Bearing, and methods of handling the bearing

A method for mounting a bearing to a shaft, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bearing including an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements, a two-part inner ring including a first part having a radially outer surface and an inner bore, the radially outer surface having at least two portions of different diameters axially spaced apart, a second part having a radially inner surface and at least one raceway for rolling elements, the at least one raceway being located on an outer surface, the radially inner surface having at least two portions of different diameters axially spaced apart and substantially mating with the radially outer surface of the first part;
• disposing a ring shaped element between the first and second parts and at least partly within an axial width of the outer ring with the ring shaped element located at an axial end of at least one of the first and second parts;
• forming a cavity located between the first and second parts and at least partly within the axial width of the outer ring, the cavity extending at least partly in a circumferential direction and configured to provide a pressure chamber, the cavity being bounded by a first surface on the first part and a second surface on the second part axially spaced apart, and wherein normal vectors of the first and second surfaces have vector components in axial direction, such that when pressurizing the cavity, a relative axial movement between the first and second parts is accomplished;
• attaching the bearing onto the shaft, wherein the inner bore is mounted onto an outer peripheral surface of the shaft;
• moving the bearing to an axial position on the shaft;
• and
• pressurizing the cavity, leading to driving up the second part onto the radially outer surface of the first part.

A method for dismounting a bearing, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bearing including an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements:
• a two-part inner ring including a first part having a radially outer surface and an inner bore, the radially outer surface having at least two portions of different diameters axially spaced apart, a second part having a radially inner surface and at least one raceway for rolling elements, the at least one raceway being located on an outer surface, the radially inner surface having at least two portions of different diameters axially spaced apart and substantially mating with the radially outer surface of the first part;
• disposing a ring shaped element between the first and second parts and at least partly within an axial width of the outer ring with the ring shaped element located at an axial end of at least one of the first and second parts;
• forming a cavity located between the first and second parts and at least partly within the axial width of the outer ring, the cavity extending at least partly in a circumferential direction and configured to provide a pressure chamber, the cavity being bounded by a first surface on the first part and a second surface on the second part axially spaced apart, and wherein normal vectors of the first and second surfaces have vector components in axial direction, such that when pressurizing the cavity, a relative axial movement between the first and second parts is accomplished, the inner bore being disposed about the shaft;
• pressurizing the cavity with a fluid medium in order to obtain a relative axial movement between the first and second parts, leading to driving off the second part from the radially outer surface of the first part, and thereby decreasing a radial pressure between the shaft and the first part;
• and
• detaching the bearing from the shaft.

A method for adjusting a bearing clearance comprising the steps of:

• providing a bearing including an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements;
• a two-part inner ring including a first part having a radially outer surface and an inner bore, the radially outer surface having at least two portions of different diameters axially spaced apart, a second part having a radially inner surface and at least one raceway for rolling elements, the at least one raceway being located on an outer surface, the radially inner surface having at least two portions of different diameters axially spaced apart and substantially mating with the radially outer surface of the first part, and
• disposing a ring shaped element between the first and second parts and at least partly within an axial width of the outer ring with the ring shaped element located at an axial end of at least one of the first and second parts;
• forming a cavity located between the first and second parts and at least partly within the axial width of the outer ring, the cavity extending at least partly in a circumferential direction and configured to provide a pressure chamber, the cavity being bounded by a first surface on the first part and a second surface on the second part axially spaced apart, and wherein normal vectors of the first and second surfaces have vector components in axial direction, such that when pressurizing the cavity, a relative axial movement between the first and second parts is accomplished, the inner bore being disposed about an outer peripheral surface of the shaft;
• and
• pressurizing the cavity such that a relative axial movement is accomplished, thereby driving the second part to an axial position on the first part, in order to adjust the bearing clearance.