Grease seal removal tool and grease seal removal method

Abstract

To provide a grease seal removal tool capable of suppressing damage of a grease seal when a bearing is disassembled.SOLUTION: A grease seal removal tool includes: a bearing side attachment 42 inserted from an outer bearing 20 side to a through hole 108 and abutting on a cone 21 of the outer bearing 20; a grease seal side plate 43 inserted from a grease seal 30 side to the through hole 108 and abutting on the grease seal 30; and a male screw part 44 for fixing the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 to each other in a state where the outer bearing 20 and the grease seal 30 are sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. The grease seal 30 has a ring part 31, and a frame structure 32 for holding an outer peripheral part of the ring part 31. The grease seal side plate 43 has a pressing surface 43c disposed opposing to the ring part 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a grease seal removal tool and a grease seal removal method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a wheel bearing seal device. This wheel bearing seal device has a bearing and a grease seal. The bearing has an outer ring, an inner ring, and tapered rollers. The bearing is filled with a lubricant. The grease seal is provided axially outside the bearing to prevent the lubricant from leaking from the bearing to the outside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2022-553514 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Bearings are periodically disassembled for maintenance, etc. When a bearing is disassembled, an axially outward force is applied to the inner ring and tapered rollers, which pushes the inner ring and tapered rollers out of the wheel while pushing out the grease seal.

[0005] However, when the inner ring and the tapered rollers are pushed out, a local load is applied to the grease seal by the inner ring and the tapered rollers. As a result, the grease seal is pushed out while being significantly deformed. Therefore, there is a problem that the grease seal may be damaged when the bearing is disassembled.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a grease seal removal tool and a grease seal removal method that can prevent damage to the grease seal when the bearing is disassembled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The grease seal removal jig of the present invention is a grease seal removal jig for removing a grease seal from a wheel, the grease seal being arranged axially adjacent to a bearing inside a through hole formed in the wheel, and comprises a first jig that is inserted into the through hole from the bearing side and abuts against the inner ring of the bearing, a second jig that is inserted into the through hole from the grease seal side and abuts against the grease seal, and a fixing member that fixes the first jig and the second jig to each other with the bearing and the grease seal sandwiched between the first jig and the second jig, the grease seal having a ring portion and a skeletal structure that holds the outer periphery of the ring portion, and the second jig has a pressing surface arranged opposite the ring portion.

[0008] The grease seal removal method of the present invention is a grease seal removal method for removing a grease seal that is axially adjacent to a bearing inside a through hole formed in a wheel, and includes the steps of inserting a first jig into the through hole from the bearing side and abutting the first jig against the inner ring of the bearing, inserting a second jig into the through hole from the grease seal side and abutting the second jig against the grease seal, fixing the first jig and the second jig to each other with the inner ring and the grease seal sandwiched between the first jig and the second jig, and applying a force to the first jig in the insertion direction of the first jig, and removing the grease seal together with the inner ring from the wheel. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, damage to the grease seal when the bearing is disassembled can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a wheel according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main configuration of an outer wheel and an axle according to an embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of an outer wheel, an inner bearing, an outer bearing, etc. according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an outer wheel, an inner bearing, an outer bearing, etc. according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the configuration of an outer bearing, a grease seal, and a grease retainer according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a grease seal according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the configuration of a grease seal removal jig according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views showing a method for removing a grease seal according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the skeletal structure and its surroundings in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a grease seal removal jig according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 11] 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a cone, a tapered roller, and a grease seal have been removed from an outer wheel using a grease seal removal jig according to a first modified example of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a grease seal removal jig according to a second modified example of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a view showing a state in which a grease seal side plate of a grease seal removal jig according to a second modified example of the embodiment is brought into contact with a grease seal. FIG. [Figure 14] 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a grease seal side plate of a grease seal removal jig according to a third modified example of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15]13 is a view showing a state in which a grease seal side plate of a grease seal removal jig according to a third modified example of the embodiment is brought into contact with a grease seal. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] A grease seal removal jig and a grease seal removal method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, a wheel according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a wheel according to this embodiment. In Fig. 1, a wheel for an aircraft is illustrated as an example of the wheel.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the wheel 100 has a wheel unit 101 and a tire 102. The wheel unit 101 is attached to an axle 103 together with an axle unit 104 and a hub cap 105. The tire 102 is attached to the outer periphery of the wheel unit 101. The wheel unit 101 has an outer wheel 106 and an inner wheel 107. The outer wheel 106 and the inner wheel 107 are supported rotatably on the axle 103. In the following description, a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the outer wheel 106 may be referred to as the axial direction of the outer wheel 106, or simply as the axial direction.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of the outer wheel and the axle according to this embodiment. The left-right direction of FIG. 2 represents the axial direction of the outer wheel 106. The right side of FIG. 2 represents the tip side of the axle 103, that is, the outside of the outer wheel 106 in the axial direction. The left side of FIG. 2 represents the inside of the outer wheel 106 in the axial direction. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the outer wheel, the inner bearing, the outer bearing, etc. according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the outer wheel, the inner bearing, the outer bearing, etc. according to this embodiment. The up-down direction of FIG. 4 represents the axial direction. The upper side of FIG. 4 represents the outside of the outer wheel 106 in the axial direction. The lower side of FIG. 4 represents the inside of the outer wheel 106 in the axial direction. FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the outer bearing, the grease seal, and the grease retainer according to this embodiment.

[0014] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, a through hole 108 is formed in the center of the outer wheel 106. The through hole 108 extends in the axial direction. The through hole 108 is defined by an inner circumferential surface 106a of the outer wheel 106.

[0015] The axle 103 is inserted into the through hole 108. An outer peripheral surface 103a of the axle 103 faces an inner peripheral surface 106a of the outer wheel 106. An inner bearing 10 and an outer bearing 20 are provided between the outer peripheral surface 103a of the axle 103 and the inner peripheral surface 106a of the outer wheel 106. The outer bearing 20 is an example of a "bearing" in this embodiment. The outer wheel 106 is supported by the axle 103 via the inner bearing 10 and the outer bearing 20. Both the inner bearing 10 and the outer bearing 20 in this embodiment are tapered roller bearings.

[0016] The through hole 108 has a bearing hole 108a and a bearing hole 108b. The bearing hole 108a is provided at the inner end of the through hole 108 in the axial direction. The inner bearing 10 is accommodated in the bearing hole 108a. The bearing hole 108b is provided at the outer end of the through hole 108 in the axial direction. The outer bearing 20 is accommodated in the bearing hole 108b.

[0017] The outer bearing 20 has a cone 21, a cup 22, and a tapered roller 23. The cone 21 is an inner ring of the outer bearing 20. The cone 21 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface 103a of the axle 103. The cup 22 is an outer ring of the outer bearing 20. The cup 22 is fixed to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 106a of the outer wheel 106 that is a bearing hole 108b. The tapered roller 23 is provided between the cone 21 and the cup 22 and is supported by the cone 21. The raceway surface of the cone 21 and the raceway surface of the cup 22 are both inclined with respect to the axial direction. The apex of each raceway surface is located inside the outer bearing 20 in the axial direction. That is, each raceway surface is formed in a cone shape with a diameter that increases toward the outside in the axial direction.

[0018] A grease retainer 24 is provided axially inward of the outer bearing 20. The grease retainer 24 is provided axially adjacent to the outer bearing 20. The grease retainer 24 is an independent member provided separately from the outer bearing 20.

[0019] A grease seal 30 is provided axially outward of the outer bearing 20. The grease seal 30 is provided axially adjacent to the outer bearing 20. The grease seal 30 is an independent member provided separately from the outer bearing 20.

[0020] The space surrounded by the grease retainer 24, the grease seal 30, the cone 21, and the cup 22 is filled with grease. The provision of the grease seal 30 prevents foreign matter from entering the space from outside the outer wheel 106 and prevents grease from leaking from the space to the outside of the outer wheel 106.

[0021] The grease retainer 24, the outer bearing 20, and the grease seal 30 are fitted by press fitting or the like from the outside in the axial direction into the interior of the outer wheel 106, i.e., into the through hole 108. The outer peripheral ends of the grease retainer 24, the outer bearing 20, and the grease seal 30 are fixed to the inner peripheral surface 106a of the outer wheel 106 by fitting or the like.

[0022] The inner bearing 10 has a cone 11, a cup 12, and a tapered roller 13. The cup 12 is fixed to a portion of an inner circumferential surface 106a of an outer wheel 106 that forms a bearing hole 108a. The inner bearing 10 has a similar configuration to the outer bearing 20, except that the inclination of each raceway surface is opposite to that of the outer bearing 20.

[0023] A grease retainer 14 is provided axially outboard of the inner bearing 10, i.e., closer to the outer bearing 20 than the inner bearing 10. A grease seal 15 is provided axially inboard of the inner bearing 10. The space surrounded by the grease retainer 14, the grease seal 15, the cone 11, and the cup 12 is filled with grease.

[0024] The grease retainer 14, inner bearing 10, and grease seal 15 are fitted into the interior of the outer wheel 106, i.e., into the through hole 108, from the inside in the axial direction by press fitting or the like. However, part of the grease seal 15 protrudes outside the outer wheel 106. For this reason, the grease seal 15 on the inner bearing 10 side can be removed relatively easily. In contrast, the grease seal 30 on the outer bearing 20 side is entirely provided inside the through hole 108, so it is more difficult to remove than the grease seal 15 on the inner bearing 10 side.

[0025] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a grease seal according to this embodiment. The grease seal 30 shown in Fig. 6 is a grease seal on the outer bearing 20 side. The upper side of Fig. 6 represents the outside in the axial direction. The lower side of Fig. 6 represents the inside in the axial direction, i.e., the outer bearing 20 side. As shown in Fig. 6, the grease seal 30 has an annular shape as a whole. The grease seal 30 is a skeletal grease seal having a ring portion 31 and a skeletal structure 32 that holds the ring portion 31.

[0026] The ring portion 31 has a disk shape with an opening at the center. The ring portion 31 has an outer circumferential portion 31a, an inner circumferential portion 31b, and a step portion 31c. The ring portion 31 is integrally formed from metal. The inner diameter of the ring portion 31 is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the cone 21.

[0027] The outer circumferential portion 31a is a portion of the ring portion 31 located at the outer circumferential end. The inner circumferential portion 31b is a portion of the ring portion 31 formed on the inner circumferential side of the outer circumferential portion 31a. The outer circumferential portion 31a and the inner circumferential portion 31b are each formed approximately perpendicular to the axial direction. The inner circumferential portion 31b is formed so as to be convex toward the outer bearing 20 side with respect to the outer circumferential portion 31a. The inner circumferential portion 31b is in constant sliding contact with the axial end face 21a of the cone 21 of the outer bearing 20 (see FIG. 2). The outer circumferential portion 31a and the inner circumferential portion 31b are connected by a step portion 31c.

[0028] The skeletal structure 32 has a structure body 32a formed of elastic resin or the like, and a metal ring 32b formed of metal. The outer peripheral end of the skeletal structure 32 is fixed to a portion of the inner peripheral surface 106a of the outer wheel 106 that serves as the bearing hole 108b by interference fitting or the like. The metal ring 32b is integrally molded with the structure body 32a. The structure body 32a has a holding portion 32c that holds the outer peripheral portion 31a of the ring portion 31 from the outer peripheral side.

[0029] The retaining portion 32c has a support surface 32c1 and a retaining piece 32c2. The support surface 32c1 supports the inner surface of the outer peripheral portion 31a in the axial direction. The retaining piece 32c2 is provided to face the support surface 32c1. The retaining piece 32c2 is pressed against the outer surface of the outer peripheral portion 31a in the axial direction. As a result, the outer peripheral portion 31a of the ring portion 31 is sandwiched and retained between the retaining piece 32c2 and the support surface 32c1. The outer surface of the retaining piece 32c2 in the axial direction is formed in an inverted tapered shape that decreases in height as it approaches the central axis of the grease seal 30.

[0030] When viewed in the axial direction, the ring portion 31 overlaps with the tapered rollers 23 and the cone 21. When viewed in the axial direction, the inner peripheral portion 31b of the ring portion 31 overlaps with the cone 21. On the other hand, when viewed in the axial direction, the skeletal structure 32 overlaps with the tapered rollers 23 but does not overlap with the cone 21.

[0031] Next, a procedure for disassembling the outer bearing 20 will be described. The outer bearing 20 is disassembled for repair, inspection, maintenance, etc. In this embodiment, the grease seal 30 is removed at the same time as the outer bearing 20 is disassembled by using a grease seal removal jig and a grease seal removal method described below. It is assumed that the inner bearing 10 and the grease seal 15 on the inner bearing 10 side are removed using a specified jig before the outer bearing 20 is disassembled.

[0032] First, the configuration of the grease seal removal jig according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 7 is an exploded view showing the configuration of the grease seal removal jig according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, the grease seal removal jig 40 has a bearing side attachment 42 and a grease seal side plate 43. The bearing side attachment 42 is attached to a push cylinder 41. The push cylinder 41 is an auxiliary jig used in combination with the bearing side attachment 42. An existing jig can be used as the push cylinder 41.

[0033] In the present embodiment, the bearing-side attachment 42 is an example of a “first jig.” The first jig is configured to be inserted into the through-hole 108 of the outer wheel 106 from the outer bearing 20 side and to come into contact with the cone 21.

[0034] In this embodiment, the push cylinder 41 and the bearing side attachment 42 are separate bodies, but the push cylinder 41 and the bearing side attachment 42 may be integrated together. In this case, the push cylinder 41 and the bearing side attachment 42 can be used as a first jig.

[0035] In the present embodiment, the grease seal side plate 43 is an example of a “second jig.” The second jig is configured to be inserted into the through hole 108 of the outer wheel 106 from the grease seal 30 side and to come into contact with the grease seal 30.

[0036] The push cylinder 41 has a large diameter portion 41a and a small diameter portion 41b. The large diameter portion 41a has a cylindrical shape. The small diameter portion 41b has a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with the large diameter portion 41a and has a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 41a. The small diameter portion 41b is provided on the forward side of the large diameter portion 41a in the insertion direction of the push cylinder 41 into the through hole 108. The diameter of the large diameter portion 41a is larger than the inner diameter of the cone 21. The diameter of the small diameter portion 41b is smaller than the inner diameter of the cone 21. A shoulder portion 41c is formed at the step between the large diameter portion 41a and the small diameter portion 41b.

[0037] The bearing side attachment 42 has a large diameter portion 42a and a small diameter portion 42b. The large diameter portion 42a has a cylindrical shape. The small diameter portion 42b has a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with the large diameter portion 42a and has a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 42a. The small diameter portion 42b is provided on the forward side of the large diameter portion 42a in the insertion direction of the bearing side attachment 42 into the through hole 108. The diameter of the large diameter portion 42a is larger than the inner diameter of the cone 21. The diameter of the small diameter portion 42b is smaller than the inner diameter of the cone 21. A shoulder portion 42c is formed at the step between the large diameter portion 42a and the small diameter portion 42b.

[0038] An insertion hole 42d is formed in the surface of the large diameter portion 42a located on the rear side in the insertion direction of the bearing side attachment 42. The insertion hole 42d is formed coaxially with the large diameter portion 42a. The small diameter portion 41b of the push cylinder 41 is inserted into the insertion hole 42d. By inserting the small diameter portion 41b of the push cylinder 41 into the insertion hole 42d of the bearing side attachment 42, the push cylinder 41 and the bearing side attachment 42 are integrated.

[0039] In the insertion direction of the bearing side attachment 42, a bolt-shaped male threaded portion 44 is provided forward of the small diameter portion 42b. The male threaded portion 44 protrudes from the center of the small diameter portion 42b and extends along the central axis of the bearing side attachment 42. The male threaded portion 44 is formed integrally with the bearing side attachment 42. The diameter of the male threaded portion 44 is smaller than the diameter of the small diameter portion 42b. A fine thread is used for the male threaded portion 44. A fine thread is a thread with a smaller pitch than a coarse thread. The male threaded portion 44 is used to fix the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. In this embodiment, the male threaded portion 44 is an example of a "fixing member".

[0040] The grease seal side plate 43 has a large diameter portion 43a and a small diameter portion 43b. The large diameter portion 43a has a generally disk-like shape. The small diameter portion 43b has a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with the large diameter portion 43a and has a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 43a. The diameter of the large diameter portion 43a is larger than the inner diameter of the grease seal 30 and smaller than the outer diameter of the grease seal 30. The diameter of the small diameter portion 43b is smaller than the inner diameter of the cone 21.

[0041] A pressing surface 43c is formed between the large diameter portion 43a and the small diameter portion 43b. The pressing surface 43c is formed approximately perpendicular to the central axis of the grease seal side plate 43. As shown in FIG. 9 described later, the pressing surface 43c may have one or more step surfaces formed thereon. Each step surface is formed to be convex toward the grease seal 30 side according to the cross-sectional shape of the grease seal 30 so as to reduce the gap between the grease seal side plate 43 and the grease seal 30. Each step surface is formed perpendicular to the central axis of the grease seal side plate 43. Each step surface is arranged in a concentric shape centered on the central axis of the grease seal side plate 43.

[0042] A screw hole 43d is formed in the small diameter portion 43b. The screw hole 43d extends along the central axis of the grease seal side plate 43. The screw hole 43d penetrates the small diameter portion 43b and the large diameter portion 43a. The male thread portion 44 of the bearing side attachment 42 is fitted into the screw hole 43d. This fixes the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 together.

[0043] Instead of the screw hole 43d, the small diameter portion 43b may have a through hole through which the male thread portion 44 passes. In this case, when fixing the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43, after the male thread portion 44 is passed through the through hole, a nut is fitted onto the tip of the male thread portion 44, and the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 are fastened together by the nut.

[0044] Although not shown in Fig. 7, a small diameter portion side step surface 43e is formed between the pressing surface 43c and the small diameter portion 43b. As shown in Fig. 8 described later, the small diameter portion side step surface 43e faces the axial end face of the cone 21 via a gap.

[0045] Next, a method for removing a grease seal according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the method for removing a grease seal according to this embodiment.

[0046] First, the bearing side attachment 42 is inserted into the through hole 108 of the outer wheel 106. The bearing side attachment 42 is inserted from the outer bearing 20 side of the through hole 108, i.e., the lower side in FIG. 8, so that the male thread portion 44 is at the front. As a result, the shoulder portion 42c of the bearing side attachment 42 abuts against the cone 21 of the outer bearing 20, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0047] Next, the grease seal side plate 43 is inserted into the through hole 108 of the outer wheel 106. The grease seal side plate 43 is inserted from the grease seal 30 side of the through hole 108, i.e., from the upper side in FIG. 8, so that the small diameter portion 43b is at the front. When inserting the grease seal side plate 43 into the through hole 108, the male thread portion 44 is fitted into the screw hole 43d, and the grease seal side plate 43 is rotated around the male thread portion 44. As a result, the grease seal side plate 43 is gradually inserted into the through hole 108 while the male thread portion 44 is screwed into the screw hole 43d. The grease seal side plate 43 is inserted into the through hole 108 until the pressing surface 43c abuts against the skeletal structure 32 of the grease seal 30, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0048] When the pressing surface 43c abuts against the skeletal structure 32, the small diameter portion side step surface 43e faces the axial end surface of the cone 21 via a gap. The small diameter portion side step surface 43e may come into contact with the axial end surface of the cone 21.

[0049] By screwing the male threaded portion 44 into the screw hole 43d, the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 are fixed to each other with the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 sandwiched between them. In this state, the shoulder portion 42c of the bearing side attachment 42 is in close contact with the cone 21, and a part of the pressing surface 43c of the grease seal side plate 43 is in close contact with the skeletal structure 32. The tip of the male threaded portion 44 passes through the screw hole 43d and protrudes outside the grease seal side plate 43. A nut (not shown), which is a part of the fixing member, may be attached to the tip side of the male threaded portion 44. By tightening the nut to the grease seal side plate 43, it is possible to prevent the male threaded portion 44 from loosening relative to the grease seal side plate 43. When a fine thread is used for the male threaded portion 44, a fine nut is used as the nut. The nut attached to the tip side of the male threaded portion 44 may be a double nut. By using a double nut, loosening of the male thread portion 44 relative to the grease seal side plate 43 can be prevented more reliably.

[0050] 9 is an enlarged view of the grease seal of FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 9, the pressing surface 43c of the present embodiment has a first step surface 43c1. In the pressing surface 43c, the first step surface 43c1 is formed so as to be convex toward the grease seal 30 side. The first step surface 43c1 is formed perpendicular to the axial direction. The first step surface 43c1 is disposed opposite to the ring portion 31.

[0051] The pressing surface 43c is pressed against the skeleton structure 32. The first step surface 43c1 is pressed against the holding piece 32c2 of the skeleton structure 32. The holding piece 32c2 is pressed against the ring portion 31 by the pressing force of the first step surface 43c1. As a result, the ring portion 31 is firmly held between the support surface 32c1 and the holding piece 32c2.

[0052] Next, the push cylinder 41 is inserted into the through hole 108 of the outer wheel 106. The push cylinder 41 is inserted from the outer bearing 20 side of the through hole 108 so that the small diameter portion 41b is at the front. At this time, the small diameter portion 41b of the push cylinder 41 is inserted into the insertion hole 42d of the bearing side attachment 42. As a result, the push cylinder 41 and the bearing side attachment 42 are integrated. Next, a force in the insertion direction of the bearing side attachment 42, that is, an upward force in FIG. 8, is applied to the bearing side attachment 42 via the push cylinder 41. For example, an impact force in the upward direction in FIG. 8 is applied to the push cylinder 41 using a hammer or the like. As a result, the cone 21, the tapered roller 23, and the grease seal 30 are removed from the outer wheel 106 together with the push cylinder 41, the bearing side attachment 42, and the grease seal side plate 43. Through the above procedure, the outer bearing 20 is disassembled and the grease seal 30 is removed.

[0053] At this time, a local load is applied to the grease seal 30 by the cone 21. As a result, the grease seal 30 is pushed outward while being deformed. If the deformation of the grease seal 30 becomes excessively large, the grease seal 30 may be damaged, such as the skeletal structure 32 and the ring portion 31 being separated from each other.

[0054] For example, when the cone 21, the tapered roller 23, and the grease seal 30 are pushed out of the outer wheel 106 using only the push cylinder 41, the ring portion 31 of the grease seal 30 is pushed upward in FIG. 8 by the cone 21. On the other hand, the skeletal structure 32 of the grease seal 30 is not pushed by the cone 21. Therefore, the ring portion 31 moves upward in FIG. 8 relative to the skeletal structure 32 against the pressing force of the holding piece 32c2. As a result, the holding piece 32c2 is deformed, and the ring portion 31 is released from the holding by the skeletal structure 32, so that the skeletal structure 32 and the ring portion 31 are separated. In particular, in the case of an aircraft wheel 100, from the viewpoint of performance guarantee, once the skeletal structure 32 and the ring portion 31 are separated, the grease seal 30 cannot be reused and needs to be replaced with a new grease seal 30.

[0055] In contrast to this, in the present embodiment, the cone 21, the tapered roller 23 and the grease seal 30 are removed from the outer wheel 106 in a state in which they are sandwiched and integrated between the bearing-side attachment 42 and the grease seal-side plate 43. Therefore, excessive deformation of the grease seal 30 and the resulting damage to the grease seal 30 can be suppressed.

[0056] In particular, the grease seal side plate 43 of this embodiment has a pressing surface 43c facing the ring portion 31. As a result, even if the ring portion 31 is pressed by the cone 21, the pressing surface 43c suppresses the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32. Therefore, according to this embodiment, damage to the grease seal 30, such as separation of the skeletal structure 32 and the ring portion 31, can be suppressed. Therefore, the grease seal 30 can be reused during reassembly, and parts costs can be reduced.

[0057] Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a grease seal removal jig according to a first modified example of the present embodiment. Fig. 10 shows a state in which the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 are sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which the cone, tapered rollers and grease seal are removed from the outer wheel using the grease seal removal jig according to this modified example. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a second step surface 43c2 and a third step surface 43c3 are formed on the pressing surface 43c of the grease seal side plate 43 of this modified example in addition to a first step surface 43c1.

[0058] The second step surface 43c2 is formed on the inner circumferential side than the first step surface 43c1. The second step surface 43c2 is formed to be convex toward the grease seal 30 side with respect to the first step surface 43c1. In a state in which the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 are sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43, the second step surface 43c2 faces the outer circumferential portion 31a of the ring portion 31. In this state, the second step surface 43c2 may face the outer circumferential portion 31a via a gap, or may be in contact with the outer circumferential portion 31a.

[0059] The third step surface 43c3 is formed on the inner circumferential side of the second step surface 43c2. The third step surface 43c3 is formed to be convex toward the grease seal 30 side with respect to the second step surface 43c2. When the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 are sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43, the third step surface 43c3 faces the inner circumferential portion 31b of the ring portion 31. In this state, the third step surface 43c3 may face the inner circumferential portion 31b via a gap, or may be in contact with the inner circumferential portion 31b. The other configurations are the same as those of the grease seal removal jig 40 shown in FIG. 7.

[0060] In this modified example, when the cone 21, the tapered roller 23, and the grease seal 30 are removed from the outer wheel 106, the second step surface 43c2 and the third step surface 43c3 more reliably suppress the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32. Therefore, according to this modified example, it is possible to more reliably prevent the ring portion 31 from coming off the retaining portion 32c due to the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32.

[0061] 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a grease seal removal jig according to Modification 2 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, the grease seal side plate 43 of this modification does not have a small diameter portion 43b. Furthermore, the pressing surface 43c of the grease seal side plate 43 of this modification is formed to be generally flat. In other words, no stepped surface is formed on the pressing surface 43c. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the grease seal removal jig 40 shown in FIG. 7.

[0062] 13 is a diagram showing a state where the grease seal side plate of the grease seal removal jig according to this modification is in contact with the grease seal. As shown in FIG. 13, in this modification, a part of the pressing surface 43c is pressed against the skeletal structure 32. In this modification, although the gap between the pressing surface 43c and the outer circumferential portion 31a of the ring portion 31 and the gap between the pressing surface 43c and the inner circumferential portion 31b of the ring portion 31 become slightly larger, the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32 is suppressed by the pressing surface 43c. Therefore, this modification also makes it possible to prevent the ring portion 31 from coming off the holding portion 32c due to the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32.

[0063] Furthermore, in this modified example, since the grease seal side plate 43 has a flat plate shape as a whole, the manufacturing costs of the grease seal side plate 43 can be reduced.

[0064] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the grease seal side plate of the grease seal removal jig according to the third modified example of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, the pressing surface 43c of the grease seal side plate 43 of this modified example has a flat surface 43c4 and a tapered surface 43c5. The flat surface 43c4 is formed perpendicular to the axial direction. The tapered surface 43c5 is provided on the outer periphery side of the flat surface 43c4. The other configurations are the same as those of the grease seal removal jig 40 shown in FIG. 7.

[0065] As already described, the outer surface of the retaining piece 32c2 in the axial direction is formed in an inverse tapered shape that decreases in height toward the central axis of the grease seal 30. The tapered surface 43c5 is formed in a tapered shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the retaining piece 32c2. That is, the angle θ between the tapered surface 43c5 and a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the grease seal 30 is set so that the tapered surface 43c5 follows the surface of the retaining piece 32c2.

[0066] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a state where the grease seal side plate of the grease seal removal jig according to this modification is in contact with the grease seal. As shown in FIG. 15, the tapered surface 43c5 is in surface contact with the holding piece 32c2. That is, the tapered surface 43c5 is pressed against the holding piece 32c2 by surface-to-surface contact. This suppresses deformation of the holding piece 32c2, and the holding piece 32c2 is pressed against the ring portion 31, so that the ring portion 31 is firmly held between the support surface 32c1 and the holding piece 32c2. In this way, since the grease seal side plate 43 has the tapered surface 43c5, it is possible to perform a tight clamp in which the grease seal 30 is tightly sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ring portion 31 from coming off the holding of the skeleton structure 32.

[0067] The flat surface 43c4 is in surface contact with the outer circumferential portion 31a. That is, the flat surface 43c4 is pressed against the outer circumferential portion 31a by surface-to-surface contact. This suppresses the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32, so that the ring portion 31 can be more reliably prevented from coming off the holding portion 32c.

[0068] As described above, the grease seal removal jig 40 according to this embodiment is a jig for removing the grease seal 30 from the outer wheel 106. The grease seal 30 is provided inside a through hole 108 formed in the outer wheel 106, adjacent to the outer bearing 20 in the axial direction. Here, the outer wheel 106 is an example of a wheel. The outer bearing 20 is an example of a bearing.

[0069] The grease seal removal jig 40 includes a bearing side attachment 42, a grease seal side plate 43, and a fixing member. The bearing side attachment 42 is configured to be inserted into the through hole 108 from the outer bearing 20 side and to abut against the cone 21 of the outer bearing 20. The grease seal side plate 43 is configured to be inserted into the through hole 108 from the grease seal 30 side and to abut against the grease seal 30. The fixing member is configured to fix the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 to each other with the outer bearing 20 and the grease seal 30 sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43.

[0070] The grease seal 30 has a ring portion 31 and a skeletal structure 32 that holds an outer circumferential portion 31a of the ring portion 31. The grease seal side plate 43 has a pressing surface 43c that is disposed opposite the ring portion 31. Here, the bearing side attachment 42 is an example of a first jig. The grease seal side plate 43 is an example of a second jig. The cone 21 is an example of an inner ring.

[0071] According to this configuration, the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 are removed from the outer wheel 106 in a state where they are sandwiched and integrated between the bearing-side attachment 42 and the grease seal-side plate 43. Therefore, excessive deformation of the grease seal 30 when the outer bearing 20 is disassembled and the resulting damage to the grease seal 30 can be suppressed.

[0072] Furthermore, even if the ring portion 31 is pressed by the cone 21, the pressing surface 43c suppresses the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32. This makes it possible to prevent the ring portion 31 from coming loose from being held by the skeletal structure 32. Therefore, with the above configuration, damage to the grease seal 30, such as separation of the skeletal structure 32 from the ring portion 31, can be suppressed. This makes it possible to reuse the grease seal 30 during reassembly, thereby reducing parts costs.

[0073] In the grease seal removal jig 40 according to this embodiment, the fixing member has a male threaded portion 44. The male threaded portion 44 is formed integrally with one of the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. The male threaded portion 44 extends along the central axis of the one. A threaded hole 43d into which the male threaded portion 44 is fitted is formed in the other of the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. The threaded hole 43d extends along the central axis of the other.

[0074] According to this configuration, the male thread portion 44 is integrally formed with either the bearing side attachment 42 or the grease seal side plate 43, thereby reducing the number of parts of the grease seal removal jig 40. In addition, the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 are positioned relative to each other by fitting the male thread portion 44 into the screw hole 43d, thereby simplifying the work process.

[0075] In the grease seal removal jig 40 according to this embodiment, a fine thread is used for the male thread portion 44. With this configuration, when an impact is applied to the bearing side attachment 42, it is possible to prevent the gap between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 from widening due to loosening of the thread. Therefore, when the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 are removed from the outer wheel 106, the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 can be maintained in an integrated state sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43.

[0076] In the grease seal removal jig 40 according to this embodiment, the fixing member further has a nut attached to the male threaded portion 44. The threaded hole 43d passes through the other of the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. The nut is attached to the tip side of the male threaded portion 44 that passes through the threaded hole 43d, and is tightened against the other of the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. This configuration makes it possible to more reliably prevent the male threaded portion 44 from loosening.

[0077] In the grease seal removal jig 40 according to the present embodiment, the pressing surface 43c has a first step surface 43c1, a second step surface 43c2, and a third step surface 43c3 that are convex toward the grease seal 30. With this configuration, the gap between the grease seal side plate 43 and the grease seal 30 can be reduced, so that the relative movement of the ring portion 31 with respect to the skeletal structure 32 can be suppressed, and the ring portion 31 can be more reliably prevented from coming loose from being held by the skeletal structure 32.

[0078] The grease seal removal method according to the present embodiment is a method for removing the grease seal 30 from the outer wheel 106. The grease seal 30 is provided inside a through hole 108 formed in the outer wheel 106 and adjacent to the outer bearing 20 in the axial direction. Here, the outer wheel 106 is an example of a wheel. The outer bearing 20 is an example of a bearing.

[0079] The grease seal removal method includes a first step to a fourth step. In the first step, the bearing side attachment 42 is inserted into the through hole 108 from the outer bearing 20 side, and the bearing side attachment 42 is brought into contact with the cone 21 of the outer bearing 20. The bearing side attachment 42 is an example of a first jig. The cone 21 is an example of an inner ring.

[0080] In the second step, the grease seal side plate 43 is inserted into the through hole 108 from the grease seal 30 side, and the grease seal side plate 43 is brought into contact with the grease seal 30. Here, the grease seal side plate 43 is an example of a second jig.

[0081] In the third step, with the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 sandwiched between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43, the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43 are fixed to each other.

[0082] In the fourth step, a force is applied to the bearing side attachment 42 in the insertion direction of the bearing side attachment 42 , and the grease seal 30 is removed from the outer wheel 106 together with the cone 21 .

[0083] According to this grease seal removal method, the cone 21 and the grease seal 30 are removed from the outer wheel 106 while being sandwiched and integrated between the bearing side attachment 42 and the grease seal side plate 43. This makes it possible to prevent excessive deformation of the grease seal 30 when the outer bearing 20 is disassembled, and to prevent damage to the grease seal 30 due to such deformation. This makes it possible to reuse the grease seal 30 during reassembly, thereby reducing parts costs.

[0084] In this embodiment, the male thread portion 44 is provided on the bearing side attachment 42, but the male thread portion may be provided on the grease seal side plate 43. In this case, a threaded hole into which the male thread portion is fitted or a through hole through which the male thread portion passes is formed in the bearing side attachment 42.

[0085] In the present embodiment, the male threaded portion 44 formed integrally with the bearing-side attachment 42 is taken as an example of the fixing member, but the present invention is not limited to this. As the fixing member, a screw separate from the bearing-side attachment 42 may be used, or various fixing members other than a screw may be used.

[0086] In this embodiment, a tapered roller bearing is used as an example of the bearing, but the present invention is not limited to this. Various rolling bearings such as ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, and needle bearings can be used as the bearing. In addition to rolling bearings, various bearings such as sliding bearings and rotating journals can also be used as the bearing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10 inner bearing, 11 cone, 12 cup, 13 tapered roller, 14 grease retainer, 15 grease seal, 20 outer bearing (bearing), 21 cone (inner ring), 21a axial end face, 22 cup, 23 tapered roller, 24 grease retainer, 30 grease seal, 31 ring portion, 31a outer periphery, 31b inner periphery, 31c step portion, 32 skeletal structure, 32a structure body, 32b metal ring, 32c retaining portion, 32c1 support surface, 32c2 retaining piece, 40 grease seal removal jig, 41 push cylinder, 41a large diameter portion, 41b small diameter portion, 41c shoulder portion, 42 bearing side attachment (first jig), 42a large diameter portion, 42b small diameter portion, 42c shoulder portion, 42d Insertion hole, 43 grease seal side plate (second jig), 43a large diameter portion, 43b small diameter portion, 43c pressing surface, 43c1 first step surface, 43c2 second step surface, 43c3 third step surface, 43c4 flat surface, 43c5 tapered surface, 43d screw hole, 43e small diameter portion side step surface, 44 male thread portion (fixing member), 100 wheel, 101 wheel unit, 102 tire, 103 axle, 103a outer peripheral surface, 104 axle unit, 105 hub cap, 106 outer wheel (wheel), 106a inner peripheral surface, 107 inner wheel, 108 through hole, 108a, 108b bearing holes.

Claims

1. A grease seal removal tool for removing a grease seal from a wheel, the grease seal being disposed axially adjacent to a bearing inside a through hole formed in the wheel, comprising: A first jig that is inserted into the through hole from the bearing side and comes into contact with an inner ring of the bearing; a second jig that is inserted into the through hole from the grease seal side and comes into contact with the grease seal; a fixing member that fixes the first jig and the second jig to each other in a state in which the bearing and the grease seal are sandwiched between the first jig and the second jig; Equipped with The grease seal has a ring portion and a skeletal structure that holds an outer periphery of the ring portion, The second jig is a grease seal removal jig having a pressing surface disposed opposite the ring portion.

2. The fixing member has a male thread portion, The male thread portion is integrally formed with one of the first jig and the second jig and extends along a central axis of the one of the first jig and the second jig, 2. A grease seal removal jig according to claim 1, wherein the other of the first jig and the second jig has a threaded hole extending along a central axis of the other of the first jig and the second jig, into which the male threaded portion is fitted.

3. 3. A grease seal removal jig according to claim 2, wherein the male thread portion is a fine thread.

4. The fixing member further includes a nut attached to the male thread portion, The screw hole penetrates the other of the first jig and the second jig, 4. A grease seal removal jig according to claim 2, wherein the nut is attached to a tip end side of the male thread portion passing through the screw hole and is tightened against the other.

5. 3. The grease seal removal jig according to claim 1, wherein the pressing surface has a stepped surface that is convex toward the grease seal.

6. A grease seal removal method for removing a grease seal from a wheel, the grease seal being disposed axially adjacent to a bearing inside a through hole formed in the wheel, the method comprising the steps of: a step of inserting a first jig into the through hole from the bearing side and bringing the first jig into contact with an inner ring of the bearing; a step of inserting a second jig into the through hole from the grease seal side and bringing the second jig into contact with the grease seal; a step of fixing the first jig and the second jig to each other in a state in which the inner ring and the grease seal are sandwiched between the first jig and the second jig; applying a force to the first jig in a direction in which the first jig is inserted, thereby removing the grease seal together with the inner ring from the wheel.

Images