# US 7,607,837 B2 · Wheel bearing module in a wheel carrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,837 B2 - Document ID: US7607837B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/596,547 - Filed: 2004-12-06 - Published: 2007-07-12 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2003-12-18 - Assignees: Schaeffler KG - Inventors: Peter Niebling; Jens Heim; Heinrich Hofmann; Roland Langer; Darius Dlugai; Horst Doeppling; Wolfgang Steinberger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607837B2 ## CPC - B60B 27/0026: {of the radial type, e.g. splined key} - B60B 27/00: Hubs (non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00) - B60B 27/0005: {with ball bearings} - B60B 27/0042: {characterised by the fixation of the homokinetic joint to the hub} - B60B 27/0094: {one or more of the bearing races are formed by the hub} - F16C 33/581: {integral with other parts, e.g. with housings or machine elements such as shafts or gear wheels} - F16C 35/067: Fixing them in a housing (with interposition of an element F16C35/07) - F16C 19/186: {with three raceways provided integrally on parts other than race rings, e.g. third generation hubs} - F16C 33/588: {Races of sheet metal} - F16C 2326/02: Wheel hubs or castors - 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 ## Abstract A wheel bearing module in a wheel carrier that has a wheel bearing and a wheel flange. The wheel flange is mounted using the wheel bearing which allows it to rotate relative to the wheel carrier about a rotation axis. The wheel bearing has at least one outer ring. The wheel bearing is supported, at least in areas and via an outer ring, at least radial to the rotation axis in the wheel carrier. The outer ring has, at the axial end of the outer ring, a flange radially pointing away from the rotation axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wheel bearing module in a wheel carrier, having a wheel bearing and a wheel flange, the wheel flange mounted by means of the wheel bearing to the wheel carrier such that the wheel bearing module rotates about a rotational axis, the wheel bearing module comprising: the wheel bearing has at least one outer ring, the wheel bearing is supported in the wheel carrier at least in sections via the outer ring at least radially with respect to the rotational axis, the outer ring has a flange which points radially away from the rotational axis axially on the end side of the outer ring, the flange is fixed with respect to the wheel carrier axially with fastening elements, the fastening elements reaching at least partially behind the flange on a side of the flange which faces axially away from the wheel carrier, the wheel flange lies axially opposite the outer ring, the wheel flange protruding radially away from the rotational axis at least in sections to a greater extent than the flange, the wheel flange has first recesses which pass axially through the wheel flange, at least one of the first recesses lies axially opposite the flange at least once per revolution of the wheel flange about the rotational axis in such a way, that the wheel flange does not cover the flange axially at least at that location where the fastening elements bears axially against the flange. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first recesses lies simultaneously axially opposite the flange at least once per revolution of the wheel flange about the rotational axis in such a way, that the wheel flange does not cover the flange in the axial direction at that location where the fastening elements are in contact. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first recesses are spaced apart from one another around the rotational axis with the same pitch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first recesses are open radially to the outside. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first recesses are holes which pass axially through the wheel flange. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange has axial second recesses and the fastening elements reaching axially through the second recesses. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second recesses are open radially to the outside. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The radial bearing as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second recesses are axial through holes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the module has more first recesses than second recesses. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 6, wherein fastening elements are fixed to the wheel carrier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening elements are bolts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange bears axially against the wheel carrier at least in sections. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wheel carrier reaches around at least two raceways of the outer ring, a hub being supported in the outer ring such that the hub can rotate about the rotational axis via at least two rows of rolling bodies on the raceways, and the wheel flange leading radially from the hub. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hub is mounted axially nonreleasably with respect to the outer ring in the wheel bearing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, the outer ring is cold formed in one piece. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A method for mounting the wheel bearing module as claimed in claim 1, in which the wheel bearing is mounted in the wheel carrier with a hub and the wheel flange as a unit, and is fastened to the wheel carrier, the method comprising the following method steps: aligning of the first recesses and the second recesses by rotation of the flanges against each other, with the result that each of the first recesses lie simultaneously axially opposite at least one of the second recesses in such a way, that the wheel flange does not cover second recesses in the axial direction, inserting centering bolts into the second recesses, the centering bolts reaching axially through at least two of the first recesses, axial supporting of the flange on the centering bolts counter to axial assembly forces, the centering bolts reaching axially through the first recesses until the flange is supported on the centering bolts, inserting the centering bolts into fastening holes of the wheel carrier, axial pressing in of the wheel bearing by means of the assembly forces, removing the centering bolts from the fastening holes, from the second recesses and from the first recesses, fastening of bolts in the fastening holes, in each case one fastening element being inserted as a bolt axially through one of the first recesses into a second recess and subsequently being fastened in the fastening holes in such a way that a head of the bolt bears axially against one of the edges of one of the second recesses axially. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the flange is supported axially counter to the axial assembly forces additionally on axial supports axially, each of the axial supports reaching through the wheel flange axially at a further one of the first recesses and bearing axially against the flange in a manner which is spaced apart from the second recesses.