GB2382386A - Tolerance take-up member - Google Patents

Tolerance take-up member Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2382386A
GB2382386A GB0128281A GB0128281A GB2382386A GB 2382386 A GB2382386 A GB 2382386A GB 0128281 A GB0128281 A GB 0128281A GB 0128281 A GB0128281 A GB 0128281A GB 2382386 A GB2382386 A GB 2382386A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
tolerance
take
tolerance take
member according
shaft
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0128281A
Other versions
GB0128281D0 (en
GB2382386B (en
Inventor
James Peter Bentley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NSK Steering Systems Europe Ltd
Original Assignee
NSK Steering Systems Europe Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NSK Steering Systems Europe Ltd filed Critical NSK Steering Systems Europe Ltd
Priority to GB0128281A priority Critical patent/GB2382386B/en
Publication of GB0128281D0 publication Critical patent/GB0128281D0/en
Publication of GB2382386A publication Critical patent/GB2382386A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2382386B publication Critical patent/GB2382386B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • F16C35/06—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
    • F16C35/073—Fixing them on the shaft or housing with interposition of an element between shaft and inner 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
    • 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
    • F16C2226/00—Joining parts; Fastening; Assembling or mounting parts
    • F16C2226/50—Positive connections
    • 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

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Steering Controls (AREA)
  • Support Of The Bearing (AREA)
  • Sliding-Contact Bearings (AREA)

Abstract

A tolerance take-up member for a bearing of a steering column assembly, for example, comprises two substantially annular parts 1, 3, one of the parts being inset in the other and protruding from it and being provided with a taper 5 to fit between one member such as a tube or shaft 7 and another member such as the bearing 9. Means by which the tolerance take-up member is held onto tube or shaft 7 may include a circlip 11, a snap-fit lug/rib (13, Fig 4) or an annular disc (14, Fig 5); each positioned with regards annular groove 12. The two parts 1,3 can be made of different materials and preferably are moulded out of plastics material of different hardnesses and/or resiliences, such as acetal (polyoxymethylene) resins and/or thermoplastic elastomers.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1>
TOLERANCE MEMBER This invention relates to a tolerance take-up member of a type that, for example, can be mounted on a tube or shaft in order to take up tolerance between the tube or shaft and another member such as a bearing.
It is known for bearings to be mounted on shafts with a clearance fit, being located up against a locking collar. Axial clearance can be absorbed by use of axial thrust washers whilst the bearing can be maintained in position on the shaft by axial load when a circlip is fitted. However, this can produce noise problems in a working environment and solutions such as closing the gap causing the noise by filling it with resin.
According to the present invention, there is provided a tolerance take-up member, comprising two substantially annular parts, one of the parts forming a body part of the member and the second part being inset in the body part and protruding from it, and the protruding portion of the second part being provided with a taper to fit between one member and another member, thereby to take up tolerance therebetween.
The two parts may be of two different materials.
Each material may be a plastics material. One of the materials may be a hard plastics whilst the other material may be of a more resilient nature. Alternatively, the material of the first part may be of a softer resilient plastics material whilst the second part can be of a harder plastics material. The second part may be made of the plastics material of the more resilient nature. The former material may be an acetal
<Desc/Clms Page number 2>
resin (polyoxymethylene resin). The more resilient material may be a thermoplastics elastomer. The member may be totally annular. An inner bore of the member allows for the member to be fitted about a tube or shaft.
Each part may have an inner surface that faces the tube or shaft when mounted on it. Each of these surfaces may be annular. The diameter of the annular surface of the first part may be greater than the diameter of the annular surface of the second part. The diameter of the inner annular surface of the second part may be constant. Accordingly, the taper of the second part commences from a point where it leaves the first part towards a ring point forming the extremity of the protruding portion of the second part.
The tolerance take-up member may be provided with a device to hold it in place on a tube or shaft. The device may be integral with the tolerance take-up member.
The device may be joined to the first part of the tolerance take-up member and may be of a different material to the material of the first part. Another possibility is for the device to be in the form of a circlip for holding the tolerance take-up member in place in reaction to the other member whose tolerance is to be taken up.
The invention also extends to a tolerance take-up member when mounted on a shaft or tube.
The other member whose tolerance is to be taken up may be a bearing. The bearing may be located in place on the tube or shaft by a shoulder of a key lock collar.
<Desc/Clms Page number 3>
The tolerance take-up member can be formed by moulding. With the two or more different materials, the moulding process can be a multi-shot moulding process.
The invention also extends to a steering column assembly for a vehicle incorporating a tolerance take-up member as essentially defined above.
For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a tolerance take-up member; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the tolerance take-up member of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the tolerance take-up member of Figs. 1 and 2, shown mounted on a tube or shaft, for example; Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a second embodiment; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a third embodiment.
Figs. 1 and 2 show an annular tolerance take-up member of plastics material having a main body part 1 with a cylindrical bore 2 and an inset body part 3 also provided with a cylindrical bore 4. The inset part 3 has a portion 5 that protrudes from an end face 6 of the main
<Desc/Clms Page number 4>
body part 1 and tapers to a ring point at, for example, Cyl 4 an angle of 350 to the cylindrical bore 4.
The main body part 1 may be made of a hard plastics material such as an acetal resin and the inset part may be made of a thermoplastics elastomer.
As shown in Fig. 3, the tolerance take-up member is fitted about a tube or a shaft 7, for example, to take up tolerance between an inner ring 8 of a bearing 9 and the tube or shaft 7.
The bearing 9 is axially loaded against a shoulder of a key lock collar 10 that is fitted about the tube or shaft 7. The taper ring portion 5 of the tolerance takeup member is urged between any gap existing between the inner surface of the inner ring 8 of the bearing 9 and the outer surface of the tube or shaft 7, using the inherent resilience of the tolerance take-up member and is held loaded against the bearing 9 by means such as a circlip 11 mounted in an annular groove 12 in the tube or shaft 7.
Using the moulding technique, the tolerance take-up member can be, in the case of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a twin-shot, single-piece moulding.
Fig. 4 shows another embodiment, where the need for a separate circlip is eliminated by providing another form of device for loading the tolerance take-up member against the bearing 9. As shown in Fig. 4, the main body part 2 of the tolerance take-up member is provided with a resilient lug or rib 13 that effectively reduces the inner diameter 2 of the bore of the part 1, so that, as
<Desc/Clms Page number 5>
the tolerance take-up member is loaded against the bearing 9, the lug or rib 13 snap fits into the annular groove 12 on the tube or shaft.
Fig. 5 shows another variation, that is similar to Fig. 4 but where a separate device is bonded to the main body part 1 and is in the form of an annular disc 14 joined to the end face of the body part 1 remote from the end face from which tapering part 3 protrudes. The part 3 and the part 14 may be of the same material and, as an illustration, can be of a hard plastics material, whilst the main body part 1 can be of a more resilient or rubber-like plastics material.
In all cases, the hardness and material of the plastics can be adjusted to suit the particular application of the tolerance take-up member.
It will be appreciated that the present tolerance take-up member can take up radial and/or axial clearance on, for example a vehicle steering column to avoid unwanted noise.

Claims (17)

  1. CLAIMS 1. A tolerance take-up member, comprising two substantially annular parts, one of the parts forming a body part of the member and the second part being inset in the body part and protruding from it, and the protruding portion of the second part being provided with a taper to fit between one member and another member, thereby to take up tolerance therebetween.
  2. 2. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 1, wherein the two parts are of two different materials.
  3. 3. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 2, wherein each material is a plastics material.
  4. 4. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the two materials have different hardnesses and/or resiliences.
  5. 5. A tolerance take-up member according to any one of the preceding claims and being totally annular.
  6. 6. A tolerance take-up member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each part has a surface that faces a tube or shaft when mounted on it.
  7. 7. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 6, wherein each surface is annular.
  8. 8. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 7, wherein the diameter of the annular surface of the first part is great that the diameter of the annular surface of the second part.
    <Desc/Clms Page number 7>
  9. 9. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the diameter of the inner annular surface of the second part is constant.
  10. 10. A tolerance take-up member according to any one of the preceding claims, and being provided with a device to hold it in place on a tube or shaft.
  11. 11. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 10, wherein the device is integral with the tolerance take up member.
  12. 12. A tolerance take-up member according to claim 10, wherein the device is a circlip for holding the tolerance take-up member in place in reaction to the other member whose tolerance is to be taken up.
  13. 13. A tolerance take-up member according to any one of the preceding claims and being formed by moulding.
  14. 14. A tolerance take-up member, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 1 to 3, with or without the modification of Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
  15. 15. A tolerance take-up member according to any one of the preceding claims, when mounted on a shaft or tube.
  16. 16. A steering column assembly for a vehicle incorporating a tolerance take-up member according to any one of the preceding claims.
    <Desc/Clms Page number 8>
  17. 17. An assembly according to claim 16, wherein said other member whose tolerance is to be taken up is a bearing for locating in place on a tube or shaft of the steering column assembly.
GB0128281A 2001-11-26 2001-11-26 Tolerance take-up member Expired - Fee Related GB2382386B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0128281A GB2382386B (en) 2001-11-26 2001-11-26 Tolerance take-up member

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0128281A GB2382386B (en) 2001-11-26 2001-11-26 Tolerance take-up member

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0128281D0 GB0128281D0 (en) 2002-01-16
GB2382386A true GB2382386A (en) 2003-05-28
GB2382386B GB2382386B (en) 2003-11-12

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0128281A Expired - Fee Related GB2382386B (en) 2001-11-26 2001-11-26 Tolerance take-up member

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2382386B (en)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006056731A1 (en) * 2004-11-24 2006-06-01 Rencol Tolerance Rings Limited Fixing of components
FR2884568A1 (en) * 2005-04-15 2006-10-20 Snecma Moteurs Sa ASSEMBLY ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN AN INTERNAL BEARING RING AND A TOURILLON, RING AND SWIVEL ADAPTED TO SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT, AND TURBOMACHINE EQUIPPED THEREWITH
US7554771B2 (en) 2006-09-11 2009-06-30 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring for data storage with overlapping tab feature for mass control
US7580225B2 (en) 2006-08-15 2009-08-25 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring having variable height and/or assymmetrically located bumps
US7583476B2 (en) 2006-08-22 2009-09-01 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring for data storage with cut-out feature for mass control
US7611303B2 (en) 2005-06-01 2009-11-03 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring with high axial static friction
US7850389B2 (en) 2006-08-15 2010-12-14 Intriplex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring having various end tab designs to prevent interlocking
US7958637B2 (en) 2006-08-07 2011-06-14 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Assembly of a shaft and a housing assembly
US8228640B2 (en) 2003-04-17 2012-07-24 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Tolerance ring assembly for supporting a disk drive actuator bearing
US10371213B2 (en) 2009-09-25 2019-08-06 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited System, method and apparatus for tolerance ring control of slip interface sliding forces
US11005334B2 (en) 2017-12-15 2021-05-11 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Annular member, method, and assembly for component displacement control

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8944690B2 (en) 2009-08-28 2015-02-03 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Pampus Gmbh Corrosion resistant bushing

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2255598A (en) * 1991-05-04 1992-11-11 Schaeffler Waelzlager Kg Rolling bearing, in particular for steering columns
JPH0932861A (en) * 1995-07-17 1997-02-04 Koyo Seiko Co Ltd Shaft coupling mechanism

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2255598A (en) * 1991-05-04 1992-11-11 Schaeffler Waelzlager Kg Rolling bearing, in particular for steering columns
JPH0932861A (en) * 1995-07-17 1997-02-04 Koyo Seiko Co Ltd Shaft coupling mechanism

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10203004B2 (en) 2003-04-17 2019-02-12 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Method of using a tolerance ring
US8228640B2 (en) 2003-04-17 2012-07-24 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Tolerance ring assembly for supporting a disk drive actuator bearing
WO2006056731A1 (en) * 2004-11-24 2006-06-01 Rencol Tolerance Rings Limited Fixing of components
US7957103B2 (en) 2004-11-24 2011-06-07 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Fixing of components
EP1712806A3 (en) * 2005-04-15 2011-01-05 Snecma Assembly arrangement between an inner bearing ring and a trunnion, bearing ring and trunnion adapted to the arrangement, and a turbo machine equipped with them
FR2884568A1 (en) * 2005-04-15 2006-10-20 Snecma Moteurs Sa ASSEMBLY ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN AN INTERNAL BEARING RING AND A TOURILLON, RING AND SWIVEL ADAPTED TO SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT, AND TURBOMACHINE EQUIPPED THEREWITH
US7488112B2 (en) 2005-04-15 2009-02-10 Snecma Assembly arrangement between a bearing inner race and a journal, race and journal suitable for such an arrangement, and turbomachine fitted therewith
US7611303B2 (en) 2005-06-01 2009-11-03 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring with high axial static friction
US8424184B2 (en) 2006-08-07 2013-04-23 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Assembly of a shaft and a housing assembly
US7958637B2 (en) 2006-08-07 2011-06-14 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Assembly of a shaft and a housing assembly
US7850389B2 (en) 2006-08-15 2010-12-14 Intriplex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring having various end tab designs to prevent interlocking
US7580225B2 (en) 2006-08-15 2009-08-25 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring having variable height and/or assymmetrically located bumps
US7583476B2 (en) 2006-08-22 2009-09-01 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring for data storage with cut-out feature for mass control
US7554771B2 (en) 2006-09-11 2009-06-30 Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc. Tolerance ring for data storage with overlapping tab feature for mass control
US10371213B2 (en) 2009-09-25 2019-08-06 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited System, method and apparatus for tolerance ring control of slip interface sliding forces
US11005334B2 (en) 2017-12-15 2021-05-11 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited Annular member, method, and assembly for component displacement control

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0128281D0 (en) 2002-01-16
GB2382386B (en) 2003-11-12

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20201126