Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .Kg

Shakeel Shaikh

Bogyu Kang

Zheng Wang

Rajmohan Kolli

Renato De Paula

Kunal Vidyasagar

Shawn Leasa

Marc Vachon

A wheel bearing assembly is disclosed herein. The assembly includes a joint element having a first spline portion defined on an axial surface and a nose. An inner ring is provided that includes a through hole configured to receive at least a portion of the joint element and an abutment flange defined within the through hole. The inner ring includes a second spline portion configured to matingly engage with the first spline, and the nose of the joint element is configured to extend axially within the abutment flange. A connection assembly is configured to connect the inner ring and the joint element, and a portion of the connection assembly abuts a first axial end of the abutment flange.

Clamping configuration for wheel bearing assembly

A wheel bearing assembly is disclosed that a bearing ring defining a first splined portion, a joint element including a second splined portion configured to matingly engage with the first splined portion, and a first retention assembly arranged radially outward from the first and second splined portions. The first retention assembly is configured to axially retain the bearing ring with the joint element.

Retention configuration for face spline interface

A bearing assembly may include first and second rings and a seal assembly therebetween. A stiff element may be coupled to a radial surface of the first ring and a flinger coupled to a radial surface of the second ring. The flinger may include an axially extending portion that contacts the radial surface of the second ring and a radially extending portion. The radially extending portion may be curved in a radial direction, having portions that extend axially inward and outward. A flexible element may be attached to the stiff element and include an axial lip that is configured to seal with the radially extending portion of the flinger. The flinger may be configured such that a misalignment between the flinger and the stiff element, compared to a neutral position, results in a substantially similar interference area between the axial lip and the radially extending portion of the flinger.

Compensating bearing seals

A suspension strut bearing includes a top mount. The top mount is coupled to a guidance ring, wherein relative rotation or oscillation between the guidance ring and the top mount is enabled via rolling elements between an upper raceway and a lower raceway. The top mount has a top mount plate with an internal seal and an external seal. Both seals are overmolded to the top mounted plate and inhibit debris or the like from interfering with the operation of the rolling elements in the raceways. By overmolding the seals, a separate cap is no longer needed to be part of the suspension strut bearing. Further, the upper raceway can be integrated into the top mount plate itself. For example, the top mount plate can be shaped or formed to take the shape of the upper raceway, rather than having a separate element attached to the top mount plate.

Strut bearing integration

Bead seals and methods of forming the same are disclosed for bearing assemblies. A bearing assembly may include an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements supported therebetween. An annular seal may be disposed between the inner and outer rings, the seal including a metal portion having a mating surface configured to contact a wall of the inner ring. A bead seal may be secured to the mating surface and may extend around a circumference of the seal, the bead seal contacting and forming a seal between the mating surface and the wall of the inner ring. The bead seal may be secured to/within a groove formed in the mating surface. The bead seal may be over-molded on the groove. The disclosed bead seal(s) may reduce or replace other sealants or sealing members in the assembly.

Bead seals for rolling bearings

An integrated plastic shield bearing assembly including a plastic shield for preventing contamination of running surfaces of a bearing assembly is disclosed. The integrated plastic shield bearing assembly includes an inner bearing ring defining an inner race, an outer bearing ring defining an outer race, and a plurality of rolling elements supported between the inner race and the outer race. A first one of the inner bearing ring or the outer bearing ring includes a circumferential groove. The plastic shield includes a molding portion molded on to the circumferential groove of the first one of the inner bearing ring or the outer bearing ring, and a shield portion extending towards a second one of the inner bearing ring or the outer bearing ring.

Integrated plastic shield bearing assembly

A bearing and housing support including a bearing outer ring overmolded with a thermoplastic bearing housing. The support arranged to support and engage with an intermediate drive shaft of a vehicle.

Bearing and housing support for intermediate drive shaft

A bearing and housing assembly for irregular shaped housings including a circular extension, retention and distortion relief features that can mitigate shape distortion of bearings.

Bearing in irregular shaped housings

Double row angular contact ball bearing () has split inner rings () and two plastic comb snap cages (). The comb cage has retaining tabs () which mate with retaining grooves () in the split inner rings. These retaining tabs hold the inner rings into the bearing.

Growing community of inventors

Windsor, CA, United States of America

Shakeel Shaikh