Patent Application
20230108279
The disclosure relates to a disconnectable wheel assembly, and more particularly to a wheel bearing arrangement for such an assembly.
A more robust support for the shaft is desired that is simple to assemble and avoids potential structural and noise issues.
According to the disclosure, a wheel bearing arrangement for a disconnectable wheel assembly which includes a drive shaft that is adapted to be drivingly engaged with or disengaged from a wheel supporting flange is provided.
In one embodiment, the wheel bearing arrangement comprises a first deep groove ball bearing located on the shaft, with the first deep groove ball bearing including a first inner ring, a first outer ring, and rollers located therebetween. The first inner ring is axially positioned by a shaft shoulder on the shaft and the first outer ring is axially positioned by a first flange shoulder on the flange. The arrangement further includes a second deep groove ball bearing located on the shaft, with the second deep groove ball bearing including a second inner ring, a second outer ring, and rollers located therebetween. The second outer ring has an interference fit with the flange in a radial direction. A spacer axially separates the first and second inner rings. A nut is engaged to an end of the shaft and clamps the second inner ring, the spacer, and the first inner ring to the shaft shoulder.
With this arrangement, radial and tilting loads on the shaft are transmitted to the flange by radial forces through the first and second bearings and axial forces in a first direction via the shaft shoulder, the first inner ring, the rollers of the first bearing, the first outer ring, and the flange shoulder and in a second direction via the nut, the second inner ring, the rollers of second bearing, the second outer ring, and the interference fit between second outer ring and the flange.
In one configuration, the first and second inner rings are located on the shaft.
Alternatively, in another configuration, the spacer includes spacer flanges at each axial end, and the first and second inner rings are located on the spacer flanges.
In each of these cases, the spacer has a sliding fit with the shaft.
In one embodiment, the flange includes a second flange shoulder that faces the second outer ring and the spacer has an axial length between the first and second ball bearings to maintain a clearance between the second outer ring and the second flange shoulder.
In one embodiment, the first and second ball bearings have a same size. However, the sizes could be varied depending upon the particular application.
A further embodiment is provided for the wheel bearing arrangement for a disconnectable wheel assembly which includes a drive shaft that is adapted to be drivingly engaged with or disengaged from a wheel supporting flange. In this embodiment, the wheel bearing arrangement comprises a first deep groove ball bearing located on the shaft, with the first deep groove ball bearing including a first inner ring, a first outer ring, and rollers located therebetween. The first inner ring of the first ball bearing is positioned between a first shaft shoulder on the shaft and a first flange shoulder on the flange. The arrangement further includes a second deep groove ball bearing located on the shaft, with the second deep groove ball bearing including a second inner ring, a second outer ring, and rollers located therebetween. The second inner ring is positioned against a second shaft shoulder on the shaft and the second outer ring is positioned against a second flange shoulder on the flange. A snap ring is engaged in a groove in the flange that holds the second outer ring axially in position against the second flange shoulder, and a nut is engaged to an end of the shaft that clamps the second inner ring against the second shaft shoulder.
Here, the first bearing is a floating bearing relative to the shaft which is not intended to transmit axial forces, while the second bearing’ is a locating bearing intended to transmit axial forces in both directions. Radial forces are transmitted to the flange through both the first and second bearings.
In one arrangement, the first and second inner rings are located on the shaft with a loose fit.
In one arrangement, the first ball bearing is floating and the second ball bearing is configured to transmit loads in both axial directions.
Here again, the second ball bearing must have a smaller bore diameter than the second bearing for assembly. However, the outer diameter could be varied depending upon the particular application.
In another aspect, a method of assembling a wheel bearing arrangement for a disconnectable wheel assembly which includes a drive shaft that is adapted to be drivingly engaged with or disengaged from a wheel supporting flange is also provided. The method includes:
In use, radial and tilting loads on the shaft are transferred to the flange by radial forces through the first and second bearings and axial forces in a first direction via the shaft shoulder, the first inner ring, the rollers of the first bearing, the first outer ring, and the flange shoulder and in a second direction via the nut, the second inner ring, the rollers of second bearing, the second outer ring, and the interference fit between second outer ring and the flange.
As noted above, optionally the spacer can include spacer flanges at each axial end, and the first and second inner rings can be located on the spacer flanges.
In one arrangement, the flange includes a second flange shoulder that faces the second outer ring, and the spacer has an axial length between the first and second ball bearings to maintain a clearance between the second outer ring and the second flange shoulder.
Various features of the invention can be used alone or in combination in order to achieve one or more of the benefits described herein.
The foregoing Summary and the following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments according to the disclosure. In the drawings:
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It should be appreciated that like drawing numbers appearing in different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements. Also, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from the parts referenced in the drawings. “Axially” refers to a direction along the axis of a shaft. “Radially” refers to a direction normal to an axis. “Left” and “Right” refer to directions of various parts in the drawings only and the entire arrangements disclosed can be reversed in practice and still be considered “Left” and Right”. A reference to a list of items that are cited as, for example, “at least one of a or b” (where a and b represent the items being listed) means any single one of the items a or b, or a combination of a and b thereof. This would also apply to lists of three or more items in like manner so that individual ones of the items or combinations thereof are included. The terms “about” and “approximately” encompass + or - 10% of an indicated value unless otherwise noted. The terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. A sliding fit between parts includes a clearance of 0.0003 to 0.005 in. A close or tight radial fit can be a zero clearance (interference) to 0.010 in. A loose fit can be from 0.010 to 0.030 in. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, these fits may be increased as the scale of the interfacing parts increases.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the disclosure, the following example methods, devices, and materials are now described.
A second deep groove ball bearing 40 is provided that includes a second inner ring 42 and a second outer ring 44, with second rollers 45, preferably balls, located therebetween. The second inner ring 42 is dimensioned to provide a sliding radial fit with the shaft 18. The second outer ring 44 is dimensioned to provide an interference fit with the flange 14 in the radial direction. A spacer 46 axially separates the first and second inner rings 32 and 42. The second bearing 40 is pushed into place axially after the first bearing 30 and the spacer 46 are positioned with respect to flange 14. A tool (indicated in broken lines at T and having an annular form) is preferably used to push second bearing 40 axially and pushes against both the second inner ring 42 and the second outer ring 44 to maintain axial alignment between the rings. The second bearing 40 is pushed until all axial space is taken up between second inner ring 42, the spacer 46 and the first inner ring 32. Although the second outer ring 44 is shown near a second flange shoulder 39 of the flange 14, the spacer 46 is dimensioned axially to provide axial clearance to any such shoulder. The spacer 46 is dimensioned radially to provide radial clearance to the flange 14. After the second bearing 40 has been pushed into place (and the tool T removed), the shaft 18 is inserted and a nut 48 is threaded onto the shaft 18 that clamps the second inner ring 42, the spacer 46, and the first inner ring 32 against the shaft shoulder 36.
Radial and tilting loads on the shaft 18 are transmitted to the flange 14 by radial forces through the first and second bearings 30 and 40. Axial loads from the right on shaft 18 are transmitted to the flange 14 via the shaft shoulder 36, the first inner ring 32, the rollers of the first bearing 30, the first outer ring 34 and the first flange shoulder 38. Axial forces from the left on the shaft 18 are transmitted to the flange 14 via the nut 48, the second inner ring 42, the rollers of second bearing 40, the second outer ring 44, and the interference fit between the second outer ring 44 and the flange 14.
The first and second bearings 30, 40 can be the same size, or the sizes can be different depending on the particular application.
The connector 22 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 18 that can move axially can be as explained above in connection with
The first and second bearings 30, 40 in the bearing arrangement 20-B can also be the same size, or the sizes can be different depending on the particular application.
The connector 22 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 18' that can move axially can be as explained above in connection with
The first and second flange shoulders 38, 39ʺ define a minimum spacing between the first and second ball bearings 30, 40.
The second bearing 40ʺ has a smaller bore diameter than the first bearing 30. The outer diameters of both bearings can be the same size, or the sizes can be different depending on the particular application.
The connector 22 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 18ʺ that can move axially can be as explained above in connection with
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. As such, to the extent any embodiments are described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics, these embodiments are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
This application is the a non-provisional that claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Appln. No. 63/250,618, filed Sep. 30, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63250618 | Sep 2021 | US |
