Adjustable spacer with hardened ends

• US 10,352,360 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2019
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temper Corporation
• Original Assignee: Temper Corporation
• Inventors: Rode, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Phillip A
• Application Number:
  US16/239,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20190136911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/12 cages for bearings
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/10 by electric induction
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/42 Induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/63 for bath quenching
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 9/0068 for particular articles not mentioned below
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/171 Steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/04 for maintaining a tensile load
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/547 with two angular contact rolling bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/086 with magnetic means to preload the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/063 Fixing them on the shaft with interposition of an element F16C35/07
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/146 measuring play on bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

An adjustable spacer with hardened end portions and a non-hardened intermediate portion therebetween is mountable between a pair of roller bearings also mounted on a shaft such an axle or spindle or the like. The hardened material contacts the faces of the roller bearings but helps prevent wear therebetween and unwanted movement of the bearings on the shaft. The unhardened material allows the spacer to collapse in the axial direction to maintain desired axial loads on the bearings.

Claims

1. An adjustable spacer system comprising:

an annular spacer configured to be mounted on a shaft to apply a force to one or more roller bearings mounted on said shaft, the annular spacer comprising a first end portion and a second end portion opposite said first end portion, the first end portion and the second end portion of said annular spacer comprising a hardened material; and

an intermediate portion of said annular spacer located between said first end portion and said second end portion, said intermediate portion comprising a non-hardened material, the intermediate portion being more deformable than that first end portion.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said annular spacer is configured to be assembled on a shaft between two roller bearings to apply a force axially on said two roller bearings.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first end portion comprises a first face exposed in an axial direction, the first face being formed of the hardened material.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the second end portion comprises a second face exposed in an axial direction, the second face being formed of the hardened material.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said annular spacer is formed from a first starting material and wherein the first end portion and second end portion are hardened from said first starting material.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said first end portion and second end portion are hardened without hardening the intermediate portion of said annular spacer.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the intermediate portion is formed from a material different from said first end portion and second end portion.

8. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the second end portion comprises a face exposed in an axial direction, the face being formed of the hardened material.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said annular spacer is formed from a first starting material and wherein at least one of the first end portion and second end portion are hardened.

10. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said first end portion and second end portion are hardened without hardening the intermediate portion of said annular spacer.

11. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the intermediate portion is formed from a material different from said first end portion and second end portion.

12. A bearing assembly comprising:

a shaft having one or more roller bearings mounted thereon;

an annular spacer mounted on said axle or spindle to apply a force to said one or more roller bearings, said annular spacer comprising a first end portion and a second opposite end portion, the first end portion and the second end portion of said annular spacer comprising a hardened material; and

an intermediate portion of said annular spacer, located between said first end portion and said second end portion, said intermediate portion comprising a non-hardened material wherein, the intermediate portion is more deformable than the first end portion.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said annular spacer is configured to be assembled on said shaft between two roller bearings to apply a force axially on said two roller bearings.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the first end portion comprises a face exposed in an axial direction, the face being formed of the hardened material.