Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing a bearing mounting structure for retaining a bearing assembly containing bearing elements, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a piece of sheet metal;
- forming said piece of sheet metal into a cup-like configuration having a base;
- shaping an opening in the base of the cup-like configuration, the opening having an inner circular portion and a plurality of scallops projecting radially outward from the inner circular portion;
- forming a segment of the piece of sheet metal adjacent to the plurality of scallops into a tubular structure having a flexible internal surface, the internal surface having a pre-angle whereby the tubular structure has a slightly conical shape; and
- forming the internal surface to include a plurality of projecting portions, each projecting portion having an upper portion and a lower portion, each projecting portion being separated from adjacent projecting portions, each projecting portion having a radial flange disposed at, and integral with, the lower portion of the projecting portion, each of the radial flanges being disposed approximately perpendicular to the lower portions of the projecting portions.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum diametric difference along the internal surface creating the tubular structure is in the range from about 0.002 inch to about 0.020 inch.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly is to be retained by a predetermined retention force, the method further comprising the steps of:
- ascertaining the predetermined retention force; and
- choosing the pre-angle to provide the retention force.
- 4. The method of claim 3, further including the step of:
- choosing the geometry of said scallops to provide said retention force.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly is to be retained by a predetermined retention force, the method further comprising the steps of:
- ascertaining the predetermined retention force; and
- choosing the geometry of the scallops to provide the retention force.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly includes a predetermined number of bearing elements, the method further comprising the step of:
- choosing the number of the scallops to be approximately the number of the predetermined number of bearing elements.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/861,144, filed May 21, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,585.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
861144 |
May 1997 |
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