Ntn Corporation

Shinji Morita

Takayuki Norimatsu

Akira Fujimura

Yoshiaki Kuchiki

Hisashi Ohtsuki

Kazuo Komori

Isao Hirai

Koji Sahashi

Kazunori Kubota

Kazuhiro Baba

Masahiro Muranaka

Hiroaki Itakura

A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member formed with a body mounting flange on its outer circumferential surface. The body mounting flange is to be mounted on a knuckle of the vehicle. The outer member inner circumference includes double row outer raceway surfaces. An inner member includes a wheel hub with a wheel mounting flange formed on one end. A cylindrical portion extends from the wheel mounting flange. At least one inner ring is press-fit onto the cylindrical portion of the wheel hub. The inner ring outer circumference is formed with an inner raceway surface arranged opposite to the double row outer raceway surfaces. Double row rolling elements are freely rollably contained between the outer raceway surfaces and inner raceway surfaces of the outer member and the inner members. Seals are mounted within annular openings formed between the outer member and the inner member. The inner ring is axially secured relative to the wheel hub by a caulked portion. The caulked portion is formed by radially outwardly plastically deforming the end of the cylindrical portion of the wheel hub. Outer side rolling elements of the double row rolling elements are balls. The inner side rolling elements of the double row rolling elements are tapered rollers. The fundamental rated load of the inner side row of tapered rollers is set larger than that of the outer side row of balls.

Bearing apparatus for a wheel of vehicle

An IC tag () capable of contactless communication is affixed on any one or more of element parts constructing the bearing device () for the wheel. For example, the IC tag is affixed on a forging forming an outer member () or an inner member (). The place of installation of IC tagis preferably chosen to be a surface of the forged component part which is not machined subsequent to forging.

Bearing device for wheel

To provide a wheel support bearing device, in which the status of actual use is detected and stored as a history, an IC tag () capable of a contactless communication is affixed to the wheel support bearing device. This IC tag () is rendered to be a sensor incorporated IC tag integrated with or electrically connected with a sensor for detecting an object to be detected of the wheel support bearing device and a detection of the sensor is inputted through an input channel separate from a channel for the contactless communication. The sensor referred to above may be, for example, a coil and a magnet () capable of passing in the vicinity of the sensor incorporated IC tag () by the effect of a relative rotation.

Wheel bearing device and its quality management method

A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member with a body flange and double row outer raceway surfaces. An inner member includes a wheel hub and an inner ring. They include inner raceway surfaces arranged opposite to the double row outer raceway surfaces. Double row rolling elements are freely rollably contained between the outer and inner raceway surfaces. Outer side rolling elements of the double row rolling elements are balls and inner side rolling elements of the double row rolling elements are tapered rollers. A pitch circle diameter of the inner side tapered rollers is set smaller than that of the outer side balls. A substantially conical recess is formed at an outer side end portion of the wheel hub. The depth of the recess extends to at least near the bottom of the inner raceway surface of the wheel hub. The thickness of a portion of the wheel hub where the inner raceway surface is formed is set within a predetermined range. The outer side wall of the wheel hub has a constant thickness substantially along the inner surface of the recess.

A wheel axle bearing unit for a vehicle is to be made lighter in weight, so as to prolong a life span thereof. A first grooved portion is formed by removing an excess in thickness in a region between dual raceways on an outer circumferential surface of a hub and an inner race which constitute the inner member of the wheel axle bearing unit, for enlarging a space inside the bearing, thereby increasing an amount of grease that can be retained in the region between the dual raceways. Also at a position corresponding to the first grooved portion, a second grooved portion is formed by removing an excess in thickness on an inner circumferential surface of an outer race, which constitutes an outer member.

Growing community of inventors

Iwata, Japan

Shinji Morita