Bearing apparatus

• US 8,303,188 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Phillip A
• Application Number:
  US12/314,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20090148092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 384/537, 384/538, 384/539, 384/447, 384/906, 384/584, 384/585, 384/617
• US Class Current: 384/537
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2226/50 Positive connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/083 with resilient means acting axially on a race ring to preload the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/067 Fixing them in a housing with interposition of an element F16C35/07
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/077 between housing and outer race ring

Abstract

An outer ring is provided with a key groove radially extending from an inner diameter to an outer diameter on an end surface thereof. A key member includes an annular body, an inwardly projecting part which is provided on an inner periphery of the annular body and adapted to be inserted into the key groove of the outer ring, and an outwardly projecting part which is provided on an outer periphery of the annular body and adapted to be inserted into a key groove of an axle box.

Claims

1. A bearing apparatus to be supported by an axle box which includes a key groove, the bearing apparatus comprising:

an outer ring which includes a first key groove extending from an inner diameter to an outer diameter of an axial end surface of the outer ring;

an inner ring;

rolling elements rollably interposed between the outer and inner rings; and

a key member which includes an annular body, a first inwardly projecting part which is provided on the annular body and adapted to be inserted into the first key groove of the outer ring, and an outwardly projecting part which is provided on an outer periphery of the annular body and adapted to be inserted into the key groove of the axle box, and

wherein the outwardly projecting part extends axially outward of an axially outermost portion of the annular body.

2. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer ring includes a second key groove, and

wherein the key member includes a second inwardly projecting part which is provided on the annular body and adapted to be inserted into the second key groove of the outer ring.

3. The bearing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second inwardly projecting part is disposed opposite the first inwardly projecting part.

4. The bearing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second inwardly projecting part is configured so as to extend, in an axial direction of the annular body, from an axially inward end face of the annular body to an axially outward end face of the annular body.

5. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer periphery of the outwardly projecting part is disposed radially outward of the outer periphery of the annular body.

6. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outwardly projecting part is disposed so as to overlap, in a circumferential direction of the annular member, the first inwardly projecting part.

7. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outwardly projecting part comprises a square cross section.

8. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the annular body has an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the outer ring.

9. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the annular body comprises a square cross section.

10. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first inwardly projecting part extends radially inward to the inner diameter of the outer ring.

11. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outwardly projecting part extends from the annular body to an opposite axial end face of the outer ring.

12. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outwardly projecting part has a thickness, in a circumferential direction of the annular body, less than a circumference of the annular body.

13. The beating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second inwardly projecting part comprises a width, in an axial direction of the annular body, substantially equal to a width of the annular body.

14. The bearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axially outermost portion of the annular body comprises an axial end face of the annular body.