Pinion assembly preloading system

• US 9,835,197 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Szpara, Peter Alexander, Reed, Timothy John, Smith, Troy, Sunstein, Julie Anne, Uhrick, Wayne Bennett
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Jun
• Application Number:
  US14/748,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20150292554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/182 in tandem arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/548 in O-arrangement
• 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 2057/02043 for vehicle transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/0221 Axial adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49776 Pressure, force, or weight determining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to pinion assembly preloading systems and methods of operation. Disclosed are systems including a press actuator that applies an axial force against a pinion assembly; a force sensor that measures a reaction force at the pinion assembly; and a method of controlling the press actuator according to a change in the reaction force.

Claims

1. A method of preloading a pinion assembly, comprising:

applying an axial force to a pinion assembly;

detecting an axial reaction force at the pinion assembly;

assessing a bearing assembly displacement;

ceasing application of the axial force based on a change in the axial reaction force; and

wherein the axial reaction force is measured by a force sensor detecting the axial reaction force of a mandrel pressing axially onto a tail bearing of the pinion assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a bearing-race preload;

measuring a spacer preload;

ceasing application of the axial force according to an equation for the change in axial reaction force, the change in axial reaction force equal to a sum of the spacer preload minus the bearing-race preload minus a constant, multiplied times a multiplier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assessing a slope of an axial reaction force versus displacement plot.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

ceasing the application of the axial force when the slope of the axial reaction force versus displacement plot exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the axial force is initially applied while not rotating a pinion shaft relative to a pinion nut.

6. The method of claim 5 further including threadably tightening the pinion nut on the pinion shaft after applying the axial force to preserve a bearing preload created by the application of the axial force.

7. The method of claim 1 further including threadably tightening a pinion nut on a pinion shaft after applying the axial force to preserve a bearing preload created by the application of the axial force.

8. The method of claim 7 further including:

applying the axial load to the pinion assembly using a servo motor;

rotationally tightening the pinion nut on the pinion shaft using a drive motor.

9. The method of claim 1 further including securing a spline socket onto an end of the pinion assembly, preventing a pinion shaft of the pinion assembly from rotating during application of the axial force.

10. The method of claim 1 further including:

locating a nut socket concentrically within the mandrel;

rotationally driving a pinion nut onto a pinion shaft with the nut socket after the mandrel completes axially displacing the tail bearing, to maintain a predetermined bearing preload.

11. The method of claim 1 further including:

assessing a slope of an axial reaction force versus displacement plot;

ceasing actuation of the axial force after a predetermined number of changes in the slope of the plot.

12. A method of preloading a pinion assembly, comprising:

applying an axial force to a pinion assembly while not rotating a pinion shaft relative to a pinion nut;

detecting an axial reaction force at the pinion assembly;

assessing a bearing assembly displacement;

ceasing application of the axial force based on a change in the axial reaction force; and

threadably tightening the pinion nut on the pinion shaft after applying the axial force to preserve a bearing preload created by the application of the axial force.

13. The method of claim 12 further including:

locating a nut socket concentrically within a mandrel;

rotationally driving the pinion nut onto the pinion shaft with the nut socket after the mandrel completes axially displacing a tail bearing of the pinion assembly, to maintain a predetermined bearing preload.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the axial reaction force is measured by a force sensor detecting the axial reaction force of a mandrel pressing axially onto a tail bearing of the pinion assembly.

15. The method of claim 12 further including:

assessing a slope of an axial reaction force versus displacement plot;

ceasing actuation of the axial force after a predetermined number of changes in the slope of the plot.

16. The method of claim 12 further including:

assessing a slope of an axial reaction force versus displacement plot;

ceasing the application of the axial force when the slope of the axial reaction force versus displacement plot exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. A method of preloading a pinion assembly, comprising:

applying an axial force to a pinion assembly;

detecting an axial reaction force at the pinion assembly;

assessing a bearing assembly displacement;

assessing a slope of an axial reaction force versus displacement plot;

ceasing application of the axial force based on the slope of the plot.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

ceasing the application of the axial force when the slope of the axial reaction force versus displacement plot exceeds a predetermined threshold.