Unitized wheel bearing assembly

Claim 2

A wheel bearing assembly for a motor vehicle comprising; a wheel hub which has wheel mounting means and an annular shoulder at one end and a tubular part at the other end, which forms an outer drive member of a constant velocity universal joint by which drive is transmitted to the wheel hub, a bearing assembly having an outer ring which has means for securing the outer ring to a vehicle support and an inner ring which is mounted on the wheel hub against the annular shoulder; and means for retaining the inner ring on the wheel hub, said means comprising; a retaining ring having an inner margin disposed in an annular groove in the tubular part of the wheel hub and, a load ring encircling the wheel hub between the retaining ring and the inner ring of the bearing assembly, said load ring having a band of concavo-convex cross section which is plastically deformed radially inwardly so that the inner ring is biased against the annular shoulder under a substantial axial preload provided by the load ring, said load ring having a flange at the end of the load ring which is adjacent the inner ring of the bearing assembly to increase the radial stiffness so that said end at least maintains diameter when the concavo-convex band of the load ring is plastically deformed radially inwardly, the concavo-convex cross section of the band being V-shaped and the flange at the end of the load ring having a circular rim at its outer end which extends toward the other end of the load ring.

Claim 3

A wheel bearing assembly for a motor vehicle comprising; a wheel hub which has wheel mounting means and an annular shoulder at one end and a tubular part at the other end, which forms an outer drive member of a constant velocity universal joint by which drive is transmitted to the wheel hub, a bearing assembly having an outer ring which has means for securing the outer ring to a vehicle support and an inner ring which is mounted on the wheel hub against the annular shoulder; and means for retaining the inner ring on the wheel hub, said means comprising; a retaining ring having an inner margin disposed in an annular groove in the tubular part of the wheel hub and, a load ring encircling the wheel hub between the retaining ring and the inner ring of the bearing assembly, said load ring having a band of concavo-convex cross section which is plastically deformed radially inwardly so that the inner ring is biased against the annular shoulder under a substantial axial preload provided by the load ring, said load ring having a flange at the end of the load ring which is adjacent the inner ring of the bearing assembly to increase the radial stiffness so that said end at least maintains diameter when the concavo-convex band of the load ring is plastically deformed radially inwardly, the concavo-convex cross section of the band being V-shaped and, the load ring having a second flange at the other end, and at least one of the flanges being notched for holding the load ring circumferentially while the band is plastically deformed radially inwardly by a rolling operation.

Claim 4

A wheel bearing assembly for a motor vehicle comprising; a wheel hub which has wheel mounting means and an annular shoulder at one end and a tubular part at the other end, which forms an outer drive member of a constant velocity universal joint by which drive is transmitted to the wheel hub, a bearing assembly having an outer ring which has means for securing the outer ring to a vehicle support and an inner ring which is mounted on the wheel hub against the annular shoulder; and means for retaining the inner ring on the wheel hub, said means comprising; a retaining ring having an inner margin disposed in an annular groove in the tubular part of the wheel hub and, a load ring encircling the wheel hub between the retaining ring and the inner ring of the bearing assembly, said load ring having a band of concavo-convex cross section which is plastically deformed radially inwardly so that the inner ring is biased against the annular shoulder under a substantial axial preload provided by the load ring, said load ring having a flange at the end of the load ring which is adjacent the inner ring of the bearing assembly to increase the radial stiffness so that said end at least maintains diameter when the concavo-convex band of the load ring is plastically deformed radially inwardly, the concavo-convex cross section of the band being V-shaped and, the load ring having a second flange at the other end, and at least one of the flanges being notched for holding the load ring circumferentially while the band is plastically deformed radially inwardly by a rolling operation.