Systems and methods for preloading a bearing and aligning a lock nut

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10493605-B2
Application number	US-201815885988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2016
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a load on a bearing mounted to a shaft includes an attaching member releasably connectable to the shaft. A press mechanism is coupled to the attaching member and is configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing. An optical sending unit is configured to output a high intensity light to allow a user to locate a shaft slot of the shaft to align the press mechanism relative to the shaft when the attaching member connects to the shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for use in providing a bad on a bearing mounted to a shaft, the method comprising:
mounting an attaching mechanism to an end of the shaft;
coupling a press mechanism to the attaching member, the press mechanism configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing;
directing each of a first high intensity light beam from a sending unit and a second high intensity light beam toward the shaft; and
aligning a first circumferential side of a shaft slot of the shaft with the first light beam and a second circumferential side of the shaft slot with the second light beam to align the press mechanism relative to the shaft.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending unit comprises a laser sending unit and the directing of the first high intensity light beam comprises the laser sending unit directing a laser beam toward the shaft.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the directing the second high intensity light beam comprises directing the second high intensity light beam from a second sending unit toward the shaft.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising directing a third high intensity light beam from a third sending unit toward the shaft and directing a fourth high intensity light beam from a fourth sending unit toward the shaft.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising selectively rotating a nut relative to the third light beam and/or the fourth light beam to align an indicating portion of the nut relative to the third light beam or the fourth light beam.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the indicating portion of the nut corresponds to a root of a plurality of roots of a plurality of engaging teeth of the nut.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising a controller locating the shaft slot of the shaft based on the directing and an optical receiver receiving a reflection of the light, and the controller aligning the press mechanism relative to the shaft based on the locating of the shaft slot.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the controller locating the shaft slot comprises the controller locating the shaft slot based on a comparison of a first location of the sending unit, a second location of the optical receiver and information received by the receiving unit relative to the reflection.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising a controller causing a second optical sending unit to direct a light beam toward a nut on the shaft, an optical receiver receiving a reflection of the light, and the controller controlling a wrench to rotate the nut on the shaft to align an indicating portion of the nut with the light.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a compressive load to the bearings by a plurality of extensions of the press mechanism by engaging the extensions with an inner race of the bearing.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising engaging a lock nut with the shaft and rotating the lock nut to a particular position by a wrench controlled by a controller to achieve a desired preload on the bearing.

Assignees

• Temper Axle Products Corp

Inventors

• Rode John E
• Strait Sean E

Classifications

• F16C2226/80

  with splines, serrations or similar profiles to prevent movement between joined parts · CPC title

• F16C2326/02

  Wheel hubs or castors · CPC title

• F16B39/12

  by means of locknuts · CPC title

• B25B27/062 Primary

  using screws · CPC title

• F16C43/04

  Assembling rolling-contact bearings · CPC title