EP4314578A1

EP4314578A1 - Device for establishing a releasable zero-clearance position of a rolling bearing, and a corresponding method

Info

Publication number: EP4314578A1
Application number: EP22711866.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank BOGENSTAHL; Carsten KLEINGRIES; Christoph LANSING; Thomas Hackfort
Original assignee: Matthews International Corp
Current assignee: Matthews International Corp
Priority date: 2021-03-26
Filing date: 2022-02-24
Publication date: 2024-02-07
Also published as: WO2022199742A1; DE102021107749A1; KR20230160877A; BR112023019802A2; CN117677779A; AU2022242562A1; TW202238011A; CA3214431A1; JP2024516087A; TWI819510B

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for establishing a releasable zero-clearance position of a rolling bearing, comprising a rolling bearing which has an outer ring, an inner ring mounted on a shaft, as well as a plurality of rolling elements located between the inner ring and the outer ring, and comprising a tensioning device which is mounted on the circumference of the rolling bearing outer ring for generating a radial preload between the tensioning device and the rolling bearing outer ring which is uniform across the outer circumference of the rolling bearing outer ring, wherein the tensioning device has an axially adjustable tensioning element which can be brought into a first orientation in which the rolling bearing has clearance, and which can be brought into a second orientation in which the rolling bearing has zero clearance. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.

Description

Device for producing a releasable clearance for a roller bearing and a corresponding method

The present invention relates to a device for producing a releasable release from play in a roller bearing, with a roller bearing which has an outer ring, an inner ring mounted on a shaft and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, and with a clamping device mounted on the circumference of the outer ring of the roller bearing for Generating a radial prestressing between the clamping device and the outer ring of the roller bearing that is uniform over the outer circumference of the roller bearing, the clamping device having an axially adjustable clamping element which can be brought into a first orientation, in which the roller bearing has play, and which can be brought into a second orientation, in which the roller bearing is free of play. The invention also relates to a method for adjusting the preload of a roller bearing mounted on a shaft.

A hydraulic clamping bush is known from DE 102018123980 Ai. However, this is not disclosed in connection with a roller bearing, but in use with a hub and for producing a non-positive connection between an internal shaft and the external hub. Another clamping bush is known from DE 2639320 Ai. This is used for the non-positive connection of a shaft with a part to be clamped, such as a sprocket, a V-belt pulley or a pinion. A connection between the clamping bush and a roller bearing is not disclosed, in particular not for generating a defined bearing preload.

The disadvantages of conical roller bearings known from the prior art, such as tapered roller bearings, which are installed, for example, in wheel bearings on automobiles, are that the conical or conical running surfaces can only be installed together as a functional unit in the bearing. This always results in an additional summand when calculating the total tolerance. With the help of the present invention, on the other hand, the concentricity on the one hand and the adjustment of the roller bearing play on the other hand can actually be carried out separately from one another. With the present invention, all rotary parts on spindles, shafts, rollers, rotors, etc., together with the inner ring of the bearing, can be finally cylindrically machined or calibrated.

The invention therefore has the advantage of enabling high concentricity with the simultaneous absorption of high loads. This is also achieved, among other things, by the fact that the bearing preload is not only generated in a two-dimensional bracing plane, but completely around the outer ring of the bearing. As a result, roller arrangements with a backlash-free rotation function are possible on all levels.

A defined preload is generated in the roller bearings to be preloaded by infeeding the outside diameter of the bearing outer rings. This achieves a circular, partial or full-circumference contact via the rolling bodies from the static assembly to the rotating assembly.

In addition, a very compact design is possible with the present invention. In contrast, multiple storage with bearings clamped against each other requires significantly more space and also always leads to a reduction in load absorption, since in the clamped arrangement the roller bearings can only dissipate the loads in the direction of contact with the rotating body.

The present invention also enables the operating status to be monitored during operation of the bearing, so that bearing damage or other wear-related failure phenomena can be identified at an early stage. In addition, the bearing preload can be adjusted during operation, so that if a change in the bearing preload is detected, for example due to thermal changes, the preload can be continuously readjusted to an optimal value, so that on the one hand optimal operating conditions, for example in the form of very precise concentricity properties, and on the other hand bearing wear can be minimized.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device for producing clearance clearance and/or for generating a defined preload of a roller bearing mounted on a shaft, which on the one hand is particularly light is manageable and can be used advantageously in changing operating conditions and on the other hand serves to generate a high running accuracy of the roller bearing.

The object is solved with the features of the independent claims.

Accordingly, a device for producing a releasable clearance clearance of a roller bearing is proposed, with a roller bearing that has an outer ring, an inner ring mounted on a shaft and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, and with a clamping device mounted on the circumference of the outer ring of the roller bearing for generating a radial preload between the clamping device and the outer ring of the roller bearing which is uniform over the outer circumference of the roller bearing, the clamping device having an axially adjustable clamping element which can be brought into a first orientation in which the roller bearing has play and which can be brought into a second orientation in which the roller bearing is free of play.

The device can be used in the field of roller bearings, in roller arrangements such as in a rolling mill or a roll profiling system, in printing presses, rotary process machines, or for grooving, embossing or punching.

Further areas of application of the present invention can also be spindle bearings on machine tools for both tool spindles and workpiece spindles, for example in machining systems, for roll hardening or for knurling. It is also conceivable that the invention is used in spindle bearings for rotators, for example in the field of turbomachinery. Use in the area of wheel bearings is also conceivable.

In printing technology, to achieve concentricity of the engraved roller, the roller bearing inner rings on the roller are mounted separately from the rolling element with a race on the roller. As a result, the surface of the roller with the inner ring of the roller bearing is produced with maximum concentricity in one clamping during production. Especially when smooth roller surfaces are required for the production of material webs, a tolerance that is as "free of lag" as possible between Bearing race and roller surface required. With the conical "shrinkage" of the bearing outer ring with a conical clamping set proposed in the present invention, a very precise circular feed is achieved. This is achieved because the individual parts are in direct ground contact and the individual parts can be manufactured very precisely for a specific tolerance range by means of turning and grinding. This is not possible when using conical bearings, since these consist of separately manufactured rolling elements, the manufacture of which is subject to greater tolerance fluctuations.

The clamping device can be designed in such a way that it can be pushed onto the outer ring of the roller bearing in the axial direction. The clamping device can enclose the outer ring of the roller bearing in a ring-shaped manner. The clamping device can have a width in the axial direction which is greater than the axial width of the roller bearing. In the first orientation, it can be provided that there is play between the clamping element and the clamping device, or at least there is no state of tension. In the second orientation, it can be provided that the tensioning element is oversized relative to the tensioning device and/or that there is a state of tension between the two elements.

Provision can be made for the clamping element to be adjustable within the second alignment in such a way that a defined bearing preload can be set. The clamping element can have an axial width which is greater than the axial width of the roller bearing. As a result, the clamping element can be adjusted axially within the clamping device without the clamping element no longer covering the roller bearing.

It is appreciated that the clamping device has a cavity that extends axially and at least in sections, preferably over the entire circumference of the clamping device, in which the clamping element in the form of a sleeve is accommodated in an axially displaceable manner, with the cavity being able to taper in the axial direction. The cavity can in particular taper linearly. The cavity can have a greater axial width than the clamping element, so that the clamping element can be adjusted axially within the cavity. Provision can be made for the lowest cavity height to be less than the lowest clamping element height. It can also be provided that the maximum height of the cavity is greater than or equal to the maximum height of the clamping element. The sleeve can have two opposite end faces. It can be provided that the sleeve is only adjustable or designed in such a way that a pressure chamber in each case remains between the respective end face and the cavity wall lying opposite it.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the sleeve has a sleeve outer surface that is at least partially conical in the axial direction and the cavity has a cavity outer surface that is at least partially conical in the axial direction and points inwards in the radial direction, which interacts with the sleeve outer surface, the conical section of the sleeve surface and the conical portion of the cavity outer surface are aligned parallel to each other. The sleeve can accordingly have a sleeve outer surface which is wedge-shaped in cross-section and the cavity can have a correspondingly shaped cavity outer surface. By axially adjusting the sleeve in the cavity, clearance of the roller bearing can be achieved on the one hand and a predefined preload on the other hand, which depends on the degree of the axial adjustment.

In addition, it can be provided that the sleeve has a sleeve inner surface and the cavity has a radially outwardly facing cavity inner surface abutting the sleeve inner surface, the sleeve inner surface and the cavity inner surface being aligned parallel to the axial direction of the roller bearing. The inner surface of the sleeve and the inner surface of the cavity can lie flat against one another. The parallel alignment with respect to the axial direction of the rolling bearing has the advantage that a largely homogeneous stress distribution is generated.

It is conceivable that an adjusting device is connected to the clamping device, which is set up for the continuous axial adjustment of the clamping element. For this purpose, the hollow space can be designed as a hydraulic chamber and the tensioning element as a piston that can be adjusted axially therein or as a hydraulic actuator. Depending on the level and location of the pressurization, a desired shrinkage of the race of the roller bearing can be effected. The clamping device can be driven hydraulically, electrically, pneumatically, mechanically or by means of at least one spindle. Compared to solutions known from the prior art, in which a preload is set once before commissioning, for example by means of adjusting screws, the present invention has the advantage that the preload can be constantly adjusted and can, for example, take into account changing operating conditions.

Provision can also be made for a device for continuously monitoring the bearing play of the roller bearing to be provided. This can be done, for example, by detecting the bias voltage and/or the contact tolerance using electrical volume resistance values. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the bearing play is monitored by detecting noise characteristics, changes in oscillation, vibrations and/or changes in torque in the drive.

In particular, the device can have a control circuit for setting a predefined target bearing preload, with the target bearing preload being continuously or at predefined time intervals compared in the control circuit with the actual bearing preload measured by the device for continuously monitoring the bearing play, and in response to this the actuating device a corresponding manipulated variable is controlled. For this purpose, the device can have a control device which receives the measurement data from the monitoring device and emits a corresponding control signal. For this purpose, the device can also have an electrically controllable valve, by means of which the direction of the pressure to be generated and thus the direction of movement of the tensioning element can be controlled. The device can also have a pump, by means of which the pressure to be generated can be adjusted. The control device can be connected to the valve to specify the valve position. The control device can be connected to the pump in order to specify the pump pressure to be set.

The device can have, in particular, a cylindrical roller bearing or a needle bearing as the roller bearing. In principle, any type of bearing can be used which can be preloaded perpendicularly to the bearing axis.

Rolling bearings with cylindrical rolling elements have the advantage that they have low running tolerances. In addition, the possibility of calibrating the inner rings on the rolls in one processing step with the roll surface during clamping avoids tolerance accumulation. This option of calibrating the rotators together with the inner rings in one setting is not available with tapered roller bearings. The running accuracy can Tapered roller bearings can only be achieved by summing up the individual tolerances in, for example, a machine tool spindle. Tapered roller bearings are placed in multiple rows in an X and O arrangement. This can be carried out with long-term stability, but requires a corresponding size.

Furthermore, a method for adjusting the preload of a roller bearing mounted on a shaft is proposed, comprising the steps:

detecting the preload of a bearing while it is in operation;

comparing the sensed actual bias to a target bias and calculating a differential value;

On the basis of the difference value, an actuating variable is output to an actuating device for setting the bearing preload.

Provision can be made for the detection of the prestress to include the measurement of an electrical volume resistance and/or the measurement of mechanical loads and/or the measurement of thermal operating conditions of the bearing. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the detection of the preload includes the detection of noise characteristics, changes in oscillation, vibrations and/or changes in torque in the drive.

Provision can be made for the adjusting device to control an axially adjustable clamping element which is arranged in a clamping device and which generates a predefined bearing preload depending on the axial adjustment position.

Provision can be made for the clamping element to be axially adjusted hydraulically or pneumatically by the adjusting device. Alternatively, it can be provided that the tensioning element is adjusted electrically or mechanically by means of spindles.

The method can provide for the axial adjustment of the clamping element to be subjected to different pressures on opposite end faces, with a first pressure on a first side of the clamping element compared to a second pressure on a second side of the clamping element opposite the first side in order to increase the prestress is increased, and wherein to decrease the preload, the second pressure is increased relative to the first pressure. In particular, it can be provided that the tensioning element is arranged in an axially adjustable manner in a cavity that tapers in the axial direction, with the tensioning element being adjusted in the direction of the tapered end of the cavity in order to increase the prestressing.

Further details of the invention are explained with reference to the figures below. It shows:

1 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention in a prestress-free first setting position;

2 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention in a second adjustment position that generates prestress.

The device 1 shown in FIG. 1 for producing a releasable release from play in a roller bearing has a roller bearing 2 mounted on a shaft 6 in the form of a needle bearing with a bearing inner ring 5 , rolling bodies 4 and a bearing outer ring 3 . A tensioning device 7 for generating a radial circumferential tension is pushed axially onto the bearing outer ring 3 and has an annular cavity 11 with an axially adjustable tensioning element 8 therein. The cavity 11 has a cavity inner surface 15 pointing radially outwards, which is aligned parallel to the bearing axis. The cavity 11 also has an inward-pointing cavity outer surface 13, which does not run parallel to the cavity inner surface 15, but runs obliquely as shown, so that the cavity 11 tapers from right to left or has a lower height on the left than on the right in the illustration . The clamping element 8 has contact surfaces corresponding to the shape of the cavity, with a clamping element inner surface 14 pointing radially inward and an outward-facing clamping element outer surface 12. The clamping element inner surface 14, like the cavity inner surface 15, is aligned parallel to the bearing axis and the clamping element outer surface 12, like the cavity outer surface 13, runs obliquely thereto . The angle of the conical shape of the clamping element outer surface 12 corresponds to the angle of the cavity outer surface 13, based on the bearing axis. The clamping element 8 has an axial width that is smaller than the axial width of the cavity 11, so that the clamping element 8 is axially adjustable in the cavity 11. To generate a bias, it is crucial that the lowest height of the cavity 11 is less than the lowest height of the clamping element 8. Left and right of the Clamping element 8 has end faces which are aligned essentially perpendicular to the bearing axis and which in each case delimit a fluid-tight chamber between itself and the respectively opposite wall of the cavity n. The clamping element 8 thus forms a hydraulically axially adjustable actuator which, depending on the axial position, causes a predefined shrinkage of the outer bearing diameter. For this purpose, a first fluid line 21 opens into a first fluid-tight chamber 23 and a second fluid line 22 opens into a second opposite fluid-tight chamber 24, via which the chambers can each be subjected to a specific hydraulic pressure p ₁₅ p ₂ . The two fluid lines 21 and 22 can be controlled via an electrically controllable 4/2-way valve, so that depending on the valve position, either the first fluid line 21 or the second fluid line 22 is pressurized. A pump 20 is connected to the valve 19 to generate a desired pressure. The valve 19 and the pump 20 are controlled by a control unit (PLC - Programmable Logic Controller) 18. This receives measurement data continuously or at predetermined intervals from a monitoring device for recording of the bearing play or a resistance measuring device 17, which measures the electrical volume resistance, which is measured between the shaft 6 and the clamping device 7. In the illustration, the negative pole is in contact with the shaft and the positive pole of the resistance measuring device 17 is in contact with the clamping device 7 . The pump 20, the valve 19, the control device 18 and the resistance measuring device are part of a setting device 16, by means of which a control circuit for setting a predetermined reference prestress is implemented.

1 shows the tensioning element 8 in a first orientation 9, in which the tensioning element 8 is positioned in such a way that no pretension is generated in the cavity 11. FIG. The arrows on the clamping element 8 indicate its direction of movement to the right, ie in the direction of the expanded cavity section. Accordingly, the rolling bearing has 2 bearing play. As can be seen in Fig. 1, there is a distance between the rolling elements 4 and the outer bearing ring 3. The valve 19 has to a position in which the pump 20 via the first fluid line 21 with an actuating pressure p to reduce the preload fluid-tight chamber 23 is applied. 2 shows the clamping element 8 in a second orientation 10, in which the clamping element 8 is positioned in such a way that a preload is generated in the cavity 11, by means of which the bearing 2 is set free of play. The direction of movement, indicated by the arrows on the clamping element 8, shows that the clamping element moves to the left, i.e. towards the tapered cavity section. As a result, the chamber volume of the first decreases fluid-tight chamber 23 and increases the chamber volume of the second fluid-tight chamber 24. For this purpose, the valve 19 is adjusted by the control unit 18 in such a way that the second fluid line 22 now has a pressure p ₂ to increase the preload in the second fluid-tight chamber 24 by the pump 20 is applied. As a result, the clamping device 7 produces a shrinkage on the bearing outer ring 3, so that it bears against the rolling elements 3 over its entire circumference. In addition to freeing up play, a predefined preload can now be generated in bearing 2, which is necessary for the respective application. Continuous monitoring of the electrical volume resistance and processing of the measurement data in the control unit 18 makes it possible for the bias voltage to be readjusted continuously and during operation, for example if the bias voltage changes due to thermal fluctuations.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential for the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

Reference list:

1 device

2 roller bearings

3 roller bearing outer ring

4 rolling elements

5 roller bearing inner ring

6 wave

7 clamping device

8 clamping element

9 First Alignment

10 Second Alignment

11 cavity

12 sleeve outer surface

13 cavity outer surface

14 sleeve inner surface

15 cavity inner surface

16 actuator

17 Monitoring device for recording the bearing play, resistance measuring device

18 control unit

19 4/ 2-way valve

20 pump

21 First fluid line

22 Second fluid line

23 First fluid-tight chamber

24 Second fluid tight chamber

P Actuating pressure to decrease the preload p ₂ Actuating pressure to increase the preload

Claims

Expectations:

1. Device (1) for producing a releasable clearance of a roller bearing

(2), with a roller bearing (2), which has an outer ring (3), an inner ring (5) mounted on a shaft (6) and a plurality of rolling bodies (4) arranged between the inner ring (5) and the outer ring (3), and with a clamping device (7) mounted on the circumference of the roller bearing outer ring (3) to generate a radial preload that is uniform over the outer circumference of the roller bearing outer ring (3) between the clamping device (7) and the roller bearing outer ring (3), the clamping device (7) having an axial adjustable clamping element (8) which can be brought into a first orientation (9) in which the roller bearing (2) has play and which can be brought into a second orientation (10) in which the roller bearing has no play.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the clamping element (7) within the second alignment (10) is adjustable such that a defined bearing preload is adjustable.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamping device (7) has a cavity (11) which extends axially and at least in sections, preferably over the entire circumference of the clamping device (7) in the form of a ring, in which cavity the clamping element (8) is accommodated in the form of a sleeve so as to be axially displaceable, with the cavity (11) tapering in the axial direction.

4. The device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the sleeve (8) has an outer sleeve surface (12) which is at least partially conical in the axial direction and the cavity (11) has an outer cavity surface (13 ) which cooperates with the sleeve outer surface (12), wherein the conical portion of the sleeve outer surface (12) and the conical portion of the cavity outer surface (13) are aligned parallel to each other.

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the sleeve (8) has a sleeve inner surface (14) and the cavity (11) has a radially outwardly pointing cavity inner surface (15) abutting the sleeve inner surface (14), the sleeve inner surface (14 ) and the cavity inner surface (15) are aligned parallel to the axial direction of the rolling bearing (2).

6. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an adjusting device (16) is also connected to the clamping device (7), which is set up for the continuous axial adjustment of the clamping element (8).

7. Device (1) according to claim 6, which further comprises a device for continuously monitoring the bearing clearance (17) of the roller bearing (2).

8. Device (l) according to claim 7, which further comprises a control circuit for setting a predefined target bearing preload, wherein the target bearing preload in the control circuit is measured continuously or at predefined time intervals with the device for continuously monitoring the bearing play (17). -Bearing preload is adjusted and in response to this the adjusting device (16) is controlled with a corresponding manipulated variable.

9. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the roller bearing (2) is a cylindrical roller bearing or a needle bearing.

10. Method for adjusting the preload of a roller bearing (2) mounted on a shaft (6), comprising the steps:

detecting the preload of a bearing while it is in operation;

On the basis of the differential value, an actuating variable is output to an actuating device (16) for setting the bearing preload.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting the bias voltage measuring an electrical volume resistance and / or measuring mechanical loads and/or measuring thermal operating conditions of the bearing.

12. The method according to claim io or n, wherein the adjusting device (16) in a clamping device (7) arranged axially adjustable clamping element (8) controls which generates a predefined bearing preload depending on the axial adjustment position.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the clamping element (8) by the adjusting device (16) is axially adjusted hydraulically or pneumatically.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, for the axial adjustment of the clamping element (8), different pressures are applied to opposite end faces, with a first pressure (p0 on a first side of the clamping element (8) compared to a second pressure ( p ₂ ) is increased on a second side of the clamping element (8) opposite the first side, and wherein the second pressure (p ₂ ) is increased compared to the first pressure (p 1 ) in order to reduce the prestress.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the clamping element (8) is arranged axially adjustable in a tapering cavity (11) in the axial direction, the clamping element (8) being adjusted in the direction of the tapered end of the cavity to increase the prestress.