Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
  • F16C35/00—Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers
  • F16C35/04—Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers in the case of ball or roller bearings
  • F16C35/042—Housings for rolling element bearings for rotary movement
  • F16C35/045—Housings for rolling element bearings for rotary movement with a radial flange to mount the housing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
  • F16C35/00—Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers
  • F16C35/04—Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers in the case of ball or roller bearings
  • F16C35/06—Mounting or dismounting of ball or roller bearings; Fixing them onto shaft or in housing
  • F16C35/07—Fixing them on the shaft or housing with interposition of an element
  • F16C35/077—Fixing them on the shaft or housing with interposition of an element between housing and outer race ring
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
  • F16C41/00—Other accessories, e.g. devices integrated in the bearing not relating to the bearing function as such
  • F16C41/007—Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
  • F16C19/00—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement
  • F16C19/02—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing balls essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows
  • F16C19/04—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing balls essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows for radial load mainly
  • F16C19/06—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing balls essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows for radial load mainly with a single row or balls
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
  • F16C2326/00—Articles relating to transporting
  • F16C2326/20—Land vehicles
  • F16C2326/24—Steering systems, e.g. steering rods or columns

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of housings for supporting bearings in mechanical assemblies comprising rolling bearings.
• GB-A-I 216 146 discloses a bearing housing for axially holding and immobilizing the outer race of the bearing in said housing by means of hooks.
• the housing comprises a ring provided with a radial surface in contact with a radial front surface of the outer ring of the bearing and four hooks.
• Each hook is provided with an inner surface adapted to be in contact with the outer surface of the bearing and extending through an inwardly directed shoulder and forming a radial retaining surface of the outer race of the bearing opposite to the ring.
• the invention aims to provide a versatile housing, lightweight, compact, monobloc, and having axial retention means of the bearing, and means for centering and effective clamping of the outer ring in the housing.
• the bearing housing is provided with an annular axial portion for receiving an outer race, and a radial collar connecting to one end of the axial portion.
• the axial portion comprises means for fastening the bearing by radial clamping and axial retention means of the bearing.
• the clamping means by radial clamping and the axial retaining means are integral with said housing.
• the fastening means by radial clamping are separated from the axial retaining means in the circumferential direction. It is thus possible to fit the bearing in the housing with a slight radial clamping, without impairing the effectiveness of the axial retention means.
• the axial retaining means comprise a plurality of radially resilient tongues, provided at their free end with means forming an end stop in the axial direction for a radial surface of the outer ring of the bearing.
• the radial clamping bearing fixing means comprise a plurality of centering and clamping portions of the outer ring of the bearing.
• the clamping means are separate from the axial retention means and are circumferentially disposed between said axial retention means.
• the resilient tongues are arranged in windows and protrude axially into the windows from a window edge from which they are derived.
• the elastic tongues may fit radially in the annular envelope defined by the periphery of the axial portion.
• the radial clamping means comprises axial bars or sectors disposed adjacent to the circumferentially locking tabs.
• the housing comprises a bottom connecting to the axial portion opposite the radial flange.
• the bottom may include a central opening.
• the radial flange comprises fastening means on an external mechanical member.
• the housing is made of molded synthetic resin.
• a radial bore is provided in the axial portion for the passage of a cable.
• the housing comprises at least one sensor and an electronic card connected to the sensor.
• the electronic card may be arranged in a radial plane.
• the sensor or sensors may be arranged on a reference surface of a shoulder of the axial portion.
• the bearing housing comprises an annular portion for receiving an outer rolling member, for example a ring or a sleeve.
• the annular portion includes radial clamping bearing attachment surfaces and axial bearing retainers.
• the radial clamping attachment surfaces are formed in said housing.
• the axial retention members are integral with said housing while being spaced apart from the attachment surfaces in the circumferential direction.
• the attachment surfaces are supported by one-piece strips with said housing.
• the bars are rigid in comparison with the radially elastic axial retaining elements.
• the radial clamping fastening surfaces are concentric and each occupy a limited angular sector.
• the invention also relates to an assembly comprising a housing as described above and a rolling bearing disposed in said housing.
• the housing may comprise at least one sensor and the rolling bearing may comprise at least one encoder, the sensor and the encoder being arranged relative to one another with a small gap.
• the instrumented steering wheel device comprises a housing as described above, a rolling bearing disposed in said housing, and a central piece disposed in the rolling bearing.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a housing according to one aspect of the invention
• FIG. 3 is a view in axial section of a housing equipped with a bearing according to another aspect of the invention.
• FIG. 4 is a detailed view of FIG. 3; and FIG. 5 is a half-view in axial section of a housing equipped with a bearing according to another aspect of the invention.
• the housing is integral and made for example by molding a synthetic resin, such as a polyamide-6.6 filled with glass fibers.
• the housing is in the form of a housing provided with a tubular annular portion 2, a collar 3 extending radially outwardly from an axial end of the annular portion 2, and a disc-shaped radial bottom 4 disposed at the end of the annular portion 2 opposite to the flange 3.
• the annular portion 2 comprises a circumferentially continuous portion 5 connected to the collar 3, a circumferentially continuous portion 6 connecting to the bottom 4 and a central portion 7 disposed axially between the continuous portions 5 and 6.
• the central portion 7 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially uniformly distributed windows 8 of generally rectangular shape and extending from the continuous portion 5 to the continuous portion 6.
• a plurality of tongues 9 protrude axially in the windows 8 from the continuous portion 5.
• the tongues 9 are supported by the continuous portion 5 and occupy most of the surface of the windows 8 leaving free a U-shaped space on the axial sides of the tongues 9 and on their free end.
• a tongue 9 per window 8 there is provided a tongue 9 per window 8.
• the tongues 9 have a general axial shape and end near the continuous portion 6 by a hook 10 projecting radially inwardly.
• the hooks 10 have an inclined chamfer 11 starting from the free end of the hook 10 and connecting to the body of the tongue 9 in the direction of the continuous portion 5.
• a hook 10 having a substantially radial free edge.
• the free end of the hook 10 opposite the continuous portion 5 is substantially radial.
• the central portion 7 comprises a plurality of bars 12 remaining between the windows 8 and connecting the continuous portions 5 and 6, one to the other.
• the bars 12 occupy an angular sector sufficient to ensure the rigidity of the housing.
• the bars 12 are provided with an annular inner surface 13 centered on the axis of the housing and to receive the outer surface of an outer race ring providing a precise radial wedging.
• the bars 12 have a high rigidity, unlike the tongues 9 which have a certain radial flexibility allowing them to erase radially temporarily during mounting of an outer race ring.
• the bottom 4 comprises an outgrowth projecting radially outwards and occupying a limited angular sector to form a cable outlet.
• the protrusion 15 is provided with a window 15a through which an electric cable, not shown, can pass.
• the bottom 4 is provided with a notch 16 projecting inwards to which corresponds, inside the housing 1, a not visible projection in Figures 1 and 2 forming a surface reference for a sensor.
• the inner surfaces 13 of the bars 12 form means for fixing and centering by radial clamping of a mechanical part having an outer cylindrical surface, for example a bearing.
• the resilient tongues 9 form axial retention means of the same mechanical part, the axial retaining means being circumferentially separated from the radial clamping means formed by the inner surfaces of the bars 12, in that the tongues 9 are supported by the portion continues 5 while being distant from the bars 12.
• the housing 1 is associated with an instrumented bearing 17 for an electrically controlled steering wheel.
• the bearing 17 includes an inner ring 18, an outer ring 19, a row of rolling elements 20, for example balls, held by a cage 21 with regular circumferential spacings, a seal 22 and an encoder 23.
• the inner and outer rings concave rolling tracks for the rolling elements 20, respectively on their outer and inner surfaces, made for example by machining with chip removal, the inner ring 18 has a cylindrical bore and two opposite radial end surfaces.
• the outer ring 19 has a cylindrical outer circumferential surface 19a, in which is provided an annular groove 24 spaced from the radial end faces of said outer ring 19.
• the seal 22 is mounted in a stepped bearing surface of the outer ring 19 and rubs with a flexible lip on an outer cylindrical surface of the inner ring 18 in the vicinity of one of the front radial surfaces.
• the encoder 23 is mounted on the outer cylindrical bearing surface of the inner race 18 provided between the raceway and the corresponding radial surface with which said encoder is also in contact so as to ensure its axial positioning.
• the encoder 23 comprises a support portion 24 and an active portion 25, for example in the form of an over-molding of plastoferrite or elastoferrite.
• the bearing 17 is disposed in the central portion of the annular portion 2, the cylindrical outer surface 19a of the outer ring 19 being fitted into the inner surfaces 13 of the bars 12. The bearing 17 is thus positioned radially relative to the housing 1.
• hooks 10 of the tongues 9 are arranged on a fictitious circle having, when the tongues are in the free state, a diameter smaller than the diameter of the inner surfaces 13 of the bars 12.
• the hooks 10 thus project into the groove 24 of the outer ring 19 and prevent any movement to separate the bearing 17 from the housing 1 by an axial movement to move the bearing 17 away from the bottom 4.
• the edges of the groove 24 are substantially radial and the end free hook 10 is also substantially radial, thus forming an axial stop against disassembly.
• the notch 16 formed in the bottom 4 is translated on the inside of the housing 1 by a shoulder provided with a radial surface 16a against which the front radial surface of the outer ring 19 located opposite the gasket. sealing 22 comes wearing.
• the bearing is therefore well maintained axially in the housing 1, being retained axially by the hooks 10 and being positioned axially accurately by the radial surface 16a.
• the housing is particularly compact radially. Indeed, the tongues 9 fit radially into the thickness of the bars 12 ensuring the tightening of the outer ring.
• the extra thickness of the free ends of the tongues 9 is disposed inwards in order to interfere with the groove 24 of the outer ring 19 of the bearing 17.
• the bearing 17 is perfectly centered in the housing 1 by the plurality of lugs 12 which have both sufficient rigidity to ensure the centering and the minimum radial flexibility to support the tight fitting of the bearing.
• the initial interference clamping will be chosen so that even in case of dimensional variations of the housing and / or bearing due to thermal and / or hygrometric variations, there is still sufficient radial interference bearing / housing.
• the structure in strips 12 is a little less rigid radially than a continuous circular range and allows a fitting with relatively large initial radial interference.
• the bottom 4 is used to support a printed circuit board or integrated circuit 26 arranged radially on which are connected one or more sensors 27, for example Hall effect cells.
• the sensor or sensors 27 are arranged facing the active part 25 of the encoder 24 with a small radial air gap, said active part 25 forming a multipole magnetic ring which rotates in front of the sensor or sensors 27 in order to provide a magnetic field variation. representative of the rotation of the inner ring 18.
• the sensor 27 visible in Figures 3 and 4 is located behind the cutting plane used for these drawings.
• the system is completed by a central mechanical part 28 mounted tightly in the inner ring 18 and provided on the side opposite the bottom 4 of two threaded holes 29 for fixing a control wheel by means of screws not shown.
• the central piece 28 comprises a radial end 28a facing the circuit board 26 and disposed axially at the inner ring 18, a cylindrical bearing surface 28b fitted into the bore of the inner ring 18 and connected to the radial end 28a, an annular radial surface 28c in contact with the front radial surface of the inner ring 18 on the seal side 22 and connecting to the cylindrical fitting seat 28b, and an outer cylindrical surface 28d of large radially located substantially at the level of the seal 22, connecting to the annular radial surface 28c, and on which is rubbed a seal 30 fitted in the continuous portion 5 of the annular portion 2 of the housing 1.
• the seal 30 seals and generates a couple of friction favoring smooth and regular handling of the wheel by an operator.
• the assembly can be carried out as follows.
• the circuit board 26 supporting the sensor or sensors 27 is fixed in contact with the bottom 4 of the housing 1, the sensor or sensors 27 resting on a reference surface provided by origin by molding on the inside of the housing 1, so that the sensor or sensors 27 are located radially with the desired air gap with respect to the encoder 23.
• the bearing 17 provided with the encoder 23 is pushed axially into the housing 1 until the bearing 17 comes to a stop in the housing 1 against the radial surface 16a.
• the bearing being perfectly centered in its housing via the lugs 12 the radial air gap between the sensor (s) 27 and the active part 25 of the encoder 23 is thus perfectly controlled. This contributes to a greater reliability of the detection system.
• the inlet seal 30 is then put in place, the central piece 28 having been previously fitted into the inner ring 18 of the bearing 17. All that remains then is to mount the subset thus formed on the mechanical support which the receives via the mounting flange 3 and mount the flywheel on the central part 28 by two screws.
• the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 applies to a rolling bearing of the conventional, non-instrumented type.
• the bearing 17 is then provided with two seals 22 and 30, symmetrical with respect to a radial plane passing through the center of the rolling elements 20.
• the bearing 17 is devoid of an encoder.
• the housing 1 is similar to those of the previous embodiments, except that the bottom 4 is free of protrusion 15 and notch 16 and has one. annular form with a bore 4a for the passage of a shaft 31 on the outer surface of which the inner ring 18 is fitted by its bore.
• the housing is particularly compact radially, versatile in many applications, providing effective axial retention, reliable by the flexibility of the tabs which are not likely to break during the introduction of the bearing, and allowing a very good centering and an excellent maintenance of the bearing in the bars of fitting.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Mounting Of Bearings Or Others (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34948565

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2004
  • 2004-09-08 FR FR0409520A patent/FR2874980A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2005
  • 2005-09-01 WO PCT/FR2005/002181 patent/WO2006030090A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2005-09-01 EP EP05800572A patent/EP1792094A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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