ROLLING BEARING ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

Rolling bearing arrangements with adjustable bearing play are disclosed. In one example, a rolling bearing arrangement may include a two-row rolling bearing comprising two bearing rings. An adjusting ring of adjustable diameter and having a variable width in a radial direction may be arranged between the bearing rings. The adjusting ring may be of a split design and include a bolt that passes through an aperture in one end of the adjusting ring and is screwed into a threaded hole in the other end of the adjusting ring.

Claims

1. A rolling bearing arrangement, comprising: a two-row rolling bearing including rolling elements and two bearing rings; and an adjusting ring of adjustable diameter and having a variable width in a radial direction arranged between the bearing rings.

2. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting ring is of split design and includes a bolt, that passes through an aperture in one end of the adjusting ring and is screwed into a threaded hole in the other end of the adjusting ring.

3. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting ring has a width diminishing radially inwards.

4. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting ring has a trapezoidal or triangular cross section.

5. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling bearing is a radial bearing or an axial bearing.

6. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing rings each have a bearing surface in a mirror-inverted formation relative to the rolling elements.

7. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two rolling bearing rows are configured as an X-arrangement or as an O-arrangement.

8. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an inner ring, on which the rolling elements roll.

9. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling elements are balls, rollers, tapered rollers, cylindrical rollers, or needle rollers.

10. A rolling bearing arrangement, comprising: a two-row rolling bearing including two outer bearing rings, an inner ring, and rolling elements, the rolling elements each disposed between one of the two outer bearing rings and the inner bearing ring; and an adjusting ring of adjustable diameter and having a variable width in a radial direction arranged between the two outer bearing rings, the adjusting ring having a split design and including a bolt configured to pass through an aperture in one end of the adjusting ring and be screwed into a threaded hole in the other end of the adjusting ring; wherein the adjustable diameter is configured to be adjusted by tightening or loosening the bolt.

11. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting ring has a width diminishing radially inwards.

12. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting ring has a trapezoidal or triangular cross section.

13. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rolling bearing is a radial bearing or an axial bearing.

14. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two outer bearing rings each have a bearing surface in a mirror-inverted formation relative to the rolling elements.

15. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two rolling bearing rows are configured as an X-arrangement or as an O-arrangement.

16. The rolling bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rolling elements are balls, rollers, tapered rollers, cylindrical rollers, or needle rollers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Further advantages and details of the disclosure are explained below on the basis of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic representations and show:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a detail of an embodiment of a rolling bearing arrangement according to the disclosure in a sectional view;

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a partially sectional view of an adjusting ring of the rolling bearing arrangement according to the disclosure shown in FIG. 1; and

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of a rolling bearing arrangement according to the disclosure in a sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] FIG. 1 is a sectional view and shows a rolling bearing arrangement 1, comprising a two-row rolling bearing embodied as a radial bearing having two bearing rings 2, 3 embodied as outer rings spaced at a distance from one another, between which an adjusting ring 4 is arranged, two rows of rolling elements 5, 6 and an inner ring 7. The two symmetrically formed bearing rings 2, 3 have concave bearing surfaces 8, 9, which in the sectional view shown in FIG. 1 extend approximately over one quadrant of a circle. The bearing rings 2, 3 further comprise opposed, slanting surfaces 10, 11, which bear on opposing surfaces of the adjusting ring 4.

[0021] On its axial sides 12, 13 the inner ring 7 has bearing surfaces for the rows of rolling elements 5, 6 with an enlarged diameter. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the rolling elements are embodied as balls. In other embodiments the rolling elements may also be embodied as cylindrical rollers, tapered rollers, needle rollers or self-aligning rollers.

[0022] The adjusting ring 4 has a trapezoidal cross section, so that it is arranged as a wedge between the spaced outer rings 2, 3.

[0023] The adjusting ring 4 allows adjustment of its diameter. As is shown in the partially sectional view in FIG. 2, the adjusting ring 4 is of split formation. Situated in the area of a gap 16 formed between the ends 14, 15 is a bolt 17, the shank of which passes through an aperture 18 in the end 15 and the thread of which is screwed into a blind hole 19 in the end 14 of the adjusting ring 4. The adjusting ring 4 has a certain elasticity; its diameter can be adjusted by turning the bolt 17. Screwing the bolt 17 into the thread of the blind hole 19 reduces the diameter of the adjusting ring 4; screwing the bolt 17 out increases the diameter. The adjusting ring 4 here acts as an adjustable spring. If the diameter of the adjusting ring 4 is reduced by screwing the bolt 17 in, the adjusting ring 4 moves radially inwards from the position shown in FIG. 1, so that the two outer rings 2, 3 touching the adjusting ring 4 are moved axially apart and the rows of rolling elements 5, 6 press axially against the axial end portions of the inner ring 7 of enlarged diameter. In this way it is possible to reduce or adjust any bearing play that exists.

[0024] If the bolt 17 is screwed out on the other hand, the adjusting ring 4 moves radially outwards from the position shown in FIG. 1, so that the bearing rings 2, 3 are not forced apart to such a degree. This reduces a preloading force acting between the bearing rings 2, 3, the rows of rolling elements 5, 6 and the inner ring 7, thereby increasing the bearing play.

[0025] The rolling bearing arrangement 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an integral part of a wheel-hub drive, in which the bearing play can be easily adjusted by moving the bolt 17.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a sectional view and shows a further exemplary embodiment of a rolling bearing arrangement 20, which comprises a rolling bearing embodied as an axial bearing. The axial bearing is formed by bearing rings 21, 22, between which a row of rolling elements 23 is situated, and by bearing rings 24, 25, between which a row of rolling elements 26 is situated, and the adjusting ring 4, which is accommodated axially between the bearing rings 22, 24. In the exemplary embodiment shown the rolling elements are embodied as cylindrical rollers.

[0027] On its axial sides the adjusting ring 4 comprises wedge surfaces 27, 28, which bear on external surfaces of the bearing rings 22, 24, which each have the same wedge angle. As in the first exemplary embodiment explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the diameter of the adjusting ring 4 can be adjusted by turning the bolt 17. The adjusting ring 4 thereby moves radially outwards or inwards, so that the bearing rings 22, 24 are displaced axially apart or towards one another. The adjusting ring in the axial bearing shown in FIG. 3 consequently allows easy adjustment of the bearing play.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0028] 1 rolling bearing arrangement [0029] 2 bearing ring [0030] 3 bearing ring [0031] 4 adjusting ring [0032] 5 row of rolling elements [0033] 6 row of rolling elements [0034] 7 inner ring [0035] 8 bearing surface [0036] 9 bearing surface [0037] 10 surface [0038] 11 surface [0039] 12 axial side [0040] 13 axial side [0041] 14 end [0042] 15 end [0043] 16 gap [0044] 17 bolt [0045] 18 aperture [0046] 19 blind hole [0047] 20 rolling bearing arrangement [0048] 21 bearing ring [0049] 22 bearing ring [0050] 23 row of rolling elements [0051] 24 bearing ring [0052] 25 bearing ring [0053] 26 row of rolling elements [0054] 27 wedge surface [0055] 28 wedge surface