodies inserted within the outer ring for rendering the flanged hub rotatable with respect to the outer ring,
• wherein the sensorized system comprises:
• four flats arranged angularly and spaced from each other on a radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, each flat extending axially over at least one annular rolling track for the rolling bodies made on a radially inner lateral surface of the outer ring and orientated in a circumferential direction transverse to an axis of symmetry (A) of the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring;
• a deformation sensing module fixed integrally on each flat, each sensing module including at least one deformation sensor arranged at a respective annular rolling track for the rolling bodies and orientated circumferentially so as to extend along a circumferential profile of the annular rolling track;
• at least one circular seat axially passing through a flanged rim of a second end of the outer ring and arranged axially opposite a first end of the outer ring, the at least one seat configured to abut, when in use, against the suspension upright;
• and
• an electric circuit for picking up a signal related to each sensing module,
• wherein a position of each deformation sensor corresponds to a position of a respective portion of a flat surface delimited by each flat, on which portions of the deformation sensors are fixed integrally, the portions of the flat surface arranged at a crossing of a line angle of each of the at least one annular rolling tracks with respect to the flat surface delimited by each flat, and
• wherein,
• the seat is configured to receive, when in use, a cylindrical pin inserted in a cantilever fashion in the suspension upright to render the outer ring angularly integral with the suspension upright, and
• the seat, when in use, is configured to at least partially engage a circumferential portion of the pin along at least half of the circumference of the pin.

A sensorized system for real time detection of forces and moments applied on a tire of a vehicle wheel mounted on a wheel hub unit comprising a radially outer ring carried integrally and in a stationary position by a vehicle suspension upright, a flanged hub configured to angularly and integrally support the vehicle wheel and housed within the outer ring, and a plurality of rolling bodies interposed between the flanged hub and the outer ring and engaged with a pair of annular rolling tracks made on a radially inner lateral surface of the outer ring, wherein the sensorized system comprises:

• a radially outer cylindrical surface of the outer ring configured to couple inside a first transverse hole of the suspension upright;
• at least four circumferential flats arranged angularly spaced from each other on the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, each flat delimiting a flat surface which extends axially over both of the tracks of the pair of annular rolling tracks and transverse to an axis of symmetry (A) of the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring;
• four deformation sensing modules each fixed integrally on a respective flat of the flour flats, each sensing module comprising a pair of deformation sensors arranged parallel to one another at a respective annular rolling track of the pair of annular rolling tracks, each sensing module orientated according to a circumferential direction, so as to extend along a circumferential profile of the pair of annular rolling tracks;
• an electric circuit for picking up a signal associated with each sensing module;
• a second hole made in the suspension upright arranged on a side of the suspension upright radially outside the first transverse hole and on an axially inner side of the wheel hub unit, and
• a pin inserted in a cantilever fashion in the second hole and a radial seat of a flanged rim of the outer ring, the flanged rim abutting against the suspension upright.

A method for detecting wheel stresses, the method comprising:

• providing a wheel hub unit, the wheel hub unit comprising a flanged hub inserted in a rolling bearing, the rolling bearing comprising a radially outer ring, a radially inner ring and a plurality of rolling bodies interposed between the inner ring and the outer ring and engaging a pair of annular rolling tracks made on a radially inner lateral surface of the outer ring;
• providing a suspension upright;
• providing at least one deformation sensor coupled integrally on a radially outer lateral surface of the outer ring;
• providing an electric circuit for picking up a signal associated with the at least one deformation sensor;
• and
• coupling the wheel hub unit to the suspension upright, wherein coupling the wheel hub unit to the suspension upright further comprises:
• configuring a radially outer cylindrical surface of the outer ring to couple within a first transversal hole of the suspension upright;
• arranging at least four circumferential flats, the flats angularly spaced from each other on the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring, each flat delimiting a flat surface that extends axially over both of the tracks of the pair of annular rolling tracks for the rolling bodies and transversely to an axis of symmetry (A) of the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface of the outer ring;
• fixing four deformation sensing modules, each integral on a respective flat of the four flats, each sensing module including a pair of deformation sensors arranged parallel to each other at a respective annular rolling track and orientated circumferentially so as to extend along a circumferential profile of the annular rolling track;
• connecting each of the four sensing modules to the electric circuit;
• coupling the rolling bearing to the suspension upright by force fitting the outer ring into the first hole;
• making a second hole in the suspension upright on a side axially opposite the first hole;
• inserting a pin in a cantilever fashion in the second hole to couple the pin to a radial seat of a flanged rim of the outer ring and make the flanged rim abut the suspension upright;
• and
• inserting the flanged hub within the outer ring of the rolling bearing and coupling the flanged hub to the inner ring.