JP2005331355A - Tire testing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve precision of uniformity measurement of a tire by correcting the clearance between the inner race and rolling body or the outer race and the rolling body of a spindle bearing. <P>SOLUTION: A tire 3 testing machine is provided with a spindle device 4 composed of a spindle 9 capable of freely attaching/detaching a tire 3, and a spindle bearing 10 for supporting the spindle 9 rotatable freely. A correction device is provided, which corrects the clearance between the bearing inner ring and a rolling body of a spindle bearing or the clearance between the bearing outer ring and the rolling body of the spindle bearing while the spindle 9 is rotating. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a tire testing apparatus.

As this type of tire testing apparatus, there is known a uniformity testing apparatus that measures variation in force generated by a tire.
This uniformity test apparatus is mainly composed of a spindle device that holds a tire rotatably around an axis, and a drum device that rotates a tire held on the spindle device via a drum (for example, Patent Documents). 1).
The spindle device has an upper spindle and a lower spindle that are arranged on the same axis so as to be vertically separated. The lower spindle is accommodated in a bearing housing, and is rotatably supported by a spindle bearing provided between the lower spindle and the bearing housing.

Normally, when the spindle is rotated, the spindle bearing generates heat due to rolling friction between the spindle bearing rollers and the inner and outer rings, and the bearing housing and the spindle bearing expand, so the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing and the rollers before the tire test are expanded. And the gap between the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing and the roller at the time of the tire test are different.
For this reason, when the spindle bearing is mounted on the bearing housing, the clearance between the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing before the start of the test can usually be taken into account the heat generation of the spindle bearing from the tire rotation speed and test time during the test. As much as possible, the clearance at the time of the test at the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing at the time of the test is set to be optimum.
JP 2004-28700 A

However, since the amount of heat generated during the spindle bearing test varies with the number of rotations of the tire and time, the gap changes with temperature.
Therefore, there is a problem that the gap fluctuates during the test even if the spindle bearing is set in advance so that the gap during the test becomes the optimum gap.
Since the fluctuation of the gap causes the rotating spindle to shake, there is a possibility that the accuracy of the tire uniformity measurement may be significantly lowered.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a tire testing apparatus that can improve the accuracy of tire uniformity measurement by correcting the gap between the inner and outer rings of a spindle bearing and rolling elements.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has taken the following measures. That is, a feature of the present invention is that in a tire testing apparatus including a spindle device having a spindle for detachably mounting a tire and a spindle bearing for rotatably supporting the spindle,
A correction device is provided that corrects a gap between the inner ring of the spindle bearing and the rolling element of the spindle bearing or a gap between the outer ring of the spindle bearing and the rolling element of the spindle bearing when the spindle rotates.
According to this, since the correction device for correcting the clearance between the inner ring and the rolling element of the spindle bearing or the gap between the outer ring and the rolling element is provided, the heat generation amount of the spindle bearing fluctuates during the tire test, and the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing change. Even if the gap with the moving body is likely to deviate from the optimum gap, the gap between the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing and the rolling element during the tire test can be corrected to the optimum gap by the correction device. It is possible to reduce blurring and improve the accuracy of tire uniformity measurement.

The correction device is provided so as to be movable in the spindle axial direction, presses the outer ring by movement to correct the gap, and adjusts the pressure of the fluid to move the pressing body by the pressure of the fluid. It is preferable to have a pressure supply path to be applied to the pressing body.
According to this, by applying a fluid pressure to the pressing body, the pressing body is moved to adjust the axial distance between the inner ring and the outer ring of the spindle bearing, and thereby the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing and the rolling element are adjusted. To correct the gap.
Therefore, by changing the pressure of the fluid in the pressure supply path, it is possible to cope with a minute change in the distance between the inner ring and the outer ring of the spindle bearing, so that the gap can be easily controlled.

  It is preferable that the fluid is also used as a cooling fluid for cooling the spindle device. According to this, by cooling the spindle device with the cooling fluid, the heat generation of the spindle bearing can be suppressed during the tire test, and the fluctuation of the gap during the test due to the thermal expansion of the spindle bearing and the bearing housing is minimized. Can do.

  The accuracy of the tire uniformity measurement can be improved by correcting the clearance between the inner ring and the rolling element of the spindle bearing or the outer ring and the rolling element.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 are general front views of the tire testing apparatus.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the left and right sides of the paper are the left and right directions, and the through direction is the front and rear direction.
The tire testing apparatus 1 includes a main frame 2 and a spindle device 4 that is supported by the main frame 2 and on which a tire 3 is detachably mounted.
The tire testing device 1 also includes a drum device 5 that applies rotation and load to the tire 3 mounted on the spindle device 4.

The main frame 2 includes a column 6 surrounded by the columns 6, which are erected from the installation surface in the front-rear and left-right directions, a connecting bar 7 that connects the upper and lower ends of the columns 6 in the front-rear and left-right directions, And a mounting base 8 to which the spindle device 4 is attached.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the spindle device 4 includes a spindle 9 on which the tire 3 is detachably mounted, and a spindle bearing 10 that rotatably supports the spindle 9. Further, the spindle device 4 includes a housing 11 that supports the spindle bearing 10 and the spindle 9.

The spindle device 4 is provided with a correction device 14 that can correct a gap between the inner and outer rings of the spindle bearing 10 and the rolling elements when the spindle 9 rotates.
The spindle 9 is formed so as to be separable in the vertical direction, and includes an upper spindle 15 disposed on the upper side of the main frame 2 and a lower spindle 16 disposed on the lower side of the main frame 2.
The upper spindle 15 is supported by an elevating device 17 supported on the upper part of the main frame 2 so as to be movable up and down. The lower spindle 16 is rotatably supported by the housing 11.

An upper rim 18 is provided on the upper spindle 15, and a lower rim 19 is provided on the upper end of the lower spindle 16. The tire 3 is sandwiched between the upper and lower rims 18, 19. .
The lifting device 17 includes a pair of side lifting cylinders 20 supported by the support 6 of the main frame 2 and a center frame 21 that connects the side lifting cylinders 20 to the left and right. The elevating device 17 includes a center elevating cylinder 22 supported by the center frame 21 and an elevating rod 23 inserted through the center elevating cylinder 22 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

The upper part of the upper spindle 15 is connected to the lower part of the lifting rod 23 so that the upper spindle 15 can be fitted into the lower spindle 16 by the vertical movement of the lifting rod 23.
The left and right ends of the center frame 21 are connected to a tire mount 24 that moves up and down in conjunction with the up and down movement of the center frame 21. When the center frame 21 is lowered, the tire mount 24 is also lowered and lowered. The tire 3 can be placed on a lower rim 19 provided on the spindle 16.
As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 11 includes a cylindrical spindle base 25 attached to the mounting base 8 by welding or the like, and a cylindrical bearing housing 26 fitted from above the spindle base 25. Have.

The lower spindle 16 is fitted in the bearing housing 26. On the upper portion of the bearing housing 26, a flange portion 27 that protrudes in the radial direction from the outer periphery of the bearing housing 26 is provided.
A load detector 28 for measuring the uniformity of the tire 3 is provided between the flange portion 27 and the upper end of the spindle base 25. The load detector 28 is constituted by a load cell or the like.
The spindle bearing 10 supports the lower spindle 16 in a rotatable manner, and two spindle bearings 10 are provided between the lower spindle 16 and the bearing housing 26.

The spindle bearing 10 is a tapered roller bearing capable of receiving an axial load, and supports the upper and lower sides of the lower spindle 16. The spindle bearing 10 may be an angular contact ball bearing.
An inner ring 31 of the upper spindle bearing 30 is fitted to a peripheral surface of a step portion 32 provided on the upper portion of the lower spindle 16 from below to support the lower spindle 16, and is attached to an end surface in the axial direction of the step portion 32. It is impossible to move in the spindle axis direction (upward direction) by contacting. The outer ring 33 of the upper spindle bearing 30 is fitted to the peripheral surface of the step portion 34 provided on the upper portion of the bearing housing 26 from above, and comes into contact with the end surface in the axial direction of the step portion 32, whereby the spindle axial direction. It cannot move (downward).

The inner ring 36 of the lower spindle bearing 35 is fitted to the peripheral surface of the step portion 37 provided at the lower portion of the lower spindle 16 from the lower side, and the lower portion is fixed by the support member 29 and the fixing member 38 screwed to the outer periphery thereof. It is fixed so that it cannot move in the spindle axis direction.
That is, the fixing member 38 is configured by a nut screwed into the outer periphery of the support portion 29. The nut 38 is screwed into the support portion 29, and the inner ring 36 of the lower spindle bearing 35 is fixed to the lower spindle 16 on the upper surface of the nut 38.
As shown in FIG. 3, the fixing member 38 is constituted by a nut (bearing nut). Instead of this, the inner ring 36 of the lower spindle bearing 35 is fixed by a flange integral with the support portion 29. You may comprise.

An outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 is supported by the bearing housing 26 so as to be movable in the spindle axial direction.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the correction device 14 is configured such that when the lower spindle 16 is rotated by a tire test, the clearance between the inner ring 36 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and the rolling element 12 of the lower spindle bearing 35, or the outer ring 39. And the rolling element 12 are corrected to an optimum gap.
More specifically, the correction device 14 moves the outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 that can move in the spindle axis direction in the spindle axis direction, so that the tapered surfaces 13 of the inner ring 38 and the outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 are moved. The gap is corrected by tightening the rolling elements 12 made of tapered rollers.

Here, the optimum clearance is the above-mentioned extent that when the lower spindle 16 rotates, the lower spindle 16 has the least amount of runout, and the runout of the lower spindle 16 hardly affects the uniformity measurement of the tire 3. Say that you have set a gap.
The correction device 14 is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the spindle 9, and presses the outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 by the movement so that the clearance between the inner and outer rings 36, 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and the rolling element 12. It has the press body 40 which correct | amends.
A circular lubricating oil ring 41 for supplying lubricating oil to the lower spindle bearing 35 is fitted in the bearing housing 26 so as to surround the lower spindle 16 positioned above the lower spindle bearing 35. A fitting concave portion 42 for fitting the pressing body 40 in a liquid-tight state is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower part of the first member.

The pressing body 40 is formed by a ring-shaped piston, and the pressing body 40 is fitted in an annular fitting recess 42 of the lubricating oil ring 41. A space 66 is formed by the fitting recess 42 and the wall surface of the pressing body 40. The pressing body 40 is movable in the axial direction with respect to the lubricating oil ring 41.
The pressing body 40 is positioned above the outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and presses the outer ring 39 downward from above.
An O-ring 43 is interposed between the pressing body 40 and the lubricating oil ring 41, and an O-ring 44 is also interposed between the pressing body 40 and the bearing housing 26.

This lubricating oil ring 41 is in contact with the projection 45 projecting radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the bearing housing 26, and cannot move in the spindle axial direction. Lubricating oil is supplied from above. The spindle device 4 is provided with a lubricating oil supply path 70 that supplies lubricating oil to the lubricating oil ring 41.
The lubricating oil supply path 70 is connected to an external pressure adjusting valve 47 a, and the pressure adjusting valve 47 a is connected to the pump 49 and the animal pressure device 48 so that the lubricating oil can be supplied to the lubricating oil ring 41. ing.

The correction device 14 has a pressure supply path 46 for applying a fluid pressure to the pressing body 40 so that the pressing body 40 can be moved by the fluid pressure.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the pressure supply path 46 is provided in the bearing housing 26, and fluid is supplied via a pump 49, an animal pressure device 48, and a pressure adjustment valve 47 provided outside the spindle device 4. Can be supplied to the pressure supply path 46.
The pressure supply path 46 is drilled in the radially inward direction from the upper and lower middle part of the outer peripheral surface of the bearing housing 26, and is further drilled in the bearing housing 26 in the axial direction so as to bend downward in the middle part. The pressure supply path 46 has a branch path 50 that branches in the radial direction. This branch path 50 reaches the upper end side of the pressing body 40, and allows fluid to be supplied to the space 66 formed by the wall surface of the pressing body 40 and the fitting recess 42 of the lubricating oil ring 41.

At least one of the openings opened at the upper and lower ends of the pressure supply path 46 is an inlet 51 for injecting fluid, and the other openings are plugged by plugs.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the spindle base 25 is provided with a hole 55 at a position corresponding to the pressure supply path 46. The opening on the side of the hole 55 is used as an injection port 51, a pipe 53 is provided in the hole 55, the injection port 51 is connected to one end side of the pipe 53, and pressure adjustment provided outside on the other end side A valve 47 is connected.
The diameter of the hole 55 is larger than that of the pipe 53, and a gap (non-contact portion) is provided between the hole 55 and the pipe 53.

In this non-contact portion, the measured load of the tire 3 (force generated from the tire 3) is detected by the load cell 28 between the flange portion 27 of the bearing housing 26 and the spindle base 25 through the lower spindle 16 and the lower spindle bearing 35. At this time, the pipe 53 and the spindle base 25 are in direct contact with each other to prevent the measured load of the tire 3 from escaping to the spindle base 25 side.
That is, the measured load of the tire 3 is prevented from being distributed and transmitted to other devices such as the pressure regulating valve 47 and the animal pressure device 48, and the pipe 53 and the spindle base 25 are not in direct contact with each other. It is in a non-contact state.

An elastic ring 54 (V ring) is fitted on the pipe 53, and the ring 54 prevents dust from entering.
There are various possible routes for the pressure supply passage 46 in the housing 11, but in this embodiment, the passage passes in the vicinity of the lower spindle bearing 35.
The fluid that moves the pressing body 40 is composed of liquid or gas, and is also used as a cooling fluid that cools the spindle device 4. In this embodiment, the fluid is composed of hydraulic oil that moves the pressing body 40. Yes. The pressing body 40 can be moved in the axial direction by the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil.

As shown in FIG. 5, the hydraulic oil and the lubricating oil that move the pressing body 40 are supplied from a common pump 49, and the hydraulic oil and the lubricating oil are used together.
According to this configuration, before the tire 3 test, first, considering the rotation speed of the tire 3 and the load applied to the lower spindle bearing 35, the gap between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 during the test, the outer ring 39, and the rolling The preload applied to the outer ring of the lower spindle bearing 35 is set in consideration of the optimum gap with the moving body 12.
Then, hydraulic oil is sent to the pressure supply passage 46 by the pump 49, and the pressure body 40 is moved so as to approach the inner ring 36 side by the pressure of the hydraulic oil to push the outer ring 39 in the spindle axial direction (the inner ring 36 and the outer ring 39). The distance between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 and the gap between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 are optimal gaps after the start of the test. The clearance between the inner ring 36 of the spindle bearing 35 and the rolling element 12 and the clearance between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 are corrected. The pressure in the pressure supply path 46 is adjusted by a pressure adjustment valve 47.

When the tire 3 is started and the tire 3 is rotated immediately after the tire 3 is rotated, the gap becomes an optimum gap. However, as time elapses, the lower spindle bearing 35 generates heat so that the inner ring 36 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and The clearance between the rolling element 12 and the clearance between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 tends to be larger than the optimum clearance, but the pressing body 40 is pushed by the pressure of the hydraulic oil whose pressure is adjusted to a predetermined value. Since the outer ring of the spindle bearing 35 is pushed, the gap does not increase and can be kept at an optimum gap.
At this time, the amount of heat generated by the lower spindle bearing 35 increases with time, so that the gap between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and the gap between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 deviate from the optimum gap. Since the amount of change to be increased increases, it is conceivable to increase the pressing force of the pressing body 40 applied to the outer ring of the lower spindle bearing 35 in advance in order to keep these gaps at the optimum gaps.

However, before the test is started, that is, when the pressing force of the pressing body 40 applied to the outer ring of the lower spindle bearing 35 is increased from the beginning, the rigidity of the lower spindle bearing 35 can be increased and the lower spindle 16 runout can be minimized. However, conversely, if the pressing force is large from the beginning, the load becomes large, and the life of the lower spindle bearing 35 is shortened.
Therefore, according to the passage of time, in other words, according to the amount of change in which the gap between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 are increased from the optimum gap. Thus, it is preferable to press the outer ring 39 by increasing the pressure of the fluid in the pressure supply path 46.

When the outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 is moved in the spindle axial direction as described above, the pressing force also acts on the inner ring 32 of the upper spindle bearing 30 so that the rolling element 12 is moved together with the inner ring 32 in the spindle axial direction. In other words, the upper spindle bearing 30 can be preloaded to move downward.
Further, a temperature sensor such as a thermocouple is disposed in the vicinity of the lower spindle bearing 35, and the pressure in the pressure supply path 46 is changed based on temperature information obtained from the temperature sensor, whereby the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 due to temperature change. The gap between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 may be corrected.

Since the hydraulic oil that operates the pressing body 40 also serves as a cooling fluid that cools the bearing housing 26, the lower spindle bearing 35 can be cooled via the bearing housing 26 itself or the bearing housing 26. 35 and the heat generation of the bearing housing 26 is suppressed, the gap between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 of the lower spindle 16 and the gap between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12 and the gap between the bearing housing 26 and the lower spindle bearing 35 are changed. Can be suppressed.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

That is, in the above-described embodiment, the outer ring 39 of the lower spindle bearing 35 is pressed by the pressing body 40, and the gap between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 of the lower spindle bearing 35 and the gap between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12. However, the position of the pressing body 40 may be changed and the inner ring 36 may be pressed.
In addition, the pressure supply path 46 is provided in the bearing housing 26 in order to apply a fluid pressure to the pressing body 40 so as to move the pressing body 40 by the pressure of the fluid. The entire housing 11 or the bearing housing 26 may be circulated throughout the housing 11 and the bearing housing 26, and the entire housing 11 or the entire bearing housing 26 may be cooled by using the fluid as a cooling fluid.

Preferably, the pressure supply path 46 may be circulated so that the bearing housing 26 around the upper spindle bearing 30 and the lower spindle bearing 35 can be cooled with a cooling fluid.
In the above correction device 14, the pressing body 40 formed of a ring-shaped piston is moved by a fluid to apply a preload to the lower spindle bearing 35. A plurality of pistons installed in the direction may be used. Further, a spring is provided between the lower spindle bearing 35 and the bearing housing 26, and the spring force corrects the gap between the inner ring 36 and the rolling element 12 of the lower spindle bearing 35 or the gap between the outer ring 39 and the rolling element 12. It may be.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a supply circuit that supplies fluid to the pressure supply path 46 and the lubricating oil supply path 70 is also used, but this supply circuit may be configured separately.

1 is an overall front view of a tire testing apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is an overall front view of a tire testing apparatus when a tire is mounted. It is a cross-sectional detail drawing of a spindle device. It is a partial detail view of a spindle device. It is a supply circuit diagram which sends a fluid to a spindle apparatus from the outside.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tire test apparatus 3 Tire 4 Spindle apparatus 9 Spindle 10 Spindle bearing 14 Correction apparatus 36 Inner ring 39 of a lower spindle bearing Outer ring 40 of a lower spindle bearing Press body 46 Pressure supply path

Claims (3)

In a tire testing apparatus comprising a spindle device having a spindle for detachably mounting a tire and a spindle bearing for rotatably supporting the spindle,
A tire provided with a correction device for correcting a clearance between an inner ring of the spindle bearing and a rolling element of the spindle bearing or a clearance between an outer ring of the spindle bearing and the rolling element of the spindle bearing when the spindle rotates. Test equipment.   The correction device is provided so as to be movable in the spindle axial direction, presses the outer ring by movement to correct the gap, and adjusts the pressure of the fluid to move the pressing body by the pressure of the fluid. The tire testing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure supply path that is applied to the pressing body.   The tire testing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fluid is also used as a cooling fluid for cooling the spindle device.

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