Method of manufacturing a bearing ring
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a bearing ring for a rolling element bearing, the method comprising:
- producing a bearing race of the bearing ring from a bearing grade steel, the bearing race being of annular shape and having a raceway surface adapted to serve as a raceway for rolling elements of the rolling element bearing;
providing an overmoulded part configured to be secured over the bearing race over a surface radially opposite from the raceway surface, the overmoulded part and the bearing race being configured to be axially aligned and configured to rotate relative to a second bearing raceway;
hardening at least the raceway surface of the bearing race;
after the hardening, providing a thermal barrier on a surface of the bearing race radially opposite from the raceway surface such that the thermal barrier lies between the bearing race and the overmoulded part;
after providing the thermal barrier, joining the overmoulded part to the bearing race in a moulding process that includes one of a molten and semi-molten material being shaped around the bearing race, wherein a temperature of the molten or semi-molten material is greater than a predetermined value and the molten or semi-molten material contains a heat energy sufficient to cause the raceway surface to exceed the predetermined value during the moulding process, the predetermined value being a maximum temperature of the raceway surface which can be withstood by the raceway surface without adversely affecting raceway hardness;
wherein the thermal barrier is configured such that heat energy transferred to the raceway surface by the molten or semi-molten material is insufficient to cause the temperature of the raceway surface to exceed the predetermined value; and
wherein the thermal barrier consists of a material with a melting point lower than the temperature of the molten or semi-molten material such that the thermal barrier is configured to at least partially melt away during the moulding process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention resides in a method of manufacturing a bearing ring (101) for a rolling element bearing, wherein the bearing ring comprises a bearing race (102) made of a bearing grade steel and an overmolded part (106) that is preferably made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum or a thermoplastic material such as polyamide. According to the invention, the method comprises a step of hardening at least a raceway surface (103) of the bearing race prior to a step of joining the overmolded part (106) to the bearing race (102) in a molding process. In a further development, the method comprises a step of temperature control, to ensure that the temperature of the raceway surface (103) is kept below a predetermined value during the molding process.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a bearing ring for a rolling element bearing, the method comprising:
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producing a bearing race of the bearing ring from a bearing grade steel, the bearing race being of annular shape and having a raceway surface adapted to serve as a raceway for rolling elements of the rolling element bearing; providing an overmoulded part configured to be secured over the bearing race over a surface radially opposite from the raceway surface, the overmoulded part and the bearing race being configured to be axially aligned and configured to rotate relative to a second bearing raceway; hardening at least the raceway surface of the bearing race; after the hardening, providing a thermal barrier on a surface of the bearing race radially opposite from the raceway surface such that the thermal barrier lies between the bearing race and the overmoulded part; after providing the thermal barrier, joining the overmoulded part to the bearing race in a moulding process that includes one of a molten and semi-molten material being shaped around the bearing race, wherein a temperature of the molten or semi-molten material is greater than a predetermined value and the molten or semi-molten material contains a heat energy sufficient to cause the raceway surface to exceed the predetermined value during the moulding process, the predetermined value being a maximum temperature of the raceway surface which can be withstood by the raceway surface without adversely affecting raceway hardness;
wherein the thermal barrier is configured such that heat energy transferred to the raceway surface by the molten or semi-molten material is insufficient to cause the temperature of the raceway surface to exceed the predetermined value; and
wherein the thermal barrier consists of a material with a melting point lower than the temperature of the molten or semi-molten material such that the thermal barrier is configured to at least partially melt away during the moulding process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification