DE102021123377A1 - Thrust roller bearing unit, comprising at least one thrust bearing disk formed flat or angled from a sheet metal material - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an axial roller bearing unit, comprising at least one axial bearing disk (1; 2) formed flat or angled from a sheet metal material and a bearing cage (3) also formed from a sheet metal material, with which rolling elements (4 ) are guided, and which is joined to the at least one axial bearing disk (1; 2) by means of a form-fit connection in such a way that the axial bearing disk (1; 2) is guided in a manner that allows it to move relative to the bearing cage (3), with an at least one-sided lubricant-stocking depression or elevation structure (13) is formed.

Description

The present invention relates to an axial roller bearing unit, comprising at least one flat or angled axial bearing disk formed from a sheet metal material and a bearing cage also formed from a sheet metal material, with which rolling elements rolling on the at least one axial bearing disk are guided.

The field of application of the present invention extends primarily to motor vehicle applications in which, for example, a shaft provided with helical gears experiences an application of axial force, which is to be absorbed by a suitable axial bearing relative to a transmission housing or the like. The solution according to the invention is dedicated in particular to a largely metal-forming production of the bearing components and a minimal-wear connection of the same.

State of the art

From the EP 3 176 449 A1 an axial roller bearing unit is produced with a flat and an angled axial bearing washer formed from a sheet metal material. In this case, the angled axial bearing disk encloses a bearing cage for guiding rolling bodies, in that it is bent radially inward in the form of a circular plate with an edge on the outside diameter side in the form of an acute angle. Correspondingly, the outer peripheral surface of the bearing cage has a conical shape, which is designed in such a way that it is aligned essentially parallel to the inner peripheral surface of the hook-shaped curved part of the angled thrust bearing washer. The hook-shaped part of the angled axial bearing washer holds the bearing cage.

With these components held together by a form fit, undesired wear can occur as a result of relative movements.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to further improve an axial roller bearing unit of the generic type to the effect that friction, which causes wear, between components that can be moved relative to one another and are held against one another is prevented.

Disclosure of Invention

The object is achieved by an axial roller bearing unit according to claim 1. The following dependent claims specify advantageous developments of the invention.

The invention includes the technical teaching that in an axial roller bearing unit comprising at least one flat or angled axial bearing disk formed from sheet metal material and a bearing cage also formed from sheet metal material, with which the rolling elements rolling on the at least one axial bearing disk are guided, and which with the at least an axial bearing disk is joined by a form-fitting connection in such a way that the axial bearing disk is guided so that it can move relative to the bearing cage, an at least one-sided depression or elevation structure is formed in the edge-side contact zone area of the two components.

In other words, in the contact zone area of form-fitting connection means between the axial bearing disk and bearing cage, for example a flange between these components, preferably on the side of the axial bearing disk, a surface structure should be incorporated or applied which is suitable for storing lubricating oil in the contact zone area. This is because the preferably slight indentation or elevation structure creates small oil reservoirs, which support the build-up of a separating oil film at different speeds. The shape of the depression or elevation structure can be adapted to given technical parameters, such as the area of the contact zone area, relative speed, bearing load and the like.

For example, the lubricant-storing indentation or elevation structure can be designed as an embossed waffle or scale structure. A waffle structure is understood to be a regular lattice or honeycomb structure, the webs of which are raised, with the flat pockets defined therefrom serving to store lubricant. However, this can also be implemented in reverse. A scale structure is understood to mean wedge-shaped elevations or depressions, which are similar to a fish skin, in order to make use of an additional hydrodynamic effect when the components move relative to one another. With such an imbricated structure, however, this only works in one direction of rotation. Therefore, a scale structure as a depression or elevation structure is only recommended for contact zone areas between the axial bearing washer and the bearing cage, which move relative to one another in only one direction of rotation as a result of the application.

The indentation or elevation structure should be shaped in terms of flow dynamics in such a way that due to the movement of the component and the flow of lubricant, corresponding lubricating wedges are formed, which can preferably be implemented by the scale structure. However, it is also possible Lich to use other surface structures that meet the above requirements.

According to a preferred embodiment, the bearing cage has, radially on the inside and outside, an edge rim that extends in the axial direction for the radial guidance of the roller bearings. The inner radial edge rim is preferably designed as a double rim, in that it is provided with an end bend in the opposite direction.

In order to form a self-retaining structural unit, it is proposed according to a further measure improving the invention to form the two edge flanges each with a curved distal end section as a form-fitting retaining means of the bearing cage for each associated axial bearing disk. As a result, the axial roller bearing unit is delimited in the axial direction by two axial bearing washers and in the radial direction by the two edge rims of the bearing cage.

According to a preferred embodiment of the axial bearing disks, it is proposed to provide them with inner and outer radial edge shoulders or edge bevels, on which the depression or elevation structure is formed. The annular axial bearing disks can be produced as stamped and embossed parts by forming from a sheet metal material and can be designed as identical parts to reduce the number of variants. This minimizes the number of individual parts required for the axial roller bearing unit according to the invention.

character list

• 1 einen perspektivischen Teilschnitt einer erfindungsgemäßen Axialwälzlagereinheit,
• 2 einen vergrößerten Teillängsschnitt durch die Axialwälzlageranordnung nach 1, und
• 3 eine perspektivisch aufgebrochene Detaildarstellung des Kontaktzonenbereichs zwischen Axiallagerscheibe und Lagerkäfig.

Further measures improving the invention are presented in more detail below together with the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. It shows:

• 1 a perspective partial section of an axial roller bearing unit according to the invention,
• 2 an enlarged partial longitudinal section through the axial roller bearing arrangement 1 , and
• 3 a detailed perspective view of the contact zone area between the axial bearing washer and the bearing cage.

According to 1 the axial rolling bearing unit consists of rolling elements 4 arranged between two annular axial bearing disks 1 and 2 and guided through a bearing cage 3. The rolling elements 4 are designed here as roller or needle bodies.

The bearing cage 3 formed from a sheet metal material has an inner radial edge 5 extending in the axial direction and an outer radial edge 6 also extending in the axial direction for radial guidance of the rolling bodies 4 .

According to 2 the inner radial edge rim 5 is designed here as a double rim and in this respect is provided with an end bend 7 in the opposite direction. The bearing cage 3 also has the cage webs, indicated here as a dashed line, which are designed in the form of a so-called sigma profile. The well-known sigma profile starts from an axial side of the bearing cage 3 with initially short radial sections facing each other, which are followed by facing oblique flank sections, which in turn lead to a radially extending summit section, which in profile resembles the capital letter sigma. This forms the structural prerequisite for the two axially directed edge flanges 5 and 6 to extend from one of the two axial bearing disks 1 to the other axial bearing disk 2 , which ultimately forms the prerequisite for the shape of the two edge sections 5 and 6 .

In addition, the two edge flanges 5 and 6 each have a curved distal end section 8 or 9, which serve as a form-fitting holding means of the bearing cage 3 for enclosing or enclosing the associated axial bearing disk 1 or 2. In addition, the two axial bearing disks 1 and 2 are each provided with inner and outer radial shoulders 11 and 12, respectively, which are stamped on the edge of the respective axial bearing disk 1 and 2.

According to 3 the edge-side contact zone area between the axial bearing disk 1 shown here as an example and the associated edge 5 of the bearing cage 3 has a lubricant-storing depression or elevation structure 13 introduced by the axial bearing disk 1 . In this exemplary embodiment, the depression or elevation structure 13 is designed as an imbricated structure which, as a result of the component movement and the lubricant flow, forms corresponding lubricating wedges for hydrodynamic lubrication of the components moving relative to one another in order to minimize frictional wear in the contact zone area.

Reference List

1

first thrust bearing washer

2

second thrust bearing washer

3

bearing cage

4

rolling elements

5

first edge board

6

second edge board

7

bend

8th

first distal edge section

9

second distal edge section

10

sigma profile

11

inner radial shoulder

12

outer radial shoulder

13

Indentation or elevation structure

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• EP 3176449 A1 [0003]

Claims (10)

Axial roller bearing unit, comprising at least one axial bearing disk (1; 2) formed flat or angled from a sheet metal material and a bearing cage (3) also formed from a sheet metal material, with which rolling elements (4) rolling on the at least one axial bearing disk (1; 2) are guided, and which is joined to the at least one axial bearing disk (1; 2) by a form-fit connection in such a way that the axial bearing disk (1; 2) is guided so that it can move relative to the bearing cage (3), with an at least one-sided lubricant-storing depression or Survey structure (13) is formed. Thrust roller bearing unit claim 1 , characterized in that the depression or elevation structure (13) is designed as an embossed waffle or scale structure. Thrust roller bearing unit claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the depression or elevation structure (13) is shaped in terms of flow dynamics in such a way that corresponding lubricating wedges are formed as a result of the component movement and the lubricant flow. Thrust roller bearing unit claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that with only one direction of rotation, the depression or elevation structure (13) is designed as a scale structure. Thrust roller bearing unit claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing cage (3) has a radially inner and outer edge extending in the axial direction (5, 6) for the radial guidance of the rolling elements (4). Thrust roller bearing unit claim 5 , characterized in that the inner radial edge rim (5) designed as a double rim is provided with an end bend (7) in the opposite direction. Thrust roller bearing unit claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that the two edge flanges (5, 6) each having a curved distal end section (8, 9) as a form-fitting holding means of the bearing cage (3) for an associated axial bearing disc (1; 2) is designed. Thrust roller bearing unit claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one axial bearing disc (1; 2) is provided with inner and outer radial edge shoulders (11, 12) or edge bevels, on which the depression or elevation structure (13) is formed. Axial roller bearing unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two axial bearing washers (1, 2) designed as identical parts are provided. Axial roller bearing unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular axial bearing discs (1, 2) are produced as stamped and embossed parts.

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