Bearings – Rotary bearing – Antifriction bearing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-08-21
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Antifriction bearing
C384S488000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276837
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The preset invention relates to a structure for axially supporting a propeller shaft of an automotive vehicle by a center bearing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a propeller shaft is any supported by an annular supporting member by connecting an inner ring to an outer ring via an elastic member, through a center bearing. The center bearing is supported at its outer race by the inner ring of the annular supporting member. However, when front and rear openings of the inner ring are opened, dirty water, salt water, foreign matter or the like enters into the center bearing, thereby interfering with the bearing function, which may cause seizure or noises.
In one example, a flange is integrally formed with a stopper piece press-fitted on the propeller shaft to position and fix the center bearing at a predetermined axial position, and the opening of the inner ring is covered with the flange.
This example is shown in
FIG. 4
In
FIG. 4
, a propeller shaft
01
is axially supported through a center bearing
05
by an annular supporting member
010
obtained by connecting an inner ring
011
to an outer ring
012
via an elastic member
013
. The center bearing
05
is fitted on the propeller shaft
01
at a predetermined position inside the inner ring
011
. One end of an inner race thereof abuts on a step portion of the propeller shaft
01
, and the other end thereof is pressed by a stopper piece
06
made of a steel member press-fitted on the propeller shaft
01
, so that the center bearing
05
is positioned in an axial direction and fixed.
As mentioned above, the inner ring
011
of the annular supporting member
010
supporting the center bearing
05
therewithin has openings in front and rear portions. A rear opening is covered with an expanded large diameter portion of the propeller shaft
01
and a front opening is covered with a flange
06
a
integrally formed on the stopper piece
06
, thereby preventing dirt water or the like from entering into the interior of the center bearing
05
as much as possible. In the interior of the inner ring
011
, the front and rear portions of the center bearing
05
are sealed by seal members
07
and
08
. Dirty water is prevented from entering as much as possible by covering the front and rear openings of the inner ring
011
as described above, thereby increasing the sealing effect.
Since dirty water or salt water tends to splash on the flange
06
a
of the stopper piece
06
part ay covering the front opening in the inner ring
011
, the flange
06
a
is subject to severe corrosion. In the worst case, there is the possibility that the flange
06
a
may fail due to the corrosion. When the flange
06
a
is damaged, water or the like directly enters into the inner ring
011
, and the seal member
07
can not sufficiently seal and water enters into the center bearing
05
to damage the center bearing
05
, presenting the possibility that bearing function may be deteriorated, or seizure or noises may occur.
Further, since the stopper piece has the flange and has a varying outer diameter configuration, a cutting process therefor cannot easily be performed, and manufacturing cost is increased because painting is required for preventing corrosion.
Still further, since the stopper piece has the flange and a thickness thereof varies in an axial direction, it is difficult to determine the force for pressing into the propeller shaft, and high accuracy is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed in view of the above facts. An object of the present invention is to provide a propeller shaft supporting structure in which a flange covering an opening of an inner ring in an annular supporting member supporting a center bearing therewithin is constituted with rubber, so that the flange is prevented from being corroded by salt water or the like so as to maintain a high sealing effect, and a stopper piece can be easily produced at a low cost.
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a propeller shaft supporting structure where an annular supporting member obtained by connecting an inner ring and an outer ring to each other via an elastic member axially supports a propeller shaft through a center bearing at an inner side of the inner ring. A stopper piece made of metal and formed in a simple cylindrical shape with no flange is press-fitted on the propeller shaft to abut on an inner race of the center bearing, thereby positioning and fixing the center bearing to an axially predetermined position. A thin annular metal plate is fixed to an inner peripheral portion of an annular rubber flange, and the annular metal plate is fitted on an outer periphery of an end portion of the stopper piece, thereby covering the opening of the inner ring with the flange.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2906572 (1959-09-01), Wroby
patent: 4364613 (1982-12-01), Mangiavacchi
patent: 4392694 (1983-07-01), Reynolds
patent: 4722618 (1988-02-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 4960334 (1990-10-01), Mazziotti
patent: 5161903 (1992-11-01), March
patent: 5551783 (1996-09-01), Whitney et al.
patent: 8216709 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 882317 (1999-03-01), None
Hannon Thomas R.
Orum & Roth
Showa Corporation
LandOfFree
Propeller shaft supporting structure does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Propeller shaft supporting structure, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Propeller shaft supporting structure will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2544458