BEARING ARRANGEMENT FOR A MACHINE ELEMENT

Abstract

Bearing arrangement for a machine element having a bearing having an outer bearing race radially fixed by a cylindrical cutout in the mounted state of the bearing arrangement; a locking element having an annular radial portion and at least one axial portion; and the annular radial portion of the locking element cooperates with a region of the outer bearing race on a first axial side of the outer bearing race to secure the outer bearing race at the first axial side; and at least one securing element which, in a mounted state of the bearing arrangement, is in operative engagement with the at least one axial portion of the locking element and with the machine element such that the locking element secures the outer bearing race at the first axial side.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A bearing arrangement for a machine element, comprising: a bearing having an outer bearing race which is radially fixed by a cylindrical cutout of the machine element in a mounted state of the bearing arrangement; at least one locking element comprising: an annular radial portion is arranged and configured to cooperate with a region of the outer bearing race on a first axial side of the outer bearing race to secure the outer bearing race at the first axial side; and at least one axial portion; and at least one securing element which, in a mounted state of the bearing arrangement, is in operative engagement with the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element and with the machine element such that the at least one locking element secures the outer bearing race at the first axial side.

17. The bearing arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the outer bearing race is secured at an end face of a second axial side of the outer bearing race by an abutment surface of the machine element in a second axial direction of the outer bearing race.

18. The bearing arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element is arranged in a radially outer region of the radial portion of the at least one locking element and at least partially axially outwardly extends around the outer bearing race and, in the mounted state of the bearing arrangement, to secure the outer bearing race at the first axial side by the at least one locking element, cooperates through at least one work access opening of the machine element with the securing element which is supported on a side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element.

19. The bearing arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the at least one locking element adjoins an end face of the first axial side of the outer bearing race at least by part of the annular radial portion to secure the outer bearing race at an axial side.

20. The bearing arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the outer bearing race has a circumferential shoulder in an end region at the first axial side, and at least part of the annular radial portion of the at least one locking element adjoins an end face of the shoulder to secure the outer bearing race on a axial side.

21. The bearing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element is formed by a tongue arranged at a radially outer edge of the radial portion of the at least one locking element, and wherein the tongue has a radially inwardly open groove in an end region, and the securing element is a snap ring which engages in the radially inwardly open groove of the tongue on the side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element.

22. The bearing arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the tongue extends through the at least one work access opening of the machine element, and the securing element is an adjusted end portion of the tongue supported on the side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element.

23. The bearing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element is formed by a stay bolt connected to the annular radial portion or tongues of the at least one locking element, and the stay bolt has a thread, and the securing element is a screw that cooperates with the thread and is supported on the side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element.

24. The bearing arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the stay bolt is a hollow rivet with thread which is connected to the at least one locking element.

25. The bearing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element is formed by a screw which is connected to the annular radial portion of the at least one locking element by a thread in the at least one locking element; and the securing element is a head of the screw, and the screw cooperates with the thread and is supported on the side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element.

26. The bearing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element is formed by a stay bolt which is connected to the annular radial portion of the at least one locking element, and wherein the stay bolt has at least one groove in an end region at its circumference and, in the mounted state of the bearing arrangement, the stay bolt extends through the work access opening of the machine element on a side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element; and the securing element is formed annularly and has recesses which are configured to form a bayonet-type operative connection with the at least one groove of the stay bolt.

27. The bearing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one axial portion of the at least one locking element is formed by a hollow rivet connected to the annular radial portion of the at least one locking element, and wherein, in the mounted state of the bearing arrangement, the hollow rivet extends through the at least one work access opening of the machine element on a side of the machine element opposite the radial portion of the at least one locking element; and the securing element is a rivet collar of the hollow rivet.

28. The bearing arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the at least one locking element has a plurality of axial portions on a circumference of the annular radial portion or tongues of the at least one locking element which are uniformly distributed on the circumference.

29. The bearing arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the bearing arrangement is configured to mount an input shaft on an output hub.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Embodiment examples of the invention are described in more detail in the following referring to the schematic drawings in which like or similar elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0039] The drawings show:

[0040] FIG. 1A is a machine element seen from the mounting direction with axial portions of a locking element which are secured by snap ring;

[0041] FIG. 1B is a detail from FIG. 1A;

[0042] FIG. 1C is a cross section of the bearing arrangement from FIG. 1A;

[0043] FIG. 1D is a detail from FIG. 1C;

[0044] FIG. 1E is an isometric view of the bearing arrangement from FIG. 1C;

[0045] FIG. 1F is a detail from FIG. 1E;

[0046] FIG. 1G is an isometric view of a bearing with a locking element according to FIG. 1E;

[0047] FIG. 1H is a cross section of the bearing from FIG. 1G;

[0048] FIG. 1I is a top view of the bearing from FIG. 1G;

[0049] FIG. 2A is a machine element viewed from the mounting direction with an annular securing means for axial portions of a locking element;

[0050] FIG. 2B is a detail from FIG. 2A;

[0051] FIG. 2C is a cross section through a mounted bearing arrangement from 2A;

[0052] FIG. 2D is a detail from FIG. 2C;

[0053] FIG. 2E is an isometric view of the bearing arrangement from FIG. 2A;

[0054] FIG. 2F is a detail from FIG. 2E;

[0055] FIG. 2G is an isometric view of a locking element with axial portions and an annular securing element from 2E;

[0056] FIG. 2H is a cross section from the arrangement from 2G;

[0057] FIG. 2I is a top view from the mounting direction of the arrangement from 2G;

[0058] FIG. 3 is a bearing with locking element and retaining ring on the bearing; and

[0059] FIG. 4 is a bearing arrangement with a hollow rivet as axial portion of the locking element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0060] FIGS. 1A to 1I show a mounted bearing arrangement 100 and details of the bearing arrangement 100 in which the axial portions of the locking element are constructed as tongues 144 and have a snap ring 150 as a securing element.

[0061] The bearing arrangement 100 for a machine element 105 has a bearing 130 formed as a grooved ball bearing and which has an outer bearing race 132 and rolling elements 133 arranged between the inner bearing race 134 and the outer bearing race 132. The bearing 130 is arranged in a cylindrical cutout 101 of the machine element 105 and is accordingly radially fixed.

[0062] The machine element 105 itself can have a first machine part 106 and a second machine part 107. In the present embodiment example, the first machine part 106 can be formed as input shaft and the second machine part 107 can be formed as plate carrier. The first machine part 106 and the second machine part 107 can be connected to one another by rivets 108 or welds.

[0063] The annular radial portion of the locking element 142 has an opening arranged on an outer step 136 of the outer bearing race 132 in order to cooperate with an axial end face 135 of a circumferential shoulder of the outer bearing race 132 in an end region in that it adjoins an end face 135 of the shoulder at least by part of the annular radial portion of the locking element 142 in order to secure the outer bearing race 132 at the first axial side.

[0064] The locking element 140 has an annular radial portion 142 and a plurality of axial portions formed by tongues 144 arranged at a radially outer edge of the radial portion 142 of the locking element. The tongues 144 are so formed that they at least partially axially outwardly extend around the outer bearing race 132 axially outwardly and extend through a work access opening 102 of the machine element 105.

[0065] In an end region, the tongues 144 have a radially inwardly open groove 146 in which a securing element in the form of a snap ring 150 can engage. The snap ring 150 is supported on a surface of the machine element 105 on a side of the machine element 105 opposite the radial portion of the locking element 142 in order to cooperate with the locking element 140 through the work access opening 102 of the machine element 105 via the plurality of tongues 144 such that the outer bearing race 132 is secured on the first axial side.

[0066] The securing element, which is formed as a snap ring 150, operatively engages with radially inwardly open grooves 146 and the machine element 105 in such a way that the locking element 140 secures the outer bearing race 132 at the first axial side.

[0067] The outer bearing race 132 is secured at an end face of a second axial side of the outer bearing race 132 by an abutment surface 109 of the machine element 105 in a second axial direction of the outer bearing race 132.

[0068] FIGS. 2A to 2I show a mounted bearing arrangement 200 and parts of the mounted bearing arrangement 200 with axial portions of the locking element which are formed as stay bolts and have annular securing means with bayonet-type operative connection.

[0069] The bearing arrangement 200 for a machine element 105 has a bearing 130 which is formed as a grooved ball bearing and which has an outer bearing race 132 and rolling elements 133 arranged between the inner bearing race 134 and the outer bearing race 132. The bearing 130 is arranged in a cylindrical cutout 101 of the machine element 105 and is accordingly radially fixed.

[0070] The machine element 105 itself can have a first machine part 106 and a second machine part 107. In the present embodiment example, the first machine part 106 can be formed as input shaft and the second machine part 107 can be formed as plate carrier. The first machine part 106 and the second machine part 107 can be connected to one another by rivets or welds.

[0071] The annular radial portion of the locking element 242 has an opening arranged on an outer step 136 of the outer bearing race 132 in order to cooperate with an end face 135 of a circumferential shoulder of the outer bearing race 132 in an end region in that it adjoins an end face 135 of the shoulder at least by part of the annular radial portion 242 of the locking element 240 in order to secure the outer bearing race 132 at the first axial side.

[0072] The locking element 240 has an annular radial portion 242 and a plurality of axial portions formed by a stay bolt 244 which is arranged and connected with the annular radial portion 242 of the locking element 240 at a radially outer edge of the radial portion 242 of the locking element 240. The radially outer edge of the radial portion 242 of the locking element 240 extends radially outward to the extent that the stay bolts 244 at least partially axially outwardly extend around the outer bearing race 132 with the radial portion 242 of the locking element 240.

[0073] In an end region, the stay bolts 244 have at least one groove 246 at their circumference. In the mounted state of the bearing arrangement 200, each stay bolt 244 of the plurality of stay bolts 244 extends through a work access opening 102 of the machine element 105 on a side of the machine element 105 opposite the radial portion 242 of the locking element 240 so as to cooperate with the securing element 200.

[0074] The securing element 250 is formed annularly and has recesses 252, each of which is adapted to form a bayonet-type working connection with the at least one groove 246 of the stay bolt 244. This annular securing element 250 having bayonet-type recesses 252 for the grooves 246 of the stay bolts 244 is supported on a surface of the machine element 105 on a side of the machine element 105 opposite the radial portion 242 of the locking element 240 in order to cooperate with the locking element 240 through the work access opening 102 of the machine element 105 via the stay bolts 244 such that the outer bearing race 132 is secured at the first axial side.

[0075] The outer bearing race 132 is secured at an end face of a second axial side of the outer bearing race 132 by an abutment surface 109 of the machine element 105 in direction of the second axial side of the outer bearing race 132.

[0076] FIG. 3 illustrates how the locking element 340 cooperates, in accordance with an aspect, with the outer bearing race 132 in that the locking element 340 adjoins an axial end face 135 of a circumferential shoulder in an end region of the outer bearing race 132 in order to secure the outer bearing race 132 on the first axial side.

[0077] To this end, the outer bearing race 132 has a step 136 at its radially outer circumference to form the shoulder. The locking element 340 has a correspondingly large through-going bore hole so that the locking element 340 can be slid onto the outer bearing race 132 up to the end face 135 of the shoulder in the region of the step 136. The locking element 340 is secured at the shoulder of the outer bearing race 132 by means of a retaining ring 138 which is inserted in a correspondingly arranged circumferential groove 137 in the area of the step 136 of the outer bearing race 132 such that the locking element 340 is secured in the axial direction opposite to the end face 135 of the shoulder.

[0078] FIG. 4 shows a bearing arrangement 400 in which the at least one axial portion 444 of the locking element 440 is formed by a hollow rivet which is connected to the annular radial portion 442 of the locking element 400. The hollow rivet extends in the mounted state of the bearing arrangement 400 through the at least one work access opening 102 of the machine element 105 on a side of the machine element 105 opposite the radial portion 442 of the locking element 440. The securing element 450 in the form of a rivet collar of the hollow rivet is formed on a surface of a side of the machine element 105 opposite the radial portion 442 of the locking element 440.

[0079] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.