# US 2014/0197678 A1 · Lightweight hub unit with integrated bearing rings and processes for its manufacture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197678 A1 - Document ID: US20140197678A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/154,153 - Filed: 2014-01-13 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Assignees: Aktiebolaget Skf - Inventors: Davide Antonio Olivieri; Jan Arie Pieter van Riet; Laura Sguotti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197678A1 ## CPC - B60B 27/0078: {characterised by the fixation of bearings} - B60B 27/0084: {caulking to fix inner race} - F16C 33/64: Special methods of manufacture - F16C 35/073: between shaft and inner race ring - B60B 27/06: adapted to be fixed on axle - B60B 2310/3142: by caulking - B60B 2360/104: Aluminum - B60B 2360/34: Reinforced plastics - B60B 2360/36: Composite materials - B60B 2380/73: Double track - B60B 2380/82: Caulked to fix race - B60B 2900/111: Weight - B60Y 2200/10: Road Vehicles - F16C 19/184: {in O-arrangement} - F16C 33/60: divided {or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings} - F16C 33/62: Selection of substances - F16C 2326/02: Wheel hubs or castors - Y02T 10/86: Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction - Y10T 29/49492: Land wheel - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A hub unit includes a hub of light material forming a cylindrical portion, a flange and a radial recess having a surface facing the flange, and two bearing rings axially aligned around the cylindrical portion of the hub; a sleeve locking device is radially interposed between the cylindrical portion of the hub and the bearing rings, and comprises a retaining portion engaged in the radial recess of the hub, a terminal edge which preloads the bearing rings, and one or two cuts extending in an axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hub unit with integrated bearing rings, the unit comprising: a hub, made of a first material and forming, in a single piece: a cylindrical portion extending in an axial direction, a flange extending in a radially outwardly direction from an axially outer end of the cylindrical portion, and at least one radial recess having a surface facing the flange; a first and a second bearing ring, made of a second material different from the first material, the bearing rings being mounted axially aligned around the cylindrical portion, wherein the second bearing ring is axially inner with respect to the first bearing ring and provides an end face facing an axially inner direction; a sleeve locking device, radially interposed between the cylindrical portion of the hub and said bearing rings, the sleeve locking device providing: at least one retaining portion projecting in a radially inward direction and engaged in the radial recess of the hub, an axially inner end edge, plastically deformed in a radially outer direction against the end face of the second bearing ring, and at least one cut extending axially along the locking sleeve device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device comprises a single tubular element which provides said cut. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A hub unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve locking device provides two opposite axial ends, and said cut extends along the entire sleeve locking device from one axial end to the opposite axial end, whereby the sleeve locking device is configured as an open loop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A hub unit according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve locking device provides two opposite axial ends, and said cut extends from a first one of the two axial ends without reaching the second axial end opposite to the first one, whereby the second axial end is circumferentially continuous. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device provides two opposite axial ends, and further provides a second cut which extends from a first one of the two axial ends without reaching the second axial end opposite to the first one. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device provides two opposite axial ends, and, in addition to the first cut, also provides a second cut which extends axially along the locking sleeve device, and wherein both cuts each extend from one axial end to the opposite axial end, whereby the sleeve locking device is made in two parts that together extend as substantially explementary arcs around the cylindrical portion of the hub. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A hub unit according to claim 6, wherein the two parts composing the sleeve locking device are shaped as semi-sleeves each having an angular extension of 180° or slightly less than 180°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the first material which made the hub is made of is a material selected from: aluminum, aluminum alloys, metal matrix composites, polymers, fiber reinforced polymers, carbon fiber reinforced resin. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the second material which the bearing rings are made of is a bearing grade steel or a ceramic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device is made of steel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A hub unit according to claim 10, wherein the sleeve locking device is made of a bearing grade steel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A hub unit according to claim 10, wherein the sleeve locking device is made of G55 or G70 stainless steel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion of the hub provides a radially outer surface having a radially thickened portion which is axially spaced from the flange by the radial recess having the surface facing said flange. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A hub unit according to claim 13, wherein the cylindrical portion has a radial end face at one axially inner end, and wherein the radially thickened portion is axially spaced from the axially inner end by a second radial recess having a surface facing away from the flange. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device provides an inner cylindrical cavity having a profile which is congruent, when seen in an axial cross-section, to an outer contour of the cylindrical portion of the hub. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device is coupled by form coupling or geometric coupling with the cylindrical portion of the hub. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A hub unit according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve locking device forms a flange which extends radially outwardly from an axially outer end of the sleeve locking device, and wherein the flange of the sleeve locking device is axially interposed and clamped between the flange of the hub and the first bearing ring. ### Claim 18 A method of manufacturing a hub with integrated bearing rings, the method comprising the steps of: a1) providing a hub, made of a first material, which forms, as a single piece: a cylindrical portion extending in an axial direction, a flange extending in a radially outward direction from the axially outer end of the cylindrical portion, and at least one radial recess having a surface facing the flange; a2) providing a sleeve locking device comprising: an outer cylindrical surface, at least one retaining portion projecting in a radially inward direction, and at least a first cut which extends axially along the sleeve locking device; b) fitting the sleeve locking device around the cylindrical portion of the hub, causing the retaining portion to engage in the radial recess of the hub, c) fitting a first and a second bearing ring, made of a second material different from the first material, axially aligned around the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve locking device, so that the second ring is axially inner of the first ring and provides an end face facing an axially inner direction; d) plastically deforming an inner end of the sleeve locking device in a radially outer direction against the end face of the second bearing ring, so as to form a plastically deformed edge which axially locks and preloads the first and second bearing rings towards the flange of the hub. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the fitting step b) includes the step of b1) elastically widening the locking device by mutually moving away or divaricating two opposite edges of the cut. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the widening step b1) is followed by the step of fitting the elastically expanded sleeve locking device, moving it in an axially outer direction towards the flange, and then releasing the sleeve locking device to allow the retaining portion of the sleeve locking device to engage the radial recess of the hub. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein step a2) of providing a sleeve locking device comprises the step of preliminarily providing two sleeve parts or segments which together extend as substantially explementary arcs so as to define the sleeve locking device, wherein each part or segment provides an outer surface that defines part of the outer cylindrical surface and at least one retaining portion projecting radially inwardly, and wherein the step b) of fitting the sleeve locking device around the cylindrical portion of the hub comprises the step of moving the two parts or segments of the sleeve locking device radially closer to one another so as to cause the respective holding portions to engage the radial recess of the hub.