Method and apparatus for preloading pinion bearings

• US 6,951,146 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies Incorporated (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nahrwold, Thomas Lee, Sullivan, Robert William
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US10/859,079
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 738/624.9, 297/05, 294/37, 298/980.7, 298/980.9, 336/45
• US Class Current: 73/862.49
• 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 19/56 in which the rolling bodies of one bearing differ in diameter from those of another
• 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 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/423 characterised by bearing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49696 Mounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/497 Pre-usage process, e.g., preloading, aligning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49861 Sizing mating parts during final positional association
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part

Abstract

A method for determining a thickness of a shim for setting up a predetermined preload of a bearing assembly that rotatably supports a shaft within a housing. The bearing assembly includes front and rear tapered roller bearings. The shim is disposed between a bearing supporting shoulder of the shaft and an inner cone of the rear bearing. The method comprises the steps of: measuring a distance X from an end face of the shaft to the bearing supporting shoulder thereof; measuring a height B of the inner cone; mounting the shaft within the housing; applying a load to the inner cone of the rear bearing corresponding to a predetermined preload; measuring a distance X_L from the end face of the shaft to the inner cone of the rear bearing; and determining the thickness W of the shim in accordance with the following equation: W=X−X_L−B.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a thickness of a shim member for setting up preloading of a bearing assembly that supports a shaft within a housing and permits relative rotation between said shaft and said housing about an axis, said shaft having an end face at a rear end thereof and a bearing supporting shoulder, said bearing assembly including a front tapered roller bearing and a rear tapered roller bearing, each of said bearings having the capacity to transmit radial and axial loads and including an inner cone that fits around said shaft, an outer cone that is fitted into said housing and a plurality of rolling elements located therebetween, said shim member disposed between said bearing supporting shoulder of said shaft and said inner cone of said front bearing, said apparatus comprising:

a measuring device for gauging the location of said bearing supporting shoulder and said inner cone of said rear bearing in the preloaded condition;

a bearing preload fixture for applying a predetermined axial load to said inner cone of said rear bearing corresponding to a proper preload of said differential assembly; and

a centering fixture for centering said shaft and supporting it in the axial direction while said axial load is applied thereto through said bearing preloading fixture,

wherein said measuring device includes a first portion integrally formed with a second portion, said first portion adapted for engaging said bearing supporting shoulder or said inner cone of said rear bearing, and said second portion connected to a measuring probe adapted for engaging said end face of said shaft.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said measuring device measures a distance from said end face of said shaft to said bearing supporting shoulder thereof and a distance from said end face of said shaft to said inner cone of said rear bearing in the preloaded condition.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said first portion is a substantially cylindrical body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced contact legs adapted for engaging said bearing supporting shoulder or said inner cone of said rear bearing, and said second portion is a distance measuring indicator device connected to said measuring probe adapted for engaging said end face of said shaft.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said contact legs of said measuring device pass through complementary slots in said bearing preload fixture.

5. An apparatus for determining a thickness of a shim member for setting up preloading of a bearing assembly that supports a pinion shaft within a differential carrier and permits relative rotation between said pinion shaft and said housing about an axis, said pinion shaft having an end face at a rear end thereof and a bearing supporting shoulder, said bearing assembly including a front tapered roller bearing and a rear tapered roller bearing, each of said bearings having the capacity to transmit radial and axial loads and including an inner cone that fits around said pinion shaft, an outer cone that is fitted into said housing and a plurality of rolling elements located therebetween, said shim member disposed between said bearing supporting shoulder of said pinion shaft and said inner cone of said front bearing, said apparatus comprising:

a measuring device for measuring a distance from said end face of said shaft to said bearing supporting shoulder thereof and a distance from said end face of said shaft to said inner cone of said rear bearing in the preloaded condition;

said measuring device including a substantially cylindrical body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced contact legs adapted for engaging said bearing supporting shoulder or said inner cone of said rear bearing, and a distance measuring indicator device connected to a measuring probe adapted for engaging said end face of said pinion shaft;

a bearing preload fixture for applying a predetermined axial load to said inner cone of said rear bearing corresponding to a proper preload of said differential assembly; and

a centering fixture for centering said pinion shaft and supporting it in the axial direction while said axial load is applied thereto through said bearing preloading fixture;

wherein said contact legs of said measuring device pass through complementary slots in said bearing preload fixture.