# US 9,518,608 B2 · Bearing assembly with a retaining ring and method thereof

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,518,608 B2
- Document ID: US9518608B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/458,786
- Filed: 2014-08-13
- Published: 2015-02-26
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-08-22
- Assignees: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
- Applicants: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
- Inventors: Matthew Evans; Kate Higdon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518608B2

## CPC

- F16C 35/077: between housing and outer race ring
- F16C 19/24: for radial load mainly
- F16C 19/525: {related to temperature and heat, e.g. insulation}
- F16C 25/08: self-adjusting
- F16C 33/58: Raceways; Race rings
- F16C 33/586: {outside the space between the races, e.g. end faces or bore of inner ring}
- F16C 33/60: divided {or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings}
- F16C 35/067: Fixing them in a housing (with interposition of an element F16C35/07)
- F16C 43/04: Assembling rolling-contact bearings
- F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls
- F16C 2202/22: Coefficient of expansion
- F16C 2226/70: with complementary interlocking parts
- F16C 2360/22: Internal combustion engines
- Y10T 29/49689: Race making
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A bearing assembly, including a housing with a first circumferentially disposed groove; a bearing including an outer race with a second circumferentially disposed groove; and a retaining ring disposed within the first and second circumferentially disposed grooves. A method of retaining a bearing, including: locating a first portion of a ring within a groove in an outer race; installing a housing radially about the race to contact the race; locating a second portion of the ring within a groove in the housing; bringing temperature of the housing and the race to a first level; fixing, with contact between the race and the housing, the race with respect to the housing; increasing the temperature of the housing and race to a second higher level; creating a radial gap between the housing and the outer race; and fixing, with the retaining ring, a position of the race with respect to the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bearing assembly, comprising:
a bearing including an annular outer race:
constructed of a first material with a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and, including:
a radially outer circumferential surface; and,
a first circumferentially disposed groove in the radially outer circumferential surface;
an annular housing:
radially disposed about the bearing;
constructed of a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion; and,
including:
a radially inner circumferential surface; and,
a second circumferentially disposed groove in the radially inner circumferential surface; and,
an annular retaining ring including:
a first portion disposed within the first circumferentially disposed groove; and,
a second portion disposed within the second circumferentially disposed groove, wherein the retaining ring is constructed of
a third material, different from the first material, with a third coefficient of thermal expansion equal to the first coefficient of thermal expansion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining ring is arranged to axially and radially restrain the outer race with respect to the housing.