Preloaded shaft assembly
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorDaniel Wuerdinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shaft assembly is disclosed herein. The assembly includes a shaft, an outer housing, a bearing assembly, and a preload spring. The bearing assembly includes an inner ring mounted on the shaft and defining an inner raceway. An outer ring defines an outer raceway and an annular groove, and the outer ring is arranged within the outer housing. A plurality of rolling elements are arranged between the inner raceway and the outer raceway. The preload spring includes: a washer body positioned within the annular groove of the outer ring, and a flange extending axially from the washer body and contacting the outer housing.
Claims23
(canceled)
The bearing ring-preload spring assembly of claim 14, wherein the flange has a curved profile and includes a medial portion that is configured to directly contact an outer housing and a terminal portion that directly contacts the at least one bearing ring.
The bearing ring-preload spring assembly of claim 14, wherein the flange has a varying thickness.
The shaft assembly bearing ring-preload spring assembly of claim 14, wherein a terminal portion of the flange has a smaller thickness than a medial portion of the flange.
The bearing ring-preload spring assembly of claim 14, wherein a terminal portion of the flange is positioned radially inward relative to a radially outer surface of the at least one bearing ring in an installed state.
-9. (canceled)
The bearing ring-preload spring assembly of claim 14, wherein the preload spring is formed from steel.
-12. (canceled)
The bearing ring-preload spring assembly of claim 19, wherein the washer body and the flange are formed integrally with each other such that the preload spring is a unitary component.
A bearing ring-preload spring assembly comprising:
- at least one bearing ring including a raceway configured to support rolling elements, and an annular groove;
- and
- a preload spring including a washer body dimensioned to be received within the annular groove, and a flange extending axially from the washer body and configured to contact an outer housing, wherein the washer body and the flange are formed integrally with each other such that the preload spring is a unitary component.
(canceled)
A bearing ring-preload spring assembly comprising:
- at least one bearing ring including a raceway configured to support rolling elements, and an annular groove;
- and
- a preload spring including a washer body dimensioned to be received within the annular groove, and a flange extending axially from the washer body and configured to contact an outer housing, wherein the preload spring is formed from steel.
A bearing ring-preload spring assembly comprising:
- at least one bearing ring including a raceway configured to support rolling elements, and an annular groove;
- and
- a preload spring including a washer body dimensioned to be received within the annular groove, and a flange extending axially from the washer body and configured to contact an outer housing, wherein a terminal portion of the flange is positioned radially inward from a radially outer surface of the at least one bearing ring in an installed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.