Rolling Bearing Retainer Plate Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rolling bearing units with retainer plates face issues with maintaining concentricity and preventing harmful deformation, leading to increased costs and reduced ease of handling due to the complexity of engagement protrusions and grooves, which can result in poor yield and assembly challenges.
Innovation Solution
A rolling bearing unit design featuring a retainer plate with a support hole larger than the outer diameter of the small-diameter stepped section, engagement protrusions formed by plastically deforming the retainer plate's edges to engage with an engagement groove, allowing for relative rotation without separation, and a manufacturing method that prevents deformation during processing by using a restraining jig.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the support hole inner diameter is made equal to the small-diameter stepped section outer diameter to maintain concentricity, then concentricity is improved, but harmful deformation occurs during engagement protrusion formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimensional parameter relationship between the support hole and small-diameter stepped section. Specifically, the support hole inner diameter is made larger than the small-diameter stepped section outer diameter, creating a deliberate gap that prevents harmful deformation during engagement protrusion formation while maintaining sufficient concentricity for proper engagement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the support hole inner diameter is made larger than the small-diameter stepped section outer diameter to prevent deformation, then harmful deformation is prevented, but concentricity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameter relationship by making the support hole inner diameter larger than the small-diameter stepped section outer diameter, but controls the difference within a specific range to maintain sufficient concentricity while preventing harmful deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gap between the support hole inner diameter and small-diameter stepped section outer diameter as an intermediary space. This gap acts as a buffer that prevents direct contact and harmful deformation during engagement protrusion formation, while the overall concentricity is maintained through proper design of the engagement protrusions and grooves.
3Reliability
If engagement protrusions are formed by plastically deforming the retainer plate edge, then secure engagement is achieved, but harmful deformation occurs during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the gap between the support hole inner diameter and small-diameter stepped section outer diameter as an intermediary buffer. This gap prevents the plastic deformation forces applied during engagement protrusion formation from transmitting harmful stresses to the outer ring, while still allowing secure engagement to be achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dimensional parameters to create a gap that isolates the outer ring from harmful deformation forces during engagement protrusion formation, while maintaining the structural integrity and engagement security of the overall assembly.
4Reliability
If the retainer plate and outer ring are tightly fitted to prevent separation, then separation is prevented, but harmful deformation occurs during engagement protrusion formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimensional relationship to create a controlled gap between the support hole and small-diameter stepped section, which prevents harmful deformation during engagement protrusion formation while maintaining sufficient connection strength through the engagement protrusions and grooves.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the yield of the rolling bearing unit by preventing harmful deformation, maintaining concentricity, and reducing manufacturing and assembly costs by simplifying the assembly process and handling, while ensuring secure engagement between the retainer plate and outer ring.
Implementation Method 1
engagement protrusions that are formed by plastically deforming parts of the circumferential edges of large-diameter sections
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
When assembling an outer ring into a rolling bearing unit with a retainer plate, a retainer plate 7a in which large-diameter sections 21 are provided at plural locations in the circumferential direction of a support hole 13a is used, and with a small-diameter stepped section 9a of the outer ring 5a fitted inside this support hole 13a, a punch 23 presses parts of the circumferential edges of the large-diameter sections 21 of the side surface in the axial direction of the retainer plate 7a toward a step surface that exists between the outer-circumferential surface of the outer ring 5a and the base section in the axial direction of the small-diameter stepped section 9a and plastically deforms the parts of the circumferential edges of the large-diameter sections inward in the radial direction to form engagement protrusions, while at the same time, the engagement protrusions are engaged with an engagement groove 12a that is formed around the outer-circumferential surface of the small-diameter stepped section 9a.