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US 2026/0233553 A1Published application
Spline joint seal and retainer
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorsJoseph Robinson, Halia Andrews, Michael Eastman, Shakeel Shaikh, Victoria Poole
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel bearing assembly includes a wheel hub, a joint element, a first retaining element, and a second retaining element. The wheel hub and the joint element form an axial face spline joint. The axial face spline joint is held together via the first retaining element and the second retaining element before a fastener is installed.
Claims20
A wheel bearing assembly, comprising:
- a wheel bearing having:
- a first central axis;
- an inner ring;
- an outer ring;
- at least one row of rolling elements arranged within a rolling element space defined by the inner ring and the outer ring;
- a first axial face spline;
- and
- a first retaining element fixed to the wheel bearing;
- a joint element having:
- a second central axis;
- a second axial face spline configured to non-rotatably engage the first axial face spline so as to form an axial face spline joint;
- a second retaining element disposed radially between the joint element and the wheel bearing, the second retaining element configured to axially retain the wheel bearing to the joint element;
- and
- the first retaining element configured to abut with the joint element so as to limit a tilt angle between the first central axis and the second central axis.
11 more elements
A method of assembling a wheel bearing to a joint element, comprising:
- providing:
- a wheel bearing, comprising:
- a hub configured to be attached to a wheel, the hub having a first axial face spline;
- at least one row of rolling elements arranged within a rolling element space defined by an inner ring and an outer ring;
- and
- a first retaining element fixed to the wheel bearing;
- a joint element having a second axial face spline;
- a second retaining element fixed to one of the hub or the joint element;
- inserting the joint element into the hub so that:
- the second axial face spline is non-rotatably engaged with the first axial face spline forming an axial face spline joint;
- the second retaining element locks the joint element to the hub so as to axially retain the joint element to the hub;
- and
- an end of the first retaining element is proximate to or engaged with an outer surface of the joint element so as to limit a tilt angle between a central axis of the joint element relative to a central axis of the wheel bearing;
- and
- fixing the wheel bearing to the joint element via a fastener disposed within the hub.
12 more elements
A wheel bearing assembly, comprising:
- a wheel bearing having:
- a first axial face spline;
- and
- at least one row of rolling elements;
- a joint element having a second axial face spline non-rotatably engaged with the first axial face spline;
- a first retaining element configured to axially retain the joint element to the wheel bearing;
- a second retaining element configured to limit a relative pivot motion between the joint element and the wheel bearing;
- and
- a fastener fixing the joint element to the wheel bearing.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.