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US 8,012,053 B2Granted
Combination dust cover and bearing retention member
AssigneeDayco Products, Inc.
InventorEthan L. Filip
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotatable device, such as a pulley, includes an annular rotatable member having a bore extending therethrough and an outer surface disposed about the bore. A bearing is located in the bore. The bearing is operably connected to the annular rotatable member to form an axis of rotation about which the annular rotatable member can rotate relative to an inner race of the bearing. A combination dust cover and bearing retaining member spans the bore at a location spaced axially from the bearing. The cover includes a flange received by a groove extending outwardly from the bore in a direction toward the outer surface of the rotatable member to attach the combination dust cover and bearing retaining member to the rotatable member.
Claims22
A rotatable device comprising:
- an annular member having a bore extending therethrough and an outer surface disposed about the bore, the annular member having a preformed groove indented into an inner surface of the bore interior from an open end of the bore;
- a bearing located in the bore, the bearing operably connected to the annular member to form an axis of rotation to allow for relative rotation between the annular member and an inner race of the bearing;
- and
- a combination dust cover and bearing retaining member spanning the bore at a location spaced axially from the bearing, the combination dust cover and bearing retaining member comprising, in cross-section, a generally U-shaped body having a substantially straight flange connected to a mouth of the U-shaped body and extending outwardly away from the mouth at a first angle, the flange being deformable at its junction to the U-shaped body to move the substantially straight flange to a second angle;
- wherein at the second angle the flange is received in the preformed groove such that the junction is bent to place the substantially straight flange generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation formed by the bearing;
- wherein the substantially straight flange is moved to the second angle in response to an axially directed force applied to the combination dust cover and bearing retainer member to insert the combination dust cover and bearing retaining member into the bore of the annular member and the flange into the preformed groove;
- wherein a portion of the flange seats on a top surface of an outer race of the bearing and the remainder seats in the preformed groove.
4 more elements
A method of attaching a cover to a pulley for a belt drive system, the pulley comprising:
- a pulley body having a central bore and having a preformed groove in an inner surface of the bore extending outwardly from the bore toward a belt engaging surface of the pulley body, the preformed groove being positioned interior from an open end of the bore;
- and
- a bearing received by the bore and providing an axis of rotation, the bearing comprising an inner race and an outer race with a rotatable member therebetween, the method comprising:
- providing a cover preform comprising, in cross-section, a generally U-shaped body having a substantially straight flange connected to a mouth of the U-shaped body and extending outwardly away from the mouth at a first angle, the flange being deformable at its junction to the U-shaped body to move the substantially straight flange to a second angle;
- inserting the cover preform into the bore of the pulley body with the flange at the first angle;
- and
- applying an axially directed force to the cover preform in a direction toward the bearing that simultaneously inserts the cover preform into the bore and the flange into the preformed groove;
- wherein inserting the flange into the preformed groove plastically deforms the flange to the second angle such that the junction is bent to position the substantially straight flange generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation;
- wherein the axially directed force applied to the cover preform radially expands the cover preform outward toward the pulley body as it plastically deforms the flange;
- and
- wherein a portion of the flange seats on a top surface of the outer race of the bearing and the remainder seats in the preformed groove.
8 more elements
A kit for a pulley, the kit comprising:
- a pulley body having an axis of rotation and comprising a bore extending therethrough, the bore comprising a preformed groove positioned interior from an entrance thereof;
- a bearing receivable in the bore of the pulley body, the bearing comprising an inner race and an outer race with a rotatable member therebetween;
- and
- a cover comprising, in cross-section, a generally U-shaped body having a substantially straight flange connected to a mouth of the U-shaped body and extending outwardly away from the mouth at a first angle, the flange being deformable at its junction to the U-shaped body to move the substantially straight flange to a second angle;
- wherein the cover is receivable in the bore of the pulley body with its flange deformed to the second angle such that a portion of the flange seats on a top surface of the outer race of the bearing and the remainder seats in the preformed groove.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.