Patent ID: 9283808
Filing Date: 2016-03-15
CPC Classification: B60B,F16C

Claim Text:
1. An automotive vehicle wheel bearing assembly comprising a wheel mounting component defining an axis; a non-rotating component fixed with respect to a vehicle suspension structure; and bearing elements rotatably coupling the wheel mounting component to the non-rotating component to allow the wheel mounting component to rotate relative to the non-rotating component about the axis; wherein the bearing elements include a first outer raceway and a first inner raceway, the first outer raceway and the first inner raceway rollably retaining a plurality of first rolling elements, wherein an inboard face of the wheel mounting component is spaced axially from an outboard face of a non-rotating component fixed with respect to the vehicle suspension structure in an outboard direction by an axial clearance, so that a side impact displacing the inboard face of the wheel mounting component in the inboard direction by a distance equal to the axial clearance does not cause an impact indentation from the first rolling elements in the first outer raceway or the first inner raceway deeper than about 3 microns, to avoid a noise or vibration condition when the wheel mounting component rotates relative to the non-rotating component during continued operation of the wheel bearing assembly, wherein a radial-impact supporting contact surface of the wheel mounting component is spaced from a non-rotating radial-impact supporting contact surface fixed with respect to the vehicle suspension structure by a radial clearance, so that a radial impact displacing the radial-impact supporting contact surface of the wheel mounting component in a radial direction toward the non-rotating radial-impact supporting contact surface by a distance equal to the radial clearance does not cause an impact indentation from the first rolling elements in the first outer raceway or the first inner raceway deeper than about 3 microns, to avoid a noise or vibration condition when the wheel mounting component rotates relative to the non-rotating component during continued operation of the wheel bearing assembly, wherein displacement of the inboard face of the wheel mounting component in the inboard direction by a distance greater than the axial clearance is inhibited by the inboard face of the wheel mounting component contacting and transmitting a load to the vehicle suspension structure through the outboard face of a non-rotating component, to inhibit deepening of any impact indentation from the first rolling elements in the first outer raceway or the first inner raceway, and wherein displacement of the radial-impact supporting contact surface of the wheel mounting component in said radial direction by a distance greater than the radial clearance is inhibited by the radial-impact supporting contact surface of the wheel mounting component contacting and transmitting a load to the vehicle suspension structure through the non-rotating radial-impact supporting contact surface, to inhibit deepening of any impact indentation from the first rolling elements in the first outer raceway or the first inner raceway.