BEARING ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A bearing assembly includes a bearing unit configured to support a rotatable component relative to a stationary component, the bearing unit including a stationary bearing ring and a rotatable bearing ring, the rotatable bearing ring being connectable to the rotatable component and the stationary bearing ring being connectable to the stationary component such that the stationary bearing ring and the stationary component are rotationally fixed. The stationary component or a connecting element between the stationary component and the stationary bearing ring comprises a plurality of layers which may be formed by an additive manufacturing process. Also a method of forming the bearing assembly.

Claims

1. A bearing assembly comprising: a bearing unit configured to support a rotatable component relative to a stationary component, the bearing unit including a stationary bearing ring and a rotatable bearing ring, the rotatable bearing ring being connectable to the rotatable component and the stationary bearing ring being connectable to the stationary component such that the stationary bearing ring and the stationary component are rotationally fixed, wherein the stationary component or a connecting element between the stationary component and the stationary bearing ring comprises a plurality of layers.

2. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the stationary component is a bearing carrier.

3. The bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein the layers of the plurality of layers are formed of a same material.

4. The bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein at least two layers of the plurality of layers are formed of different materials.

5. The bearing assembly according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of layers are 3D printed layers or spray-applied layers or laminations.

6. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one element is embedded in the plurality of layers.

7. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the stationary component or the connecting element is the connecting element, and wherein the connecting element is configured to connect the stationary component to the stationary bearing ring such that they are rotationally fixed.

8. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the stationary component or the connecting element is formed from a thermoplastic or a thermoset, or a light metal alloy.

9. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the layers of the plurality of layers are disposed one atop the other in an axial or a radial direction.

10. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the stationary component or the connecting element is at least partially disposed on a radially outer surface of the stationary bearing ring or on a radially inner surface of the stationary bearing ring.

11. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the stationary component or the connecting element or the bearing ring includes at least one projection and/or recess configured to provide an interference fit between the stationary component and the connecting element, or between the connecting element and the bearing ring, or between the stationary component and the bearing ring.

12. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of layers comprises a disk having a radially inner or radially outer surface in direct contact with the stationary bearing ring.

13. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the disks are coaxial.

14. A method of forming a bearing assembly comprising: placing a bearing unit having a first ring and a second ring and a plurality of rolling elements between the first ring and the second ring on a support surface; and applying a plurality of layers of material to the support surface such that each layer contacts and extends radially outwardly from a radially inner or radially outer surface of the first ring.

15. The method according to claim 14, including, before applying the plurality of layers of material, placing the bearing unit in an opening in a stationary component, wherein the applying a plurality of layers comprises applying the plurality of layers in a gap between the first bearing ring and the stationary component such that each of the plurality of layers contacts the stationary component.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein a radially inner or radially outer surface of the stationary bearing ring includes a projection or a recess.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the applying a plurality of layers comprises applying the plurality of layers by an additive manufacturing process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a bearing unit disposed in a bearing carrier according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the bearing unit and bearing carrier of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a bearing unit disposed in a bearing carrier according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a bearing unit disposed in a bearing carrier, including a connecting element, according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In the following, identical or functionally equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numbers.

[0036] The appended Figures show preferred exemplary embodiments of a bearing assembly 1 including a bearing carrier 2 in which a bearing unit 4 is disposed that includes an inner ring 6 and an outer ring 8. The exemplary embodiments depicted show a bearing assembly 1 that can be used, for example, for supporting a shaft in a housing, wherein the housing is stationary and the shaft is rotating. Of course, the bearing assembly 1 is also usable in other applications, for example, a stationary pin and a rotating housing.

[0037] The inner ring 6 of the bearing unit 4 is configured as a rotatable bearing ring, and the outer ring 8 is configured as a stationary bearing ring and connected to the bearing carrier 2. Between the bearing rings 6, 8, rolling elements 10 are disposed that are guided and held uniformly spaced by a cage 12 (see for this purpose in particular FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0038] In the exemplary embodiments depicted, the bearing unit 4 is configured as a ball bearing, but all other types of rolling-element bearings are also possible, such as, for example, roller bearings, or plain bearings.

[0039] For attaching to a housing (not depicted), the bearing carrier 2 includes receptacles, in this case through-openings 14, into which attachment means, for example, screws, can be introduced. Other receptacles are also possible, such as, for example, threaded through-stems or separate inserts.

[0040] In the exemplary embodiments depicted, the bearing carrier 2 includes a flange 16 having the receptacles 14, and a shoulder 18 is disposed in the center of which the bearing unit 4. The flange 16 has a certain thickness in order to make possible a stable attachment to the housing. As is shown in FIG. 2, the flange 16 includes recesses 20 on one side. These serve to make the bearing carrier 2 lighter, while it simultaneously remains stable due to the remaining bridges 22.

[0041] In order to simplify the attachment of the bearing unit 4 in the bearing carrier 2, or alternatively directly in the housing, and in particular to avoid impairing the bearing unit 4 due to high temperatures and pressures, the bearing carrier 2, or alternatively the housing, is built with a layer-type material construction 30 around the bearing unit 4, as is described in the following with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0042] As is shown in FIG. 3, the bearing unit 4 is disposed on a work table 24. Using a spray head 26, the material layers 30 are then successively applied around the bearing unit 4 in the axial direction of the bearing unit 4. Alternatively a radial layer construction is also possible.

[0043] The layers 30 can be applied, for example, by a 3D printing method, a layer-wise spraying, or a laminating. Here the material is applied layer-by-layer, and thus in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the three-dimensional bearing carrier 2 is generated. As explained, each layer 30 can include the same material so that the entire bearing carrier 2 is comprised of a single material. Alternatively the layers can also include different materials, such as, for example, additional reinforcing layers.

[0044] Due to the layer-wise construction, the pressure that acts on the bearing unit 4 can be reduced, since only a thin layer is always applied, here in the axial direction. On the other hand, the bearing unit 4 is only heated at the surface, since such a thin layer emits little heat in comparison to applying a thick layer of material at one time over the entire bearing unit 4.

[0045] During the manufacturing of the bearing carrier 2, axial securing elements 32, 34 can be co-formed, which leads to an interference fit with corresponding elements of the bearing unit 4. Furthermore, receptacles 14 for attachment means for attaching can be formed directly on the housing. Alternatively these receptacles 14 can also be produced later. Furthermore, other elements (not shown), such as, for example, electrically conductive elements, can also be directly co-produced or molded.

[0046] Instead of manufacturing the bearing carrier 2 itself in layer construction, it is also possible to use a connecting element 36, as is depicted in FIG. 4. In this case the bearing carrier 2 can be manufactured in advance as an injection-molded element, and only the connecting element 36 between the bearing carrier 2 and the bearing unit 4 is manufactured with a layer-type material construction.

[0047] The connecting element 36 is also formed by an axial material application by a plurality of layers 30 that are disposed between the bearing carrier 2 and the bearing unit 4. Due to the layer-wise construction, both the pressures and the temperature influences on the bearing unit 4 are also reduced.

[0048] The use of the connecting element 36 has the advantage that the bearing carrier 2 can already be manufactured in advance by a conventional injection-molding method. The connecting element 36 is subsequently injected between the bearing unit 4 and the premanufactured bearing carrier 2. Alternatively the bearing carrier 2 can be formed later around the connecting element 36. This can also be effected using a conventional injection-molding method, since high temperatures and pressures due to the connecting element 36 are kept from the bearing unit 4.

[0049] Like the bearing carrier 2 of FIG. 3, the connecting element 36 can also include axial securing elements 32, 34 that interact with corresponding elements of the bearing unit 4. In the embodiment depicted, the securing elements 32, 34 are provided on the outer diameter of the bearing ring 8. In addition, further axial securing elements 38 can be provided on one and/or both side surfaces of the bearing ring 8. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, it is thereby realized that a side surface of the outer ring 8 is axially surrounded with material of the connecting element 30.

[0050] A connecting of the connecting element 36 to the bearing carrier 2 is effected here primarily by friction and interference fit, for example, by overmolding. As is shown in FIG. 4, the interference fit can be realized by a flange 40 that secures the connection between the connecting element 36 and the bearing carrier 2. Still further securing elements can be provided that preferably act in two (upward and downward) or three directions (upward, downward, and circumferentially).

[0051] In summary, due to the bearing assembly proposed here a simple attaching of a bearing unit including a stationary component, in particular a bearing carrier, is made possible without the manufacturing of the stationary component having a negative influence on the bearing unit.

[0052] 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 bearing assemblies.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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

[0055] 1 Bearing assembly [0056] 2 Bearing carrier [0057] 4 Bearing unit [0058] 6 Inner ring [0059] 8 Outer ring [0060] 10 Rolling element [0061] 12 Cage [0062] 14 Receptacles [0063] 16 Flange [0064] 18 Shoulder [0065] 20 Recesses [0066] 22 Bridges [0067] 24 Work table [0068] 26 Spray head [0069] 30 Material layers [0070] 32, 34 Axial securing elements [0071] 36 Connecting element [0072] 38 Axial securing element [0073] 40 Flange