Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Martin Gegner

Wolfgang Fugel

Andreas Kirschner

Volker Ploetz

Jesko Jaekel

Alexander Reimchen

Georg Draser

Reinhart Malik

Juergen Weiss

A planet gear bearing in a planetary gearset including a planet carrier having two side walls which are arranged parallel to one another and accommodate a plurality of planet gear pins in a plurality of axial holes opposite one another on the same axis is disclosed. A plurality of planet gears are rotatably mounted on the planet gear pins by radial rolling-element bearings inserted into central planet gear holes. Stop elements are arranged between the side walls of the planet carrier and the axial sides of the planet gears and act as wear protection of the planet carrier and the planet gears, and as an axial stop for the radial rolling-element bearings of the planet gears. The stop elements are axial needle bearings, which each include an axial bent-up disc and an axial needle ring formed by a plurality of bearing needles and an axial needle cage.

Planet gear bearing in a planetary gearset

An axial bearing arrangement formed substantially of two rotating carrier components () with circular ring-shaped end faces () and an axial anti-friction bearing () arranged between the carrier components (). This axial anti-friction bearing () has a first ring-shaped angle disk (), which rests on the end face () of the first carrier component () and which is made from a thin steel sheet, and a second ring shaped angle disk (), which rests on the end face () of the second carrier component () and a needle cage (), which rolls between the axial inner sides () of the angle disks () and which is formed from a plurality of bearing needles () arranged adjacent to one another and held at equal distances to one another by a bearing cage (), and is lubricated and cooled by a lubricant flow () emitted by a shaft which passes centrally through the axial anti-friction bearing (). According to the invention, a circular ring-shaped ramp disk (), which is designed as a spring, is arranged between the first carrier component () and the first angle disk (), by which ramp disk a radial annual gap () between the first carrier component () and the first angle disk (), which results from the axial clearance of the axial anti-friction bearing () in the no-load state, can be sealed to prevent a wrong direction of the lubricant flow () and the lubricant flow () at the same time, can be systematically routed into the inside of the bearing () between the angle disks ().

Axial bearing arrangement

A bearing support point with at least one axial bearing, in which at least one bearing washer of the axial bearing is held at a structural element, with the bearing washer being formed separately from the structural element and comprising at least one axially aligned track for the axial bearing as well as being fastened at the structural element such that the bearing washer is inserted in an opening of the structural element and is encompassed by the structural element at least at an exterior area and with the bearing washer being supported via the area inside the opening, aligned in the radial direction.

Bearing support point with at least one axial bearing

an axial cage () for cylindrical rolling bodies which substantially is formed of a thin-walled washer () with a W-shaped profile, the individual profile legs of which are formed by an inner radial rim () formed on the inner edge of the washer (), an outer radial rim () formed on the outer edge of the washer () and a U-shaped center crimp () connected by way of inner and outer axial profile sections () to the radial rims () and having the same radial extent as the rims (). A number of evenly spaced rectangular cage pockets () are cut from the central crimp () and the adjacent axial profile sections (), between which pockets an equal number of pocket webs () are formed connecting the rims () with one another, by which webs the cylindrical rolling bodies () are retained in the cage pockets () at uniform distances from one another and are also guided in the circumferential direction. According to the invention, this axial cage () is characterized in that the outer radial rim () is formed with an inclination (&#x3b1;) facing away from the central U-shaped crimp () and the cage pockets () have an axial length greater than the smallest axial distance between the inner sides () of the inner and the outer radial rim () such that the cage pockets () extend at least into the outer radial rim () of the axial cage () and, because of a crowned formation of the outer face sides () towards the center of the pocket on the outer radial rim () of the axial cage () at the height of the roll axes of the rolling bodies (), form a rounded thrust lug () for the outer end faces () of the rolling body ().

Axial cage for cylindrical rolling bodies

An axial bearing assembly which essentially is formed of two axial rolling bearings () between which a circular ring-shaped carrier component () is arranged. Each of the axial rolling bearings () has a first ring-shaped bearing disk () seated against one of the axial sides () of the carrier component () and a second ring-shaped bearing disk () for fastening to additional components of the surrounding construction which are arranged axially on both sides of the carrier component () and which each consist of a thin steel plate. A plurality of rolling elements () arranged next to each other additionally roll between the axial inner sides (and) of the bearing discs () and are held at a uniform spacing from each other by a respective bearing cage () and together therewith form a needle roller and cage assembly (). Additional recesses () are arranged on the inside diameter () of the circular ring-shaped carrier component (), and at the same time the first bearing discs () of both axial rolling bearings () are interconnected via a centering collar () guided through the inside diameter () of the carrier component () on the one first bearing disk (), and via outward moldings () on the centering collar () of the one first bearing disk () which are complementary to the recesses () on the carrier component (), and via inward moldings () on the inside diameter side () of the other first bearing disk () which are complementary to the outward moldings () on the centering collar (), in a manner that prevents faulty assembly, and are secured to the carrier component () in a captive and rotationally fixed manner.

Axial bearing assembly

A radial cage in which roll forming is carried out in such a manner that straight side sections of all axial crossbars continue to have at least approximately a material thickness of a starting material for the radial cage, while side rings of the radial cage and axial center sections of the axial crossbars are implemented by rolling down during roll forming to each have material thicknesses that are smaller than the material thickness of the straight side sections and that reduce their centrifugal mass.

Radial cage for cylindrical roller bodies

A radial cage in which side rings have a material thickness of a starting material for the radial cage, straight side sections of each axial crossbar are implemented with a greater material thickness that increases their strength, and an axial center section of each axial crossbar is implemented with a smaller material thickness than the material thickness of the side rings, thus reducing centrifugal mass.

A radial needle bearing unit for supporting a shaft, which has an outer sleeve with at least one radially inwardly directed rim, and a cage guiding hearing needles. For sealing purposes, a sealing element is disposed in an annular space delimited by the rim and the cage. The sealing element is an outwardly expanding sealing ring made of a polymer material resting radially outwardly against the inner lateral surface of the outer sleeve and radially inwardly against the lateral surface of the shaft, so that a radial/radial seal is formed. The outer sleeve has, at least in one peripheral location, a holding lug which is formed by stamping or cutting and protrudes the lateral surface of the outer sleeve in a spring-loaded manner.

Growing community of inventors

Langenfeld, Germany

Martin Gegner