Backlash-compensating axial bearing arrangement

Abstract

Axial bearing arrangement, with rolling elements (2) guided in an annular bearing cage (1), which roll towards one bearing side (3) on a raceway of a first raceway disk (4) and towards the other bearing side (5) on an opposite raceway of a second raceway disk (6), wherein on the outside of the first and / or second raceway disk (4; 6) there is arranged a play compensation disk (7) of equal thickness which comes into contact coaxially therewith and which has at least one axially extending central elevation zone (8), characterized in that the elevation zone (8) extends axially outwards, wherein the play compensation disk (7) comes into contact with the adjacent raceway disk (4) on both sides of the central elevation zone (8), and in that the play compensation disk (7) has an inner or outer circumferential axial edge section (9) for clipping onto the adjacent raceway disk (4).

Description

The invention relates to an axial bearing arrangement with rolling bodies which are guided in an annular bearing cage and which roll on one bearing side on a raceway of a first raceway disc and on the other bearing side on an opposite raceway of a second raceway disc or the like.The field of application of the invention extends primarily to motor vehicle applications in which, for example, a shaft provided with helical gears is subjected to an axial force load which is to be absorbed by a suitable axial bearing relative to a transmission housing or the like. The solution according to the invention is thereby primarily devoted to a production, as far as possible by forming, of the bearing components, in particular of the raceway disks. It should be noted that the term "raceway disk" in the context of the present application means both the separate disk-shaped components shown in the exemplary embodiment and the integration of a raceway disk functionality, in particular the raceway for the rolling bodies, directly in one of the adjacent components, in particular a shaft or a housing or the like.Prior ArtAn axial bearing arrangement from which the integration of a raceway disc functionality, in particular the raceway for the rolling bodies, directly in one of the adjoining components, in particular a shaft or a housing or the like, can be seen is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,153.DE 10 2010 035 784 A1 discloses an axial bearing arrangement in the form of a multi-ring rolling bearing. This comprises a first raceway disk, which is supported on a shaft by forming, rolling elements of a first raceway ring, which are supported on raceways of the raceway disk and at least one intermediate ring, which corresponds thereto and is likewise produced by forming, a second raceway disk, which is supported on a housing or the like, which is produced by forming, and rolling elements of a second raceway ring, which are supported on raceways of a further raceway disk produced by forming. Between the two rolling body rings, an annular thermal compensating element, which in particular comprises an elastomer, is provided for compensating for different temperature-induced changes in geometry. The thermal compensating element is arranged axially between two axial bearings. One of the raceway disks is provided on the inside or on the outside with an axial edge section, via which the axial bearing is supported on the compensating element.In addition to such a thermal compensation, a play compensation and / or load compensation of an axial bearing arrangement of interest here may also be required. In order to create defined running conditions for the bearing in load cases which result from tilting or vibrations, the axial bearing is often mounted prestressed for such a compensation. The prestress has hitherto been realized in a generally known manner by obliquely positioned disks, springs and the like which act axially via a disk on the axial bearing.US 2016 / 0 290 392 A1 is considered as the closest prior art forming the generic type and discloses an axial bearing arrangement having rolling bodies which are guided in an annular bearing cage and which roll on one bearing side on a raceway of a first raceway disc and on the other bearing side on an opposite raceway of a second raceway disc. On the outside of each of the first and second raceway disks, an equally thick play compensation disk coming to bear coaxially against it is arranged. The respective play compensation disc has an axially extending central elevation zone which is directed axially inward. One of the play compensation disks is provided with an inner circumferential axial edge section, with which it is clipped to the cage edge of the cage or engages behind it. The other of the lash adjusters is provided with an outer circumferential axial rim portionThe cage is clipped to the cage edge of the cage or engages behind the latter.It is the object of the present invention to further improve an axial bearing arrangement of the generic type to the effect that a clearance and / or load-compensating prestress can be realized with simple technical means and in a component-saving manner.Disclosure of the InventionThe object is achieved on the basis of an axial bearing arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1 in conjunction with its characterizing features. The dependent claims which follow represent advantageous further developments of the invention.The invention includes the technical teaching that on the outside of the first and / or second raceway disc of the axial bearing arrangement there is arranged an equally thick play compensation disc which comes to bear coaxially against the first raceway disc and which has at least one central elevation zone extending axially outwards. In the case that a raceway disk function of one of the two bearing sides is also taken over by the adjoining component, the play compensation disk according to the invention is necessarily to be assigned to the other, separate raceway disk.According to the invention, the separate play compensating disk has a type of spherical axial elevation which extends outwards in the axial direction starting from the adjacent raceway disk. In this case, the spherical shape alone can compensate for slight tilting even in the case of a relatively stiff and not very resilient play compensating disk up to certain basic loads, without already being plastically deformed.The advantage of the solution according to the invention lies in particular in the fact that an optional accessory part for an axial bearing which is preferably produced to the greatest possible extent by forming can be offered with the play compensating disc and, as a result of the particular cross-sectional shape, produces a prestress in the axial direction, with the result that in particular an undesired axial bearing play can also be compensated therewith, provided that the axial bearing is mounted with sufficient prestress.The prestress is indeed already obtained by utilizing the normal elastic deformation properties of the material to be used, for example a metal. According to a measure which further improves the invention, however, the play compensation disc can also be produced from a specially spring-elastic sheet metal material, for example from a generally known spring steel. This provides a much larger elastic deformation zone, whereby a higher prestressing force can be generated. According to the invention, the play compensation disk comes to rest on both sides of the central elevation zone on the adjacent raceway disk. In order to bring about a particularly large prestressing effect, which is brought about solely by the shaping, the central elevated zone should extend as transversely as possible over the entire annular surface of the raceway disc, that is to say should come to bear against it only close to the outside and inside diameter.According to the invention, it is further proposed that the play compensation disc has an inner or outer circumferential axial edge section for clipping onto the adjacent raceway disc. Thus, in other words, the play compensation disk can be secured captive via an outboard rim, preferably via the outer diameter of the adjacent raceway disk. Analogously, it is also possible to realize via an inner rim of the play compensation disk in cooperation with the inner diameter of the raceway disk.According to a further measure improving the invention, it is proposed that the first raceway disc is provided with an inner or outer circumferential axial edge portion, i.e. an inner or outer rim, directed in the direction of the second raceway disc. Corresponding thereto, the other, second raceway disk should have an outer- or inner-circumferential axial edge portion directed in the direction of the first raceway disk and corresponding to its axial edge portion. As a result, the bearing cage with the rolling bodies guided therein is captured to the greatest possible extent and is thus protected from penetrating dirt.To realize a further advantage connected therewith, it is proposed that the outer radial sections of both raceway disks engage behind the inner or outer circumference of the bearing cage in such a way that a captive structural unit is produced. As stated above, the play compensation disk can also be a component of this captive structural unit, which can be easily handled and finally mounted after appropriate pre-assembly.For the production-related realization of the aforementioned back-engagements, the respective axial edge sections can be provided, for example, with caulkings to be introduced along the circumference at the distal edge end, which can be produced by means of a forming tool. The caulkings serve primarily for captive retention between the raceway disc and the bearing cage, so that these parts can still rotate relative to one another after assembly.In the sense of the present invention, it is proposed that the play compensation disk, the first raceway disk and optionally also the second raceway disk and the bearing cage are made of a steel sheet consisting of a stamped bent part and thus also within the scope of only forming production steps.In particular, bearing needles are used as rolling bodies in order to form an axial needle bearing therewith. However, it is also conceivable to use bearing rollers or bearing balls if design boundary conditions require this.Detailed Description with DrawingsFurther measures which improve the invention are described in more detail below together with the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention on the basis of the figures. It shows: FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an axial bearing arrangement according to the invention with play compensation disk, and FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the thrust bearing arrangement according to FIG. 1.According to FIG. 1, the axial bearing arrangement of the exemplary embodiment comprises a single rolling body ring, consisting of a series of rolling bodies 2 guided in an annular bearing cage 1. Toward the opposite bearing side 5, the rolling bodies 2 roll on a raceway of a second raceway disk 6.On the outside of the first raceway disc 4 there comes to bear a coaxially arranged play compensation disc 7. The equally thick play compensation disc 7 has a central elevation zone 8 extending axially outwards for producing an axially directed prestress for the axial bearing arrangement. The play compensation disk 7, which in this exemplary embodiment consists of a spring-elastic sheet metal material, has an outer-circumferential axial edge section 9 for clipping onto the associated raceway disk 4.According to FIG. 2, the play compensation disk 7 is designed in cross section such that it comes to rest on both sides of the central elevation zone 8, i.e. close to the inside and the outside circumference, on the adjacent raceway disk 4, whereby the elastic deformation properties are maximized solely on account of the shaping.The first raceway disk 4 has an inner circumferential axial edge portion 10 directed in the direction of the second raceway disk 6. In cooperation therewith, the second raceway disk 6 has an outer circumferential axial edge portion 11 directed in the direction of the first raceway disk 4 and corresponding to the axial edge portion 10 thereof. In this case, the axial edge sections 10 and 11 of both raceway disks 4 and 6 engage around the inner or outer circumference of the bearing cage 1 in such a way that overall a captive structural unit is produced which also encloses the clipped-on play compensation disk 7.To engage behind the bearing cage 1, the axial edge sections 10 and 11 are each provided with a plurality of caulkings 12 and 13, respectively, (by way of example) introduced along the circumference at the distal edge end.The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above, but also includes modifications that are included within the scope of the following claims. Thus, for example, instead of the raceway disc not provided with a play compensation disc, the raceway comprising the latter can be formed directly on a shaft, a housing or the like.List of reference characters1 Bearing cage 2 Rolling elements 3 First bearing side 4 First raceway disk 5 Second bearing side 6 Second raceway disk 7 Play compensation disk 8 Elevation zone 9 Axial edge section 10 Axial edge section 11 Axial edge section 12 Caulking 13 Caulking

Claims

Axial bearing arrangement, having rolling bodies (2) which are guided in an annular bearing cage (1) and which roll on one bearing side (3) on a raceway of a first raceway disc (4) and on the other bearing side (5) on an opposite raceway of a second raceway disc (6), wherein an equally thick play compensation disc (7) which comes to bear coaxially thereon is arranged on the outside of the first and / or second raceway disc (4; 6) and has at least one axially extending central elevation zone (8), characterized in that the elevation zone (8) extends axially outwards, wherein the play compensation disc (7) comes to bear on the adjacent raceway disc (4) on both sides of the central elevation zone (8), and in that the play compensation disc (7) has an inner- or outer-circumferential axial edge portion (9) for clipping onto the adjacent raceway disc (4).Axial bearing arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the play compensation disc (7) consists of a spring-elastic sheet metal material.Axial bearing arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first raceway disc (4) has an inner-circumferential or outer-circumferential axial edge portion (10) directed in the direction of the second raceway disc (6).Axial bearing arrangement according to Claim 3, characterized in that the second raceway disc (6) has an outer- or inner-circumferential axial edge portion (11) which is directed in the direction of the first raceway disc (4) and corresponds to the axial edge portion (10) thereof.Axial bearing arrangement according to Claim 4, characterized in that the axial edge sections (10, 11) of the two raceway discs (4, 6) engage behind the inner or outer circumference of the bearing cage (1) in such a way that a captive structural unit is produced.Axial bearing arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that the axial edge sections (10, 11) are provided with caulkings (12; 13), each formed in the circumferential direction at the distal edge end, for engaging behind the bearing cage (1).Axial bearing arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the play compensation disc (7), the first raceway disc (4) and the second raceway disc (6) are formed from a steel sheet consisting of stamped and bent parts.Axial bearing arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rolling bodies (2) are designed as bearing needles for forming an axial needle bearing.

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