Bearing device having at least one kingpin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533708-B2
Application number	US-201314407629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2013
Priority date	Jun 18, 2012
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A bearing device includes at least one kingpin, a carrier unit, a first bearing unit, and a second bearing unit. The first and second bearing units rotatably support the carrier unit relative to the kingpin. The first bearing unit includes an angular contact sliding bearing that includes a first bearing element, a second bearing element and a third bearing element, the first and second bearing elements being movable relative to each other during at least one operating process, and the third bearing element being disposed between the first bearing element and the second bearing element. During the operating process the third bearing element slides on the first and/or second bearing element, and the third bearing element is formed at least partially from a polymer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing device
comprising: at least one kingpin;
a carrier unit;
a first bearing unit; and
a second bearing unit,
wherein the first bearing unit and the second bearing unit rotatably support the carrier unit relative to the kingpin,
wherein the first bearing unit comprises an angular contact sliding bearing,
wherein the first bearing unit includes a first bearing element, a second bearing element having a first circumference at a top-most portion smaller than a second circumference at a bottom-most portion, and a third bearing element, the first bearing element and the second bearing element being movable relative to each other during at least one operating process, and the third bearing element being disposed between the first bearing element and the second bearing element,
wherein during the operating process the third bearing element slides on the first bearing element or slides on the second bearing element or slides on both the first bearing element and on the second bearing element, and
wherein the third bearing element is formed at least partially from a polymer.

2. The bearing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second bearing unit comprises a tapered roller bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, and
wherein the bearing device includes an axle attached to the kingpin and a structural element disposed between the inner ring of the second bearing unit and the axle, which structural element in an operating state transmits forces from the inner ring to the axle.

3. The bearing device according to claim 2 , including a seal unit including two seal lips, the seal unit including a lubricant between the two seal lips.

4. The bearing device according to claim 2 , wherein the first bearing unit is preloaded against the second bearing unit.

5. An Ackerman steering system including a bearing device according to claim 2 .

6. A vehicle including an Ackerman steering system according to claim 5 .

7. The bearing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first bearing element has a first bearing surf ace configured as a part of an inner surface of a hollow hemisphere and the second bearing element has a second bearing surface configured as a part of an outer surface of a sphere.

8. The bearing device according to claim 7 , wherein the second bearing unit comprises a tapered roller bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, and
wherein the bearing device includes an axle attached to the kingpin and a structural element disposed between the inner ring of the second bearing unit and the axle, which structural element in an operating state transmits forces from the inner ring to the axle.

9. A bearing device comprising: at least one kingpin;
a carrier unit;
a first bearing unit; and
a second bearing unit,
wherein the first bearing unit and the second bearing unit rotatably support the carrier unit relative to the kingpin,
wherein the first bearing unit comprises an angular contact sliding bearing including at least one bearing element having a first circumference at a top-most portion smaller than a second circumference at a bottom-most portion and the second bearing unit comprises a tapered roller bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, and
wherein the bearing device includes an axle attached to the kingpin and a structural element disposed between the inner ring of the second bearing unit and the axle, which structural element in an operating state transmits forces from the inner ring to the axle.

10. The bearing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first bearing unit includes a first bearing element, a second bearing element and a third bearing element, the first bearing element and the second bearing element being movable relative to each other during at least one operating process, and the third bearing element being disposed between the first bearing element and the second bearing element,
wherein during the operating process the third bearing element slides on the first bearing element or slides on the second bearing element or slides on both the first bearing element and on the second bearing element, and
wherein the third bearing element is formed at least partially from a polymer.

11. The bearing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first bearing unit includes a first bearing element having a first bearing surf ace configured as a part of an inner surface of a hollow hemisphere and a second bearing element having a second bearing surf ace configured as a part of an outer surface of a sphere.

12. The bearing device according to claim 11 , wherein the first bearing unit includes a third bearing element, the first bearing element and the second bearing element being movable relative to each other during at least one operating process, and the third bearing element being disposed between the first bearing element and the second bearing element,
wherein during the operating process the third bearing element slides on the first bearing element or slides on the second bearing element or slides on both the first bearing element and on the second bearing element, and
wherein the third bearing element is formed at least partially from a polymer.

13. The bearing device according to claim 9 , including a seal unit including two seal lips, the seal unit including a lubricant between the two seal lips.

14. The bearing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first bearing unit is preloaded against the second bearing unit.

15. An Ackerman steering system including a bearing device according to claim 9 .

16. A bearing device
comprising: at least one kingpin;
a carrier unit;
a first bearing unit; and
a second bearing unit,
wherein the first bearing unit and the second bearing unit rotatably support the carrier unit relative to the kingpin,
wherein the first bearing unit having a first circumference at a top-most portion smaller than a second circumference at a bottom-most portion, the comprises an angular contact sliding bearing including a first bearing element having a first bearing surface configured as a part of an inner surface of a hollow hemisphere and a second bearing element having a first circumference at a top-most portion smaller than a second circumference at a bottom-most portion and having a second bearing surface configured as a part of an outer surface of a sphere.

17. The bearing device according to claim 16 , wherein the first bearing unit includes a third bearing element, the first bearing element and the second bearing element being movable relative to each other during at least one operating process, and the third bearing element being disposed between the first bearing element and the second bearing element,
wherein during the operating process the third bearing element slides on the first bearing element or slides on the second bearing element or slides on both the first bearing element and on the second bearing element, and
wherein the third bearing element is formed at least partially from a polymer.

18. The bearing device according to claim 16 , wherein the second bearing unit comprises a tapered roller bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, and
wherein the bearing device includes an axle attached to the kingpin and a structural element disposed between the inner ring of the second bearing unit and the axle, which structural element in an operating state transmits forces from the inner ring to the axle.

19. The bearing device according to claim 18 , wherein the first bearing unit includes a third bearing element

Assignees

• Cao Allen
• Hahn Josef
• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Cao Allen
• Hahn Josef

Classifications

• F16C17/18

  with floating brasses or brushing, rotatable at a reduced speed {(F16C17/03, F16C17/06 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F16C11/045

  with at least a pair of arms pivoting relatively to at least one other arm, all arms being mounted on one pin (crank-pins F16C11/02) · CPC title

• F16C21/00

  Combinations of sliding-contact bearings with ball or roller bearings, for exclusively rotary movement (F16C17/24, F16C19/52 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16C19/364

  with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone · CPC title

• F16C17/10

  for both radial and axial load · CPC title