Angular contact roller bearing and method and device for the assembly thereof

Abstract

Angular contact roller bearings are disclosed. The bearing may include an inner bearing ring with an inner raceway, which is arranged on the outer shell surface of said inner bearing ring so as to be oblique with respect to the bearing axis of rotation (AL), and comprising a rim which delimits said raceway at its smallest diameter. An outer bearing ring has an outer raceway, which is arranged on the inner shell surface of said outer bearing ring likewise so as to be oblique with respect to the bearing axis of rotation (AL), and includes a rim which delimits said raceway at its greatest diameter. A multiplicity of roller-type rolling bodies are arranged between the bearing rings and roll on the raceways of said bearing rings and are held with uniform spacings to one another in a circumferential direction by means of a bearing cage.

A tangent to the outer shell surface of the inner bearing ring and a tangent to the inner shell surface of the outer bearing ring are, at least in the region of the raceways, of planar form so as to run in opposite directions obliquely with respect to the bearing axis of rotation (AL). The raceways of the two bearing rings are each formed in conical fashion into said shell surfaces and the rims which are thus formed and which delimit the raceways in each case on one side are thus each formed integrally with the bearing rings.

Claims

1. An angular contact roller bearing comprising: an inner bearing ring with an inner raceway, which is arranged on an outer shell surface of said inner bearing ring so as to be oblique with respect to a bearing axis of rotation (AL), and comprising a rim which delimits said inner raceway at its smallest diameter; an outer bearing ring with an outer raceway, which is arranged on an inner shell surface of said outer bearing ring so as to be oblique with respect to the bearing axis of rotation (AL), and comprising a rim which delimits said outer raceway at its greatest diameter; and a multiplicity of roller-type rolling bodies which are arranged between the bearing rings and which roll on the raceways of said bearing rings and which are held with uniform spacings to one another in a circumferential direction by a bearing cage; wherein a tangent to the outer shell surface of the inner bearing ring and a tangent to the inner shell surface of the outer bearing ring are, at least in a region of the raceways, of planar form so as to run in opposite directions obliquely with respect to the bearing axis of rotation (AL); the raceways of the two bearing rings are each formed in conical fashion into said shell surfaces; and, the rims which are thus formed and which delimit the raceways in each case on one side are thus each formed integrally with the bearing rings.

2. The angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roller-type rolling bodies are formed as tapered rollers which have a taper angle () in the range from 2 to 6 and which roll with an envelope circle angle () of between 7 and 20 on their raceways.

3. The angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 2, wherein a gap (SR) between the bearing rings which exists on a smaller diameter side of the roller-type rolling bodies is configured to be smaller than a gap (SL) between the bearing rings which exists on a larger diameter side of the roller-type rolling bodies and is dimensioned such that two times its dimension is greater than a greatest diameter (DW) of the roller-type rolling bodies.

4. The angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rim which delimits the raceway in the inner bearing ring has a minimum height (hBI) of approximately 33% and the rim which delimits the raceway in the outer bearing ring has a minimum height (hBA) of approximately 21% of the greatest diameter (DW) of the roller-type rolling bodies.

5. The angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing cage is formed by a comb-type cage which is insertable into the angular contact roller bearing after an installation of the roller-type rolling bodies and which is composed of a cage ring and of a multiplicity of axial cage webs.

6. The angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing cage has, on its cage webs, multiple uniformly circumferentially distributed detent lugs which have a smaller inner diameter than the cage ring and by means of which the bearing cage is axially fixable in position on an inner surface of the rim on the inner bearing ring.

7. The angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bearing cage has, on its cage webs, multiple uniformly circumferentially distributed detent webs which run so as to be inclined with respect to the bearing axis of rotation and by which the bearing cage is axially fixable in position on an inner surface of the rim on the outer bearing ring.

8. A method for assembling an angular contact roller bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angular contact roller bearing is assembled in accordance with an eccentric assembly method for deep-groove ball bearings.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in a first step, the inner bearing ring is placed, with its face side formed with the rim, onto a horizontal assembly plane with a convex sickle-shaped auxiliary ramp in such a way that said inner bearing ring bears with its rim against an inner diameter side of the auxiliary ramp.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein, in a second step, the outer bearing ring is arranged, with its face side formed with the rim upward, eccentrically with respect to the inner bearing ring such that, at one side, the auxiliary ramp is arranged between the bearing rings and, at the other side, offset 180 with respect to a center of the auxiliary ramp, the bearing rings bear against one another.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein in a third step, a sickle-shaped free space formed between the outer bearing ring and the inner bearing ring is filled with the roller-type rolling bodies in the form of tapered rollers such that relatively small face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies lie on an oblique side of the auxiliary ramp.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in a first step, the outer bearing ring is placed, with its face side formed with the rim, onto a horizontal assembly plane with a convex sickle-shaped auxiliary ramp in such a way that said outer bearing ring bears with its rim against an outer diameter side of the auxiliary ramp.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in a second step, the inner bearing ring is arranged, with its face side formed with the rim upward, eccentrically with respect to the outer bearing ring such that, at one side, the auxiliary ramp is arranged between the bearing rings and, at the other side, offset 180 with respect to a center of the auxiliary ramp, the bearing rings bear against one another.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein, in a third step, a sickle-shaped free space formed between the inner bearing ring and the outer bearing ring is filled with the roller-type rolling bodies in the form of tapered rollers such that relatively large face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies lie on an oblique side of the auxiliary ramp.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in a fourth step, the outer bearing ring is clamped, at a level of a contact point with the inner bearing ring and at a level of a point on the outer shell surface of said outer bearing ring which is offset 180 with respect to the contact point, such that the outer bearing ring is slightly ovalized within its elasticity limit.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein, in a fifth step, the inner bearing ring is displaced into a coaxial position with respect to the outer bearing ring, and the roller-type rolling bodies are uniformly circumferentially distributed in their raceways in the bearing rings, with the ovalization of the outer bearing ring being eliminated.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein, in a sixth step, the bearing cage in the form of a comb-type cage is inserted with its cage webs between the roller-type rolling bodies from a side with relatively small face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies, and said bearing cage is engaged with detent lugs with detent action against an inner surface of the rim on the inner bearing ring.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein, in a sixth step, the bearing cage in the form of a comb-type cage is inserted with its cage webs between the roller-type rolling bodies from a side with relatively large face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies, and said bearing cage is engaged with detent webs with detent action against an inner surface of the rim on the outer bearing ring.

19. A device for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the auxiliary ramp which bears with its inner diameter side against the inner bearing ring has an oblique side, which tapers toward the outer bearing ring with an angle of inclination of the raceway in the inner bearing ring, and a maximum ramp height (hR) which corresponds to a rim height (hBI) on the inner bearing ring.

20. A device for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the auxiliary ramp which bears with its outer diameter side against the outer bearing ring has an oblique side, which tapers toward the inner bearing ring with an angle of inclination of the raceway in the outer bearing ring, and a maximum ramp height (hR) which corresponds to a rim height (hBA) on the outer bearing ring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] An embodiment of the angular contact roller bearing designed according to the disclosure and two alternative variants of the method for the assembly thereof and two associated devices for carrying out said method variants will be discussed in more detail below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged illustration of a cross section through an angular contact roller bearing designed according to the disclosure;

[0025] FIGS. 2a, 2b show an illustration of the first step of the first variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0026] FIGS. 3a, 3b show an illustration of the second step of the first variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0027] FIGS. 4a, 4b show an illustration of the third step of the first variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0028] FIGS. 5a, 5b show an illustration of the first step of the second variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0029] FIGS. 6a, 6b show an illustration of the second step of the second variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0030] FIGS. 7a, 7b show an illustration of the third step of the second variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0031] FIGS. 8a, 8b show an illustration of the fifth step of both variants of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0032] FIGS. 9a, 9b show an illustration of the sixth step of both variants of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view;

[0033] FIGS. 10a, 10b show an illustration of the auxiliary ramp for carrying out the first variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view; and

[0034] FIGS. 11a, 11b show an illustration of the auxiliary ramp for carrying out the second variant of the assembly method according to the disclosure in a plan view and in a sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section through a radial rolling bearing designed as single-row angular contact roller bearing which is suitable for example as a replacement for the deep-groove ball bearing previously used as a fixed bearing for the mounting of the main shaft in motor vehicle transmissions. As can be clearly seen, said angular contact roller bearing 1 is composed of an inner bearing ring 2 with an inner raceway 4, which is arranged on the outer shell surface 3 of said inner bearing ring so as to be oblique with respect to the bearing central axis AL and which is delimited at its smallest diameter by a rim 5, and of an outer bearing ring 6 with an outer raceway 8, which is arranged on the inner shell surface 7 of said outer bearing ring likewise so as to be oblique with respect to the bearing central axis AL and which is delimited at its greatest diameter by a rim 9. Furthermore, between the bearing rings 2, 6, there is arranged a multiplicity of roller-type rolling bodies 10 which roll on the raceways 4, 8 of said bearing rings and which are held with uniform spacings to one another in a circumferential direction by a bearing cage 11.

[0036] It is furthermore indicated by the dashed lines in the upper bearing half in FIG. 1 that a tangent to the outer shell surface 3 of the inner bearing ring 2 and a tangent to the inner shell surface 7 of the outer bearing ring 6 are, at least in the region of the raceways 4, 8, of planar form so as to run in opposite directions obliquely with respect to the bearing axis of rotation AL, and the raceways 4, 8 of the two bearing rings 2, 6 are each formed in conical fashion into said shell surfaces. The rims 5, 9 which are thus formed and which delimit the raceways 4, 8 in each case on one side are thus each formed integrally with the bearing rings 2, 6.

[0037] It can likewise be seen in FIG. 1 that the roller-type rolling bodies 10 are formed as tapered rollers which have a taper angle preferably of 4 and which roll with an envelope circle angle preferably of 14 on their raceways 4, 8. Furthermore, the gap SR between the bearing rings 2, 4 which exists on the smaller diameter side of the roller-type rolling bodies 10 is designed to be smaller than the gap SL between the bearing rings 2, 4 which exists on the larger diameter side of the roller-type rolling bodies 10 and is dimensioned such that two times its dimension is greater than the greatest diameter DW of the roller-type rolling bodies 10, in order to permit the insertion of the roller-type rolling bodies 10 into the radial rolling bearing 1 in accordance with the eccentric assembly method. Furthermore, the rim 5 which delimits the raceway 4 in the inner bearing ring 2 has a minimum height hBI of approximately 33% and the rim 9 which delimits the raceway 8 in the outer bearing ring 6 has a minimum height hBA of approximately 21% of the greatest diameter (DW) of the roller-type rolling bodies 10, in order to enable high axial forces in one direction that arise during bearing operation to be accommodated with the least possible rim friction.

[0038] Finally it can also be seen in FIG. 1 that the bearing cage 11 is preferably formed by a comb-type cage which is insertable into the radial rolling bearing 1 after the installation of the roller-type rolling bodies 10. Here, the bearing cage 11, which is composed of a cage ring 12 and of a multiplicity of axial cage webs 13, has, on its cage webs 13 (obscured in the illustration), multiple uniformly circumferentially distributed detent lugs 14 (likewise obscured in the illustration), which have a smaller inner diameter than the cage ring 12 and by which the bearing cage 11 is axially fixable in position on the inner surface 15 of the rim 5 on the inner bearing ring 2.

[0039] FIGS. 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b furthermore schematically illustrate the first steps of a first variant of an assembly method for the angular contact roller bearing 1 according to the disclosure. Said assembly method is substantially a modified eccentric assembly method known per se as an assembly method for deep-groove ball bearings, in the case of which, as can be seen in FIGS. 2a and 2b, in a first step, the inner bearing ring 2 is placed, with its face side formed with the rim 5, onto a horizontal assembly plane 16 with a convex sickle-shaped auxiliary ramp 17 in such a way that said inner bearing ring bears with its rim 5 against the inner diameter side 19 of the auxiliary ramp 17.

[0040] Subsequently, in a second step, the outer bearing ring 6 is arranged, with its face side formed with the rim 9 upward, eccentrically with respect to the inner bearing ring 2 such that, as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 3a and 3b, at one side, the auxiliary ramp 17 is arranged between the bearing rings 2, 6 and, at the other side, offset 180 with respect to the center of the auxiliary ramp 17, the bearing rings 2, 6 bear against one another.

[0041] In a third step illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the sickle-shaped free space formed between the outer bearing ring 6 and the inner bearing ring 2 is filled with the roller-type rolling bodies 10 in the form of tapered rollers such that the relatively small face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies lie on the oblique side 21 of the auxiliary ramp 17.

[0042] The second variant, illustrated in FIGS. 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b, of the assembly method for the angular contact roller bearing according to the disclosure is likewise a modified eccentric assembly method and differs from the first variant in that, in the first step shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, in this case the outer bearing ring 6 is placed, with its face side formed with the rim 9, onto a horizontal assembly plane 16 with a convex sickle-shaped auxiliary ramp 18 in such a way that said outer bearing ring bears with its rim 9 against the outer diameter side 20 of the auxiliary ramp 18.

[0043] Similarly to the first variant, it is then the case in a second step that the inner bearing ring 2 is arranged, with its face side formed with the rim 5 upward, eccentrically with respect to the outer bearing ring 6 such that, as can be seen in FIGS. 6a and 6b, at one side, the auxiliary ramp 18 is arranged between the bearing rings 2, 6 and, at the other side, offset 180 with respect to the center of the auxiliary ramp 18, the bearing rings 2, 6 bear against one another.

[0044] Then, in a third step illustrated in FIGS. 7a and 7b, it is the case here too that the sickle-shaped free space formed between the inner bearing ring 2 and the outer bearing ring 6 is filled with the roller-type rolling bodies 10 in the form of tapered rollers, but with the difference that, here, the relatively large face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies 10 lie on the oblique side 22 of the auxiliary ramp 18.

[0045] Independently of the two variants of the eccentric assembly method, it is then the case in a fourth step which is not illustrated in any more detail in the drawings that the outer bearing ring 3 is clamped, at the level of the contact point with the inner bearing ring 2 and at the level of a point on the outer shell surface of said outer bearing ring which is offset 180 with respect to the contact point, such that the outer bearing ring 3 is slightly ovalized within its elasticity limit. Subsequently, as can be seen from FIGS. 8a and 8b, in a fifth step, the inner bearing ring 2 is displaced into a coaxial position with respect to the outer bearing ring 3, and the roller-type rolling bodies 10 are uniformly circumferentially distributed in their raceways 4, 8 in the bearing rings 2, 6, with the ovalization of the outer bearing ring 3 being eliminated.

[0046] In the case of the first variant of the eccentric assembly method according to the disclosure being implemented, it is then the case in a sixth step, which for the sake of simplicity is however not illustrated in the drawings, that the bearing cage 11 in the form of a comb-type cage is inserted with its cage webs 13 between the roller-type rolling bodies 10 from the side with the relatively large face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies, and said bearing cage is engaged with its detent webs with detent action against the inner surface of the rim 9 on the outer bearing ring 6. In the case of the second variant of the eccentric assembly method according to the disclosure being implemented, it is by contrast the case in a sixth step that the bearing cage 11 in the form of a comb-type cage is, as shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b, inserted with its cage webs 13 between the roller-type rolling bodies 10 from the side with the relatively small face sides of said roller-type rolling bodies, and, as shown in FIG. 1, said bearing cage is engaged with its detent lugs 14 with detent action against the inner surface 15 of the rim 5 on the inner bearing ring 2.

[0047] Finally, FIGS. 10a, 10b and 11a, 11b illustrate the auxiliary ramps 17 and 18 for carrying out the two variants of the eccentric assembly method according to the disclosure. Here, the auxiliary ramp 17 used for the first method variant is distinguished by the fact that it bears with its inner diameter side 19 against the inner bearing ring 2 and, as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 10a and 10b, has an oblique side 21, which tapers toward the outer bearing ring 6 with the angle of inclination of the raceway 4 in the inner bearing ring 2, and a maximum ramp height hR which corresponds to the rim height hBI on the inner bearing ring 2.

[0048] By contrast, the auxiliary ramp 18 used for the second method variant is distinguished by the fact that it bears with its outer diameter side 20 against the outer bearing ring 6 and, as can be seen in FIGS. 11a and 11b, has an oblique side 22, which tapers toward the inner bearing ring 2 with the angle of inclination of the raceway 8 in the outer bearing ring 6, and a maximum ramp height hR which corresponds to the rim height hBA on the outer bearing ring 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0049] Radial rolling bearing [0050] Inner bearing ring [0051] Tangent to the outer shell surface of 2 [0052] Inner raceway in 2 [0053] Rim on 4 [0054] Outer bearing ring [0055] Tangent to the inner shell surface of 6 [0056] Outer raceway in 6 [0057] Rim on 8 [0058] Roller-type rolling body [0059] Bearing cage [0060] Cage ring of 11 [0061] Cage webs on 12 [0062] Detent lugs on 13 [0063] Inner surface of 5 [0064] Assembly plane [0065] Auxiliary ramp [0066] Auxiliary ramp [0067] Inner diameter side of 17 [0068] Outer diameter side of 18 [0069] Oblique side on 17 [0070] Oblique side on 18 [0071] AL Bearing central axis [0072] Taper angle [0073] Envelope circle angle [0074] SL Gap between 2 and 6 [0075] SR Gap between 2 and 6 [0076] DW Greatest diameter of 10 [0077] hBI Rim height on 2 [0078] hBA Rim height on 6 [0079] hR Ramp height