WORKPIECE SUPPORTING DEVICE, PROCESSING DEVICE, PROCESSING METHOD, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING BEARING, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING VEHICLE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MECHANICAL DEVICE

Abstract

A workpiece supporting device (6) includes a base stand (10), a shoe (11) which is disposed on at least one place in a circumferential direction of a workpiece (1a) that is rotationally driven using a rotary drive device (4) and is in sliding contact with a circumferential surface of the workpiece (1a), and a supporting body (12) which supports the shoe (11) with respect to the base stand (10). The supporting body (12) includes a compliant structure portion (a leaf spring (14)) which tilts the shoe (11) in accordance with tilting of the workpiece (1a) with respect to the base stand (10).

Claims

1. A workpiece supporting device comprising: a base stand; a shoe that is disposed on at least one place in a circumferential direction of a workpiece, which is rotationally driven using a rotary drive device, to be in sliding contact with a circumferential surface of the workpiece; and a supporting body that supports the shoe with respect to the base stand, wherein the supporting body includes a compliant structure portion which tilts the shoe in accordance with tilting of the workpiece with respect to the base stand, and the compliant structure portion is configured of an anisotropic elastic portion in which deflection rigidity in an axial direction of the workpiece is smaller than deflection rigidity in the circumferential direction of the workpiece.

2. (canceled)

3. The workpiece supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the anisotropic elastic portion is configured of a leaf spring.

4. The workpiece supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the compliant structure portion is configured of a swing supporting structure portion which is centered on a swing supporting shaft oriented in the circumferential direction of the workpiece to swingably support the shoe with respect

5. A workpiece supporting device comprising: a base; a shoe having an abutting surface which abuts a circumferential surface of a workpiece along a line parallel to a first direction to position the workpiece that is rotationally driven; and a compliant frame which supports the shoe with respect to the base and allows a change in a posture of the shoe in accordance with a change in tilting of the circumferential surface of the workpiece with respect to the first direction, wherein the compliant frame includes a blade which is disposed parallel to a plane intersecting the first direction and is disposed at a central position of the abutting surface of the shoe or a central position of the circumferential surface of the workpiece in the first direction, the plane includes a second direction along a radial direction of the workpiece and a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and the blade provides relatively rigid support in the second direction and the third direction and provides relatively flexible support in the first direction.

6.-7. (canceled)

8. The workpiece supporting device according to claim 5, wherein the plane includes a second direction along a radial direction of the workpiece and a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and in the first direction, a thickness of the blade is less than half a length of the abutting surface of the shoe or half a length of the circumferential surface of the workpiece.

9. The workpiece supporting device according to claim 5, wherein the compliant frame provides relatively rigid support in a second direction along a radial direction of the workpiece and in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions and provides relatively flexible support about an axis along the third direction.

10. A processing device comprising: a rotary drive device which rotationally drives a workpiece; a tool which processes the workpiece; and the workpiece supporting device according to claim 1.

11. A processing method using the processing device according to claim 10, comprising steps of: rotationally driving the workpiece using the rotary drive device; and processing the workpiece using the tool while performing positioning of the workpiece in the radial direction of the workpiece by causing the shoe included in the workpiece supporting device to be in sliding contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece.

12. A method for manufacturing a bearing including a bearing ring, wherein the bearing ring is processed using the processing method according to claim 11.

13. A method for manufacturing a vehicle including a bearing, wherein the bearing is manufactured using the method for manufacturing the bearing according to claim 12.

14. A method for manufacturing a mechanical device including a bearing, wherein the bearing is manufactured using the method for manufacturing the bearing according to claim 12.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram viewed in a direction of arrow A of FIG. 1.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2 showing a behavior when misalignment occurs.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a workpiece is supported using a conventional workpiece supporting device.

[0032] FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are diagrams showing examples in which misalignment has occurred.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing one example of a rolling bearing.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0034] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In the present embodiment, a processing device 3 is for performing a grinding process on an outer circumferential surface of a workpiece 1a and includes a rotary drive device 4, a grindstone 5 as a tool, and a workpiece supporting device 6. The workpiece 1a is, for example, a metal ring-shaped member such as a track ring (an inner ring and an outer ring) that constitutes a radial rolling bearing incorporated in a vehicle or any of various mechanical devices.

[0035] The rotary drive device 4 includes a main shaft 7 that can be rotationally driven by a drive source such as an electric motor. The main shaft 7 has a backing plate 8 at a tip portion thereof. The workpiece 1a is supported on the main shaft 7 by magnetically attracting an axial side surface thereof to a tip surface of the backing plate 8.

[0036] The grindstone 5 has an outer circumferential surface as a grinding surface 9 and is rotatable about its own central axis. In addition, the grindstone 5 can move away from and toward the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a in a radial direction thereof. That is, the grindstone 5 can press the grinding surface 9 against the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a supported by the main shaft 7.

[0037] The workpiece supporting device 6 includes a base stand (base) 10, two shoes 11, and a supporting body (a compliant frame) 12 provided for each of the shoes 11. In another example, the number of shoes 11 can be one or three or more.

[0038] The two shoes 11 are disposed apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the workpiece 1a. The shoes 11 are disposed such that each tip surface 13 thereof is in sliding contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a. The shoes 11 are for at least positioning the workpiece 1a in a radial direction thereof. Each of the shoes 11 has the tip surface (abutting surface) 13 which abuts the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a along a line parallel to a first direction along a reference axis (for example, a first direction along a reference rotation axis) for positioning of the workpiece 1a that is rotationally driven. Each of the two shoes 11 is made of a metal such as steel or cemented carbide and is formed in a substantially rectangular block shape. In one example of the shoe 11, the tip surface (abutting surface) 13, which is an end surface on a side facing the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a, is a concave surface having a partially cylindrical shape which can be brought into surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a. That is, the shoe 11 has the tip surface 13 having the concave surface shape. In other examples of the shoe 11, a tip surface 13 having another shape can be provided. Also, various materials can be adopted for the shoe 11.

[0039] Further, in one example, circumferential positions at which the tip surfaces 13 of the two shoes 11 are caused to be in sliding contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a may be positions deviated from a circumferential position at which the grindstone 5 (grinding surface 9) is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a and positions at which a load applied to the workpiece 1a from the grindstone 5 can be efficiently supported. In another example, the shoes 11 can be disposed at positions different from the illustrated positions. Also, the tip surfaces 13 of the shoes 11 may have shapes other than the cylindrical concave surfaces described above, and for example, various conventionally known shapes such as V-shaped concave surfaces may be employed.

[0040] Each of the two shoes 11 is supported by the base stand 10 via the supporting body (compliant frame) 12. The supporting body 12 includes a leaf spring (a compliant structure portion, a blade, or a spring blade) 14 which is an anisotropic elastic portion, and a holder 15. The supporting body (compliant frame) 12 is configured to support the shoe 11 with respect to the base stand 10 and to allow a change in a posture of the shoe 11 (a change in a direction of the shoe 11 or a change in a direction of the tip surface (abutting surface) 13) in accordance with a change in an inclination of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a with respect to the first direction.

[0041] The leaf spring (blade) 14 is disposed in a state in which a thickness direction thereof in a free state substantially coincides with an axial direction of the main shaft 7 (an axial direction of the workpiece 1a or the first direction). The leaf spring 14 is disposed parallel to a plane intersecting the first direction. The leaf spring 14 is disposed at a central position of the tip surface (abutting surface) 13 of the shoe 11 in the first direction or a central position of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a in the first direction. In one example, the leaf spring 14 is cantilevered to the base stand 10 by coupling its base end portion, which is an end portion on a distal side with respect to the workpiece 1a, to the base stand 10. That is, the leaf spring 14 is cantilevered to the base stand 10 while disposed in a direction in which a deflection rigidity thereof in the circumferential direction (specifically, the X1 direction in FIG. 1, which is a circumferential direction of a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a with which the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 is in sliding contact) of the workpiece 1a is the highest and the deflection rigidity in the axial direction (specifically, the X2 direction in FIGS. 2 and 3, which is a width direction of the portion of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a with which the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 is in sliding contact) of the workpiece 1a is the lowest.

[0042] As described above, the tip surfaces 13 of the shoes 11 abut on the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a along the line parallel to the first direction. The leaf spring (blade) 14 is disposed parallel to a first plane intersecting the first direction. The first plane includes a second direction parallel to a radial direction of the workpiece 1a and a third direction intersecting the first and second directions (for example, a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions). The first direction is associated with the thickness direction of the leaf spring 14 and/or a direction along a rotation axis of the workpiece 1a, the second direction is associated with a length/height direction of the leaf spring 14 (a direction from the base stand 10 to the shoe 11) and/or the radial direction of the workpiece 1a, and the third direction is associated with a width direction of the leaf spring 14 and/or a width of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a. The leaf spring 14 provides relatively rigid support in the second and third directions and provides relatively flexible support in the first direction. Alternatively and/or additionally, the leaf spring 14 provides relatively rigid support in the second and third directions and relatively flexible support about an axis parallel to the third direction.

[0043] In one example, in the first direction, a thickness of the leaf spring (blade) 14 (a length of the leaf spring in the first direction) can be substantially equal to or less than 1/10, 1/9, , 1/7, , , , , or of a length of the tip surface 13 of the shoe 11. Alternatively, in the first direction, the thickness of the leaf spring 14 can be substantially equal to or less than 1/10, 1/9, , 1/7, , , , , or of a length of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a. When the leaf spring (blade) 14 is configured of a plurality of leaf springs (blades) arranged to overlap each other or arranged side by side in the first direction, a total thickness (a sum of thicknesses) thereof can be similarly set.

[0044] In one example, in the third direction, a width of the leaf spring (blade) 14 (a length of the leaf spring in the third direction) can be substantially equal to or greater than of the length of the tip surface 13 of the shoe 11. Alternatively, in the third direction, the width of the leaf spring 14 can be substantially equal to or greater than the length of the tip surface 13 of the shoe 11. For example, in the third direction, the width of the leaf spring 14 is substantially equal to or greater than 3/10, 4/10, 5/10, 6/10, 7/10, 8/10, or 10/10 of the length of the tip surface 13 of the shoe 11. Alternatively, the width of leaf spring 14 can be substantially equal to or greater than 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 times the length of the leaf spring 14. When the leaf spring (blade) 14 is configured of a plurality of leaf springs (blades) arranged to overlap each other or arranged side by side in the first direction, a total length (a sum of widths) thereof can be similarly set.

[0045] In one example, the leaf spring 14 has a substantially fixed end fixed to the base stand 10 and a substantially free end connected to the shoe 11. The leaf spring 14 has an extending portion, which extends at least along the second direction, between the fixed end and the free end. For example, the leaf spring 14 can have a substantially planar shape over the range of the leaf spring 14 in the second and/or third direction. In another example, the leaf spring 14 can have a shape with at least one bending portion.

[0046] The leaf spring 14 can have a uniform thickness or a non-uniform thickness.

[0047] In one example, the leaf spring 14 couples a tip portion, which is an end portion on a proximal side with respect to the workpiece 1a, to a center of a rear surface in the width direction (a surface on a side opposite to the workpiece 1a) of the rectangular plate-shaped holder 15. In addition, the shoe 11 is fixed to a front surface (a surface on the workpiece 1a side) of the holder 15. In other examples, the supporting body (compliant frame) 12 can have a holder 14 of another form. Various forms can be adopted for a connection structure between the leaf spring 14 and the shoe 11.

[0048] Also, in one example, the coupling position of the base end portion of the leaf spring 14 to the base stand 10 can be adjusted in the radial direction of the workpiece 1a. In addition, the radial position of the tip surface 13 of each of the two shoes 11 is adjusted by the adjusting of the coupling position, so that the tip surfaces 13 of the two shoes 11 can be brought into surface contact with outer circumferential surfaces of a plurality of workpieces 1a having different sizes (outer diameter dimensions).

[0049] In the present embodiment, using the processing device 3 described above, an axial side surface of the workpiece 1a is magnetically attracted to the tip surface of the backing plate 8 when the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a is ground, thereby supporting the workpiece 1a to be rotatably driven on the main shaft 7. Further, by bringing the respective tip surfaces 13 of the two shoes 11 into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a, positioning of the workpiece 1a in the radial direction is performed. In addition, in this state, by rotating the main shaft 7, the grinding surface 9 of the grindstone 5 rotating in the opposite direction to the workpiece 1a is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a while the workpiece 1a is rotated, thereby performing grinding of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a.

[0050] In this case, in the processing device 3, even when the workpiece 1a rotates while being tilted with respect to the base stand 10, as shown in FIG. 3, due to misalignment between the workpiece 1a and the workpiece supporting device 6 as in a conventional case shown in FIG. 6 described above, occurrence of shoe scratches on the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a can be inhibited.

[0051] That is, in the processing device 3, the leaf spring 14 supporting the shoe 11 with respect to the base stand 10 is disposed in the direction in which the deflection rigidity in the axial direction (X2 direction) of the workpiece 1a is lowest. For this reason, in one example, even when the workpiece 1a rotates while being tilted with respect to the base stand 10 as shown in FIG. 3, the leaf spring 14 deflects in the axial direction (X2 direction) of the workpiece 1a in accordance with tilting of the workpiece 1a as shown in the same figure, whereby the tip surface 13 of the shoe 11 complies the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a, so that the tip surface 13 of the shoe 11 can be brought into surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a. In the supporting body (compliant frame) 12, the posture of the shoe 11 changes in accordance with the change in tilting of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a in the first direction. For this reason, occurrence of shoe scratches on the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a can be inhibited. In another example, the leaf spring 14 can show deformation different from that of FIG. 3.

[0052] Therefore, when the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a is ground, high-speed rotation of the workpiece 1a can be achieved. Further, additional processing for removing shoe scratches and the like can be omitted. Therefore, a cycle time for processing the workpiece 1a can be shortened.

[0053] Also, in the present embodiment, in the processing device 3, the leaf spring 14 is disposed in the direction in which the deflection rigidity in the circumferential direction (X1 direction) of the workpiece 1a is highest. For this reason, it is possible to substantially prevent the leaf spring 14 from being deflected in the circumferential direction (X.sub.1 direction) of the workpiece 1a, and thus the positioning of the workpiece 1a in the radial direction by the shoe 11 can be stably performed. Therefore, grinding of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a can be stably performed.

[0054] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In the present embodiment, in the processing device, a structure of a supporting body 12a which supports the shoe 11 with respect to the base stand 10 in a workpiece supporting device 6a is different from that of the first embodiment.

[0055] In the present embodiment, the supporting body (compliant frame) 12a has a holder 15a to which the shoe 11 is fixed, and a swing supporting shaft (a pin) 16. The tip surface (abutting surface) 13 of the shoe 11 abuts the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a along the line parallel to the first direction (for example, the first direction along the reference rotation axis). The shoe 11 abuts the workpiece 1a such that a contact portion between the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a and the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 extends along the line parallel to the first direction. Alternatively, the shoe 11 abuts the workpiece 1a such that the contact portion between the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a and the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 includes the line parallel to the first direction. The supporting body 12a is configured to support the shoe 11 with respect to the base stand (base) 10 and to allow a change in the posture of the shoe 11 (a change in the direction of the shoe 11 or a change in the direction of the tip surface (abutting surface) 13) in accordance with a change in the tilting of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a with respect to the first direction. The support body 12a is configured to provide relatively rigid support in the second direction parallel to the radial direction of the workpiece 1a and the third direction intersecting the first and second directions (for example, the direction perpendicular to the first and second directions) and to provide relatively flexible support about the axis in the third direction.

[0056] In one example, the swing supporting shaft 16 has a columnar shape, is fixed to the base stand 10, and is oriented in the circumferential direction (specifically, a front to back direction in FIG. 4, which is the circumferential direction of the portion of the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a with which the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 is in sliding contact) of the workpiece 1a. The holder 15a has a circular engagement hole 17, and the swing supporting shaft 16 engages with (internally fits into) the engagement hole 17 to be relatively rotatable. In the present embodiment, by employing a swing supporting structure portion formed by engaging the swing supporting shaft 16 with the engagement hole 17 as described above, the shoe 11 fixed to the holder 15a is supported on the base stand 10 to be swingable around the swing supporting shaft 16 (swingable as shown by an arrow in FIG. 4). Also, in another example, a configuration in which the swing supporting shaft 16 is fixed to the holder 15a and the engagement hole 17 is provided in the base stand 10 may be adopted. When such a configuration is adopted, the swing supporting shaft 16 swings (rotates) together with the shoe 11. Various forms can be adopted for the swing structure or the connection structure between the leaf spring 14 and the shoe 11.

[0057] In the present embodiment, in the case in which the workpiece 1a rotates while being tilted with respect to the base stand 10, due to a misalignment, when the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a is ground, the shoe 11 swings about the swing supporting shaft 16 in accordance with the tilting of the workpiece 1a, whereby the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 complies the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a, so that the tip end surface 13 of the shoe 11 can be brought into surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a. For this reason, occurrence of shoe scratches on the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece 1a can be inhibited. Other configurations and operations can be the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0058] There is no particular limitation on a type of the workpiece to be used in the present invention, as long as the workpiece has an outer circumferential surface with which the shoe is brought into sliding contact. Also, a processing performed on the workpiece is not limited to the grinding, and may be another processing such as a super-finishing process. Also, a processed portion of the workpiece is not limited to the outer circumferential surface, but may be, for example, an inner circumferential surface or an axial side surface. Also, the number of shoes (the number of combinations of the shoes and the compliant structure) constituting the workpiece supporting device is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. Also, the workpiece supporting device is not limited to the processing device, and can be used by being incorporated in a measuring machine for measuring properties (for example, roundness or the like) of the workpiece.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing one example of a rolling bearing. A radial ball bearing 100 as shown in FIG. 7 is incorporated in a rotation support portion of various types of rotary devices. In FIG. 7, the rolling bearing 100 is a single-row deep groove type and has a plurality of balls 104 provided between an outer ring 102 and an inner ring 103 which are disposed concentrically with each other. A deep groove type outer raceway 105 is formed over the entire circumference at an axially intermediate portion of an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 102. A deep groove type inner raceway 106 is formed over the entire circumference at an axially intermediate portion of an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 103. Each of the balls 104 is disposed to be rotatable between the outer raceway 105 and the inner raceway 106 while being held by a retainer 107. The above bearing 100 is configured such that the outer ring 102 and the inner ring 103 can rotate relative to each other.

[0060] Various types of bearings can be adopted as the bearing.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0061] 1, 1a Workpiece [0062] 2 Shoe [0063] 3 Processing device [0064] 4 Rotary drive device [0065] 5 Grindstone [0066] 6, 6a Workpiece supporting device [0067] 7 Main shaft [0068] 8 Backing plate [0069] 9 Grinding surface [0070] 10 Base stand (base) [0071] 11 Shoe [0072] 12, 12a Supporting body (compliant frame) [0073] 13 Tip surface [0074] 14 Leaf spring (blade, spring blade) [0075] 15, 15a Holder [0076] 16 Swing supporting shaft [0077] 17 Engagement hole