JPH0446090Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Technical Field The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the preload of a tapered roller bearing, and in particular to facilitating the preload adjustment operation.

BACKGROUND ART A tapered roller bearing receives the thrust load of a rotating member, and is provided between a rotating member and a housing in which the rotating member is housed. In this tapered roller bearing, it may be necessary to adjust the preload, and a preload adjustment device may be provided for this purpose. The preload adjusting device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-87224 is one example. This preload adjustment device is configured to include an adjustment member that is screwed into the housing and presses the outer ring of the tapered roller bearing in the thrust direction when rotated, and a rotation prevention member that prevents rotation of the adjustment member. Ru.
The adjustment member includes a threaded portion that engages with the housing, a plurality of engagement holes provided in the circumferential direction, and a tool engagement portion that can be engaged with the preload adjustment tool, and is provided with a threaded portion that engages with the housing from the outside. The bolt, which is screwed together and whose distal end engages with the engagement hole of the adjustment member, functions as a rotation prevention member. Adjustment of preload is performed by loosening the bolt and disengaging from the engagement hole, inserting the preload adjustment tool into the housing and rotating the adjustment member.
After adjustment, the bolt is tightened to engage the engagement hole, and with this device, the preload can be easily adjusted from outside the housing.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the above-mentioned preload adjustment device has a problem in that it is troublesome to loosen and tighten the bolts each time the preload is adjusted. Further, there were also problems in that the bolts could loosen due to vibrations, etc., and the adjustment member could rotate, causing the preload on the tapered roller bearing to deviate from an appropriate level.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a threaded portion that screws into the housing, and a tool engagement portion that can be engaged with the preload adjustment tool in a non-rotatable manner. , an adjustment member that presses the tapered roller bearing in the thrust direction by being rotated relative to the housing;
In a preload adjustment device equipped with a rotation prevention member that is attached to a housing and prevents rotation of the adjustment member, the rotation prevention member has a generally ring shape and is engaged with a tool engagement portion to prevent rotation of the adjustment member. The lock ring has an action part that prevents the locking from occurring, and an anchor part that engages with the housing.

Functions and Effects The lock ring, in which the action part is engaged with the tool engagement part and the anchor part is engaged with the housing, can be attached to and removed from the housing more easily and quickly than by rotating a bolt. Therefore, the preload adjustment work can be performed efficiently.

Further, unlike bolts, the lock ring does not loosen due to vibration, and rotation of the adjustment member is reliably prevented.

Furthermore, since the acting part of the lock ring is engaged with the tool engaging part of the adjusting member, there is no need to provide a dedicated engaging part on the adjusting member, so the structure is simple and can be manufactured at low cost. I can do it.

Embodiments Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings, taking as an example a case in which the present invention is applied to a preload adjustment device for a tapered roller bearing provided in a power transmission device of an automobile.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the power transmission device, and in the diagram, 10 is a transmission. In the housing 12 of the transmission 10, an input shaft 14 and an output shaft 16 are arranged parallel to each other, and the rotational power transmitted from a clutch (not shown) to the input shaft 14 is transmitted at a predetermined ratio. After being decelerated, it is transmitted from the output shaft 16 to the first differential gear 18. First differential device 18
divides the transmitted rotational power into two parts and transmits them to the sleeve shaft 20 and the second differential gear 22. The second differential device 22 further divides the rotational power into two and transmits it to the drive shafts 24 and 26 of the left and right front wheels.
8 and 30 to drive the left and right front wheels.

On the other hand, the rotational power transmitted to the sleeve shaft 20 is transferred to the direction changing device 3 provided at the tip thereof.
2, the direction is changed by 90 degrees and the signal is transmitted to the transmission shaft 34, and is transmitted from the drive flange 36 provided at one end of the transmission shaft 34 to the rear wheel power transmission device (not shown).

The direction changing device 32 includes a large bevel gear 44 housed in a housing 42 fixed to the housing 12.
and a small bevel gear 46. Large bevel gear 44
has a structure in which a ring-shaped large bevel gear member 50 is fixed to the outer periphery of a hollow drum 48.
The inner circumferential surface of a boss portion 52 formed at one end in the axial direction of the sleeve shaft 20 is spline-fitted to the tip of the sleeve shaft 20, and the outer circumferential surface of the boss portion 52 is connected to the housing via a first tapered roller bearing 54. It is rotatably supported by 42. Further, a cylindrical bearing part 56 is formed at the other axial end of the drum 48 concentrically with the boss part 52, and the bearing part 56 is rotatable to the housing 42 via a second tapered roller bearing 58. is supported by The large bevel gear 44 is rotatably but immovably supported in the axial direction by the housing 42 by first and second tapered roller bearings 54 and 58. In the diagram, the bevel gear 44 receives a leftward thrust load, and the second tapered roller bearing 58 receives a rightward thrust load.

Further, the drive shaft 24 passes through the center of the sleeve shaft 20 and the large bevel gear 44, and a flange portion 28 is made to protrude from the housing 42. The portion of the drive shaft 24 having the flange portion 28 and the other portions are manufactured separately and screwed together, and a cylindrical connecting member 60 is spline-fitted across both portions. connected. A bearing 62 is assembled on the outside of the connecting member 60, and the drive shaft 24 is rotatably supported by the housing 42 together with the connecting member 60 via the bearing 62. Further, one end portion of the connecting member 60 is connected to the bearing portion 56 of the drum 48.
and is rotatably supported by the second tapered roller bearing 58 via a bearing portion 56 . A seal 64 is provided at the opening of the housing 42 to prevent lubricating oil from leaking and to prevent dust from entering the housing 42.

In the direction changing device 32, the large bevel gear 4
In order to prevent rattling of the bearings 4, it is necessary that the preloads of the first and second tapered roller bearings 54 and 58 be adjusted to an appropriate magnitude. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second tapered roller bearing 58
A preload adjustment device 66 is provided adjacent to the bearings 54 and 58 to set the preloads of the bearings 54 and 58 to an appropriate level.

The preload adjustment device 66, as shown enlarged in FIG. 1, includes an adjustment member 68 and a lock ring 70 as a rotation prevention member. Adjustment member 68
has a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and a male threaded portion 72 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion is screwed into a female threaded portion 74 formed on the inner circumferential surface of the housing 42 . The adjusting member 68 is brought into contact with the outer ring of the second tapered roller bearing 58 at a flange portion 76 extending radially outward from the opening thereof, and is pressed in the thrust direction to adjust the second conical roller bearing 58. Apply preload to the roller bearing 58. Further, a through hole 7 having a larger diameter than the connecting member 60 is provided at the bottom of the adjusting member 68.
8 is formed and the connecting member 60 is inserted therethrough,
Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
A large number of 0's are formed at equal angular intervals.

On the other hand, the lock ring 70 has a substantially C-shape as shown in FIG. , each protrusion 82
A small hole 84 is formed at the base end of each. The lock ring 70 is fitted into an annular groove 86 (see FIG. 1) formed in the housing 42, and its diameter is larger than the diameter of the annular groove 86 in its natural state when removed from the housing 42. The lock ring 70 is elastically fitted into the annular groove 86. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock ring 70 has grooves spaced apart by an angle that is an integral multiple of the angular interval θ between the first engagement recesses 80 when the lock ring 70 is fitted into the annular groove 86. As shown in FIG. 4, tongue-shaped first engagement protrusions 88 extending in the axial direction are formed at three locations, respectively.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the housing 42 has three second engagement recesses 90 extending radially outward from the bottom wall of the annular groove 86 and opening toward the opening side of the housing 42. is formed. These second engagement recesses 90 are similar to the first engagement recess 8
As shown in FIG.
At the same time, the second engagement protrusion 82 is fitted into the annular groove 86 while being engaged with the second engagement recess 90, thereby preventing rotation relative to the housing 42 and adjusting the adjustment member 68. It prevents rotation. The second engagement protrusion 82 functions as an anchor portion that connects the lock ring 70 to the housing 42,
The first engagement protrusion 88 acts on the adjustment member 68 and functions as an action portion that prevents the adjustment member 68 from rotating.

Adjustment of the preload in the preload adjustment device 66 configured as described above is performed during assembly or maintenance of the power transmission device, but in either case, the preload adjustment is performed when the drive shaft 24 is inserted into the housing 42. The drive shaft 24 is pulled out from the housing 42 together with the connecting member 60 when adjusting it during maintenance.

When adjusting the preload, first adjust the lock ring 7.
0 to make the adjustment member 68 rotatable. To remove the lock ring 70, a tool is engaged with the pair of small holes 84 to reduce the diameter of the lock ring 70, which is made smaller than the inner diameter of the annular groove 86, and then pulled out in the axial direction. A tool having a plurality of engagement protrusions corresponding to the first engagement recesses 80 on the outer periphery is inserted into the housing 42, engaged with the first engagement recesses 80, and then the adjustment member 68 is rotated. , adjust the screwing amount to set the preload to an appropriate size. Then, in this state, the lock ring 70 is fitted and engaged with the adjustment member 68. Note that when adjusting the preload when assembling the power transmission device, and when adjusting the preload in a state where the lock ring 70 is not fitted, the adjustment member 68 must first be rotated.

To fit the lock ring 70, the lock ring 70 is inserted into the housing 42 in a reduced diameter state, the first engagement protrusion 88 is engaged with the first engagement recess 80, and the second engagement protrusion 82 is inserted into the second engagement recess 80. This is done by fitting the adjustment member 68 into the engagement recess 90.
, the phase of the second engagement recess 90 and the first engagement recess 80 is shifted due to the rotation of the In the state where the portion 88 is engaged with the first engagement recess 80, the second engagement protrusion 82 is selected and engaged. Then, when the diameter of the lock ring 70 is released with both protrusions 88 and 82 inserted into the recesses 80 and 90, respectively, the second engagement protrusion 82 engages with the second engagement recess 90, and the lock ring 70 In a state where the relative rotation is prevented, the adjustment member 68 is engaged to prevent the rotation.

In the above embodiment, the first and second engagement protrusions were provided on the lock ring side, and the first and second engagement recesses were provided on the adjustment member and the housing, respectively. The portion and the recessed portion may be provided in reverse.

Further, the number of first engagement protrusions is not limited to three, and any number may be provided, and the number of second engagement recesses may be one or more.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to preload adjustment devices for tapered roller bearings installed in automobile power transmission devices, but can also be applied to preload adjustment devices for tapered roller bearings installed in other devices. .

Although not illustrated in detail, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a state in which a preload adjustment device according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a power transmission device of an automobile. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the drive shaft and the like are extracted from the housing in the state shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a lock ring constituting the preload adjustment device, and FIG. 4 is a side sectional view thereof. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the entirety of the power transmission device with a portion thereof in section. 42...Housing, 44...Large bevel gear, 54
...First tapered roller bearing, 58...Second tapered roller bearing, 66...Preload adjustment device, 68...Adjustment member,
70...Lock ring, 72...Male thread part, 80
...First engagement recess, 82...Second engagement protrusion, 88
...first engagement protrusion, 90...second engagement recess.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A preload adjustment device for a tapered roller bearing that is interposed between a housing and a rotating member and receives a thrust load, the device comprising: a threaded portion that is threadedly engaged with the housing; and a preload adjustment tool. and a tool engagement portion that can be engaged in a manner that prevents relative rotation, and that presses the outer ring of the tapered roller bearing in the thrust direction by being rotated relative to the housing;
In the preload adjustment device, the preload adjustment device includes a rotation prevention member that is attached to the housing and prevents rotation of the adjustment member, wherein the rotation prevention member has a generally ring shape and is engaged with the tool engagement portion. A preload adjustment device for a tapered roller bearing, characterized in that it is a lock ring having an action portion that prevents rotation of the adjustment member and an anchor portion that engages with the housing. (2) The tool engaging portion is a plurality of first engaging recesses formed at equal angular intervals in the adjustment member, the housing includes at least one second engaging recess, and the locking ring The preload adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the acting portion and the anchor portion are first and second engagement protrusions that engage with the first and second engagement recesses, respectively. (3) The preload adjustment according to claim 2, wherein N second engaging recesses are provided with an angular interval difference of 1/N of the angular interval θ of the first engaging recesses. Device.