Systems and methods for preloading a bearing and aligning a lock nut

• US 10,107,331 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation
• Inventors: Rode, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Besler, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/482,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20180291953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/02 for connecting objects by press fit or for detaching same B23P19/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/54 Internal grip wrenches B25B13/5083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/06 inserting or withdrawing sleeves or bearing races
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/10 Assembling; disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2380/00 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0078 characterised by the fixation of bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/321 Lifetime
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/183 internal, i.e. with spreading action
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/282 Locking by means of special shape of work-engaging surfaces, e.g. notched or toothed nuts
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/32 Locking by means of a pawl or pawl-like tongue
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/548 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a load on a bearing mounted to a shaft which includes an attaching member releasably connectable to a shaft and a press mechanism coupled to the attaching member. The press mechanism is configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing. An aligning ring has an aligning projection configured to engage a shaft slot of the shaft to align the press mechanism relative to the shaft when the attaching member connects to the shaft. The projection extends radially inwardly from a circumferential portion of the aligning ring. The aligning ring extends circumferentially around the attaching member and is rotatable relative to the attaching member. The aligning ring includes a plurality of ring indicating markings to allow an alignment of a ring indicating marking of the plurality of ring indicating markings with a lock nut connected to the shaft.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a load on a bearing mounted to a shaft, the apparatus comprising:

an attaching member releasably connectable to the shaft;

a press mechanism coupled to said attaching member, said press mechanism configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing;

an aligning ring having an aligning projection configured to engage an axially aligned shaft slot of the shaft to align said press mechanism relative to the shaft when said attaching member connects to the shaft, said projection extending radially inwardly from a circumferential portion of said aligning ring; and

said aligning ring extending circumferentially around said attaching member and being rotatable relative to said attaching member, said aligning ring extending along an axis of said press mechanism from a distal end of said attaching member proximally away from the slot; and

said aligning ring comprising a plurality of ring indicating markings to allow an alignment of a ring indicating marking of said plurality of ring indicating markings with a lock nut connected to the shaft, said aligning ring rotatable relative to the lock nut;

wherein said aligning projection extends further radially inwardly than said distal end of said attaching member, said distal end located closer to said shaft slot relative to an opposite end of said attaching member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of ring indicating markings are equally circumferentially spaced around said aligning ring.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of ring indicating markings comprises a projection indicating marking different from a remainder of said ring indicating markings, said projection indicating marking located at a circumferential location of said projection to allow a user to determine the location of said projection indicating marking for comparison to a marking of the lock nut.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projection is located at a first distal end of said aligning ring, said projection located distally past a distalmost extent of said attaching member in a distal direction, wherein a proximal direction extends toward said press mechanism from the shaft, the distal direction being opposite from the proximal direction and extending toward the shaft from the press mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said projection is located distally of said attaching member and in the shaft slot when said attaching member is attached to the shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said press mechanism comprises a plurality of extensions extending toward a wheel hub assembly, said plurality of extensions being configured to contact a wheel hub or/or a bearing of said wheel hub assembly when said attaching member is attached to the shaft, said plurality of extensions located radially outward of said aligning ring relative to said axial dimension of said press mechanism.