Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Cameron Gibson

Todd Sturgin

Christopher Shamie

Chris Luipold

Alaa Makke

Robert Mallon

Stefan Tojcic

Kyle Hassay

Franklin Tibbits

Ahmadreza Sedighi

A vehicle seat rotates in response to activation of an electric motor. The electric motor is part of a non-back-drivable mechanism such that it acts to lock the seat in position. The seat mechanism is assembled from stamped components for efficient manufacturing. A bracket includes integrally formed gear teeth which mesh with gear teeth driven by the electric motor. The bracket is held between two stamped parts using four-point angular contact ball bearings. The races of the ball bearings are stamped into the respective stamped parts.

Stamped splined locking mechanism for rotating automotive seat bracket

A pinion shaft assembly facilitates assembly of an automotive differential. An angular contact double row ball bearing is assembled to an outer surface of a hollow pinion shaft. An axial pre-load is established and maintained by orbitally forming an outwardly turned portion of the hollow pinion shaft. In some embodiments, the two inner rings are assembled to the pinion shaft. In other embodiments, a raceway may be formed directly on an outer surface of the pinion shaft to eliminate one of the inner rings. The pinion shaft includes a spline, such as an axial spline or a face spline, for fixation to a driveshaft.

Orbitally formed hypoid pinion gear

A wheel hub system is disclosed. The wheel hub system has a hub assembly, a joint component, and a threaded bolt. The hub assembly has a hub having a though-hole, a circumferential groove formed in the through-hole, and a first support surface having a first plurality of teeth. The hub assembly also has a bearing unit positioned on the hub. The joint component is secured to the hub assembly and has a projection positioned in the through-hole and having a threaded bore and a retainer positioned in the circumferential groove. The joint component also has a second support surface having a second plurality of teeth operatively engaging the first plurality of teeth. The retainer positions the hub assembly and the joint component relative to each other during assembly. The threaded bolt is positioned in the threaded bore and secures the hub assembly in the position.

Wheel hub system including a retainer for positioning components during assembly

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Cameron Gibson