Rolling-element bearing unit and assembly method

Abstract

A rolling-element bearing unit includes at least one outer ring, at least one inner ring, a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the at least one outer ring and the at least one inner ring that are in contact with the at least one outer ring and the at least one inner ring and at least one auxiliary ring attached to an axial end region of the outer ring. The auxiliary ring may include a seal assembly and may be connected to the at least one outer ring with a snap fit.

Claims

1. A rolling-element bearing unit comprises: at least one outer ring, at least one inner ring, a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the at least one outer ring and the at least one inner ring in contact with the at least one outer ring and the at least one inner ring, and at least one auxiliary ring attached to an axial end region of the outer ring, wherein the auxiliary ring includes an axially extending leg having a radially outwardly facing rib having an outer diameter, wherein the axial end region of the outer ring has a radially inwardly facing groove, and wherein the rib is mounted in the groove to retain the auxiliary ring on the outer ring, and the bearing unit further including a seal assembly mounted to the auxiliary ring, the seal assembly including a plate that is L-shaped in axial section and includes an axial leg and a radial leg, the axial leg being in direct contact with the auxiliary ring, wherein a portion of each of the plurality of rolling elements lies radially farther outward from an axis of rotation than the axial leg, and wherein a radially inwardly extending leg of the auxiliary ring forms a gap seal with the inner ring.

2. The rolling-element bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the rolling-element bearing unit includes an interior space configured to hold a lubricant, and wherein the interior space does not extend between the axial leg and the auxiliary ring.

3. The rolling-element bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary ring includes a first circumferential region having a first color and a second circumferential region having a second color different than the first color.

4. The rolling-element bearing unit according to claim 1 including at least one sensor for measuring a physical quantity attached to the auxiliary ring.

5. The rolling element bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary ring is made from Nylon 66, and wherein the auxiliary ring and the at least one outer ring are configured such that the auxiliary ring is attachable to the at least one outer ring by a snap fit.

6. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inner ring comprises a one-piece inner ring having a raceway, the plurality of rolling elements contacting the raceway, and wherein the seal assembly includes an elastomeric seal element mounted on the plate and forming a seal with a surface of the inner ring.

7. A method of assembling the rolling-element bearing unit according to claim 1 comprising: snapping the auxiliary ring onto the at least one outer ring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an axial section through a portion of a rolling-element bearing unit according to the present disclosure which includes a component in the form of an auxiliary ring.

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an end side of the auxiliary ring of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a part of an axial section through a rolling-element bearing unit that includes an outer ring 10, an inner ring 12, and a number of rolling elements 14 that contact the outer ring and the inner ring. The rolling-element bearing unit further includes a component 16 that is disposed at an axial end region 18 of the rolling-element bearing unit and axially adjacent to the outer ring (FIGS. 1 and 2). The component is attached to the outer ring in an interference-fit manner, and specifically a snap lug 42 of the component is snapped-in into a groove 44 of the outer ring. The snap lug 42 is sometimes referred to herein as a rib or a radially outwardly facing rib.

(5) Furthermore the rolling-element bearing unit comprises a seal 20 that is attached to the component. The seal includes a metal plate 22 and an elastomer element 46 that sealingly abuts against the inner ring 12. In an axial section through the rolling-element bearing unit the metal plate 22 has an L-shape, including a leg 24 directed in the axial direction and a radially inwardly directed leg 48. The metal plate is pressed into the component by the leg 24. Radially outside the leg 24 the rolling-element bearing unit is free from regions of an interior 26 of the rolling-element bearing unit. The elastomer element 46 is attached primarily to the leg 48. The rolling elements each include a region 28 that lies radially farther outward than the metal plate.

(6) The component is made of plastic, and specifically made of fiberglass-reinforced PA66 (Nylon 66). It includes a region 30 that together with the inner ring forms a gap seal 32. The gap seal is disposed on an axial outer side. It is also conceivable that the gap seal is disposed in the vicinity of the cage.

(7) On one end side the component includes two different regions 34, 36 that have different colors. This simplifies the orientation of the component during an installation, in particular during an installation as a replacement part.

(8) The rolling-element bearing unit can include a seal lip, made of an elastomer, in a region 38 of the component that faces the outer ring; the seal lip seals against the outer ring. This allows oil to be used for lubricating the rolling-element bearing unit. The component and the seal lip can be manufactured in a 2-component manner.

(9) In addition, the rolling-element bearing unit can include a sensor 50, directly attached to the component 16, or even a plurality of sensors, for measuring one or more physical variables. A variable can be, for example, a temperature.

(10) During an assembly of the rolling-element bearing unit the seal 20 is first attached to the component, and subsequently the component is fixed to an end side 40 of the outer ring by the snap lug 42 being pressed-in into the groove 44 by a pressing of up to 20 tons. During the pressing-in it is helpful that the metal plate 22 serves as a reinforcement of the component, whereby a deformation of the component radially inward is largely prevented.

(11) In an alternative embodiment it is conceivable that the seal 20 is omitted and is completely replaced in its function by the gap seal.

(12) In principle the component can optionally be embodied with a grease- or dirt-seal.

(13) Overall the described rolling-element bearing unit is a compact and closed unit that is dust- and dirt-tight during an installation and its handling.

(14) Representative, non-limiting examples of the present invention were described above in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed above may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved rolling-element bearing units.

(15) Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the above detailed description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the invention. Furthermore, various features of the above-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims below, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

(16) All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

(17) 10 Outer ring

(18) 12 Inner ring

(19) 14 Rolling element

(20) 16 Component

(21) 18 End region

(22) 20 Seal

(23) 22 Metal plate

(24) 24 Leg

(25) 26 Interior

(26) 28 Region

(27) 30 Region

(28) 32 Gap seal

(29) 34 Region

(30) 36 Region

(31) 38 Region

(32) 40 End side

(33) 42 Snap lug

(34) 44 Groove

(35) 46 Elastomer element

(36) 48 Leg

(37) 50 Sensor