Wheel hub with integrated circular brake element

A wheel hub apparatus for a commercial vehicle, the wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction;
• the wheel hub rotatable about a central axis and having an inboard end portion, an outboard end portion, and a through opening extending from the inboard end portion to the outboard end portion;
• a wheel mounting portion of the wheel hub configured to have a wheel mounted thereon, the wheel mounting portion axially intermediate the inboard and outboard end portions of the wheel hub;
• a circular brake element having a unitary, one-piece construction and extending about the wheel hub;
• engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element securing the wheel hub and the circular brake element together;
• the engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element fixing the circular brake element against axial movement along the wheel hub;
• wherein the engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element include projections of one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element having free end portions fixed in recesses of the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element;
• and
• wherein the projections include resilient portions that bend to facilitate thermal expansion and contraction of the circular brake element during operation of the commercial vehicle.

A wheel hub apparatus for a commercial vehicle, the wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction;
• the wheel hub rotatable about a central axis and having an inboard end portion, an outboard end portion, and a through opening extending from the inboard end portion to the outboard end portion;
• a wheel mounting portion of the wheel hub configured to have a wheel mounted thereon, the wheel mounting portion axially intermediate the inboard and outboard end portions of the wheel hub;
• a circular brake element having a unitary, one-piece construction and extending about the wheel hub;
• engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element securing the wheel hub and the circular brake element together;
• the engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element fixing the circular brake element against axial movement along the wheel hub;
• and
• the engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element including projections of one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element having free end portions fixed in recesses of the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element;
• wherein the engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element form a plurality of slide connections between the wheel hub and the circular brake element, the plurality of slide connections including cooperating surface portions of the wheel hub and circular brake element that permit relative sliding movement therebetween.

A wheel hub apparatus for a commercial vehicle, the wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction;
• a tubular side wall of the wheel hub;
• the wheel hub rotatable about a central axis and having an inboard end portion, an outboard end portion, and a through opening extending from the inboard end portion to the outboard end portion;
• a wheel mounting flange of the wheel hub axially intermediate the inboard and outboard end portions of the wheel hub, the wheel mounting flange extending radially outward from the tubular side wall of the wheel hub;
• a circular brake element having a unitary, one-piece construction and extending about the wheel hub;
• the inboard end portion of the wheel hub axially spaced from the wheel mounting flange by the tubular side wall of the wheel hub;
• engaged portions of the inboard end portion of the wheel hub and the circular brake element securing the wheel hub and the circular brake element together, the engaged portions of the inboard end portion of the wheel hub and the circular brake element inboard of the wheel mounting flange of the wheel hub and spaced axially therefrom along the wheel hub;
• the engaged portions of the wheel hub and the circular brake element fixing the circular brake element against axial movement along the wheel hub;
• wherein the engaged portions include meshed teeth of the wheel hub and the circular brake element.

A wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction and configured to have a wheel mounted thereon;
• a pair of wheel bearings having openings to receive a vehicle spindle;
• wheel bearing seats of the wheel hub to support the wheel bearings;
• a circular brake element;
• one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element formed in situ on the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element;
• and
• projections and recesses of the wheel hub and the circular brake element, the projections extending in the recesses to transfer loading between the circular brake element and the wheel hub during a braking operation,
• wherein the projections each include a free end fixed in one of the recesses and a resilient portion configured to bend to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the circular brake element.

A wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction and configured to have a wheel mounted thereon;
• a pair of wheel bearings having openings to receive a vehicle spindle;
• wheel bearing seats of the wheel hub to support the wheel bearings;
• a circular brake element;
• one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element formed in situ on the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element;
• projections and recesses of the wheel hub and the circular brake element, the projections extending in the recesses to transfer loading between the circular brake element and the wheel hub during a braking operation;
• and
• wherein the projections and recesses form slide connections between the wheel hub and the circular brake element that facilitate expansion and contraction of the circular brake element during vehicle operation, the slide connections including cooperating surface portions of the wheel hub and circular brake element that permit relative sliding movement therebetween.

A wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction and configured to have a wheel mounted thereon;
• a pair of wheel bearings having openings to receive a vehicle spindle;
• wheel bearing seats of the wheel hub to support the wheel bearings;
• a circular brake element;
• one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element formed in situ on the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element;
• projections and recesses of the wheel hub and the circular brake element, the projections extending in the recesses to transfer loading between the circular brake element and the wheel hub during a braking operation;
• and
• wherein the projections include loops having openings and the recesses include locking portions extending in the openings of the loops.

A wheel hub apparatus comprising:

• a wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece construction and configured to have a wheel mounted thereon;
• a pair of wheel bearings having openings to receive a vehicle spindle;
• wheel bearing seats of the wheel hub to support the wheel bearings;
• a circular brake element;
• one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element formed in situ on the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element;
• projections and recesses of the wheel hub and the circular brake element, the projections extending in the recesses to transfer loading between the circular brake element and the wheel hub during a braking operation;
• and
• a spindle lock configured to threadingly engage the spindle and sandwich one of the wheel bearings between the spindle lock and one of the wheel bearing seats.

A method of producing a wheel hub apparatus, the method comprising:

• casting one of a wheel hub and a circular brake element, the wheel hub having a unitary, one-piece configuration and configured to have a wheel mounted thereon, the wheel hub including and a pair of bearing seats;
• positioning the one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element in a mold;
• and
• casting the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element on the one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element using the mold,
• wherein casting the other of the wheel hub and the circular brake element on the one of the wheel hub and the circular brake element includes forming a plurality of slide connections between the wheel hub and the circular brake element, the plurality of slide connections including cooperating surface portions of the wheel hub and circular brake element that permit relative sliding movement of the cooperating surface portions.