Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Automotive Components Holdings, LLC

Paul Eugene Beshears, Jr

Douglas Charles Myers

Hui Wang

Michael Hopson

Norman Szalony

Gregory Paul Kiselis

Neil Alan Wasylewski

Gunnar Robert Ross

James M Story

John Piasentin

Craig V Sutton

Aaron A Horne, Sr

David Robert Helebrant

The present invention involves a detachable half shaft assembly of a vehicle wheel end and has a shaft bell and a disc rotor. The detachable half shaft comprises a preloaded bearing assembly and a detachable body receiving the preloaded bearing assembly. The preloaded bearing assembly has an inner surface formed through inboard and outboard ends thereof. The detachable body has an inboard interface at an inboard end and an outboard interface at an outboard end. The inboard interface is configured for connecting to the shaft bell and the outboard is configured or connecting to the disc rotor. The detachable body has a bearing receiving portion defined by the stepped boss and a roll formed base. The bearing receiving portion radially receives the inner surface of the preloaded bearing assembly. The stepped boss and the roll formed base engages the bearing assembly and the inboard and outboard ends to maintain the preload thereon when the detachable half shaft assembly is detached from the shaft bell or the disc rotor.

Detachable half shaft assembly of a vehicle wheel end

A low insertion force snap together automotive coupler for the suspension of a vehicle includes a spherical bearing insert having a first end, a second end, a pocket adapted to engage a ball stud that is integrally formed onto a suspension component, and an axially extending annular flange. The coupler further includes a receiver adapted to receive the spherical bearing insert after the spherical bearing insert has been placed to a ball stud and to engage the flange to secure the spherical bearing insert within the receiver. The pocket within the spherical bearing insert is shaped such that an axial force tending to pull the ball stud out of the pocket will result in a radial force exerted upon the flange, thereby causing additional force to keep the flange engaged within the receiver.

Snap together automotive coupler

A wheel end assembly includes a bearing shaft having an inboard end and an outboard end. A wheel hub is mounted onto the outboard end of the bearing shaft, and a detachable outboard joint is mounted onto the inboard end of the bearing shaft. A wheel bearing is mounted onto the bearing shaft between the inboard end and the outboard end. The inboard end of the bearing shaft includes a flange portion that provides a support to keep the wheel bearing positioned onto the bearing shaft and induces a pre-load into the wheel bearing such that the pre-load is maintained on the wheel bearing when the outboard joint is removed from the wheel end assembly.

Wheelend assembly with detachable outboard joint

A wheel end assembly includes a bearing shaft having a wheel hub mounted onto an outboard end, and a detachable outboard joint mounted onto an inboard end. A wheel bearing is mounted onto the bearing shaft, and includes a knuckle flange having an inner diameter that defines an inboard outer race and an outboard outer race. An inboard inner race and an outboard inner race are supported on the bearing shaft. Bearing elements are positioned between the inner and outer races. An inboard bearing ring is mounted onto the bearing shaft. The inboard bearing ring defines the inboard inner race and includes an engagement portion extending axially inward that engages the detachable outboard joint. The bearing shaft includes a flange portion that supports the inboard bearing ring and the wheel bearing when the outboard joint is removed.

A beam spring capable of substantial elastic deformation in two planes to provide for independent wheel suspension and to commonize suspension mounting systems in a vehicle chassis.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Paul Eugene Beshears, Jr