A base washer and bearing assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a base washer and bearing assembly. The invention particularly relates to a base washer that provides a homogeneous grease distribution and has the effect of reducing friction on the contact surfaces of the needle rollers, and a bearing assembly comprising this base washer.

Description

[0001] A BASE WASHER AND BEARING ASSEMBLY

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a base washer and bearing assembly.

[0004] The invention particularly relates to a base washer that provides homogeneous grease distribution and reduces the friction on the contact surfaces of the needle rollers, and a bearing assembly containing this base washer.

[0005] State of the Art

[0006] Drivetrains used in vehicles are mechanical components that allow power and motion to be transferred from engines to wheels or other moving parts. Various drivetrains are used according to different types and purposes of vehicles. Driveshaft is a mechanical part used to transmit power or torque and are used in vehicles where power is transmitted from the engine or transmission to the wheels or other driven parts. The driveshaft ensures the transfer of torque, especially in rear-wheel drive vehicles, since the rear wheels are in front of the engine. The engine and wheels may not be in alignment, and by means of the driveshafts, this imbalance is properly corrected. The driveshaft is a shaft, usually in the form of a tube, with two or more cross assemblies on it. The cross assembly allows changing the angle between the two axes and thus helps the wheels adapt to the slope of the surface.

[0007] The cross assembly is a structure formed by four trunnions extending outwards from a central hub, and a bearing assembly is placed around each trunnion. Bearing assemblies have a closed and hollow cylindrical structure at one end. This cylindrical roller assembly is threaded through the end of each trunnion, and cylindrical needle rollers mounted around the trunnions allow the bearing assemblies to rotate. The cross assembly has a lubrication channel in its body. This channel reaches each trunnion through a passage channel, and grease is injected into the lubrication channel and directed to the closed ends through the passage channel and delivered to the needle rollers. In this way, effective lubrication of needle rollers is ensured.

[0008] Bearing assemblies used today have base washers (thrust washers). The base washer is the element placed between a rotating surface and a fixed component, supporting the axial load or movement on a cross shaft. The base washer provides a surface on which a housing is supported and is used in high-wear applications.

[0009] The base washers used in the state of the art are manufactured from a single circular piece of material having a first portion fitted to the axially outer end of the cross trunnion and a second portion fitted to the axially outer ends of the housings. This structure performs well for most applications of cross joint assemblies.

[0010] Grease distribution cannot be achieved homogeneously to the desired extent on the surfaces where the base washer comes into contact with the needle rollers. This situation causes increased friction on the washer contact surfaces of the needle rollers, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of the roller and a decrease in its useful life.

[0011] As a result of the research on the subject, a patent application numbered TR2019 / 21089, titled "An improvement to increase the sealing in a cross assembly" has been found. The relevant application relates to a cross assembly comprising a cross with trunnions to be connected to the ear openings in order to provide mechanical power transfer by placing the yoked parts at a joint, cap portion placed on the trunnions to be positioned between the ear openings and the trunnions, a compression part sandwiched between said cap portion and the trunnion, and a throat part that allows the sealing element to easily bend towards both the trunnion and the outer surface of the cap portion after the compression part and a sealing element arranged in a monolithic and elastic structure that provides sealing by extending from the throat part to the outer surface of the cap portion and wrapping at least a part of the outer surface of the cap portion. In the relevant application, no teaching is mentioned to ensure homogeneous grease distribution.

[0012] As a result, it has become necessary to make a development in the relevant technical field due to the drawbacks described above and the inadequacy of existing solutions on the subject.

[0013] Object of the Invention

[0014] The invention is inspired by present situations and aims to solve the above-mentioned deficiencies.

[0015] The main object of the invention is to provide improvement in material performance and homogeneous grease distribution on the surfaces where the base washer comes into contact with the needle rollers. Another object of the invention is to create a friction-reducing effect on the washer contact surfaces of the needle rollers.

[0016] In order to achieve all of the objects described above, the invention is a base washer to be used by fitting onto each trunnion of a cross body comprising four cylindrical solid trunnions that extend perpendicular to each other and are integrated with each other, and to be used by fitting on base of bearing assemblies containing a plurality of needle rollers, comprising:

[0017] • hole provides transferring grease to be used to surface of the base washer,

[0018] • a contact surface located near the edges of the base washer and continuing along the surfaces where needle roller face surfaces come into contact, on which the grease will accumulate in order to reduce the friction,

[0019] • cavities formed on the base washer, which provides connection between the hole and the contact surface, to ensure that the grease coming from the hole reaches the contact surface and to reduce the friction between trunnion face surface and the base washer.

[0020] In order to achieve the objects described above, the invention a bearing assembly comprising a base washer as mentioned above, comprising:

[0021] • a cylindrical cap portion with the base washer placed on the closed side,

[0022] • needle rollers arranged at radial distances by surrounding the base washer and being placed vertically,

[0023] • spring washer, inner seal and outer seal placed on the needle rollers respectively.

[0024] The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood by means of the drawings given below and the detailed description written with references to these drawings, and therefore the evaluation needs to be made by taking these drawings and the detailed description into consideration.

[0025] Figures to Help Understanding of the Invention

[0026] Figure 1 is the perspective view of the cross assembly.

[0027] Figure 2 is the perspective view of the cross body and bearing assembly. Figure 3 is the exploded perspective view of the cross body and bearing assembly.

[0028] Figure 4 is the cross-sectional view of the yoke part of a driveshaft.

[0029] Figure 5 is the perspective view of the base washer.

[0030] Figure 6 is the top view of the base washer.

[0031] Figure 7 is the cross-sectional view of the base washer.

[0032] Figure 8 is the cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the base washer.

[0033] Figure 9 is the cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the base washer.

[0034] Figure 10 is the cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the base washer.

[0035] Figure 11 is the perspective view of an embodiment of the base washer.

[0036] Figure 12 is the perspective view of an embodiment of the base washer with needle rollers.

[0037] Figure 13 is the perspective view of an embodiment of the base washer.

[0038] Description of Part References

[0039] A Bearing assembly

[0040] 10 Base washer

[0041] 11 Hole

[0042] 12 Contact surface

[0043] 121 Peripheral channel

[0044] 122 Orange peel patterned surface

[0045] 123 Arc-shaped channel

[0046] 13 Cavity

[0047] 20 Cross assembly

[0048] 21 Cross body

[0049] 22 Trunnion

[0050] 23 Trunnion face surface

[0051] 24 Needle roller

[0052] 25 Needle roller face surface

[0053] 26 Cap portion

[0054] 27 Spring washer

[0055] 28 Inner seal

[0056] 29 Outer seal

[0057] 30 Tube

[0058] 31 Tube yoke

[0059] 32 Yoked flange 33 Circlip

[0060] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0061] In this detailed description, preferred embodiments of the invention are described only for a better understanding of the subject.

[0062] In Figure 2, it is shown the view of the bearing assembly (A) which is the subject of the invention together with a cross assembly (20), and in Figure 3, it is shown the exploded view of the bearing assembly (A). The bearing assembly (A) basically comprises a cylindrical cap portion (26), a base washer (10) placed on the closed side of the cap portion (26), needle rollers (24) placed on the base washer (10) in a way that surrounds it, a spring washer (27), an inner seal (28) and an outer seal (29) placed respectively on the needle rollers (24).

[0063] In Figure 4, it is shown the yoke part of a two-piece driveshaft as perspective in crosssection. A part of the driveshaft comprises a tube yoke (31 ) fixed to one end of a hollow tube (30). The other corresponding part has a yoked flange (32). The yoke parts of the tube yoke (31 ) and the yoked flange (32) are placed perpendicular to each other. The yoke parts are articulated with a bearing assembly (A).

[0064] The cross assembly (20) comprises four integrated cylindrical solid trunnions (22) extending perpendicular to each other, forming a cross body (21 ). A hollow bearing assembly (A) is fitted onto each trunnion (22) from its free end through an open mouth section. A base washer (10) is placed on the closed end of the bearing assembly (A), and a double row of needle rollers (24) are vertically supported and arranged at radial distances. Each of the needle rollers (24) contact the inner wall of the bearing assembly (A) linearly on one side and the cylindrical trunnion (22) linearly on the opposite side. In this way, when the bearing assembly (A) is placed in the hole on the yoke, the trunnion (22) has angular rotation freedom on the extension axis. A spring washer (27) is positioned on the upper part of the needle rollers (24). A ring-shaped inner seal (28) and an outer seal (29) are mounted on the bearing assembly (10) via the edge located at the mouth. A circlip (33) is fitted on the outer wall of the bearing assembly (A) at a distance from the mouth part.

[0065] The base washer (10) developed within the scope of the invention is shown in Figure 5. The base washer (10) fits into the base of the cross body (21 ), and its diameter is at most as much as the inner diameter of the cross body (21 ). The base washer (10) has a circular structure and there is a contact surface (12) on the base washer (10), which is equidistant from the edges of the base washer (10) and along the surfaces where the needle roller face surfaces (25) come into contact. The width of the contact surface (12) is preferably at least the diameter of the needle rollers (24). There is a hole (11 ) in the middle part of the base washer (10). The hole (11 ) ensures that the grease to be used is transferred to the surface of the base washer (10). The connection between the hole (11 ) and the contact surface (12) is provided by means of symmetrically opened cavities (13) on the base washer (10). Herein the cavities (13) serve as a bridge. The grease coming from the hole (11 ) reaches the contact surface (12) through the cavities (13) and reduces the friction between the needle roller face surfaces (25) located on the contact surface

[0066] (12) and the contact surface (12). This increases the working performance and service life of the parts. The grease accumulated on the cavities (13) improves the performance of the material by reducing the friction force between the trunnion face surface (23) and the base washer (10). The symmetrical nature of the cavities (13) on the base washer (10) helps to ensure a homogeneous distribution of the grease and to distribute the friction force between the trunnion face surface (23) and the base washer (10) homogeneously on the surface. Symmetrical cavities (13) are shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0067] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is at least one circumferential channel (121 ) on the contact surface (12), as seen in Figures 8 and 9. The circumferential channel (121 ) increases the amount of grease coming from the cavities (13) on the contact surface (12). The circumferential channel (121 ), as seen in Figure 10, can be positioned in the middle on the contact surface (12), closer to the inner diameter or closer to the outer diameter, and can have profiles in various geometric shapes.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as seen in Figures 1 1 and 12, the contact surface (12) has an orange peel patterned surface (122). The rough structure of the orange peel patterned surface (122) ensures that the grease coming from the cavities

[0069] (13) is distributed homogeneously on the needle roller face surfaces (25).

[0070] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as can be seen in Figure 13, it comprises arc-shaped channels (123) positioned at equal intervals and parallel to each other on the contact surface (12). The arc-shaped channels (123) ensure that the grease coming from the cavities (13) is distributed homogeneously to the needle roller face surfaces (25). The circumferential channel (121 ), the orange peel patterned surface (122) and the arcshaped channels (123) are selected as needed.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A base washer (10) to be used by fitting onto each trunnion (22) of a cross body (21 ) comprising four cylindrical solid trunnions (22) that extend perpendicular to each other and are integrated with each other, and to be used by fitting on base of bearing assemblies containing a plurality of needle rollers (24), characterized by comprising:• hole (11 ) provides transferring grease to be used to surface of the base washer (10),• a contact surface (12) located near the edges of the base washer (10) and continuing along the surfaces where needle roller face surfaces (25) come into contact, on which the grease will accumulate in order to reduce the friction,• cavities (13) formed on the base washer (10), which provides connection between the hole (11 ) and the contact surface (12), to ensure that the grease coming from the hole (11 ) reaches the contact surface (12) and to reduce the friction between trunnion face surface (23) and the base washer (10).

2. The base washer (10) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the diameter of the base washer (10) is at most the same as the inner diameter of the cross body (21 ).

3. The base washer (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the width of the contact surface (12) is at least the diameter of the needle rollers (24).

4. The base washer (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavities (13) opened on the base washer (10) are symmetrical in order to ensure homogeneous distribution of the grease.

5. The base washer (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising at least one circumferential channel (121 ) on the contact surface (12) in order to increase the amount of grease coming from the cavities (13) on the contact surface (12).

6. The base washer (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the circumferential channel (121 ) is positioned in the middle on the contact surface (12), closer to the inner diameter or closer to the outer diameter.

7. The base washer (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the circumferential channel (121 ) has various geometric shapes.

8. The base washer (10) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact surface (12) comprises an orange peel patterned surface (122) to ensure that the grease coming from the cavities (13) is distributed homogeneously to the needle roller face surfaces (25).

9. The base washer (10) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized by comprising arc-shaped channels (123) positioned at equal intervals and parallel to each other on the contact surface (12) to ensure that the grease coming from the cavities (13) is distributed homogeneously to the needle roller face surfaces (25).

10. A bearing assembly (A) comprising a base washer (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by comprising:• a cylindrical cap portion (26) with the base washer (10) placed on the closed side,• needle rollers (24) arranged at radial distances by surrounding the base washer (10) and being placed vertically, spring washer (27), inner seal (28) and outer seal (29) placed on the needle rollers (24) respectively.

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