JP2000230559A - Bearing assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bearing assembly capable of enhancing a reliability, while ensuring sufficient lubrication action. SOLUTION: An oil groove 13d is formed on a small flange portion, and an escape portion 13e is formed on a portion of the oil groove 13d at an outer periphery of the small flange portion. Thereby, a strong force is not transmitted to the thin portion of the small flange portion by forming the oil groove 13, even if the small flange portion is collided to anything at the time of a conveying of an inner race.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bearing assembly, and more particularly, to a bearing assembly used for an automobile transmission.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A bearing assembly having a flange on the outer periphery of an inner ring is known. Such a flange portion functions to prevent a rolling element such as a roller from moving in the axial direction. By the way, when using such a bearing assembly in a double row,
The flanges are often butted directly or via a spacer. In such a case, a part of the flange is cut off to communicate the inner and outer peripheries of the inner ring so that the lubrication of the rolling elements and the raceway surface can be ensured even in the abutted state, thereby forming an oil groove through which lubricating oil can pass. That is usually done.

[0003]

Since such an oil groove is formed by cutting a part of the flange, the thickness of the flange is increased by the axial depth of the oil groove. Becomes thinner. On the other hand, in order to extend the life of the bearing, the inner ring is heat-treated to obtain a predetermined hardness, and thus has the property of being brittle against impact.

However, assembling of the bearings has been automated, and components such as the inner ring are often transported automatically, so that the inner rings come into contact with each other during the transport and an impact occurs when the inner ring is delivered. It is in an easy state. However, there is a possibility that the stress at the time of conveyance causes excessive stress at the flange portion of the inner ring, which is partially thinned due to the formation of the oil groove, causing cracks or chipping. Crack
Since the inner ring in which chipping or the like has occurred cannot be used as a product, it is removed at the inspection stage, thereby causing a problem that the yield is deteriorated.

In order to prevent such a problem, it is conceivable to improve the automatic transport system so that the inner ring can be transported more carefully. However, such an improvement requires a large amount of cost and a collision during transport. It can be said that it is difficult to completely eliminate. On the other hand, it is conceivable to secure a sufficient thickness of the flange portion by reducing the depth of the oil hole, but this may reduce the passage area of the lubricating oil and may not obtain a sufficient lubricating effect. Raises a new problem.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a bearing assembly with improved reliability while ensuring a sufficient lubricating action.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A bearing assembly according to the present invention comprises:
In a bearing assembly comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, and a rolling element disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein a flange portion is formed at an end of the inner ring, the flange portion includes A notch communicating the inner periphery and the outer periphery is formed, and a relief portion including at least a part of the notch is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the flange.

Further, a bearing assembly according to the present invention comprises an inner race, an outer race, and a rolling element disposed between the inner race and the outer race, wherein a flange is formed at an end of the inner race. In the assembly, a notch communicating with the inner and outer circumferences of the inner ring is formed in the flange, and the inner ring axial direction depth of the notch is set to be equal to or greater than the inner ring axial direction thickness of the flange. Have been.

[0009]

According to the bearing assembly of the present invention, the flange is formed with a notch communicating the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the inner ring, and the outer circumference of the flange is formed with at least the notch. Is formed, so that, for example, when the inner ring is conveyed, even if the flanges come into contact with each other, the notch is formed so that the thickness of the flange is reduced. The portion is less likely to receive a strong force from the counterpart due to the formation of the escape portion, and thereby it is possible to prevent the flange portion from being cracked or chipped. still,
If the relief portion is formed to be large, it is possible to eliminate a thin portion in the flange portion.

Further, according to the bearing assembly of the present invention, the flange is formed with a notch communicating the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the inner ring, and the notch has a depth in the axial direction of the inner ring. Since the thickness of the flange portion is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the inner ring in the axial direction, the formation of the notch removes the flange portion in the thickness direction, and as a result, a thin portion does not exist. Even if the flanges come into contact with each other, cracking and chipping of the flanges can be suppressed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a bearing assembly 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. An outer ring 11 is fitted on the inner periphery of the fixed portion F in a fitting manner. The inner peripheral surface 11a of the outer race 11 has a double tapered shape that has a minimum diameter at the center in the axial direction and increases in diameter toward both ends. Inside the outer ring 11,
A pair of inner rings 12, 13 are arranged coaxially. Inner rings 12, 13 fitted to the outer periphery of the rotation shaft R
Have the same shape, but are arranged in a mirror image relationship with each other in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the inner rings 12 and 13 are respectively disposed at axially outer ends and are protruded in the radial direction and large flanges 12a and 13a, respectively, and are disposed at axially inner ends and slightly radially. Small flange 12 protruding from
b, 13b, large collar portions 12a, 13a and small collar portion 12b,
13b and tapered surfaces 12c, 1
3c.

The inner peripheral surface 11a of the outer race 11 and the inner races 12, 1
Between the three tapered surfaces 12c and 13c, a plurality (25 in the present embodiment) of tapered rollers 14 and 15 are arranged so as to roll freely. In order to support the tapered rollers 14 and 15 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, retainers 16 and 17 are arranged between the outer ring 11 and the inner rings 12 and 13, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a view of the bearing assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the inner ring 13, the tapered rollers 15, and the retainer 17, which is shown only partially, are assembled and viewed in the direction of arrow II. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a view of the inner ring 13 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an IV portion of the inner ring 13 shown in FIG. As described above, since the inner rings 12 and 13 have the same shape, only the configuration of the inner ring 13 will be mainly described, and the description of the inner ring 12 will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the small flange portion 13b is provided with three oil grooves 13d (oil grooves 12d on the inner ring 12) at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. The oil groove 13d is formed by cutting a part of the end face of the small flange 13b into a partially cylindrical shape (see FIG. 1). When the small flange portion 13b abuts against the small collar portion 12b of the inner ring 12, the oil groove 13d communicates the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the inner ring 13 (the inner ring 12) to allow the passage of lubricating oil. It has the function of securing a lubricating oil passage. As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the (deep) axial depth dp of the oil groove 13d is:
The thickness is set smaller than the thickness t of the small flange portion 13b in the axial direction (inner ring).

In FIG. 4, the shape of the small collar portion according to the prior art is shown by a dotted line, while the shape of the small collar portion 13b according to the present embodiment is shown by a solid line. As is clear from FIGS. 3 and 4, in the present embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the small flange portion 13b is cut off at the oil groove 13d, thereby forming a relief portion 13e.

As described with reference to FIG.
From the relationship between the axial thickness t of 3b and the depth dp of the oil groove 13d, the minimum axial thickness of the small flange portion 13b in the oil groove 13d is (t-dp). Here, in order to secure a certain amount of the lubricating oil passing through the oil groove 13d, it is necessary to increase the depth dp. However, the axial minimum thickness (t-dp) in the oil groove 13d of the small flange portion 13b is thereby reduced, and there is a possibility that cracks or chips may occur during transportation or the like.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, by forming the escape portion 13e, the outer peripheral surface of the small flange portion 13b is depressed inward by the value E at the oil groove 13d. Therefore, for example, at the time of conveyance, even if the small flange portion 13b may come into contact with another member, a conveyance guide, or the like, the possibility that the oil groove 13d directly abuts is low,
Thereby, cracking and chipping of the small flange 13b can be suppressed.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modification of the first embodiment. This modification is different from the first embodiment in that there are two outer rings (outer rings 11A and 11B).
This is the point that is divided into Therefore, the outer ring 11A11B
And an inner ring 12 having a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment.
13 and the like form two bearing assemblies 20, 21.

The outer races 11A and 11B are opposed to each other via a snap ring 22 installed on the fixing portion F.
The inner rings 12 and 13 have their small flanges facing each other via a circular spacer 23. Even in a state where the inner end faces of the inner rings 12 and 13 are in contact with the spacer 23, in order to secure a lubricating oil passage,
Also in this modified example, oil grooves 12d and 13d are formed. In the oil grooves 12d and 13d, a relief portion (see FIG. 4) is formed as in the first embodiment, so that, for example, at the time of transport, the small flange portion comes into contact with another member or a transport guide. Even if it touches, cracking or chipping of the small flange can be suppressed.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view of the inner race shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from above. FIG. 8 shows the inner ring VIII shown in FIG.
It is a figure which expands and shows a part.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the oil groove 33d. The depth of the oil groove 13d (FIG. 3) in the first embodiment is set to be equal to the depth of the oil groove of the related art, but in the second embodiment, the depth is set to a value S. Only increase.

More specifically, in FIG. 8, the shape of the oil groove according to the prior art is shown by a dotted line, while the shape of the oil groove 33d according to the present embodiment is shown by a solid line. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the thickness in the axial direction of the small collar portion 33b is T,
Assuming that the depth of the oil groove 33d is Dp, T <Dp, that is, the small flange 33b is divided by the oil groove 33d. As a result, the small flange 33b is removed within the range of the oil groove 33d. I have.

Therefore, according to the prior art, there is a possibility that the small flange portion which is thinned by forming the oil groove may be cracked or chipped. However, according to the present embodiment, the small flange portion is liable to be cracked or chipped. Since the thin portion of the flange is removed in advance, damage to the inner ring due to, for example, abutment during transport can be suppressed as much as possible.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above embodiments, and it is needless to say that modifications and improvements can be made as appropriate. is there. For example, in the present embodiment, three oil grooves are provided at equal intervals, but two or less oil grooves may be provided or four or more oil grooves may be provided.

[0026]

According to the bearing assembly of the present invention, the flange is formed with a notch communicating the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the inner ring, and the outer circumference of the flange is provided with at least a notch. Since the relief portion including a part of the notch is formed, for example, even when the inner ring is conveyed, even if the flange portions abut each other, the thickness of the flange is reduced by the formation of the notch. The portion of the portion is less likely to receive a strong force from the other side due to the formation of the escape portion,
Thereby, cracking and chipping of the flange can be suppressed. In addition, if the relief portion is formed to be large, it is possible to eliminate a thin portion in the flange portion.

Further, according to the bearing assembly of the present invention, the flange portion is formed with a notch communicating the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the inner ring, and the notch has a depth in the axial direction of the inner ring. Since the thickness of the flange portion is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the inner ring in the axial direction, the formation of the notch removes the flange portion in the thickness direction, and as a result, a thin portion does not exist. Even if the flanges come into contact with each other, cracking and chipping of the flanges can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a bearing assembly 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the bearing assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1 in a state where an inner ring 13, a tapered roller 15, and a retainer 17, which is shown only in part, are assembled and viewed in the direction of arrow II.

FIG. 3 is a view of the inner race 13 shown in FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction of arrow III.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an IV section of the inner ring 13 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing a modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing a modification of the second embodiment.

7 is a view of the inner race shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from above.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion VIII of the inner race shown in FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 20, 21, 30 Bearing assembly 11, 31 Outer ring 12, 13, 32, 33 Inner ring 13b, 33b Small flange portion 12d, 13d, 33d Oil groove 13e Escape portion

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bearing assembly comprising an inner race, an outer race, and a rolling element disposed between the inner race and the outer race, wherein a flange is formed at an end of the inner race. In the bearing assembly, a notch communicating the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the inner ring is formed, and a relief portion including at least a part of the notch is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the flange portion. 2. A bearing assembly comprising an inner race, an outer race, and a rolling element disposed between the inner race and the outer race, wherein a flange is formed at an end of the inner race. In the bearing assembly, a notch communicating the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the inner ring is formed, and the depth of the notch in the axial direction of the inner ring is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the flange in the axial direction of the inner ring.