JP2021143751A - Rolling bearing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a rolling bearing device capable of suppressing an amount of a lubricant flowing between an inner ring and an outer ring of a rolling bearing with respect to the lubricant supplied from a supply oil passage of a housing.SOLUTION: A rolling bearing device 10 includes: a ball bearing 2 which is configured by arranging a plurality of rolling elements 23 held by a cage 24 between an inner ring 21 and an outer ring 22; a differential carrier 17 to which the outer ring 22 is attached and which is formed with a supply oil passage 17c of a lubricant to the ball bearing 2; and a suppression member 5 which is mounted on the outer ring 22 for suppressing an amount of the lubricant introduced between the inner ring 21 and the outer ring 22. The suppression member 5 faces at least a part of an opening 170 of the supply oil passage 17c along a radial direction vertical to a rotation axis O of a pinion gear shaft 11 inserted to the inner ring 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a rolling bearing device.

Conventionally, rolling bearings, which are used in an oil-lubricated environment and in which a plurality of rolling elements held in a cage roll between a pair of raceway wheels, are used in rolling bearings when the amount of oil supplied to the rolling elements is too small. Sufficient lubrication of the contact part cannot be secured and troubles such as seizure may occur. On the other hand, if the amount of oil supplied to the rolling element is larger than necessary, the rotation resistance due to the stirring resistance caused by stirring the lubricating oil. Will increase. Therefore, the applicant has proposed Patent Documents 1 and 2.

The rolling bearing (ball bearing) described in Patent Document 1 holds an outer ring and an inner ring as a pair of raceway rings, a plurality of rolling elements (balls) arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements. It is equipped with an annular cage. The cage has an annulus portion provided on the side through which the lubricating oil flows, and a pillar portion extending from the annulus portion to a plurality of rolling elements, and has an axially outer end face and an outer circumference of the annulus portion. The corners where the surfaces intersect are formed at positions substantially equal to the axial positions of the side surfaces of the outer ring. As a result, when the lubricating oil that has flowed along the axial end face of the annular portion is blown radially outward from the corner portion by centrifugal force, this lubricating oil is released from the gap between the outer ring and the cage to the side of a plurality of rolling elements. The inflow to is suppressed.

In the rolling bearing (conical roller bearing) described in Patent Document 2, the ratio of lubricating oil flowing outward by centrifugal force on the axial end surface of the cage flows into a plurality of rolling elements through the gap between the cage and the outer ring. In order to reduce the amount, an inwardly inclined surface is formed in the area inward in the radial direction at one end in the axial direction of the cage so as to be inclined inward in the axial direction from the inner peripheral end in the outward direction in the radial direction. Form an outer inclined surface that inclines outward in the axial direction toward the outer side in the radial direction.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-194244 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-44975

For example, when a pinion gear shaft having a gear portion at one end in the axial direction is supported by a bearing with respect to a housing, a pair of rolling bearings is often used to apply a preload in the axial direction of these rolling bearings. In such a bearing structure, lubricating oil may flow into the space between the pair of rolling bearings from the supply oil passage provided in the housing to lubricate each rolling bearing. In this case, of the pair of rolling bearings, the rolling bearing on the side closer to the gear portion is required to be supplied with a large amount of lubricating oil because a larger load is applied than the other rolling bearing. Excessive lubricating oil is likely to be supplied to the other rolling bearing.

Therefore, the present invention provides a rolling bearing device capable of suppressing the amount of lubricating oil flowing between the inner ring and the outer ring of the rolling bearing among the lubricating oil supplied from the supply oil passage of the housing. With the goal.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is provided with a rolling bearing in which a plurality of rolling elements are arranged between an inner ring and an outer ring, and an oil passage for supplying lubricating oil to the rolling bearing while the outer ring is attached. A shaft-shaped member that is attached to the outer ring or the housing and suppresses the amount of lubricating oil introduced between the inner ring and the outer ring, and is inserted through the inner ring. A rolling bearing device that rotatably supports the housing, wherein the restraining member is at least a part of an opening of the supply oil passage along a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the shaft-shaped member. Provides rolling bearing devices facing each other.

According to the rolling bearing device according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the amount of lubricating oil flowing from between the inner ring and the outer ring of the rolling bearing among the lubricating oil supplied from the supply oil passage of the housing.

It is sectional drawing which shows the driving force distribution device which used the ball bearing as the rolling bearing which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 which shows the rolling bearing device and its peripheral part enlarged. (A) is a diagram showing a restraining member viewed in the axial direction from the conical roller bearing side, and (b) is a sectional view taken along line AA of (a). It is sectional drawing which shows the rolling bearing apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the rolling bearing apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are shown as suitable specific examples for carrying out the present invention, and there are some parts that specifically exemplify various technically preferable technical matters. , The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this specific aspect.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a driving force distribution device 1 in which a ball bearing 2 as a rolling bearing according to the first embodiment of the present invention is used. The driving force distribution device 1 is relative to a rolling bearing device 10 having a ball bearing 2 and a conical roller bearing 3, a pinion gear shaft 11 as a shaft-shaped member supported by the rolling bearing device 10, and an end portion of the pinion gear shaft 11. A companion flange 12 as a connecting member connected so as not to rotate, a bolt 13 for fixing the companion flange 12 to the pinion gear shaft 11, a ring gear 14 meshed with the pinion gear shaft 11, and a differential to which a driving force is input by the ring gear 14. A device 15, a seal 161 and a dust cover 162, a differential carrier 17, and a cover member 18 that covers the bottom of the differential carrier 17 are provided.

The pinion gear shaft 11 rotates about the rotation axis O, and transmits the driving force input from the drive shaft to which the driving force of the engine (not shown) is transmitted and the companion flange 12 connected to the driving shaft to the ring gear 14. .. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to the rotation axis O of the pinion gear shaft 11 is referred to as an axial direction. Axial preload is applied to the ball bearing 2 and the conical roller bearing 3 by tightening the bolt 13.

The differential carrier 17 is arranged between the left and right wheels of the automobile, and the differential device 15 distributes the driving force transmitted to the ring gear 14 to the left and right wheels in a differential manner. In FIG. 1, the left-right direction of the drawing corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the lower side of the drawing corresponds to the lower part of the vertical direction. Further, FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of the drive shaft 19 that transmits a driving force to the right wheel. An oil pan 180 in which the lubricating oil L is stored by the cover member 18 is formed on the bottom of the differential carrier 17. The differential carrier 17 corresponds to the housing of the present invention.

Fine foreign matter F is settled on the bottom of the oil pan 180. The foreign matter F is, for example, iron powder generated in the meshing portion between the pinion gear shaft 11 and the ring gear 14, or in the meshing portion of the pinion gear and the side gear in the differential device 15. In FIG. 1, the size of the foreign matter F is exaggerated.

The pinion gear shaft 11 integrally includes a columnar shaft portion 111 inserted into the ball bearing 2 and the conical roller bearing 3, and a gear portion 112 that is continuously provided at one end of the shaft portion 111 and meshes with the ring gear 14. doing. The gear portion 112 has a larger diameter than the shaft portion 111, and the conical roller bearing 3 is arranged at a corner portion between the shaft portion 111 and the gear portion 112. The ball bearing 2 is arranged so as to be axially separated from the conical roller bearing 3. The gear portion 112 and the ring gear 14 of the pinion gear shaft 11 are made of hypoid gears. Note that in FIG. 1, the tooth profile of the gear portion 112 and the ring gear 14 is not shown.

The differential carrier 17 includes a first accommodating portion 17a accommodating the gear portion 112 of the pinion gear shaft 11 and the ring gear 14, a second accommodating portion 17b accommodating the shaft portion 111 of the pinion gear shaft 11 and the rolling bearing device 10, and the ring gear 14. A supply oil passage 17c for guiding the lubricating oil L scraped up by the rotation of the first accommodating portion 17a to the second accommodating portion 17b is provided. The supply oil passage 17c is, for example, a hole having a circular cross section drilled by a drill.

The lubricating oil L guided to the supply oil passage 17c is supplied to the second accommodating portion 17b from between the ball bearing 2 and the conical roller bearing 3. In Figure 1, shows the direction of rotation of the ring gear 14 when the vehicle advances in the arrow A _1, indicates the moving direction of the scooped up lubricating oil L by the rotation of the ring gear 14 in the arrow A _2. A seal 161 for preventing leakage of the lubricating oil L from the second accommodating portion 17b is arranged between the inner surface of the second accommodating portion 17b of the differential carrier 17 and the outer peripheral surface of the companion flange 12.

Further, the differential carrier 17 is formed with a first discharge hole 17d and a second discharge hole 17e for discharging the lubricating oil L from the second accommodating portion 17b to the oil pan 180. The first discharge hole 17d opens between the ball bearing 2 and the conical roller bearing 3, and the second discharge hole 17e opens between the ball bearing 2 and the seal 161.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 showing an enlarged view of the rolling bearing device 10 and its peripheral portion. The rolling bearing device 10 includes ball bearings 2 and conical roller bearings 3 juxtaposed in the axial direction, tubular spacers 4 arranged between the ball bearings 2 and conical roller bearings 3, and inner rings of the ball bearings 2. A restraining member 5 for suppressing the amount of lubricating oil introduced between the 21 and the outer ring 22 is provided, and the pinion gear shaft 11 is rotatably supported with respect to the differential carrier 17. The ball bearing 2 corresponds to the "rolling bearing" of the present invention, and the conical roller bearing 3 corresponds to the "other rolling bearing" of the present invention.

The ball bearing 2 includes a plurality of spherical rolling elements 23 arranged between the inner ring 21 and the outer ring 22, the inner ring 21 and the outer ring 22, and a cage 24 for holding the plurality of rolling elements 23. The inner ring 21 is formed with an inner ring rolling surface 21a on which the rolling element 23 rolls. The outer ring 22 is formed with an outer ring rolling surface 22a on which the rolling element 23 rolls. The ball bearing 2 is an angular contact ball bearing in which a straight line a connecting the contact points between the inner ring 21 and the outer ring 22 and the rolling element 23 is inclined in the radial direction.

The conical roller bearing 3 includes an inner ring 31 and an outer ring 32, a conical roller 33 as a plurality of rolling elements, and a cage 34 for holding the plurality of conical rollers 33. The inner ring 31 is formed with an inner ring rolling surface 31a on which the conical roller 33 rolls. The outer ring 32 is formed with an outer ring rolling surface 32a on which the conical roller 33 rolls. Further, the inner ring 31 is provided with a brim 311 with which the large end surface 33a of the conical roller 33 abuts. The axial end surface 31b of the inner ring 31 on the side where the brim 311 is provided is in contact with the gear back surface 112a in the gear portion 112 of the pinion gear shaft 11.

The spacer 4 is arranged between the inner ring 21 of the ball bearing 2 and the inner ring 31 of the conical roller bearing 3. Is provided. A shaft portion 111 of the pinion gear shaft 11 is inserted through the inner ring 21 of the ball bearing 2 and the inner ring 31 of the conical roller bearing 3. The outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2 and the outer ring 32 of the conical roller bearing 3 are attached to the differential carrier 17. The differential carrier 17 is provided with a first annular wall portion 171 with which the outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2 abuts in the axial direction, and a second annular wall portion 172 with which the outer ring 32 of the conical roller bearing 3 abuts in the axial direction. ing. An opening 170 of the supply oil passage 17c is formed at the upper end portion between the first annular wall portion 171 and the second annular wall portion 172 in the second accommodating portion 17b.

The restraining member 5 is a cylindrical member made of a steel material such as stainless steel, and is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the spacer 4. In the present embodiment, one end of the restraining member 5 in the axial direction is attached to the outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2. The outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2 is formed with a notch 220 on the inner peripheral surface of the supply oil passage 17c on the opening 170 side of the outer ring rolling surface 22a, and the notch 220 is formed at one end in the axial direction of the restraining member 5. The part is press-fitted.

The restraining member 5 covers the apex 41a of the huge portion 41 of the spacer 4 and faces the opening 170 of the supply oil passage 17c along the radial direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the rotation axis O. In the present embodiment, the entire opening 170 faces the outer peripheral surface 5a of the suppressing member 5, but a part of the opening 170 may face the outer peripheral surface 5a of the suppressing member 5. That is, at least a part of the opening 170 may face the outer peripheral surface 5a of the suppressing member 5 in the radial direction.

FIG. 3A is a view showing the restraining member 5 viewed from the conical roller bearing 3 side in the axial direction, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3A. The restraining member 5 has a groove 50 extending in the circumferential direction formed on the inner peripheral surface 5b thereof. The groove 50 is a spiral groove twisted so that when the pinion gear shaft 11 rotates in the main rotation direction, the lubricating oil that accompanies the rotation direction flows away from the ball bearing 2. Here, the main rotation direction of the pinion gear shaft 11 is the rotation direction of the pinion gear shaft 11 when the vehicle is traveling forward.

Further, the restraining member 5 is provided with a weir portion 51 projecting inward in the radial direction at the other end in the axial direction, which is opposite to the outer ring 22 side of the ball bearing 2. The weir portion 51 suppresses the accumulated lubricating oil from flowing into the inside of the suppressing member 5 when a large amount of lubricating oil stays in the second accommodating portion 17b. In the present embodiment, the weir portion 51 is formed in an annular shape in the entire circumferential direction of the restraining member 5, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the weir portion is formed only at the lower end portion in the state of being assembled to the differential carrier 17. 51 may be provided.

(Actions and effects of the first embodiment)
According to the first embodiment described above, since the suppressing member 5 faces the opening 170 of the supply oil passage 17c along the radial direction, the lubricating oil flowing out from the opening 170 is the outer peripheral surface 5a of the suppressing member 5. A part of the pressing member 5 flows downward along the outer peripheral surface 5a of the restraining member 5, and the other part flows down to the conical roller bearing 3 side. As a result, the amount of lubricating oil supplied to the conical roller bearing 3 can be increased, and the amount of lubricating oil flowing between the inner ring 21 and the outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2 can be suppressed. That is, in the present embodiment, the restraining member 5 is adjusted so that the amount of lubricating oil supplied from the supply oil passage 17c to the ball bearing 2 is smaller than the amount of lubricating oil supplied to the conical roller bearing 3. ing.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, while supplying sufficient lubricating oil to the conical roller bearing 3 having a relatively high load, the amount of lubricating oil supplied to the ball bearing 2 is suppressed, and the ball bearing 2 rotates. The resistance can be reduced. Further, even when the foreign matter F is mixed with the lubricating oil and supplied from the supply oil passage 17c, the foreign matter F is between the rolling element 23 of the ball bearing 2 and the inner ring rolling surface 21a or the outer ring rolling surface 22a. You can prevent it from being pinched.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the rolling bearing device 10A according to the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the rolling bearing device 10A includes a ball bearing 2, a conical roller bearing 3, a spacer 4, and a restraining member 5, as in the first embodiment. The configuration and mounting structure are different. Hereinafter, the rolling bearing device 10A according to the present embodiment will be mainly described with respect to the parts different from those of the first embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the case where the restraining member 5 is attached to the outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2 has been described, but in the present embodiment, the restraining member 5 is attached to the first annular wall portion 171 of the differential carrier 17. It is attached by press fitting into the inner peripheral surface 171a. Further, in the first embodiment, the case where the entire opening 170 faces the outer peripheral surface 5a of the suppressing member 5 has been described, but in the present embodiment, a part of the opening 170 on the ball bearing 2 side is suppressed. It faces the outer peripheral surface 5a of the member 5. Further, in the present embodiment, the restraining member 5 is not provided with the groove 50 and the weir portion 51.

Similar to the first embodiment, the amount of lubricating oil flowing between the inner ring 21 and the outer ring 22 of the ball bearing 2 can be suppressed by such a second embodiment as well, and the conical roller bearing 3 While supplying sufficient lubricating oil to the ball bearing 2, the amount of lubricating oil supplied to the ball bearing 2 can be suppressed to reduce the rotational resistance of the ball bearing 2. Further, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of foreign matter into the rolling element 23 of the ball bearing 2, the inner ring rolling surface 21a, and the outer ring rolling surface 22a.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the rolling bearing device 10B according to the third embodiment. In the first embodiment, the case where the rolling bearing on the low load side is the ball bearing 2 among the pair of rolling bearings constituting the rolling bearing device 10 has been described, but in the present embodiment, the rolling bearing on the low load side is described. The rolling bearing is a conical roller bearing 6. Hereinafter, the conical roller bearing 3 on the high load side is referred to as a first conical roller bearing 3, and the conical roller bearing 6 on the low load side is referred to as a second conical roller bearing 6.

The second conical roller bearing 6 includes an inner ring 61 and an outer ring 62, a conical roller 63 as a plurality of rolling elements, and a cage 64 for holding the plurality of conical rollers 63. The inner ring 61 is formed with an inner ring rolling surface 61a on which the conical roller 63 rolls, and the outer ring 62 is formed with an outer ring rolling surface 62a on which the conical roller 63 rolls. Further, the inner ring 61 is provided with a brim 611 to which the large end surface 63a of the conical roller 63 abuts.

The outer ring 62 is formed with a notch 620 on the inner peripheral surface of the supply oil passage 17c on the opening 170 side of the outer ring rolling surface 62a, and one end of the restraining member 5 in the axial direction is press-fitted into the notch 620. It is matched. The restraining member 5 is provided with a groove 50 and a weir portion 51 as in the first embodiment, and the entire opening 170 faces the outer peripheral surface 5a of the restraining member 5.

Similar to the first embodiment, the amount of lubricating oil flowing between the inner ring 61 and the outer ring 62 of the second conical roller bearing 6 can be suppressed by the third embodiment as well. While supplying sufficient lubricating oil to the first conical roller bearing 3, the amount of lubricating oil supplied to the second conical roller bearing 6 can be suppressed to reduce the rotational resistance of the conical roller bearing 6. .. Further, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of foreign matter into the conical roller 63 of the conical roller bearing 6, the inner ring rolling surface 61a, and the outer ring rolling surface 62a.

(Additional note)
Although the present invention has been described above based on the first to third embodiments, these embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. It should also be noted that not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

Further, the present invention can be carried out by omitting a part of the configuration or adding or replacing the configuration and appropriately modifying the configuration without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the rolling bearing according to the present invention. Can also be used for various purposes such as vehicle transmissions and transfers, or industrial machinery.

10, 10A, 10B ... Bearing device 11 ... Pinion gear shaft (shaft member)
17 ... Differential carrier (housing) 170 ... Opening 17c ... Supply oil passage 2 ... Ball bearing (rolling bearing)
21 ... Inner ring 22 ... Outer ring 23 ... Rolling element 3 ... Conical roller bearing (other rolling bearing)
5 ... Suppressing member 50 ... Groove 6 ... Conical roller bearing (other rolling bearing) 61 ... Inner ring 62 ... Outer ring 63 ... Conical roller (rolling element)
O ... Rotation axis

Claims (5)

A rolling bearing in which a plurality of rolling elements are arranged between an inner ring and an outer ring, a housing in which the outer ring is attached and an oil passage for supplying lubricating oil to the rolling bearing is formed, and the outer ring or the housing. A rolling bearing that is attached and includes a restraining member that suppresses the amount of lubricating oil introduced between the inner ring and the outer ring, and rotatably supports a shaft-shaped member inserted through the inner ring with respect to the housing. It ’s a device,
The restraining member faces at least a part of the opening of the supply oil passage along a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the shaft-shaped member.
Rolling bearing device. The restraining member has a cylindrical shape, and a groove extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof.
The rolling bearing device according to claim 1. The groove is a spiral groove twisted so that when the shaft-shaped member rotates in the main rotation direction, the lubricating oil that rotates in the rotation direction flows in a direction away from the rolling bearing.
The rolling bearing device according to claim 2. Along with the rolling bearing, another rolling bearing that is juxtaposed with the rolling bearing and supports the shaft-shaped member is further provided.
The amount of lubricating oil supplied from the supply oil passage to the rolling bearing is adjusted to be smaller than the amount of lubricating oil supplied to the other rolling bearings.
The rolling bearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The rolling bearing is an angular contact ball bearing.
The other rolling bearing is a conical roller bearing.
The rolling bearing device according to claim 4.

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