Patent ID: 7159316
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: B23B,B60B,F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a module corner assembly wherein a hub is attached to a knuckle through the following steps: obtaining a knuckle from a source, said knuckle having a first cylindrical body with a plurality of projections that extend there from; an outboard axial bore that extends from a first end surface to an annular rib and an inboard axial bore that extends from a second end surface to said annular rib, said annular rib having an axial bore there through that connects said outboard and inboard axial bores; and a radial bore that extends from said axial bore to a peripheral surface on said first cylindrical body; pressing an outboard cup into said outboard axial bore until said outboard cup engages said annular rib; pressing an inboard cup into said inboard axial bore until said inboard cup engages said annular rib; obtaining a wheel hub from a source, said wheel hub being defined by a second cylindrical body with a first end and a second end, a second axial bore that extends from the first end to the second end, a radial mounting flange that extends from the second cylindrical body and is located between said first end and said second end, a plurality of axial openings in the mounting flange that are located a fixed radial distance from an axis of said second axial bore, and a peripheral bearing surface that extends from said second end to a shoulder adjacent said radial mounting flange; pressing an outboard cone into engagement with said first shoulder on said second cylindrical body, said outboard cone having an outboard annular seal retained on a peripheral surface thereof; pressing a ring onto said peripheral bearing surface of said second cylindrical body, said ring having sequential surface differences thereon; placing a first roller assembly on said outboard cone; pressing said second cylindrical body into said first cylindrical body such that said first roller assembly engages a first bearing surface on said outboard cup, said outboard annular seal engages said outboard axial bore to define an outboard seal with respect to the surrounding environment and said sequential surface on said ring is aligned with said radial bore in said first cylindrical body; measuring a first linear distance from a face on said ring to a first reference point on said inboard cup; obtaining an inboard cone from a source; placing a second roller assembly on said inboard cone; measuring a second linear distance from a first end on said inboard cone to a second reference point on said second roller assembly, comparing said first linear distance with said second linear distance; removing material from said inboard cone when said second linear distance is greater than said first linear distance to match said second linear distance with said first linear distance; pressing said inboard cone onto said peripheral bearing surface of said second cylindrical body until said inboard cone engages said face on said ring such that said second roller assembly engages a second bearing surface on said inboard cup; pressing an inboard annular seal onto said inboard cup such that said inboard annular seal engages said inboard axial bore to define an inboard seal with respect to the surrounding environment; placing said knuckle and wheel hub in a fixture; and bringing a tool into engagement with said second end of said second cylindrical body to deform said second end of said second cylindrical body such that said inboard cone is retained in engagement with said ring to define a unitary structure.