Bearings – Rotary bearing – Plain bearing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-11
2003-09-02
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3683)
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Plain bearing
C384S210000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06612744
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lock structure of a spherical bearing and more particularly, to the lock structure of a spherical bearing for restraining an outer race from turning relative to a housing.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally a spherical bearing in which a spherical surface of an inner race is slidably supported on an inner spherical surface of an outer race has been well known. Such a spherical bearing has been widely employed for a rod end of a link member and the like.
FIG. 6
shows an example of a lock structure of a spherical bearing
11
. In this lock structure, the spherical bearing
11
is locked to a housing
14
through staking (also referred to as V-staking) for locking an outer race
12
to the housing
14
by staking a V-shaped groove
13
as an annular staking groove formed in each side of the outer race
12
using a dedicated tool (not shown). This makes it possible to easily lock the spherical bearing
11
, and be widely used for various applications.
In a case of an eccentric spherical bearing
21
, a large rotatiing torque is exerted to the bearing. In the state where the bearing is locked only through staking, the outer race
12
may turn relative to the housing
14
, which may cause the risk of wearing an outer peripheral surface
12
a
of the outer race
12
. It is, thus, necessary to restrain the turn of the outer race
12
relative to the housing
14
. In order to solve the above-described problem, referring to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, a flange
26
is formed on the edge of one side of an outer race
25
and an extending portion
26
a
is formed by extending a part of the lateral edge of the flange
26
in a radial direction of the outer race
25
. Additionally a screw portion
24
is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the other side of the outer race
25
. Then the outer race
25
is inserted into a bearing hole
23
to bring the flange
26
into abutment against a housing
22
, a lock nut
28
is screwed to be locked to the screw portion
24
of the outer race
25
through a lock washer
27
, and a pin
29
is driven into the housing
22
to penetrate through the extending portion
26
a
of the flange
26
. As a result, the spherical bearing
21
is locked to the housing
22
while restraining the outer race
25
from turning relative to the housing
22
. The above-identified lock structure for the spherical bearing
21
has been conventionally employed.
The lock structure of the spherical bearing
21
described above requires additional parts for locking the spherical bearing
21
to the housing
22
, that is, the lock washer
27
, the lock nut
28
and the pin
29
, resulting in complicated component control as well as in deteriorated efficiency of assembly. Moreover, the flange
26
of the outer race
25
has to be extended to drive the pin
29
, causing increase in the material cost owing to increased size (weight) thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problem, it is an object of the invention to provide a lock structure of a spherical bearing having a simple structure, which is capable of restraining an outer race from turning relative to a housing to simplify the assembly and to reduce the cost, and the lock method thereof.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a first aspect of the invention, the lock structure of the spherical bearing having a spherical surface of an inner race slidably supported on an inner spherical surface of the outer race which is fitted into a bearing hole of the housing so as to be locked thereto includes a protruding portion formed on a periphery of one side of the bearing hole, a flange formed on one side of the outer race, an engagement portion formed in the flange to be brought into engagement with the protruding portion, and an annular staking groove formed in the other side of the outer race.
With the aforementioned structure, the spherical bearing is fitted into the bearing hole to bring the engagement portion formed in the flange of the outer race into engagement with the protruding portion on the periphery of one side of the bearing hole. Meanwhile the staking groove in the other side of the outer race is staked to lock the spherical bearing to the housing.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a second aspect of the invention, a method of locking the spherical bearing having the spherical surface of the inner race slidably supported on the inner spherical surface of the outer race which is fitted into the bearing hole of the housing so as to be locked thereto includes the protruding portion formed on a periphery of one side of the bearing hole, the flange formed on one side of the outer race, the engagement portion formed in the flange to be brought into engagement with the protruding portion, and the annular staking groove formed in the other side of the outer race, in which the engagement portion is brought into engagement with the protruding portion and the staking groove is staked so as to restrain the spherical bearing from turning relative to the housing.
With the aforementioned method, the spherical bearing is fitted into the bearing hole to bring the engagement portion formed in the flange of the outer race into engagement with the protruding portion on the periphery of one side of the bearing hole. Meanwhile the staking groove in the other side of the outer race is staked to lock the spherical bearing to the housing by restraining the spherical bearing from turning relative to the housing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3465405 (1969-09-01), Sullivan
patent: 3662462 (1972-05-01), Shiflet
patent: 4614444 (1986-09-01), Hines et al.
patent: 4687351 (1987-08-01), Martinie
patent: 0 567 002 (1993-10-01), None
patent: 0 903 509 (1999-03-01), None
Fujino Makoto
Kariya Kennosuke
Sasaki Gen
Minebea Co. Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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