Radial bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46845-E
Application number	US-201615345891-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Nov 8, 2016
Priority date	Oct 13, 2005
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A radial bearing ( 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d), especially a roller bearing ( 9 ) comprising an outer part ( 3 ) opposite an inner part ( 6 ), which rotate relative to each other about a common longitudinal axis ( 5 ) is provided, wherein the radial bearing ( 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d) includes a bearing seat ( 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d), which is formed in the outer part ( 3 ) or on the inner part ( 6 ) and which is generally stationary relative to a radial load ( 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 10 d) acting on the bearing seat ( 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d) in a load zone ( 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d). The bearing seat ( 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d) features a variable width over its extent in a direction of the longitudinal axis ( 5 ), such that, starting from the load zone ( 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d), the bearing seat ( 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d) is significantly narrowed outside of the load zone ( 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Radial bearing comprising an outer part opposite an inner part, the outer part and the inner part are rotatable relative to each other about a common longitudinal axis, the bearing comprises a bearing seat having a circumference, which is formed in the outer part or on the inner part and which is generally stationary relative to a radial load acting on the bearing seat in a load zone, the bearing seat has a load carrying width that varies in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis about the circumference of the bearing seat, such that, starting from the load zone, the bearing seat has a first load carrying width and outside of the load zone the bearing seat has a second width that is narrower than the first load carrying width, whereby a mass and weight of the bearing seat are reduced outside of the load zone:
(i) wherein the outer part comprises a housing, the inner part comprises a shaft mounted in the housing, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed in the housing, and the radial load is generally stationary relative to the housing; or
(ii) wherein the outer part comprises a hub, the inner part comprises an axle bolt supporting the hub, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed in the hub, and the radial load rotates with the hub; or
(iii) wherein the outer part comprises a hub, the inner part comprises an axle bolt supporting the hub, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed on the axle bolt, and the radial load is generally stationary relative to the axle bolt.

2. Radial bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the outer part comprises a housing, the inner part comprises a shaft mounted in the housing, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed on the shaft, and the radial load rotates with the shaft.

3. Radial bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the outer part comprises a housing, the inner part comprises shaft mounted in the housing, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed in the housing, and the radial load is generally stationary relative to the housing.

4. Radial bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the outer part comprises a hub, the inner part comprises an axle bolt supporting the hub, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed in the hub, and the radial load rotates with the hub.

5. Radial bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the outer part comprises a hub, the inner part comprises an axle bolt supporting the hub, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed on the axle bolt, and the radial load is generally stationary relative to the axle bolt.

6. Radial bearing according to claim 2 , wherein the shaft comprises an unbalanced weight shaft, having comprising an unbalanced weight shaft mounted in a housing, the unbalanced weight shaft and the housing are rotatable relative to each other about a common longitudinal axis, the bearing comprises a bearing seat having a circumference, which is formed on the unbalanced weight shaft and which is generally stationary relative to a radial load rotating with the unbalanced weight shaft and acting on the bearing seat in a load zone, the bearing seat has a load carrying width that varies in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis about the circumference of the bearing seat, such that, starting from the load zone, the bearing seat has a first load carrying width and outside of the load zone the bearing seat has a second width that is narrower than the first load carrying width, whereby a mass and weight of the bearing seat are reduced outside of the load zone, wherein the unbalanced weight shaft has a center of mass arranged eccentric to the longitudinal axis due to one or more recesses on an outer periphery of the unbalanced weight shaft, and the recesses extend partially or completely on an other side of the longitudinal axis of the unbalanced weight shaft relative to the center of mass of the unbalanced weight shaft and are directly adjacent to the bearing seat of variable width, wherein the radial bearing comprises a needle bearing without an inner ring on the bearing seat of variable width.

7. Radial bearing according to claim 6 , wherein the unbalanced weight shaft is located in a device for balancing mass forces and/or mass moments of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with a crankshaft arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the unbalanced weight shaft and at least indirectly driving the unbalanced weight shaft for the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine.

8. Radial bearing according to claim 7 , wherein the device includes two of the unbalanced weight shafts rotating in opposite directions at twice a crankshaft rotational speed.

9. Radial bearing according to claim 6 , wherein the radial bearing comprises a needle bearing on the unbalanced weight shaft.

10. Radial bearing according to claim 9 6, wherein a width of the needle bearing generally corresponds to a maximum width of the bearing seat of variable width allocated to the needle bearing, and a minimum width of the bearing seat is smaller than a length of needles of the needle bearing, and for lubricating the needle bearing, only an unpressurized lubricant spray is provided.

11. Radial bearing according to claim 9 6, wherein the needle bearing is a needle sleeve formed without an inner ring.

12. Radial bearing according to claim 1 , comprising an outer part opposite an inner part, the outer part and the inner part are rotatable relative to each other about a common longitudinal axis, the bearing comprises a bearing seat having a circumference, which is formed in the outer part or on the inner part and which is generally stationary relative to a radial load acting on the bearing seat in a load zone, the bearing seat has a load carrying width that varies in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis about the circumference of the bearing seat, such that, starting from the load zone, the bearing seat has a first load carrying width and outside of the load zone the bearing seat has a second width that is narrower than the first load carrying width, whereby a mass and weight of the bearing seat are reduced outside of the load zone, wherein the bearing comprises a roller bearing and the width of on the bearing seat of variable width which narrows to zero outside of the load zone.

13. Radial bearing according to claim 12 , wherein the outer part comprises a housing, the inner part comprises a shaft mounted in the housing, and the bearing seat of variable width is formed on the shaft, and the radial load rotates with the shaft.

14. Radial bearing according to claim 13 , wherein the shaft comprises is an unbalanced weight shaft, having a center of mass arranged eccentric to the longitudinal axis due to one or more recesses on an outer periphery of the unbalanced weight shaft, and the recesses extend partially or completely on an other side of the longitudinal axis of the unbalanced weight shaft relative to the center of mass of the unbalanced weight shaft and are directly adjacent to the bearing seat of variable width.

15. Radial bearing according to claim 14 , wherein the unbalanced weight shaft is located in a device for balancing mass forces and/or mass moments of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with a crankshaft arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the unbalanced weight shaft and at least indirectly driving the unbalanced weight shaft for the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine.

16. Radial bearing according to claim 15 , wherein the device includes two of the unbalanced weight shafts rotating in opposite directions at twice a crankshaft rotatio

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Tisch Siegfried
• Solfrank Peter

Classifications

• F16C17/02 Primary

  for radial load only · CPC title

• F16C19/06

  with a single row or balls · CPC title

• F16F15/267

  characterised by bearing support of balancer shafts; Lubrication arrangements · CPC title

• F16C2361/53

  Spring-damper, e.g. gas springs · CPC title

• F16C33/585

  of raceways, e.g. ribs to guide the rollers · CPC title