Method for customizing a bearing bore
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsDavid P Schankin, Suhui W Wang, Chih-Hung Chung, Zhaohui Sun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for customizing a bearing bore in a housing so that the bearing assembly will transmit load in a desired manner over a predetermined range of operating temperatures.
Claims20
A method for forming a bearing pocket in a housing, the bearing pocket being configured to receive a bearing assembly having an inner bearing race, an outer bearing race and a plurality of bearing elements disposed between the inner and outer bearing races, the bearing pocket having a bearing bore with a circumferential surface that is configured to be engaged via an interference fit with the outer bearing race, the method comprising:
- generating a mathematical model of the housing, the mathematical model including a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion and a definition of geometry of at least a portion of the housing that includes the bearing pocket;
- using the mathematical model to determine where the circumferential surface of the bearing bore will distort in response to a predetermined change in a temperature of the housing such that one or more of the bearing elements cease to distribute load between the inner bearing race and the outer bearing race at a desired level;
- modifying the mathematical model of the housing to reflect a change in the geometry of the housing in which at least one recess is formed in the circumferential surface, the at least one recess being configured to reduce the distortion of the circumferential surface effected by the predetermined change in the temperature of the housing such that all of the bearing elements distribute load between the inner bearing race and the outer bearing race;
- and
- forming the housing in conformance with the modified mathematical model of the housing.
A method for forming a bearing pocket in a housing, the bearing pocket being configured to receive a pair of bearing assemblies that are spaced apart from one another, each bearing assembly having an inner bearing race, an outer bearing race and a plurality of bearing elements disposed between the inner and outer bearing races, the bearing pocket having a bearing bore with a circumferential surface that is configured to be engaged via an interference fit with the outer bearing races, the method comprising:
- generating a mathematical model of the housing, the mathematical model including a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion and a definition of geometry of at least a portion of the housing that includes the bearing pocket;
- using the mathematical model to determine where the circumferential surface of the bearing bore will distort in response to a predetermined change in a temperature of the housing such that one or more of the bearing elements cease to distribute load between an associated pair of the inner bearing races and the outer bearing races;
- modifying the mathematical model of the housing to reflect a change in the geometry of the housing to reduce the distortion of the circumferential surface effected by the predetermined change in the temperature of the housing such that all of the bearing elements distribute load between the associated pairs of inner bearing races and the outer bearing races at a desired level;
- and
- forming the housing in conformance with the modified mathematical model of the housing.
A method for forming a bearing pocket in a housing, the bearing pocket being configured to receive a pair of bearing assemblies, each bearing assembly having an inner bearing race, an outer bearing race and a plurality of bearing elements disposed between the inner and outer bearing races, the bearing elements comprising a plurality of roller or spherical balls, the bearing pocket having a bearing bore with a circumferential surface that is configured to be engaged via an interference fit with the outer bearing races, the method comprising:
- generating a mathematical model of the housing, the mathematical model including a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion and a definition of geometry of at least a portion of the housing that includes the bearing pocket;
- using the mathematical model to determine where the circumferential surface of the bearing bore will distort in response to a predetermined change in a temperature of the housing such that one or more of the bearing elements cease to distribute load between the inner bearing race and the outer bearing race, the predetermined change in temperature of the housing being greater than or equal to 150° F.;
- modifying the mathematical model of the housing to reflect a change in the geometry of the housing in which at least one recess is formed in the circumferential surface, the change in the geometry of the housing being configured to reduce the distortion of the circumferential surface effected by the predetermined change in the temperature of the housing such that all of the bearing elements distribute load between their associated inner bearing race and the outer bearing race such that the load that is carried by each of the bearing elements is substantially equalized;
- and
- forming the housing in conformance with the modified mathematical model of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.