US-20260124857-A1 - INTEGRATED WASHER SLINGER WITH ANTI CREVICE CORROSION FEATURE FOR A DRIVE LINE COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A drive line component for a vehicle includes a half shaft including a housing having an axially outwardly facing surface, a wheel hub assembly including a wheel bearing having an axially inwardly facing surface, and a ring extending about the housing. The ring including a radially inwardly projecting flange portion arranged between the axially outwardly facing surface of the half shaft housing and the axially inwardly facing surface of the wheel bearing, a radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a transition region extending between the radially inwardly projecting flange portion and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion. The transition region includes a first portion extending axially inwardly from the radially inwardly projecting flange portion, a second portion extending at an angle toward the radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a third portion including a transition between the first portion and the second portion. The transition having a sharp edge.

Inventors

• Brian Michael Valovick
• PHILIP J. FIKANY
• Avissai Alcantara
• Arthur C. Valverde
• Fabian Clemens

Assignees

• GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241101

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A drive line component for a vehicle comprising: a half shaft including a housing having an axially outwardly facing surface; a wheel hub assembly including a wheel bearing having an axially inwardly facing surface; and a ring extending about the housing of the half shaft, the ring including a radially inwardly projecting flange portion arranged between the axially outwardly facing surface of the half shaft housing and the axially inwardly facing surface of the wheel bearing, a radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a transition region extending between the radially inwardly projecting flange portion and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion, the transition region including a first portion extending axially inwardly from the radially inwardly projecting flange portion, a second portion extending at an angle toward the radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a third portion including a transition between the first portion of the transition region and the second portion of the transition region, the transition having a sharp edge.
2. 2 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , wherein the sharp edge forms a substantially 90° angle.
3. 3 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , wherein the housing of the half shaft includes a surface extending axially between the axially outwardly facing surface and a radially outwardly projecting portion, the transition being arranged closer to the axially outwardly facing surface than to the radially outwardly projecting portion.
4. 4 . The drive line component according to claim 3 , wherein the transition reduces moisture retention between the ring and the housing of the half shaft.
5. 5 . The drive line component according to claim 4 , wherein the surface at the axially outwardly facing surface of the housing includes a first thickness portion and the surface adjacent the radially outwardly projecting portion includes a second thickness portion the second thickness portion having a thickness that is less than the first thickness portion, the transition reducing moisture accumulation on the surface adjacent the second thickness portion.
6. 6 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , wherein the ring is formed from a resilient material.
7. 7 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , wherein the housing of the half shaft includes an outer diameter, and the ring includes an opening having an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter to facilitate a press-fit between the ring and the housing of the half shaft.
8. 8 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the transition region extends at an acute angle between the sharp edge and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion.
9. 9 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , further comprising a fastener configured to secure the wheel bearing to the half shaft, the fastener being torqued to a first selected torque value, a second torque value that is less than the first selected torque value.
10. 10 . The drive line component according to claim 1 , wherein the wheel hub assembly includes an opening surrounded by a recess, the opening being configured to receive the housing of the half shaft and the recess being configured to receive the radially outwardly projecting flange portion of the ring.
11. 11 . A drive line component for a vehicle comprising: a half shaft including a housing having an axially outwardly facing surface; a wheel hub assembly including a wheel bearing having an axially inwardly facing surface; and a ring extending about the half shaft housing, the ring including a radially inwardly projecting flange portion arranged between the axially outwardly facing surface of the half shaft housing and the axially inwardly facing surface of the wheel bearing, a radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a transition region extending between the radially inwardly projecting flange portion and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion, the transition region guiding water and debris accumulation away from the axially outwardly facing surface.
12. 12 . The drive line component according to claim 11 , wherein the transition region includes a first portion extending axially inwardly from the radially inwardly projecting flange portion, a second portion extending at an angle toward the radially outwardly extending flange portion, and a third portion including a transition between the first portion and the second portion, the transition having a sharp edge.
13. 13 . The drive line component according to claim 12 , wherein the second portion of the transition region extends at an acute angle from the transition to the radially outwardly extending flange portion.
14. 14 . The drive line component according to claim 12 , wherein the sharp edge forms a substantially 90° angle.
15. 15 . The drive line component according to claim 11 , wherein the half shaft housing includes a surface extending axially between the axially outwardly facing surface and a radially outwardly projecting portion, the transition being arranged closer to the axially outwardly facing surface than to the radially outwardly projecting portion.
16. 16 . The drive line component according to claim 15 , wherein the surface at the axially outwardly facing surface of the housing includes a first thickness portion and the surface adjacent the radially outwardly projecting portion includes a second thickness portion the second thickness portion having a thickness that is less than the first thickness portion, the transition reducing moisture accumulation on the surface adjacent the second thickness portion.
17. 17 . The drive line component according to claim 11 , wherein the ring is formed from a resilient material.
18. 18 . The drive line component according to claim 11 , wherein the housing of the half shaft includes a first outer diameter, and the ring includes an opening having an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter to facilitate a press-fit between the ring and the housing of the half shaft.
19. 19 . The drive line component according to claim 11 , further comprising a fastener configured to secure the wheel bearing to the half shaft, the fastener being torqued to a first selected torque value, a second torque value that is less than the first selected torque value.
20. 20 . The drive line component according to claim 11 , wherein the wheel hub assembly includes an opening surrounded by a recess, the opening being configured to receive the housing of the half shaft and the recess being configured to receive the radially outwardly projecting flange portion of the ring.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to the art of vehicles and, more particularly, to a half shaft assembly for a vehicle drive line component having an integrated washer including an anti crevice corrosion feature. BACKGROUND The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. A drive unit serves as an interface between a vehicle motor and a drive train. Often, the drive unit itself will house an electric motor that is connected to a gear train. The gear train may be controlled to produce various gear ratios that control vehicle speed. The drive unit is connected to a first wheel through a first half shaft and to a second wheel through a second half shaft. Each half shaft cooperates with a wheel bearing to rotate the associated wheel mounted to the wheel bearing. During torque transitions, a joint housing of the half shaft may move into contact with the bearing. This metal-to-metal contact may produce a clicking noise. SUMMARY A drive line component for a vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure, includes a half shaft including a housing having an axially outwardly facing surface, a wheel hub assembly including a wheel bearing having an axially inwardly facing surface, and a ring extending about the housing of the half shaft. The ring including a radially inwardly projecting flange portion arranged between the axially outwardly facing surface of the half shaft housing and the axially inwardly facing surface of the wheel bearing, a radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a transition region extending between the radially inwardly projecting flange portion and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion. The transition region includes a first portion extending axially inwardly from the radially inwardly projecting flange portion, a second portion extending at an angle toward the radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a third portion including a transition between the first portion of the transition region and the second portion of the transition region. The transition having a sharp edge. In other features, the sharp edge forms a substantially 90° angle. In other features, the housing of the half shaft includes a surface extending axially between the axially outwardly facing surface and a radially outwardly projecting portion, the transition being arranged closer to the axially outwardly facing surface than to the radially outwardly projecting portion. In other features, the transition reduces moisture retention between the ring and the housing of the half shaft. In other features, the surface at the axially outwardly facing surface of the housing includes a first thickness portion and the surface adjacent the radially outwardly projecting portion includes a second thickness portion the second thickness portion having a thickness that is less than the first thickness portion, the transition reducing moisture accumulation on the surface adjacent the second thickness portion. In other features, the ring is formed from a resilient material. In other features, the housing of the half shaft includes an outer diameter, and the ring includes an opening having an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter to facilitate a press-fit between the ring and the housing of the half shaft. In other features, the second portion of the transition region extends at an acute angle between the sharp edge and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion. In other features, a fastener is configured to secure the wheel bearing to the half shaft, the fastener being torqued to a first selected torque value, a second torque value that is less than the first selected torque value. In other features, the wheel hub assembly includes an opening surrounded by a recess, the opening being configured to receive the housing of the half shaft and the recess being configured to receive the radially outwardly projecting flange portion of the ring. A drive line component for a vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure, includes a half shaft including a housing having an axially outwardly facing surface, a wheel hub assembly including a wheel bearing having an axially inwardly facing surface, and a ring extending about the half shaft housing. The ring includes a radially inwardly projecting flange portion arranged between the axially outwardly facing surface of the half shaft housing and the axially inwardly facing surface of the wheel bearing, a radially outwardly projecting flange portion, and a transition region extending between the radially inwardly projecting flange portion and the radially outwardly projecting flange portion. The tr