Axial rolling bearing unit with rolling bodies, which are arranged between annular axial bearing washers, in the form of a self-fixing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12577985-B2
Application number	US-202218683268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2022
Priority date	Sep 9, 2021
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

An axial rolling bearing unit includes a first annular axial bearing washer, a second annular axial bearing washer, a bearing cage, and rolling elements arranged between the first annular axial bearing washer and the second annular axial bearing washer. The bearing cage includes an inner radial edge rim extending in an axial direction to radially guide the rolling elements, and an outer radial edge rim extending in the axial direction to radially guide the rolling elements. The inner radial edge rim or the outer radial edge rim includes an end-side bend extending in an opposite axial direction as a double-rim design, and the end-side bend has a first distal end section that holds the first annular axial bearing washer in a form-fitting manner. The other one of the inner radial edge rim or the outer radial edge rim holds the second annular axial bearing washer in a form-fitting manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An axial rolling bearing unit comprising:
a plurality of rolling elements which are arranged between a first annular axial bearing washer and a second annular axial bearing washer and which are guided by a bearing cage formed from a sheet metal material, the bearing cage having a first edge rim and a second edge rim extending in an axial direction to radially guide the plurality of rolling elements, wherein the first edge rim includes an end-side bend on one side thereof that includes a first planar section and a second planar section that are folded relative to one another to form a double rim having a folded portion, wherein a distal end section of the first edge rim is positioned opposite to the folded portion to hold the first annular axial bearing washer in a form-fitting manner, and the second edge rim of the bearing cage lies opposite to the double rim to hold the second annular axial bearing washer in a form-fitting manner, and wherein the distal end section includes a first angled rim border configured to engage and retain a first edge bevel of the first annular axial bearing washer and the second edge rim includes a second angled rim border configured to engage and retain a second edge bevel of the second annular axial bearing washer to create a self-retaining structural unit.

2 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first edge rim that is configured as the double rim is arranged radially inwards and the second edge rim is arranged radially outwards of the bearing cage.

3 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second edge rim of the bearing cage further comprises a distal end section that includes the second angled rim border configured for holding the second annular axial bearing washer in the form-fitting manner.

4 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 3 , wherein the first angled rim border at least partially surrounds the first annular axial bearing washer and the second angled rim border at least partially surrounds the second annular axial bearing washer, respectively.

5 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the distal end section of the first edge rim and the second edge rim, respectively, is wall-ironed by a forming technology to facilitate bending.

6 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first annular axial bearing washer and the second annular axial bearing washer are identical.

7 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first annular axial bearing washer and the distal end section of the first edge rim define a movement gap of 0.1 to 0.4 millimeters.

8 . The axial rolling bearing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first annular axial bearing washer and the second annular axial bearing washer are also produced by a forming technology from a sheet metal material as stamped and embossed parts.

9 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 1 , wherein the first angled rim border extends towards the plurality of rolling elements to engage the first edge bevel of the first annular axial bearing washer.

10 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 9 , wherein the second angled rim border extends inwardly towards the plurality of rolling elements to engage the second edge bevel of the second annular axial bearing washer.

11 . An axial rolling bearing unit comprising:
a first annular axial bearing washer; a second annular axial bearing washer; a bearing cage; and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the first annular axial bearing washer and the second annular axial bearing washer; wherein:
the bearing cage comprises:
a first radial edge rim extending in an axial direction to radially guide the rolling elements; and
a second radial edge rim extending in the axial direction to radially guide the plurality of rolling elements;

the first radial edge rim comprises an end-side bend that includes a first planar section and a second planar section that are folded relative to one another to form a double-rim design having a folded portion;
the end-side bend comprises a first distal end section positioned opposite to the folded portion that holds the first annular axial bearing washer in a form-fitting manner; and
the second radial edge rim holds the second annular axial bearing washer in a form-fitting manner; and
the first distal end section includes a first angled rim border configured to engage and retain a first edge bevel of the first annular axial bearing washer and the second radial edge rim includes a second angled rim border configured to engage and retain a second edge bevel of the second annular axial bearing washer to provide a self-retaining structural unit.

12 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 11 , wherein the first radial edge rim is an inner radial edge rim.

13 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 11 , wherein the second radial edge rim further comprises a second distal end section that includes the second angled rim border that holds the second annular axial bearing washer in the form-fitting manner.

14 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 13 , wherein:
the first angled rim border at least partially surrounds the first annular axial bearing washer; and the second angled rim border at least partially surrounds the second annular axial bearing washer.

15 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 14 , wherein:
the first distal end section is wall-ironed by a forming technology to facilitate bending; or the second distal end section is wall-ironed by the forming technology to facilitate bending.

16 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 11 , wherein the first annular axial bearing washer and the second annular axial bearing washer are identical parts.

17 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 11 , wherein the first angled rim border extends towards the plurality of rolling elements to engage the first edge bevel of the first annular axial bearing washer.

18 . The axial rolling bearing unit of claim 17 , wherein the second angled rim border extends inwardly towards the plurality of rolling elements to engage the second edge bevel of the second annular axial bearing washer.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Fugel Wolfgang
• Kirschner Andreas
• Schoenstein Frank

Classifications

• F16C19/305

  consisting of rollers held in a cage · CPC title

• F16C33/546

  with a M- or W-shaped cross section · CPC title

• F16C33/4605 Primary

  Details of interaction of cage and race, e.g. retention or centring · CPC title