Adaptor for inner bearing ring bore
AssigneeThe Torrington Company
InventorWalter P. Waskiewicz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tubular portion of the adaptor has a non-cylindrical outer surface to be received within an inner bearing ring bore and a non-cylindrical inner surface to receive a non-cylindrical shaft. Flanges are directed substantially radially outwardly from the tubular portion at the adaptor ends to engage the end surfaces of the inner bearing ring. Slots distributed along the perimeter of at least one adaptor end and extending longitudinally through the flange and part of the tubular portion form a plurality of retention fingers. The retention fingers may bend radially inwardly and outwardly to permit insertion into the inner bearing ring and to accommodate dimensional variation of the non-cylindrical bore and the non-cylindrical shaft.
Claims22
An adaptor for use with an inner bearing ring, the inner bearing ring having an axis, a non-cylindrical bore and first and second end surfaces, the adaptor comprising;
- a tubular portion having a non-cylindrical outer surface to be received within the inner bearing ring non-cylindrical bore and a non-cylindrical inner surface to receive a non-cylindrical shaft, and providing first and second adaptor ends;
- and
- flanges directed substantially radially outwardly from the tubular portion at the first and second adaptor ends to engage the first and second end surfaces of the inner bearing ring;
- the adaptor having slots distributed along the perimeter of at least one of the first and second adaptor ends and extending longitudinally through at least one flange and part of the tubular portion such that a plurality of retention fingers are formed;
- the adaptor being formed integrally of a resilient material such that the retention fingers may bend radially inwardly and outwardly to permit insertion into the inner bearing ring and to accommodate dimensional variation of the non-cylindrical bore and the non-cylindrical shaft.
A rolling element bearing assembly having an axis and comprising:
- an inner bearing ring having a non-cylindrical bore and first and second end surfaces;
- an outer bearing ring;
- rolling elements between the inner and outer bearing rings;
- and
- an adaptor formed of a resilient material and having a tubular portion with a non-cylindrical outer surface received within the inner bearing ring bore and a non-cylindrical inner surface to receive a non-cylindrical shaft, and providing first and second adaptor ends;
- the adaptor having flanges directed substantially radially outwardly from the tubular portion at the first and second adaptor ends and engaging the first and second end surfaces of the inner bearing ring;
- at least one of the first and second adaptor ends having slots extending longitudinally such that retention fingers are formed to facilitate insertion of the adaptor and to accommodate dimensional variation of the non-cylindrical bore and the non-cylindrical shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.