End Cap for a Bearing Assembly
First Claim
1. An end cap for a bearing assembly, comprising:
- a body member having a outer engagement portion for engaging an outer ring of a bearing having an outer ring and an inner bearing structure disposed within the outer ring, the outer engagement portion being substantially annular about a central axis; and
the body member also having a central engagement portion for engaging an inner bearing structure;
wherein at least one of the outer engagement portion and central engagement portion is configured to mechanically couple to the bearing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An end cap includes a body portion having an outer engagement portion for engaging an outer ring of a bearing, the bearing having an outer ring and an inner bearing structure disposed within the outer ring. The outer engagement portion is substantially annular about a central axis. The body member also has a central engagement portion for engaging the inner bearing structure. At least one of the outer engagement portion and central engagement portion is configured to mechanically couple the end cap to the bearing.
The bearing may have a seating portion on of the outer ring on the inner bearing member for mechanically coupling with the end cap. In a shaft and bearing assembly, there may be a seating portion on the inner bearing member or on the outer ring. The end cap body portion extends from the seating portion across the annular cavity to sealingly engage the shaft, the inner ring or the outer ring.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An end cap for a bearing assembly, comprising:
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a body member having a outer engagement portion for engaging an outer ring of a bearing having an outer ring and an inner bearing structure disposed within the outer ring, the outer engagement portion being substantially annular about a central axis; and the body member also having a central engagement portion for engaging an inner bearing structure; wherein at least one of the outer engagement portion and central engagement portion is configured to mechanically couple to the bearing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A bearing comprising:
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an outer ring having a substantially cylindrical internal bearing surface; an inner ring having a substantially cylindrical external bearing surface and an inner wall defining a bore through the inner ring, the inner ring being coaxially disposed within the outer ring and defining an annular cavity therebetween; a plurality of rolling elements disposed within the annular cavity, the rolling elements being in rolling engagement with the external bearing surface and the internal bearing surface; and an end cap having a body portion including an outer engagement portion that engages the outer ring and a central engagement portion that engages the inner ring, the body portion extending from the outer ring across the annular cavity to the inner ring; wherein one of the outer engagement portion and the inner engagement portion is configured to mechanically couple the end cap to the bearing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A shaft and bearing assembly comprising:
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a bearing comprising an outer ring, an inner bearing structure and a plurality of rolling elements; the outer ring having a substantially cylindrical internal bearing surface; the inner bearing structure having a substantially cylindrical external bearing surface and being coaxially disposed within the outer ring and cooperating with the outer ring to define an annular cavity therebetween; the plurality of rolling elements disposed in the annual cavity, the rolling elements being in rolling engagement with the external bearing surface and the internal bearing surface; a shaft disposed in the bearing; and an end cap having a body portion including an outer engagement portion for engaging the outer ring and a central engagement portion for engaging the inner bearing structure, the body portion extending from the outer engagement portion across the annual cavity to the central engagement portion, and wherein one of the outer engagement portion and the central engagement portion is configured to mechanically couple to the bearing or to the shaft in the bearing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification