The Timken Company

Thomas J Rybkoski

Mark A Joki

Gerald P Fox

Richard Borowski

Brian Werner

Richard H Miller

James W Skelly

Xiaolan Ai

John D Dougherty

Robert W Hacker

Praveen M Pauskar

Steven V Boyd

Christopher S Marks

Hans Landin

Michael D Simmons

W Norman Moore

Justin P Bill

Steven B Boyd

Jeffrey Scott L Calvin

A bearing cage assembly () comprises a plurality of discrete bridge elements () disposed between adjacent rolling elements () and coupled between first and second axially spaced cage support wire rings () which are appropriately tensioned. Spacers () are disposed between adjacent bridge elements and engage the bridge elements in a piloted engagement. The bridge elements maintain a separation between rolling elements, retain the rolling elements within the bearing assembly, and function as a lubrication reservoir for grease lubricated bearings. Profiled surfaces on the bridge elements position the bearing cage assembly on at least one axial end of the rolling elements.

Segmented bearing retainer

A bearing cage assembly comprising of a plurality of discrete bridge elements coupled between first and second cage support wire rings having selected tensions, and conforming to the surfaces of associated rolling elements. The discrete bridge elements maintain rolling element in separation, provide rolling element retention within the bearing assembly, and function as a lubrication reservoir for grease lubricated bearings. The discrete bridge elements may be disposed between adjacent rolling elements, or may be configured to pass through axial bores of hollow rolling elements.

A compact wheel end (A) serves to couple a road wheel (B) to a suspension system component (C) on an automotive vehicle and to transmit torque from a CV joint (D) to the road wheel. The wheel end includes a housing () that is attached to the suspension system component and a hub () provided with a drive flange () on which the road wheel is mounted and a spindle () that extends through the housing. The hub rotates relative to the housing on a double row tapered roller bearing (), the raceways () of which are surfaces on the housing and hub spindle. The wheel end also has a coupler () that is engaged with the hub spindle and the CV joint through mating splines () and further provides a rib face () that backs the rollers () of the inboard row. The CV joint has a small diameter stub shaft () that extends through the hub to secure the CV joint to the hub, but does not transmit torque. The tapered roller bearing and coupler enable the wheel end to assume a radial size smaller than conventional wheel ends.

Compact wheel end and corner module

A mounting for the road wheel of an automotive vehicle includes a spindle, a hub located around the spindle and inboard and outboard tapered roller bearings located between the hub and spindle where they are mounted in opposition. The cones (inner races) of the two bearings are separated by a spacer which at its ends is attached to the cones. The spacer holds the cones together within the hub so that the bearings and hub can be installed on and removed from the spindle as a unit. The spacer also establishes the setting for the bearings. In addition, the mounting has a seal located in the inboard end of the hub. The seal has lips which establish dynamic fluid barriers along the cone of the inboard bearing and along an adjacent sealing surface on the spindle without contacting the cone or spindle. The raceways and rollers for the two bearings have highly crowned profiles and the hub and the seal within contain an optimum amount of grease for lubricating the bearings.

Mounting for vehicular road wheel

An improved cage is provided for a roller bearing for use in a hub assembly, for example. The cage includes roller pockets which fully entrap the roller in the cage, to maintain the radial and axial position of the roller in the cage. Additionally, the bearing for the hub assembly is formed in part by the hub. One of the inner races is formed integrally with the hub. These constructions allow for the cage/roller assembly to be installed in the outboard position of the hub prior to the hub and hub seal being installed in the hub assembly.

Wheel bearing with improved cage

An application tool (and a method of use of the tool) is provided for assembling an outboard seal and roller assembly into a hub unit. The tool and method allow for the use of standard seals and standard cage/roller assemblies, thus avoiding the problem associated with the use of special cages or oversized large-diameter seals.

Method of assembling a package bearing and an assembly tool therefore

A single row tapered roller bearing enables an axle shaft to rotate in an axle housing and further confines the shaft axially with respect to the housing. The bearing includes a cup that is fitted into the housing and a cone that is fitted around a bearing seat on the shaft and also tapered rollers located between raceways on the cup and cone. Radial loads and thrust loads in one axial direction are transferred to the rollers at the raceways. Thrust loads in the other axial direction are transferred to the rollers at a confining surface on the cup at the large ends of the rollers and at another confining surface on a backing collar located at the small ends of the rollers. The backing collar fits over the bearing seat on the shaft with an interference fit and captures the cone on the bearing seat. The bearing also has a cage provided with pockets which receive the rollers, and the cage at its small ends has tabs which project behind a rib on the backing collar and interlock the cage and the collar, so that prior to installation on the shaft the backing collar remains with the cup, cone and rollers. The cup carries a speed sensor which monitors rotation of an excitor ring on the cone.

Bearing unitized for handling

A planetary traction drive transmission has an inner shaft provided with two inner raceways which are presented outwardly and taper downwardly away from each other and an outer ring having two outer raceways which are presented inwardly, surround the inner raceways, and likewise taper downwardly away from each other. In addition, the transmission has tapered rollers arranged in two rows between the opposing inner and outer races. The rollers of each row are on apex and in line contact with the inner and outer raceways between which they are located. Moreover, they are arranged in pairs, with the rollers of each pair being generally aligned and backing each other. Indeed, at their large ends the rollers have conical end faces, and the rollers in each pair contact each other along those conical end faces, there being line contact here as well. In addition, the transmission has a roller carrier provided with axles which extend into the rollers, so that the rollers revolve about and are maintained in position by the axles. Pure rolling contact characterized by the absence of spinning exists between the rollers and the raceways and also between the large end faces of corresponding rollers in the two rows.

Growing community of inventors

Uniontown, OH, United States of America

Thomas J Rybkoski