Cam follower with multiple rows of independently operating bearings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697493-B2
Application number	US-201916276492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2019
Priority date	Feb 15, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A roller assembly includes two outer rings rotatably mounted on a shaft by a respective set of rollers positioned between the shaft and each of the respective one of the outer rings. The shaft has a head flange on one end thereof and a groove formed therein at a distance from the head flange. A retainer ring is positioned in the groove and another retainer ring is secured to the shaft at a distance from the groove. The retaining ring is configured to space the two outer rings apart from one another so that the two outer rings are operable and rotatable independent from one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roller assembly for a cam follower, the roller assembly comprising:
a first outer ring having a first interior area, the first interior area being defined by a first inner surface extending between a first axial end and a second axial end of the first outer ring, the first inner surface having a first radially inward facing bearing surface extending between a first radially inwardly extending flange and a second radially inwardly extending flange, the first radially inwardly extending flange has a first axially inward facing abutment surface and the second radially inwardly extending flange has a second axially inward facing abutment surface;
a second outer ring having a second interior area, the second interior area being defined by a second inner surface extending between a third axial end and a fourth axial end of the second outer ring, the second inner surface having a second radially inward facing bearing surface extending between a third radially inwardly extending flange and a fourth radially inwardly extending flange, the third radially inwardly extending flange having a third axially inward facing abutment surface and the fourth radially inwardly extending flange having a fourth axially inward facing abutment surface;
a one piece shaft extending into the first interior area and the second interior area, the shaft extending continuously between a terminal axial end and a mounting axial end of the shaft, the shaft having a head flange extending radially outward from the shaft proximate the terminal axial end, the head flange having a fifth axially inward facing abutment surface, and the shaft having an exterior bearing surface extending between the fifth axially inward facing abutment surface and a circumferentially extending retainer receiving surface, the retainer receiving surface being located between the terminal axial end and the mounting axial end and the shaft has a circumferential groove extending around the shaft, the groove being located between the terminal axial end and the retainer receiving surface;
a first row of a plurality of first rollers positioned in the first interior area between and in rolling engagement with the exterior bearing surface- and the first radially inward facing bearing surface and disposed between the first axially inward facing abutment surface and the second axially inward facing abutment surface of the first outer ring;
a second row of a plurality of second rollers positioned in the second interior area between and in rolling engagement with the exterior bearing surface and the second radially inward facing bearing surface and disposed between the third axially inward facing abutment surface and the fourth axially inward facing abutment surface;
a first retainer ring disposed in the groove, a portion of the first retainer ring extending radially outward from the groove;
a washer secured to the retainer receiving surface;
a first spacer ring disposed around and engaging the exterior bearing surface, the first spacer ring being positioned between the first row of the plurality of first rollers and the first retainer ring;
a second spacer ring disposed around and engaging the exterior bearing surface, the second spacer ring being positioned between the second row of the plurality of second rollers and the first retainer ring;
the first outer ring being axially retained on the first row of the plurality of first rollers;
the first row of the plurality of first rollers and the first spacer; being axially retained on the shaft between the head flange and the first retainer ring;
the second outer ring being axially retained on the second row of the plurality of second rollers;
the second row of the plurality of second rollers and the second spacer; being axially retained on the shaft between the first retainer ring and the washer,
wherein at least one of the first spacer ring, the second spacer ring and the first retainer ring being configured to axially space the first row of the plurality of first rollers from the second row of the plurality of second rollers, and
the first outer ring being spaced apart from the second outer ring a predetermined axial distance that allows the first outer ring and the second outer ring to rotate independent of one another.

2. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first inner surface further comprises a seal receiving pocket formed between the first radially inwardly extending flange and the first axial end;
an annular seal positioned in and seated in the seal receiving pocket, a portion of the annular seal slidingly and sealingly engaging a portion of the head flange.

3. The roller assembly of claim 2 , wherein the annular seal comprises an elastomeric material.

4. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first inner surface further comprises a seal receiving pocket formed between the second radially inwardly extending flange and the second axial end;
an annular seal positioned in and seated in the seal receiving pocket, a portion of the annular seal slidingly and sealingly engaging a portion of the first spacer ring.

5. The roller assembly of claim 4 , wherein the annular seal comprises an elastomeric material.

6. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the second inner surface further comprises a seal receiving pocket formed between the third radially inwardly extending flange and the third axial end;
an annular seal positioned in and seated in the seal receiving pocket, a portion of the annular seal slidingly and sealingly engaging a portion of the washer.

7. The roller assembly of claim 6 , wherein the annular seal comprises an elastomeric material.

8. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the second inner surface further comprises a seal receiving pocket formed between the fourth radially inwardly extending flange and the fourth axial end;
an annular seal positioned in and seated in the seal receiving pocket, a portion of the annular seal slidingly and sealingly engaging a portion of the second spacer ring.

9. The roller assembly of claim 8 , wherein the annular seal comprises an elastomeric material.

10. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a carbon steel.

11. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the shaft has a carburized case hardened case depth of 0.76 to 1.02 millimeters.

12. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft has a surface hardness of 59 to 62 Rockwell C scale.

13. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft has a core hardness of 30 to 35 Rockwell C scale.

14. The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft extends outwardly from at least one of the first axial end and the second axial end.

15. A roller assembly for a cam follower, the roller assembly comprising:
a first outer ring having a first interior area, the first interior area being defined by a first inner surface extending between a first axial end and a second axial end of the first outer ring, the first inner surface having a first radially inward facing bearing surface extending between a first radially inwardly extending flange and a second radially inwardly extending flange, the first radially inwardly extending flange has a first axially inward facing abutment surface and the second radially inwardly extending flange has a second axially inward facing abutment surface;
a second outer ring having a second interior area, the second interior area being defined by a second inner surface extending between a third axial end and a fourth axial end of the second outer ring, the second inner surface having a second radially inward facing bear

Assignees

• Roller Bearing Co America Inc

Inventors

• Malychok Roman
• Malychok Lyudmyla

Classifications

• F16H53/06

  Cam-followers (F16H53/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16C33/7856

  with a single sealing lip · CPC title

• F16C13/006

  Guiding rollers, wheels or the like, formed by or on the outer element of a single bearing or bearing unit, e.g. two adjacent bearings, whose ratio of length to diameter is generally less than one · CPC title

• F16C13/022 Primary

  supporting a hollow roll mantle rotating with respect to a yoke or axle · CPC title

• F16C19/54 Primary

  Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction (spindle bearings F16C35/08) · CPC title