Overmolded Bearing Assembly With Exposed Ring Alignment Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
The precision of high-precision bearing rings is compromised when overmolded with a bearing carrier, leading to reduced positional accuracy in bearing assemblies, particularly in applications like electric motors where high accuracy is critical.
Innovation Solution
A bearing assembly design featuring a bearing carrier with notches that expose sections of the stationary bearing ring, allowing precise alignment and a fixing device to securely attach the bearing ring during manufacturing, preventing movement and ensuring accurate positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the stationary bearing ring is overmolded with the bearing carrier, then the bearing carrier can be securely attached to the stationary component, but the high-precision contact surfaces of the bearing ring are no longer accessible for alignment, resulting in reduced positional accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing carrier is segmented with notches that expose specific sections of the stationary bearing ring. This segmentation allows the overmolding process to securely attach the bearing carrier while simultaneously maintaining access to the high-precision contact surfaces of the bearing ring for alignment purposes during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The notches in the bearing carrier create localized exposure of the stationary bearing ring's precision surfaces. This local quality approach ensures that while most of the bearing ring is covered by the overmolded carrier for secure attachment, critical alignment surfaces remain accessible in specific localized areas where notches are positioned.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bearing ring to be overmolded is fixed indirectly via the other bearing ring, then the bearing carrier can be manufactured, but the bearing ring to be overmolded can move in radial, axial and circumferential directions, leading to tolerances and clearance in the final assembly
Solution Approach 1:
A fixing device is used to preliminarily secure the stationary bearing ring in the correct position before the overmolding process begins. This preliminary action prevents any movement of the bearing ring during manufacturing, ensuring that the high-precision contact surfaces maintain their positional accuracy and that minimal clearance exists in the final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing device acts as an intermediary between the bearing ring to be overmolded and the manufacturing process. It provides direct fixation of the stationary bearing ring, eliminating the need for indirect fixation through the other bearing ring, thereby preventing movement and ensuring precise positioning throughout the overmolding process.
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing assembly includes a bearing unit formed from a stationary bearing ring configured to be connected to a stationary component and a rotatable bearing ring configured to be connected to a rotatable component and a bearing carrier connected to the stationary bearing ring in a rotationally fixed manner, for example, by overmolding. The bearing carrier includes at least one notch that exposes at least one section of the stationary bearing ring.