Method and apparatus for wheel spindles and the like with improved LRO
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSteven Eugene Meeker, Richard Allen Scheufler JR., Christopher J. Zuck, John R. Beverick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel spindle flange (and the like) has stud holes with soft surface hardness formed therein which permit non-rotational splines, studs and the like to be press-fitted therein with minimal press force at a centered press zone established between intentionally formed and dimensioned counterbores within the flange to minimize flange distortion and lateral run out of the spindle.
Claims24
1) A method for forming an opening in a steel flange into which is pressed a serrated shaft comprising the acts of:
- a) providing a blanking die having an opening on one side of the flange and a punch having a diameter smaller than the blanking die opening at the opposite side of the flange;
- b) forcing the punch through the flange to produce an axially extending frusto-conical opening having a minor diameter equal to the punch diameter at the opposite flange side and a major diameter equal to the blanking die opening at the one flange side;
- c) providing a coining punch of diameter greater than the shaft major diameter;
- d) forcing the coining punch into each end of the frusto-conical opening a set axial distance sufficient to extrude at least in the frusto-conical opening adjacent the minor diameter a work-hardened upset metal mass while providing countersunk openings at the axial ends of the frusto-conical opening;
- e) providing a cylindrical serration punch;
- and,
- f) forcing the serration punch through the frusto-conical opening from the opposite side to produce a cylindrical hole between the countersunk openings while shearing the work-hardened upset metal mass from the frusto-conical opening and forming radially outward extending serrations which extend for some axial distance in flange metal that is in a substantially non-work hardened state.
11) A method for assembling studs in a machined flange of a wheel spindle formed from bearing steel comprising the acts of:
- a) forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced stud holes axially extending through the flange with substantially non-work hardened hole surfaces;
- b) coining the stud holes at the inboard and outboard flange surfaces so that countersunk holes of approximately equal diameter extend approximately set axial distances into each stud hole;
- c) providing a stud for each hole having a flat head, a threaded stem and a serrated shank portion between the head and threaded stem;
- and,
- d) pressing the studs into the holes so that each stud's serrated shank portion extends into its' respective stud hole whereby the stud pressing force is transmitted to and at least partially absorbed by flange hole metal spaced from the inboard and outboard flange surfaces.
20) An improved wheel spindle of bearing steel having an unpressed and final configuration comprising:
- a longitudinally extending shaft about which the spindle rotates;
- a flange extending radially outward from the shaft and perpendicular to the shaft's axis of rotation;
- the flange having a plurality of wheel stud holes axially extending therethrough at circumferentially spaced increments with a surface hardness of a drilled hole in the unpressed configuration;
- a wheel stud having a serrated section pressed in a non-rotational manner into and through each wheel stud hole in the final configuration;
- and, each stud hole having at least one counter bore at an axial end thereof axially extending into each stud hole a set distance whereby each stud hole axially extends a distance less than the thickness of the spindle flange through the spindle flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.