Bearing arrangement comprising a corrosion protection device

Abstract

The invention relates to a corrosion protection device for a bearing arrangement used or usable in machine and/or plant parts and a method for using such (a) corrosion protection device(s), wherein the bearing arrangement consists of at least one metallic material, e.g. 25CrMo4, 42CrMo4, 43CrMo4, 34CrNiMo6, C45, C45N, X20Cr13, GG-20, GGG-40, GS15, St 37 or the like and is used for the mutual relative movement of at least two bearing rings, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a plurality of rolling elements and a plurality of through-bores and/or a plurality of blind bores, as well as a first screw-mounting surface for affixing a first mating structure and a second screw-mounting surface for affixing an opposite mating structure, characterized in that the corrosion protection device is integrated into at least one of the through-bores and/or blind bores or is or can be introduced in or at such bores.

Claims

1. A method for improving corrosion protection in a bearing arrangement, namely a rolling bearing, a large rolling bearing, a torque bearing or a slewing ring, the bearing arrangement comprising a first and a second bearing ring each consisting of at least one metallic material, wherein the first bearing ring comprises a first screw-mounting surface for affixing to a first mating structure, while the second bearing ring comprises a second screw-mounting surface for affixing to a second mating structure, wherein each of the first and second screw-mounting surfaces comprises boreholes for receiving a respective screw for a coronally screwing of the bearing arrangement to the first and second mating structure, characterized in that before the bearing arrangement is installed between a first and a second mating structure, at least one screwing borehole of at least one of the bearing rings is provided with at least one sleeve made from non-metallic material and moistened or impregnated or even filled with a corrosion protection agent, said sleeve being impregnated with terminal grease or moistened with terminal grease, or serving as a carrier material for corrosion inhibitors.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve serves as a VCI dispenser or VPCI emitter that emits VCI molecules or VPCI molecules in a gas phase.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve is provided with a clamping gap extending along the longitudinal direction of the sleeve.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the sleeve is provided with one or more recesses.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a powder that emits VCI molecules or VPCI molecules in a gas phase is placed in at least one screwing borehole of the bearing rings.

6. A method for improving corrosion protection in a bearing arrangement, namely a rolling bearing, a large rolling bearing, a torque bearing or a slewing ring, the bearing arrangement comprising a first and a second bearing ring each consisting of at least one metallic material, wherein the first bearing ring comprises a first screw-mounting surface for affixing to a first mating structure, while the second bearing ring comprises a second screw-mounting surface for affixing to a second mating structure, wherein each of the first and second screw-mounting surfaces comprises boreholes for receiving a respective screw for a coronally screwing of the bearing arrangement to the first and second mating structure, characterized in that before the bearing arrangement is installed between a first and a second mating structure, at least one of the bearing rings is impregnated with terminal grease or moistened with terminal grease at or in its at least one borehole.

7. A method for improving corrosion protection in a bearing arrangement, namely a rolling bearing, a large rolling bearing, a torque bearing or a slewing ring, the bearing arrangement comprising a first and a second bearing ring each consisting of at least one metallic material, wherein the first bearing ring comprises a first screw-mounting surface for affixing to a first mating structure, while the second bearing ring comprises a second screw-mounting surface for affixing to a second mating structure, wherein each of the first and second screw-mounting surfaces comprises boreholes for receiving a respective screw for a coronally screwing of the bearing arrangement to the first and second mating structure, characterized in that corrosion-inhibiting or corrosion-preventing powder is placed in at least one screwing borehole of the bearing rings.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features, characteristics, advantages and effects based on the invention will emerge from the following description of some preferred embodiments of the invention and by reference to the drawings. Therein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a bearing arrangement of the aforesaid kind, in the realization of a rolling bearing with spherical rolling elements (5), one sleeve (10) per screw (12) being used to furnish corrosion protection.

(3) FIG. 1a shows a bearing arrangement of the aforesaid kind as depicted in FIG. 1, in which two sleeves (10) per screw (12) are used. Stretch bolts (12) with no screw head (17) are used in the case shown.

(4) FIG. 2 shows another bearing arrangement of the aforesaid kind as depicted in FIG. 1, wherein one of the bearing rings is toothed, while the opposite bearing ring (2) is screwed coronally to a mating structure (7), each screw (12) being inserted into a respective through-bore (4).

(5) FIG. 3 shows a bearing arrangement of the aforesaid kind similar to that of FIG. 2, in which the screws (12) terminate in blind bores (4).

(6) FIG. 4a shows a detail of a bearing arrangement of the aforesaid kind similar to that of FIG. 3 in which the screw (12) is provided with a respective sleeve (10) and terminates in a blind bore (4). To improve the corrosion protection in the borehole (4), corrosion-inhibiting or corrosion-preventing powder (15) is added to the borehole (4).

(7) FIG. 4b shows a bearing arrangement of the aforesaid kind similar to that of FIG. 4a as a detail, indicating the region of the altered, for example finely crystalline, microstructure (14).

(8) FIG. 5 shows a method for mounting a sleeve 10 on a stretch bolt 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(9) As can be seen by way of example in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4a, the borehole 4; 4 has a given bore depth t.sub.4. The region of altered microstructure 14 can extend to the bottom of the borehole 4; 4 (cf. FIG. 4b), or, alternatively, can be present only along a portion of the bore depth t.sub.4 (cf. FIG. 4a). FIG. 4 and FIG. 4a also exemplarily illustrate the corrosion-preventing or corrosion-inhibiting powder 15, which is placed, for example, at the bottom of a blind bore 4. By virtue of the powder 15 being placed at this location, said powder 15 can also function as a VCI dispenser or VPCI emitter, emitting VCI molecules or VPCI molecules in the gas phase.

(10) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 each show by way of example the corrosion protection device 1 according to the invention for a bearing arrangement 2; 2 installed or installable in machine and/or plant parts, wherein the bearing arrangement 2; 2 consists of at least one metallic material and is used for the mutual relative movement of the two bearing rings 2; 2, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a plurality of spherical rolling elements 5 and a plurality of through-bores 4, as well as a first screw-mounting surface 6 for affixing a first mating structure 7 and a second screw-mounting surface 8 for affixing an opposite mating structure 9. The corrosion protection device 1 is integrated in the form of a respective sleeve 10 into each through-bore 4, specifically such that a respective screw 12 is surrounded by the sleeve.

(11) Each sleeve 10 thus remains in place in the bore 4, particularly in a captive manner. FIG. 1a shows a similar realization form, but with a plurality of sleeves 10 per bore 4 or screw 12. In practice, it has proven useful as a basic principle to use washers 16 at the boreholes 4.

(12) In connection with the present invention 1, such washers 16 perform an additional securing function, such that due to the presence of one washer 16 per borehole 4 and screw 12, the sleeves 10 introduced into or present in the bore 4 cannot drop out of the bore 4. The borehole diameter of the washer 16 in this case must be smaller than the open-center diameter of the sleeve 10.

(13) FIG. 3 shows by way of example the corrosion protection device 1 according to the invention for a bearing arrangement 3; 3 used or usable in machine and/or plant parts, wherein the bearing arrangement 3; 3 consists of at least one metallic material and is used for the mutual relative movement of two bearing rings 3; 3, wherein at least one of said bearing rings optionally comprises a toothing, wherein the bearing arrangement comprises a plurality of spherical rolling elements 5 and a plurality of blind bores 4, as well as a first screw-mounting surface 6 for affixing a first mating structure 7 and a second screw-mounting surface 8 for affixing an opposite mating structure 9. The corrosion protection device 1 is integrated in the form of a respective sleeve 10 into each blind bore 4, specifically such that a respective screw 12 is surrounded by the sleeve.

(14) Finally, FIG. 5 exemplarily describes the method for mounting a sleeve 10 on a stretch bolt 12. The diameter d.sub.10 of the sleeve 10 is slid over the diameter d.sub.12 of a stretch bolt 12in a similar manner to a DIN-compliant clamping sleeveoptionally under mechanical stress. Mechanical stress occurs when d.sub.10 is less than or equal to d.sub.12. Advantageously, the axial length l.sub.10 of the sleeve 10 in the longitudinal direction 13 is nearly or exactly identical to the length l.sub.10 of the tapered region d.sub.j of said stretch bolt 12. A screw head 17, if present, prevents the sleeve 10 from also slipping out of the borehole 4; 4 during the operation of the bearing arrangement in a machine or system.

(15) FIG. 5 clearly shows the region of the clamping gap 11 or recess 11 in the sleeve, which is the only element permitting a mechanical broadening of the diameter d.sub.10 of the sleeve 10. In particular, the clamping gap 11 or recess 11 in the sleeve permits a mechanical broadening of the diameter d.sub.10 to at least the value of the diameter d.sub.12 of the screw 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(16) 1 Corrosion protection device 2 Bearing arrangement; bearing ring 3 Bearing arrangement; bearing ring 4 Through-bore 5 Rolling element 6 Screw-mounting surface 7 Mating structure 8 Screw-mounting surface 9 Mating structure 10 Sleeve 11 Clamping gap 12 Screw (e.g. stretch bolt) 13 Longitudinal direction 14 Microstructure region (with altered microstructure) 15 Powder (corrosion-inhibition or corrosion-preventing) 16 Washer 17 Screw head t.sub.4 Bore depth l.sub.10 Sleeve length l.sub.10 Length of tapered region d.sub.10 Sleeve diameter d.sub.12 Diameter (of screw or rivet) d.sub.j Diameter, tapered 2 Bearing arrangement; bearing ring 3 Bearing arrangement; bearing ring 4 Blind bore 11 Recess 12 Rivet

NON-PATENT SOURCES CITED

(17) [1] n.A. (--). Leitfaden zum Korrosionsschutz [Guideline on Corrosion Protection]DIN EN ISO 14713, revised. URL: http://rss2.feuerverzinken.com/index.php?id=712. Retrieved: Nov. 6, 2012. [2] Company website: Steffeln.A. (--). Classic cathodic corrosion protection. URL: http://www.kks.de/de/loesungen/kathodischer-korrosionschutz-kks/. Retrieved: Nov. 6, 2012. [3] Company website: Corpac Deutschland GmbH & Co. KGRobert-Bosch-Str. 471720 Oberstenfeldn.A. (--). What are VCI/VpCI. URL: http://www.corpac.de/index.php/vci_vcpi.html. Retrieved: Nov. 6, 2012.