US 6,474,639 B1Granted

Snap fit bearing assembly

AssigneeXerox Corporation

InventorsRonald G. Borne, Carlie A. Cuff

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A snap fit bearing assembly is provided for supporting a rotatable shaft in a wall of a machine. The snap fit bearing assembly includes a support wall portion, of the machine, having a first surface, a wall thickness and a second and opposite surface; a central opening through the support wall portion; a bearing receiving recess formed from the first surface partially into the wall; plural receiving openings formed through the wall thickness and spaced from the central opening; a bearing device having an inner bore and an external surface for inserting into the bearing receiving recess; and an adjustable force applying spring clip for applying a desired normal force to the bearing device. The adjustable force applying spring clip includes a chest portion for contacting the bearing device; resilient shoulder portions bent towards a back surface of the chest portion and connected one to each of first and second edges of the chest portion; and first and second hand portions connected one to each of the first and second resilient shoulder portions, and bent forwardly from the first and second resilient shoulder portions for snapping into a first and a second receiving openings of the plural receiving openings through the wall thickness of the support wall portion.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft in a wall of a machine comprising:

a. a support wall portion of the wall of the machine, said support wall portion having a first surface, a wall thickness and a second and opposite surface;
b. a central opening through said support wall portion;
c. a bearing receiving recess formed from said first surface partially into said wall thickness of said support wall portion;
d. plural receiving openings formed through said wall thickness of said support wall portion and spaced from said central opening;
e. a bearing device for inserting into said bearing receiving recess, said bearing device having an inner bore and an external surface;
and
f. an adjustable force applying spring clip for applying a desired normal force to said bearing device when said bearing device is inserted into said receiving recess, said adjustable force applying spring clip including:
i. a chest portion for contacting said bearing device, said chest portion having a front surface and a back surface and first and second edges for contacting said bearing devices;
ii. resilient shoulder portions connected one to each of said first and second edges respectively, each said first and second shoulder portion being bent towards said back surface of said chest portion;
and
iii. first and second hand portions connected one to each of said first and second resilient shoulder portions, each said first and second hand portions being bent forwardly from said first and second resilient shoulder portions respectively for snapping into a first and a second receiving openings of said plural receiving opening through said wall thickness of said support wall portion.

8 more elements

An electrostatographic reproduction machine comprising:

(a) subsystems including a movable image bearing member, imaging devices, and at least a development apparatus, for forming and transferring a toner image onto a copy sheet;
(b) rotatable components within said subsystems for mounting and supporting rotatably in a bearing assembly;
and
(c) a bearing assembly for supporting each said rotatable component in a support wall portion of said machine, said bearing assembly including:
i. a support wall portion of the wall of the machine, said support wall portion having a first surface, a wall thickness and a second and opposite surface;
ii. a central opening through said support wall portion;
iii. a bearing receiving recess formed from said first surface partially into said wall thickness of said support wall portion;
iv. plural receiving openings formed through said wall thickness of said support wall portion and spaced from said central opening;
v. a bearing device for inserting into said bearing receiving recess, said bearing device having an inner bore and an external surface;
and
vi. an adjustable force applying spring clip for applying a desired normal force to said bearing device when said bearing device is inserted into said receiving recess, said adjustable force applying spring clip including:
a chest portion for contacting said bearing device, said chest portion having a front surface and a back surface and first and second edges for contacting said bearing devices;
resilient shoulder portions connected one to each of said first and second edges respectively, each said first and second shoulder portion being bent towards said back surface of said chest portion;
and
first and second hand portions connected one to each of said first and second resilient shoulder portions, each said first and second hand portions being bent forwardly from said first and second resilient shoulder portions respectively for snapping into a first and a second receiving openings of said plural receiving opening through said wall thickness of said support wall portion.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/972,644Filed 9 Oct 2001
Granted: 5 Nov 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G03G 15/757
Details relating to xerographic drum, band or plate, e.g. replacing, testing: drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears
B65H 27/00
Special constructions
F16C 33/08
Sliding surface mainly made of metal: attachment of brasses, bushes or linings to the bearing housing
F16C 41/008
Other accessories, e.g. devices integrated in the bearing not relating to the bearing function as such: identification means, e.g. markings,…