Bearing Locking Collar Retainer with Integrated Locking Rods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bearing assemblies with locking collars face issues such as separation during shipping, misalignment, rotation, tilting, and increased vibration due to loose mounting, which complicates installation and increases costs with additional manufacturing steps.
Innovation Solution
The use of grub screws as locking rods that extend through the locking collar and engage the inner race member's fingers to prevent rotation, tilting, and twisting, ensuring positive attachment during shipping and assembly, with the option to be removable and made of inexpensive materials like nylon.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the locking collar is shipped separately from the bearing assembly, then the locking collar can be installed on different bearing assemblies, but the locking collar becomes separated and may be mislaid or lost
Solution Approach 1:
The locking collar is segmented into modular components with locking rods that can be selectively engaged or disengaged, allowing the collar to be shipped separately yet reliably attached when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The locking rods are pre-installed on the locking collar during manufacturing, so that when the collar is shipped separately, the attachment mechanism is already prepared and can be quickly engaged with the bearing assembly without additional assembly steps
2Ease of operation
If the locking collar is allowed to rotate freely during installation, then the installation process is simpler, but the locking collar may become misaligned or tilted
Solution Approach 1:
The locking rods are pre-positioned on the locking collar at specific angular locations during manufacturing, establishing precise alignment references before installation begins
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical alignment function is transferred from the installation process to the manufacturing process, where the locking rods are precisely positioned and fixed on the collar, replacing the need for complex alignment procedures during installation
3Reliability
If additional protrusions, threads and resilient locking rings are added to prevent locking collar rotation and tilting, then the locking collar remains secure during shipping and assembly, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking rods serve multiple functions simultaneously: they prevent rotation, prevent tilting, and provide secure attachment during shipping and installation, eliminating the need for separate features for each function
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple attachment and alignment features (protrusions, threads, locking mechanisms) are merged into a single integrated locking rod structure, reducing the total number of components while maintaining all necessary functions
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing assembly for a shaft including an inner ring that mounts on the shaft and an outer ring disposed concentrically about the inner ring. Ball bearings are interposed between the inner and outer rings. Fingers are formed on one side of the inner ring and they extend axially with adjacent fingers defining longitudinally extending slots. An outwardly opening notch is formed in each of the fingers to create an outwardly opening circumferential groove around the inner ring. A compressible annular locking collar is positioned circumferentially around the fingers. A fastener screw is operable to compress the fingers into locking engagement with the shaft. A first elongated locking rod extends through the locking collar and into an outwardly opening notch in one of the fingers to secure the locking collar against axial movement relative to the fingers. A second locking rod extends through the locking collar to fit into a slot between a pair of fingers to secure the locking collar against circumferential movement relative to the fingers.