Abstract:
For a wheel head for wheel guides of vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles, the wheel flange which is held via a supporting bushing is connected releasably to the supporting bushing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a wheel head for wheel guides of vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles.  
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
         [0001]    European Published Patent Application No. 0 852 299 describes a device, in which the wheel flange and the supporting sleeve for the inner ring of the wheel mounting form an integral constructional unit where the supporting sleeve is supported against the inner ring on the wheel side via a shoulder and the inner ring is overlapped on the wheel guide side by a bent-up edge of the supporting sleeve. As a result, the wheel flange, supporting sleeve and wheel bearing form a constructional unit which, via the outer ring of the wheel mounting, can be fixed in a bushing-like holder which is provided in the transition to the wheel guide in a corresponding guide part which may be formed, for example, by a region of an axle stub or wheel carrier. The axial fixing of the outer ring in the bushing-like holder takes place in the direction of the wheel guide via a fixed stop and in the opposite direction by a snap element. The wheel flange and supporting sleeve form a relatively complicated and expensive integral constructional unit which does not permit separate access to the wheel mounting and, in particular, also does not provide any subsequent adjustment options. In addition, the access to the wheel mounting for removal purposes is also made more difficult and requires corresponding axial and radial clearances between the wheel flange and bushing-like holder for the wheel mounting.  
           [0002]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheel head having improved engineering and installation characteristics.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a wheel head as described herein. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a wheel head includes a wheel flange and a supporting sleeve, each as an individual part. As a result, the manufacturing is simplified, and different manufacturing methods and different materials for the wheel flange and supporting sleeve may be used. In addition, the distance between the wheel flange and supporting sleeve may be reduced to a minimum or, depending on a predetermined overall length, the supporting sleeve may be extended axially and therefore additional constructional space for the wheel mounting obtained, so that with the smallest possible overall dimensions and/or with the wheel head projecting a substantial distance into the wheel to be mounted, large bearing dimensions with improved loading ratios are also possible. This arrangement may be particularly advantageous as to a support of the respective brake disc against that side of the wheel flange which faces away from the wheel, in which case the arrangement of the brake disc of a disc brake provides improved options for installation and access despite the cramped design.  
           [0004]    The arrangement according to the present invention furthermore also provides that the wheel head may be used in an identical manner both for driven and for non-driven wheels, it being possible for both forms of use to optionally be realized via supporting sleeves of standardized design or via separate supporting sleeves. In particular if, with regard to the respective intended purpose, supporting sleeves which are designed separately are used, the latter may be produced in a particularly favorable manner for non-driven axles by omitting the offset or toothing connections, which are necessary in the case of driven axles, to the driveshaft which engages in the supporting sleeve. The use of supporting sleeves of different design may be advantageous in the use of a wheel head, which is otherwise of identical design, for mass production.  
           [0005]    Overall, the present invention provides a uniform concept for wheel heads both for driven and for non-driven front and rear axles, irrespective of whether the axles have single tires or dual tires. Trailing axles may also be configured in a corresponding manner, in which case use may be made of compact bearings standardized by weight class, supporting sleeves standardized as a function of the bearing dimensions and also brake discs standardized merely as a function of the wheel size. The wheel head according to the present invention is therefore distinguished by extensive options for standardization and for the use of identical parts, and it provides particular advantages especially also with regard to changing of the brake disc, since removal of the bearing is not required. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a wheel head according to the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is another schematic cross-sectional view of the wheel head illustrated in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0008]    Starting from a wheel guide which may be configured in a conventional manner as an independent wheel suspension, as a rigid axle or in another manner, and via which the wheel head  1  is connected to the respective vehicle, an axle stub  2  is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 as a transition element between the wheel head  1  and wheel guide, the axle stub having, in a conventional manner, orifices  3  for accommodating an axle stub bolt or other bearing elements via which the connection to the wheel guide occurs. Instead of an axle stub  2  of the type illustrated, other transition elements, for example wheel carriers or the like, may also be provided. Furthermore, for example in the case of an unsteered rigid axle, the transition element may also be formed by part of the axle body itself, in which case the axle body, as illustrated in FIG. 1 for the axle stub  2 , includes a bushing-like holder  5  which is concentric with respect to the wheel axle  4 . In the example embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1, this bushing-like holder is of integral design with the axle stub  2  and forms the outer support for the wheel mounting  6  (indicated schematically) which is arranged radially on the inside on a supporting sleeve  7  which, at its end disposed in the holder  5  and facing the wheel guide, grips radially behind the wheel mounting  6  and is thereby supported axially. The bracing, which positions the wheel flange  9 , against the corresponding, annular stop collar  8  occurs via a clamping nut  10  which is screwed axially onto the wheel-side end of the supporting sleeve  7 . The wheel flange  9  may be pushed onto the supporting sleeve  7  and connected to the supporting sleeve  7  in a torque-transmitting manner, in particular in a positive-locking manner, for example via a splined toothing or the like.  
         [0009]    The supporting sleeve  7  includes an internal hole  11 , so that in the case of an appropriate configuration of the axle stub  2  with a passage opening, a connection to a drive shaft is possible, with the result that with the same basic configuration of the wheel head  1 , the latter may be used both for driven and non-driven axles, in which case, for driven axles, the internal hole  11  includes a torque-transmitting profile, for example a splined toothing or the like.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 illustrates a more detailed illustration of a cutout of the wheel head  1 , in which, with regard to the wheel mounting  6 , its inner ring  12  and its outer ring  13  are indicated, and the respective, axial bracing of the inner ring  12  and of the outer ring  13  with respect to the supporting sleeve  7  and the bushing-like holder  5 , respectively. The outer ring  13  is supported on the wheel guide side against a radial collar  14  of the holder  5 , and on the opposite side is secured by a snap ring  24  or the like. The inner ring  12  is supported via the stop collar  8 . The wheel flange  9  is supported via its collar  25 , which is arranged radially on the inside, on the supporting sleeve  7 . The collar  25  which extends axially is pressed via the clamping nut  10  which is screwed onto an end-side thread  15  of the supporting sleeve  7 . The collar  25  is connected in a torque-transmitting manner to the supporting sleeve  7 , for example via a toothing  16 , and as FIG. 2 illustrates, is braced radially, e.g., also via a clamping pin or the like, as indicated at  17 .  
         [0011]    The wheel flange  9  bears the wheel screw connection  19  radially on the outside in the overlapping region to the wheel disc  18  which is indicated. Radially within the wheel disc  18  the wheel flange  9  is passed through by clamping screws  20  which are arranged at the head end in a radial overlap with respect to the wheel disc  18  and via which the brake disc  21  is connected, by its supporting collar  22  which is disposed radially on the inside and extends axially being positioned, to the wheel flange  9  in an axially braced manner, in which case the wheel flange  9  forms a radial guide via a supporting shoulder  23 .  
         [0012]    The example embodiment of the present invention illustrated results in an axially short construction, to which a contribution is made by the corresponding, axially superimposed and radially mutually offset arrangement of the wheel screw connection  19  with respect to the clamping screws  20 , in conjunction with the connection, which is offset into the direction of the wheel guide, of the supporting collar  22  of the brake disc  21  which, for its part, surrounds the bushing-like holder  5  radially at a relatively short distance. Despite the cramped construction, a relatively large axial supporting length is provided, so that a favorable bearing arrangement and configuration is possible, even in its position with respect to the longitudinal central plane of the wheel, since the wheel head  1  may, due to its cramped configuration, be arranged so that it is inserted to a substantial depth into the wheel nave.  
         [0013]    Moreover, the arranged described above makes possible, with all essential elements being retained, the use of substantially identical wheel heads both for driven and for non-driven wheels, in which case for driven wheels the supporting sleeve  7  forms, by its internal hole  11 , a holder for a driveshaft which passes through the axle stub, in which case the corresponding passage opening may simultaneously form a bearing for the driveshaft or a joint assigned to the latter.