Preloaded bearing arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020200214-A1
Application number	US-201916657667-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of making a preloaded bearing arrangement and a preloaded bearing arrangement are provided. The method comprises the steps of placing a bearing around a shaft and then placing a frustoconical disc spring around the shaft such that a portion of the disc spring abuts the bearing. A deformable cup is placed around the shaft, and an annular section of the deformable cup is spaced apart from the frustoconical disc spring and the cup is held at a fixed position along the shaft. A split shim is inserted between the annular section of the deformable cup and the disc spring to apply a preload to the disc spring. The deformable cup is then deformed such that a sidewall of the deformable cup extends around the split shim to hold the split shim in place relative to the shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of making a preloaded bearing arrangement, the method comprising the steps of
placing a bearing around a shaft having an axis (X); placing a frustoconical disc spring around the shaft such that a portion of the disc spring abuts the bearing; placing a deformable cup around the shaft, wherein an annular section of the deformable cup is spaced apart from the frustoconical disc spring and is held at a fixed position along the axis X of the shaft; inserting a split shim between the annular section of the deformable cup and the disc spring to apply a preload to the disc spring; and deforming the deformable cup such that a sidewall of the deformable cup extends around the split shim to hold the split shim in place relative to the shaft.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of inserting a split shim, if the preload of the disc spring is determined to be too high, the method further comprises
removing the split shim;
grinding down the split shim; and
reinserting the ground split shim between the deformable cup and the disc spring, before the step of deforming the deformable cup.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deformable cup, before the step of deforming the deformable cup, comprises the annular section having an aperture, and a frustoconical section radially outwardly from the annular section, and the sidewall extending from the frustoconical section.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of deforming the deformable cup comprises pressing on the sidewall and/or the frustoconical section to deform the frustoconical section into a generally annular shape.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the annular section of the deformable cup is held at a fixed position along the axis X of the shaft by a sleeve and a retaining ring.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
placing the preloaded bearing arrangement comprising the bearing, the rod, the disc spring, the split shim, and the deformable cup into an aperture of a wall such that an end section of the shaft extends through the wall and, securing the preloaded bearing arrangement to the wall with a mounting means, wherein a portion of the shaft extends through the mounting means.

7 . A preloaded bearing arrangement comprising:
a shaft having an axis (X); a bearing positioned circumferentially around the shaft; a frustoconical disc spring having a first side surface and an opposite, second side surface and being positioned circumferentially around the shaft, wherein a first surface of the disc spring abuts the bearing; a split shim positioned circumferentially around the shaft and in abutment with said second surface of the disc spring; and a deformable cup positioned circumferentially around the shaft and having a sidewall extending around the split shim; wherein an annular portion of the deformable cup is at an axially fixed position along the shaft; and wherein the disc spring has a preload.

8 . The preloaded bearing arrangement of claim 7 , further comprising a sleeve and a retaining ring, wherein the annular portion of the deformable cup is fixed in position relative to the rod by the sleeve and a retaining ring.

9 . The preloaded bearing arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the deformable cup is made from a deformable material such that, during construction of the preloaded bearing arrangement, the deformable cup may be plastically deformed from a shape in which the sidewall does not extend around the split shim to a shape in which the sidewall extends around the split shim

10 . The preloaded bearing arrangement of claim 9 wherein the deformable material is steel.

11 . The preloaded bearing arrangement of claim 10 wherein the deformable material is S130 steel.

12 . A gearbox comprising
a housing having a wall; and the preloaded bearing arrangement of any of claim 7 , wherein the shaft of the preloaded bearing arrangement extends through the wall; wherein a first end of the shaft is configured to receive a first rod that is provided with teeth at one end and wherein the first rod is configured to mesh with a toothed component located within the housing of the gearbox.

13 . The gearbox of claim 12 wherein a second end of the shaft, opposite the first end, is configured to receive a second rod.

14 . The gearbox of claim 13 wherein the second shaft is a driveshaft.

15 . A kit of parts for making the preloaded bearing arrangement of any of claim 7 , the kit comprising:
a shaft; a bearing; a frustoconical disc spring; a split shim; a deformable cup; wherein the deformable cup comprises an annular portion, a frustoconical portion radially outward from the annular portion, and a sidewall extending from the frustoconical portion.

Assignees

• Goodrich Actuation Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Kracke Jeremy
• Timms Mark

Classifications

• F16C23/02

  Sliding-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16C19/54 Primary

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

• F16C43/04

  Assembling rolling-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16C25/08 Primary

  self-adjusting · CPC title

• F16C19/18

  with two or more rows of balls · CPC title