# US 5,702,162 A · Live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly

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- Number: US 5,702,162 A
- Document ID: US5702162A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/413,498
- Filed: 1995-03-30
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1995-03-30
- Assignees: Dana Corporation
- Inventors: John E. Pressler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702162A

## CPC

- F16C 19/386: {in O-arrangement}
- B60B 27/001: {with roller-bearings}
- B60K 17/3515: {with a clutch adjacent to traction wheel, e.g. automatic wheel hub}
- G01P 3/446: {mounted between two axially spaced rows of rolling elements}
- F16C 41/007: {Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles}
- F16C 2326/02: Wheel hubs or castors
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- 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
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a live spindle wheel end assembly wherein the spindle also functions as the inner race for the wheel bearings and wherein the spindle includes an outwardly extending barrel extension capable of receiving a manual or an automatic hub lock mechanism to selectively couple the spindle to a drive axle that may be provided in four-wheel drive applications so that the spindle may receive torque from the drive axle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly, comprising:
a live spindle having an outwardly extending barrel capable of receiving a hub lock mechanism, said live spindle includes an outer surface and is supported for rotation in a mounting member by a bearing assembly including a first row of tapered bearings and a second row of tapered bearings wherein said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings are circumferentially spaced about the outer surface of said live spindle;
said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings are positioned directly between an outer bearing race and said outer surface of said live spindle such that said live spindle acts as an inner bearing race for said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings of said bearing assembly; and
said live spindle includes a first circumferential groove on said outer surface of said live spindle which acts as said inner bearing race for said first row of tapered roller bearings and said live spindle includes a second circumferential groove on said outer surface of said live spindle which acts as said inner bearings race for said second row of tapered roller bearings and the cross-sectional configuration of said first circumferential groove and said second circumferential groove formed on said outer surface of said live spindle each include a flat bottom portion and two upstanding wall portions which are substantially perpendicular to said bottom portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a tone ring around said outer surface of said live spindle between said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings and a sensor provided as a part of said bearing assembly wherein said sensor acts in conjunction with said tone ring to measure the angular velocity of said live spindle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said outwardly extending barrel of said live spindle includes internal splines for slidably receiving said hub lock mechanism.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said outwardly extending barrel of said live spindle includes internal splines for slidably receiving said hub lock mechanism.