Rotating anode bearing arrangement and rotating anode for an X-ray tube and method for mounting a rotating anode bearing arrangement

Abstract

Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) for an X-ray tube with at least one outer bearing ring (2, 3) and rolling elements (4) arranged within the at least one outer bearing ring (2, 3), which roll on the at least one outer bearing ring (2, 3) and enclose a radially inner receiving space for receiving a rotor (20) of an X-ray tube; with a bearing housing (5) in which the at least one outer bearing ring (2, 3) is mounted, wherein the bearing housing (5) surrounds the at least one outer bearing ring (2, 3) in the circumferential direction; characterized in that a front face (7) of at least one bearing outer ring (2) or of a riveting ring (6) axially adjoining the bearing outer ring (2) is riveted to a front face (8) of the bearing housing (5) by plastic deformation of material (14) of the bearing housing (5) and / or the bearing outer ring (2) and / or the riveting ring (6).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotating anode bearing assembly for an X-ray tube, a rotating anode with a corresponding rotating anode bearing assembly and a method for assembling a rotating anode bearing assembly for producing a rotating anode.

[0002] Rotating anodes in X-ray tubes—for example, those used in a computed tomography (CT) scanner—require bearing assemblies that can handle the high rotational speeds of the rotating anode around the longitudinal axis of its own rotor shaft. These speeds can be up to 9,000 revolutions per minute or more. Furthermore, when the rotating anode is installed in an X-ray tube of a CT scanner, the rotating anodes must withstand the considerable loads caused by the rotation of the X-ray tube around the scanner axis. As the X-ray tube rotates around the scanner axis, 40 times the acceleration of gravity can act on the X-ray tube and thus the rotating anode bearing assembly.

[0003] Conventional rotating anode bearing assemblies are often preloaded and temperature-compensated. Typically, at least two outer rings are mounted in a bearing housing that is cup-shaped and thus closed on one side. The front (or outer) of the two bearing outer rings, i.e., the bearing outer ring closest to the cup opening, can be designed with a flange. The flange is used to fix the bearing outer rings in the bearing housing via a screw connection, thereby securing the bearing outer rings axially in both axial directions.

[0004] The flange connected to the front outer ring extends radially outwards along one end face of the bearing housing and has corresponding bores through which axially directed screws are screwed into the end face of the bearing housing. Accordingly, there must be sufficient radial space in the bearing housing to be able to insert the screws. However, the bearing housing in such a rotating anode is enclosed in the circumferential direction by a cup-shaped area of ​​the rotor of the X-ray tube, whereby the rotor interacts electromagnetically with a stator that surrounds the rotor in the circumferential direction in order to electrically drive the rotor. The cup-shaped area of ​​the rotor therefore limits the maximum possible outer diameter of the bearing housing and thus the area available on the end face of the bearing housing for inserting the screws. This solution is therefore not suitable for comparatively thin housing wall thicknesses of the bearing housing.

[0005] Further disadvantages of the flange on the front bearing outer ring are the additional axial space required on the front side of the bearing housing and the effort required for the screws and screw locking.

[0006] Another known solution involves securing the front bearing outer ring axially in one direction in the bearing housing with a snap ring. However, this requires the bearing housing to protrude beyond the bearing outer ring at the front end, which in turn requires additional axial space. Furthermore, the snap ring retainer only allows axial locking in one axial direction. At least one additional element is required to secure all bearing outer rings and the associated bearing components in both axial directions.

[0007] JP 2006 242 257 A discloses a bearing arrangement for a wheel.

[0008] DE 20 2013 105 226 U1 describes a bearing arrangement for rotating anodes of X-ray tubes with a spacer element between the bearing rings. For further prior art, see DE 29 13 336 A1 and US 2012 / 0 144 939 A1.

[0009] The present invention is based on the object of specifying a rotating anode bearing arrangement and a method for assembling a rotating anode bearing arrangement, wherein the rotating anode bearing arrangement requires a particularly small installation space for securing the at least one bearing outer ring in the bearing housing, enables axial securing of the at least one bearing outer ring in both axial directions in the bearing housing, is reliable and can be produced cost-effectively.

[0010] The object of the invention is achieved by a rotating anode bearing assembly and a method for assembling a rotating anode bearing assembly having the features of the independent patent claims. The dependent patent claims describe advantageous developments and a rotating anode for an X-ray tube.

[0011] A rotating anode bearing arrangement according to the invention for an X-ray tube comprises at least one bearing outer ring, preferably at least two or exactly two bearing outer rings, and rolling elements arranged within the at least one bearing outer ring, which roll on the at least one bearing outer ring and enclose a radially inner receiving space for receiving a rotor of an X-ray tube, in particular its rotor shaft.

[0012] A bearing housing is provided in which the at least one bearing outer ring is mounted, wherein the bearing housing encloses the at least one bearing outer ring in the circumferential direction, in particular directly. For example, the at least one bearing outer ring can be inserted into the bearing housing with a press fit or a loose fit. The bearing housing has, in particular, a pot-shaped configuration with a closed bottom and an open end, wherein at least one bearing outer ring is arranged axially next to the open end and can thus be referred to as the front bearing outer ring. The rotor or rotor shaft inserted into the receiving space then protrudes from the open end of the bearing housing in the axial direction.

[0013] An inner contour of the bearing housing, which is radially opposite the bearing outer ring(s), can, as described below, in particular have at least two axial sections with mutually different inner diameters. This allows at least one collar to be created on the bearing housing, on which a bearing outer ring is supported in the axial direction.

[0014] According to a first embodiment of the invention, an end face of at least one bearing outer ring or of a caulking ring axially adjoining the bearing outer ring is caulked to an end face of the bearing housing by plastic deformation of material of the bearing housing and / or the bearing outer ring and / or the caulking ring. The caulking ring can therefore be arranged between the front bearing outer ring and the end face at the open end of the bearing housing. If no caulking ring is provided, the end face of the front bearing outer ring can be arranged at the open end of the bearing housing.

[0015] The caulking is preferably performed at several positions on the end faces arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction. The individual caulking positions can, in particular, be spaced apart from one another.

[0016] Preferably, the bearing outer ring, i.e., the front bearing outer ring, i.e., the bearing outer ring caulked to the bearing housing directly or via the caulking ring, is spring-loaded by a spring element in the direction of the caulked end face. This is therefore a preloaded rotating anode bearing arrangement, which can preferably also be designed to be temperature-compensated, as described above. The spring element can preferably be arranged between bearing outer rings axially adjacent to one another in the bearing housing, in particular between the two aforementioned bearing outer rings at the open end and next to the base of the bearing housing, and can press the bearing outer rings apart, optionally via one or more intermediate, axially displaceable components, in order to clamp the entire bearing arrangement.

[0017] In particular, the bearing outer ring is clamped axially between the plastically deformed material of the bearing housing and a collar of the bearing housing arranged at an axial distance from the deformed material. This allows for reliable and defined axial positioning and securing of the bearing outer ring in both axial directions.

[0018] Particularly preferably, the material plastically deformed during caulking is deformed in the axial direction and in the radial direction of the at least one bearing outer ring, i.e., in the axial direction and in the radial direction of the rotating anode bearing assembly. This allows for axial and radial securing of the bearing outer ring. The axial direction corresponds to the direction of the rotational axis of the X-ray tube's rotor.

[0019] Particularly preferably, two bearing outer rings arranged next to one another in the axial direction are mounted in the bearing housing, for example the aforementioned front bearing outer ring and a corresponding rear bearing outer ring near the bottom of the bearing housing, wherein the two bearing outer rings are supported against one another in the axial direction directly or via at least one intermediate piece, preferably elastically supported against one another, and together enclose the receiving space. Preferably, only one of the two bearing outer rings can be caulked to the bearing housing directly or via the caulking ring. At the same time, the mutual support also secures the other bearing outer ring, which can preferably be supported on a bottom of the bearing housing or on a collar of the bearing housing.

[0020] The two bearing outer rings can have the same inner and outer diameters.

[0021] In a design with a caulking ring, it is particularly advantageous if the caulking ring has a lower hardness than the bearing housing and than the at least one bearing outer ring. The caulking ring can thus be provided as a buffer or as a sacrificial part, so that when the bearing housing material is caulked into the caulking ring, deformation occurs only in the caulking ring and not in the axially adjacent bearing outer ring. This ensures compliance with small tolerances regarding the roundness of the bearing outer ring, which leads to correspondingly smooth running of the rotating anode bearing assembly.

[0022] The caulking ring can be loosely attached to the bearing outer ring directly or via an intermediate element or can be mounted in a form-fitting or material-fitting manner.

[0023] Particularly preferably, the at least one bearing outer ring and the caulking ring, and in particular the bearing housing, have the same coefficient of thermal expansion. This prevents the caulking from yielding or the formation of undesirable play between the at least one bearing outer ring and the bearing housing.

[0024] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, which can also be combined with the first embodiment, at least one locking element is arranged in the radial direction between the bearing housing and the at least one bearing outer ring, in particular the front bearing outer ring, which locking element can be displaced by a spring force or other externally activatable deformation force from a retracted position into an extended position between the bearing housing and the at least one bearing outer ring, in particular the front bearing outer ring, wherein in the retracted position it allows a relative movement between the bearing housing and the at least one bearing outer ring (front bearing outer ring) in the axial direction and in the extended position it blocks in the axial direction on both sides by positive locking.

[0025] In particular, several locking elements arranged circumferentially spaced apart from one another are provided around the circumference of the bearing outer ring, or one locking element extends over at least half or at least three-quarters of the outer circumference of the bearing outer ring. This ensures securing over almost the entire circumference of the bearing outer ring and prevents tilting moments.

[0026] In this second embodiment of the invention, two bearing outer rings arranged next to one another in the axial direction are preferably mounted in the bearing housing. As previously described, these outer rings are supported against one another in the axial direction, in particular elastically supported against one another, directly or via at least one intermediate piece, and jointly enclose the receiving space. At least one locking element is arranged between only one of the two outer rings and the bearing housing. The other outer ring can, as previously described, be secured in the axial direction by its support against the front outer ring and a base of the housing or a collar in the housing.

[0027] The two bearing outer rings can have the same inner and outer diameters.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the at least one locking element is designed as a spring ring. The spring ring can be made of an elastically resilient material or can be moved, i.e., sprung, from the retracted position to the extended position by additional springs.

[0029] According to another embodiment, the at least one locking element is made as a ring from a shape memory material, for example, a shape memory alloy, and the positive connection between the bearing outer ring and the bearing housing can be achieved by a change in properties, i.e., a so-called memory effect. For example, the change in properties can be a temperature change or irradiation of the shape memory material.

[0030] The locking element is mounted in a radial groove in the bearing outer ring and, in the extended position, extends into a radial recess in the bearing housing, which is opposite the radial groove in the bearing outer ring. In the retracted position, the locking element is then completely retracted from the radial recess and, in particular, is arranged completely within the radial groove in the bearing outer ring.

[0031] A rotating anode for an X-ray tube according to the invention comprises a rotor and a stator that surrounds the rotor at a distance in the circumferential direction. The rotor and the stator interact electromagnetically with each other, and the rotor has a cup-shaped region that circumferentially surrounds a roller-bearing rotor shaft and is connected to an axial end of the rotor shaft, either in one piece or in multiple pieces. The rotor is mounted with a rotating anode bearing arrangement according to the invention of the type shown, and the rotor shaft is arranged in the receiving space, so that the bearing housing is arranged radially between the rotor shaft and the cup-shaped region of the rotor.

[0032] A method according to the invention for assembling a rotating anode bearing assembly for producing a rotating anode comprises the following steps: - Inserting the rolling elements into the at least one bearing outer ring, the rotor shaft of the rotor into the radially inner receiving space and the at least one bearing outer ring into the bearing housing; - caulking the end face of at least one bearing outer ring or of the caulking ring axially adjoining the bearing outer ring with the end face of the bearing housing by plastic deformation of the material of the bearing housing and / or the bearing outer ring and / or the caulking ring;wherein the caulking takes place with the rotor shaft inserted into the radially inner receiving space.

[0033] Preferably, at least one caulking body is displaced radially from the outside onto the material, wherein the at least one caulking body dips into a space between a flange on the rotor shaft and the end face of the bearing housing, and then, in particular, a force is applied in the axial direction of the rotor shaft to the at least one caulking body, thereby deforming the material to produce the caulking.

[0034] The invention will be explained below using exemplary embodiments and the figures.

[0035] They show: Fig. 1 shows an axial section through an embodiment of a rotating anode bearing arrangement according to the invention in a rotating anode for an X-ray tube; Fig. 2 an axial plan view of the caulking of the bearing outer ring in the bearing housing of the Fig. 1; Fig. 3 an alternative embodiment of a rotating anode bearing arrangement according to the invention with a locking element in the retracted position before the bearing outer rings are fully inserted into the bearing housing; Fig. 4 the rotating anode bearing arrangement from the Fig. 3 with the locking element in the extended position after the bearing outer rings have been fully inserted into the bearing housing; Fig. 5 a tool or a device for applying the caulking of a rotating anode bearing arrangement according to the invention; Fig. 6 an enlargement of the area with the not yet plastically deformed material of the bearing housing before caulking this material.

[0036] In the Fig. 1 shows a rotating anode bearing assembly 1 according to the invention for a rotating anode for an X-ray tube. A rotor 20 of the rotating anode is mounted on a roller bearing in the rotating anode bearing assembly. The rotor 20 surrounds the bearing housing 5 with a cup-shaped region 23, shown in dashed lines. The cup-shaped region 23 is connected to a rotor shaft 22, which rotates about an axis of rotation during operation of the X-ray tube. The rotor shaft 22 is arranged in a receiving space of the rotating anode bearing assembly within the rolling elements 4, which roll radially inward in two outer bearing rings 2, 3. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the rotor shaft 22 simultaneously forms the inner bearing rings for the rolling elements 4. However, this is not mandatory.

[0037] In practice, an anode plate with anode material (not shown in detail here) is connected to the rotor shaft 22.

[0038] A stator 21 is located radially outwardly opposite the rotor 20 or its pot-shaped region 23, wherein the rotor 20 is arranged within an X-ray tube housing (not shown), in particular made of glass, and the stator 21 is positioned outside the X-ray tube housing.

[0039] The bearing housing 5 is cup-shaped, with one of the two bearing outer rings, here the bearing outer ring 3, being directly or indirectly supported on a bottom of the cup-shaped housing, and the other bearing outer ring 2 being positioned near the opening of the bearing housing 5. Accordingly, the bearing outer ring 3 can be referred to as the rear bearing outer ring, and the bearing outer ring 2 can be referred to as the front bearing outer ring.

[0040] An intermediate piece 10, here in the form of a C-ring with a discontinuous circumference, is arranged in the axial direction between the two bearing outer rings 2, 3. The two bearing outer rings 2, 3 are supported against each other in the axial direction via the intermediate piece 10. A resilient support is provided, which is achieved by arranging a thrust element 15 in the bearing outer ring 2, which is acted upon by the spring element 9. The thrust element 15 is elastically pressed against the intermediate piece 10 by the spring element 9 and slides radially inward on a surface in the bearing outer ring 2.The thrust element 15 has an outer circumferential groove with which it can be secured in the axial direction by means of a pin (not shown here) which is pushed through a corresponding bore in the bearing outer ring 2 in order to withstand the spring force of the spring element 9 and not to be pressed out of the bearing outer ring 2 before the intermediate piece 10 is inserted between the bearing outer rings 2, 3.

[0041] However, the elastic support between the two bearing outer rings 2, 3 could also be designed differently.

[0042] In the area of ​​the opening of the bearing housing 5, a caulking ring 6 is provided on the end face of the bearing outer ring 2, which serves to fix the bearing outer ring 2 in the axial and radial directions in the bearing housing 5. The caulking ring 6 advantageously adjoins the bearing outer ring 2 with the same diameter. The bearing outer ring 2 has a radial extension in the area of ​​its front end, which abuts against a collar 5.1 of the bearing housing 5. The bearing housing 5 has axially projecting material 14 on its end face 8, which in the Fig. 1 is shown in the undeformed state.

[0043] According to a preferred embodiment, but not mandatory, the material 14 is annular and can, in particular, have notches 16 spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the bearing housing 5. The notches 16 facilitate the caulking of the material 14 by bending it toward the caulking ring 6.

[0044] In the Fig. 2 shows the caulked state of the end face 7 of the caulking ring 6 with the end face 8 of the bearing housing 5. As can be seen, the material 14 is bent radially inward and pressed into the material of the caulking ring 6 at its end face 7. The Fig. 2 accordingly represents a top view of the end faces 7, 8.

[0045] Because the material of the caulking ring 6 is preferably comparatively soft, in particular softer than the material of the bearing housing 5 and preferably also than the material of the bearing outer ring 2, the material 14 can be easily inserted into the material of the caulking ring 6. At the same time, undesirable deformation of the bearing outer ring 2 is avoided.

[0046] In the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 shows a possible device for caulking the material 14. As can be seen, a caulking body 30 is pushed radially from the outside onto the material 14 on the bearing housing 5, whereby the caulking body 30 is inserted into the space between a flange on the rotor 20 or on the rotor shaft 22 and the end face 8 of the bearing housing 5. Subsequently, a force, represented by the arrow in the Fig. 5, are applied in the axial direction to the caulking body 30 or several caulking bodies 30 arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction in order to deform the material 14 for producing the caulking between the bearing housing 5 and the bearing outer ring 2, or here the caulking ring 6.

[0047] In the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which a locking element 11 is provided in the bearing outer ring 2, which locking element is displaceable between a retracted position within a radial groove 12 in the bearing outer ring 2 and an extended position, in which it is arranged partly within the radial groove 12 and partly within a radial recess 13 in the bearing housing 5. The retracted position is in the Fig. 3, the extended position is in the Fig. 4. The extended position is achieved when the two bearing outer rings 2, 3 together with the intermediate piece 10, the rolling elements 4 and the part of the rotor 20 arranged in the receiving space between the rolling elements 4, here the rotor shaft 22, have been completely pushed into the bearing housing 5, so that the radial groove 12 and the radial recess 13 are directly opposite each other in the radial direction and the locking element 11 has been deformed or pressed radially outwards by a spring force or another deformation force that can be specifically activated from the outside in order to engage accordingly in the radial recess 13.

[0048] Even in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, a resilient support could be provided between the bearing outer ring 2 and the bearing outer ring 3, for example by making the intermediate piece 10 resilient, or by means of a spring arrangement as shown in the Fig.1. Other, even non-springy, designs are possible. List of reference symbols 1 rotating anode bearing arrangement 2 bearing outer ring 3 Bearing outer ring 4 rolling elements 5 bearing housings 5.1 Covenant 6 caulking ring 7 Front side 8 Front side 9 Spring element 10 intermediate piece 11 locking element 12 Radial groove 13 Radial recess 14 Materials 15 Thrust element 16 Notch 20 rotors 21 Stator 22 Rotor shaft 23 pot-shaped area 30 caulking bodies

Claims

[1] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) for an X-ray tube with at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) and rolling elements (4) arranged within the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3), which roll on the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) and enclose a radially inner receiving space for receiving a rotor (20) of an X-ray tube; with a bearing housing (5) in which the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) is mounted, wherein the bearing housing (5) encloses the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) in the circumferential direction; characterized by , that an end face (7) of at least one bearing outer ring (2) or of a caulking ring (6) axially adjoining the bearing outer ring (2) is caulked to an end face (8) of the bearing housing (5) by plastic deformation of material (14) of the bearing housing (5) and / or the bearing outer ring (2) and / or the caulking ring (6). [2] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the bearing outer ring (2) is spring-loaded with a spring element (9) in the direction of the caulked end face (7, 8). [3] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by that the bearing outer ring (2) is clamped on both sides in the axial direction between material (14) of the bearing housing (5) which is plastically deformed by the caulking and a collar (5.1) of the bearing housing (5) which is arranged at an axial distance from the deformed material (14). [4] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the material (14) is deformed in the axial direction and radial direction of the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3). [5] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized byin that two bearing outer rings (2, 3) arranged next to one another in the axial direction are mounted in the bearing housing (5), which are supported against one another in the axial direction directly or via at least one intermediate piece (10) and together enclose the receiving space, wherein only one of the two bearing outer rings (2, 3) is caulked to the bearing housing (5) directly or via the caulking ring (6). [6] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the caulking ring (6) has a lower hardness than the bearing housing (5) and the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3). [7] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) and the caulking ring (6) and in particular the bearing housing (5) have the same thermal expansion coefficient. [8] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) for an X-ray tube with at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) and rolling elements (4) arranged within the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3), which roll on the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) and enclose a radially inner receiving space for receiving a rotor (20) of an X-ray tube; with a bearing housing (5) in which the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) is mounted, wherein the bearing housing (5) encloses the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) in the circumferential direction; characterized by , that at least one locking element (11) is arranged in the radial direction between the bearing housing (5) and the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3), which locking element can be displaced from a retracted position into an extended position between the bearing housing (5) and the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) by a spring force or other deformation force that can be activated from the outside, wherein in the retracted position it allows a relative movement between the bearing housing (5) and the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) in the axial direction and in the extended position it blocks in the axial direction on both sides by positive locking. [9] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to claim 8, characterized by that the at least one locking element (11) is designed as a spring ring. [10] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to claim 8, characterized by that the at least one locking element (11) is made as a ring from a shape memory material. [11] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized by that the locking element (11) is mounted in a radial groove (12) in the bearing outer ring (2) and, in the extended position, extends into a radial recess (13) of the bearing housing (5) which is opposite the radial groove (12) in the bearing outer ring (2). [12] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized by in that two bearing outer rings (2, 3) arranged next to one another in the axial direction are mounted in the bearing housing (5), which are supported against one another in the axial direction directly or via at least one intermediate piece (10) and together enclose the receiving space, wherein at least one locking element (11) is arranged between only one of the two bearing outer rings (2, 3) and the bearing housing (5). [13] Rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 5 or 12, characterized by that the two bearing outer rings (2, 3) are elastically supported against each other. [14] Rotating anode for an X-ray tube with a rotor (20) and a stator (21) surrounding the rotor (20) at a distance in the circumferential direction, wherein the rotor (20) and the stator (21) are in electromagnetic interaction with each other and wherein the rotor (20) has a pot-shaped region (23) which encloses a roller-bearing rotor shaft (22) of the rotor (20) in the circumferential direction and is connected to an axial end of the rotor shaft (22), characterized by , that the rotor (20) is mounted with a rotating anode bearing arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13 and the rotor shaft (22) is arranged in the receiving space, so that the bearing housing (5) is arranged in the radial direction between the rotor shaft (22) and the pot-shaped region (23). [15] Method for assembling a rotating anode bearing assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13 for producing a rotating anode according to claim 14, comprising the following steps: Inserting the rolling elements (4) into the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3), the rotor shaft (22) of the rotor (20) into the radially inner receiving space and the at least one bearing outer ring (2, 3) into the bearing housing (5); Caulking the end face (7) of at least one bearing outer ring (2) or the caulking ring (6) axially adjoining the bearing outer ring (2) with the end face (8) of the bearing housing (5) by plastic deformation of the material (14) of the bearing housing (5) and / or the bearing outer ring (2) and / or the caulking ring (6); characterized by , that the caulking takes place when the rotor shaft (22) is inserted into the radially inner receiving space. [16] Method according to claim 15, characterized bythat at least one caulking body (30) is displaced radially from the outside onto the material (14), wherein the at least one caulking body (30) dips into a space between a flange on the rotor shaft (22) and the end face (8) of the bearing housing (5), and then in particular a force in the axial direction of the rotor shaft (22) is applied to the at least one caulking body (30) and thereby the material (14) is deformed to produce the caulking.

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