Anti-rotational bearing device

• US 6,270,260 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Original Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Hale, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/443,775
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 384/906, 384/537, 384/535, 384/510, 384/559, 384/517, 384/584, 384/585, 310/89, 310/90
• US Class Current: 384/537
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/08 self-adjusting
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/077 between housing and outer race ring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 384/906 Antirotation key

Abstract

An anti-rotational bearing assembly including a bearing positioned in a bearing bore of a bearing hub and a bearing cap connected to the bearing. The bearing cap including a projecting portion which abuts a boss extending from the bearing hub to prevent rotation of the bearing.

Claims

1. A bearing anti-rotation apparatus adapted to operate with a bearing and a bearing bore, the apparatus comprising:

a cover defining a hole, wherein the cover is adjacent the bearing;

an edge depending from the cover and sized to fit around the bearing;

a projection extending from the cover, whereby the projection prevents rotation of the bearing; and

a boss extending upward from the bearing bore, wherein the bearing is positioned in the bearing bore.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection prevents rotation of the bearing by contacting the boss.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hole of the cover receives a rotatable supported by the bearing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the boss extends upward from the bearing hub which defines the bearing bore.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second projection extending from the cover to further prevent rotation of the bearing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection prevents rotation of the cover by contacting the boss.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bearing is allowed to move axially in the bearing bore.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pre-load spring positioned within bearing bore beneath the bearing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bearing does not rotate relative to the cover.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cover is press fitted onto the bearing.

11. An interface between a motor and a structure having a rotatable shaft, the interface comprising:

a bracket connected to the motor and defining a bearing bore, wherein the bearing bore includes a bearing hub;

a bearing positioned in the bearing bore; and

a bearing cap connected to the bearing.

12. The interface of claim 11, wherein the bearing cap comprises a cover and a tang extending from the cover.

13. The interface of claim 12, wherein the bearing bore bearing hub comprises a boss positioned to prevent the tang from rotating.

14. The interface of claim 13, further comprising a second tang extending from the cover, wherein the second tang is also prevented from rotating.

15. The interface of claim 12, wherein the bearing cap cover defines a hole for receiving the rotatable shaft.

16. The interface of claim 12, wherein the cover is press-fitted on to the bearing.

17. The interface of claim 11, wherein the bearing is allowed to move axially in the bearing bore.

18. The interface of claim 17, comprising a pre-load spring between the bearing and the bearing bore.

19. The interface of claim 11, wherein:

the bearing cap comprises a cover press-fitted on to the bearing and defining a hole for receiving the rotatable shaft, and a tang extending from the cover;

the bearing bore hub comprises a boss positioned to prevent the tang from rotating; and

the bearing is allowed to move axially in the bearing bore.

20. The interface of claim 19, comprising a pre-load spring between the bearing and the bearing bore.

21. The interface of claim 11, wherein the rotatable shaft is supported by the bearing.

22. The interface of claim 11, wherein the bearing does not rotate relative to the bearing cap.

23. An anti-rotational bearing assembly comprising:

a bearing hub defining a bearing bore, the bearing hub having a surface surrounding the bore and a boss extending from the surface;

a bearing seated in the bearing bore; and

a bearing cap having a cover with a edge depending from the cover and sized to fit around the bearing such that the bearing cap is press fitted onto the bearing, the bearing cap further having a projection extending from the cover such that the projection prevents rotation of the bearing by contacting the boss.

24. The assembly of claim 23, further comprising a second projection extending from the cover to further prevent rotation of the bearing.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the bearing is allowed to move axially in the bearing bore.

26. The assembly of claim 23, further comprising a pre-load spring positioned within the bearing bore beneath the bearing.

27. A method of preventing wallowing of a motor bore comprising the steps of

preventing outer ball bearing race creepage;

pressing a bearing cap onto a bearing, wherein the bearing cap includes a tang extending beyond an outer race of the bearing;

pressing the bearing onto a shaft of the motor to form a shaft-bearing assembly; and

inserting the shaft-bearing assembly into a bracket housing, wherein the bracket housing includes a boss positioned to interfere with rotation of the tang.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of allowing the bearing to move axially in the bearing bore.

29. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of reducing noise by pre-loading the bearing.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of pre-loading the bearing comprising axially pre-loading the bearing with a pre-load spring in a bottom of the bearing bore.