Vehicle wheel end assemblies with hub bearing seals
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsAvissai Alcantara Burguete, Ricardo Guerrero Melendez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle wheel end assembly includes a hub bearing assembly with an inner member having a first side defining a throughbore and a second side defining an inner raceway, a shaft extending through the throughbore of the inner member and configured to receive a torque and to transfer the torque to the inner member such that the inner member rotates with the shaft; and a seal positioned within the throughbore between the shaft and the inner member.
Claims18
A vehicle wheel end assembly, comprising:
- a hub bearing assembly comprising an inner member having a first side defining a throughbore, and a second side opposite the first side and defining an inner raceway,
- a shaft extending through the throughbore of the inner member and configured to receive a torque and to transfer the torque to the inner member such that the inner member rotates with the shaft, the shaft having a circumferential surface;
- a first seal positioned within the throughbore directly engaging the circumferential surface of the shaft and the first side of the inner member such that the first seal is rotatably fixed relative to the circumferential surface of the shaft and rotates with the inner member and the shaft;
- and
- a second seal positioned within the throughbore directly engaging the circumferential surface of the shaft and the first side of the inner member such that the second seal is rotatably fixed relative to the circumferential surface of the shaft and rotates with the inner member and the shaft.
A method for sealing a vehicle wheel end assembly having a hub bearing assembly and a half shaft, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a first seal directly on a circumferential surface of the half shaft;
- mounting a second seal directly on a circumferential surface of the half shaft;
- and
- installing the hub bearing assembly on the half shaft such that the first seal creates a first watertight interface with the hub bearing assembly and a second watertight interface with the half shaft and such that the second seal creates a third watertight interface with the hub bearing assembly and a fourth watertight interface with the half shaft, wherein the first seal, the half shaft, and the hub bearing assembly are rotatably fixed relative to one another and wherein the second seal, the half shaft, and the hub bearing assembly are rotatably fixed relative to one another.
A vehicle wheel end assembly, comprising:
- a hub bearing assembly comprising:
- an inner member having a first side defining a throughbore and a second side opposite the first side and defining an inner raceway,
- an outer member having a first side defining an outer raceway, and
- a roller element positioned within the inner raceway and the outer raceway such that the inner member is rotatable relative to the outer member;
- a half shaft including a body portion extending through the throughbore of the inner member and engaging the inner member to transfer torque, the body portion having an inboard side and an outboard side;
- an O-ring configured to form a first seal between the half shaft and the first side of the inner member at the inboard side of the body portion by directly engaging the half shaft and the first side of the inner member such that the O-ring, the half shaft, and the inner member are fixed relative to one another during rotation;
- and
- a grommet configured to form a second seal between the half shaft and the first side of the inner member at the outboard side of the body portion by directly engaging the half shaft and the first side of the inner member such that the grommet, the half shaft, and the inner member are fixed relative to one another during rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.