JP2003148597A - Pinion shaft supporting bearing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance efficiency of a differential device by reducing rotating torque in a pinion shaft supporting bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft 4 composing the differential device of an automobile rotatably in a differential case 1. SOLUTION: In this bearing device, the pinion shaft 4 is rotatably supported to the differential case 1. A rolling bearing 6 of a pinion gear side consists of a cylindrical rolling bearing. A rolling bearing 5 of a companion flange side consists of double row angular ball bearing. Preload is given by fastening a companion flange 7 with a nut 15 in the direction of the pinion gear, and the rolling bearings 5, 6 are fixed to the pinion shaft 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft for rotatably supporting a pinion shaft, which constitutes a differential device of an automobile, inside a differential case.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The structure of a conventional differential device is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a differential case. In the differential case 1, a differential transmission mechanism 2 for differentially interlocking left and right wheels, a pinion gear 3, a pinion shaft 4, and a pinion shaft 4 are rotatably supported. The tapered roller bearings 50, 60 and the like are housed therein.

The pinion gear 3 meshes with the ring gear 2a of the differential transmission mechanism 2 and is integrally formed with the inner end portion of the pinion shaft 4.

The pinion shaft 4 is rotatably supported inside the differential case 1 by means of single-row tapered roller bearings 50 and 60 arranged so as to face each other.
A companion flange 7 to which a drive shaft (not shown) is connected is provided at the outer end portion.

Further, the tapered roller bearings 50 and 60 are each made of a forged bearing case portion 1 of the differential case 1.
It is mounted on the inner peripheral surface of the bearing mounting annular walls 13, 14 formed in a. The tapered roller bearing 50 on the companion flange side is installed from the small diameter side opening of the bearing case portion 1a, and the tapered roller bearing 60 on the pinion gear side is installed from the large diameter side opening of the bearing case portion 1a. A spacer 8 for positioning is interposed between 50 and 60. The tapered roller bearings 50 and 60 are fixed by applying a sufficient preload between the pinion gear 3 and the companion flange 7 by screwing a nut 15 onto the outer end portion of the pinion shaft 4 and fastening the nut 15 to the companion flange 7. It

Further, lubricating oil is stored at a level L in the differential case 1 when the operation is stopped. The oil is the ring gear 2a during operation.
Of the bearing case portion 1a, is guided up to the tapered roller bearings 50 and 60 through the oil introduction passage 11 formed between the annular walls 13 and 14 in the bearing case portion 1a, and further to an oil return passage (not shown). Returned through. The pinion shaft 4
An oil seal 9 for preventing oil leakage is attached between the outer peripheral surface on the outer end side and the inner peripheral surface of the bearing case 1a, and a seal protection cup for concealing the oil seal 9 is provided. 10 is attached.

[0008]

In the case of the conventional differential device, the bearings that rotatably support the pinion shaft 4 are the tapered roller bearings 50 and 60, and in particular, the tapered roller bearing 60 on the pinion gear side having a large thrust load. Since a large frictional resistance acts, the rotational torque becomes large and the efficiency of the differential device decreases.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft in which the rotational torque is reduced and the efficiency of the differential device is improved.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the pinion shaft is rotatable with respect to the case between a pinion gear provided at one end of the pinion shaft and a companion flange provided at the other end. A bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft mounted with a supporting rolling bearing, wherein the rolling bearing comprises a cylindrical roller bearing and a double row angular contact ball bearing, and the companion flange is connected in the pinion gear direction by a fastening means. The rolling bearing is fixed to the pinion shaft by applying a preload by fastening.

According to the bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft of claim 1 of the present invention, a cylindrical roller bearing and a double row angular contact ball bearing having a smaller frictional resistance than a tapered roller bearing,
Since the radial load and the axial load are respectively applied, the rotating torque becomes smaller than that of the tapered roller bearing, and the efficiency of the differential device is improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, between the pinion gear provided at one end of the pinion shaft and the companion flange provided at the other end, the pinion shaft is axially rotatably supported with respect to the case. A bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft, comprising a pair of rolling bearings arranged side by side, wherein the rolling bearing on the pinion gear side is a cylindrical roller bearing, and the rolling bearing on the companion flange side is a double row angular contact ball bearing. The pair of rolling bearings are fixed to the pinion shaft by applying a preload by fastening the companion flange in the pinion gear direction by fastening means.

According to the bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft of claim 2 of the present invention, the rolling bearing on the pinion gear side on which a large thrust load acts is a cylindrical roller bearing, and the rolling bearing on the companion flange side is a double row angular ball. As a bearing, use cylindrical roller bearings and double row angular contact ball bearings, which have smaller frictional resistance than these tapered roller bearings.
Since the radial load and the axial load are respectively applied, the rotating torque becomes smaller than that of the tapered roller bearing, and the efficiency of the differential device is improved.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Regarding one embodiment of the present invention,
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a differential device to which the pinion shaft supporting bearing device according to the present embodiment is applied, and FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the pinion shaft supporting bearing device.

In the bearing device for supporting the pinion shaft of the present embodiment, the rolling bearing 5 on the companion flange side is constituted by a double row angular ball bearing, and the rolling bearing 6 on the pinion gear side is a single row cylindrical roller bearing. It is characterized by being configured with.

The other structure is the same as that of the example of FIG. 3, and the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The rolling bearing 5 includes an inner ring 51, 52 and an outer ring 5
3, a group of balls 54 held by cages 57, 58, 59,
It consists of 55 and 56. Outer ring 5 and outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 51
Tracks 71, 72, 74, and 75 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of 3 so that the ball group 54 on the pinion gear side is in a tandem arrangement positioned radially outward of the other ball group 55. Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 52 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 53, raceways 73 and 76 on which the ball group 56 rolls are formed. The group of balls 54, 55 and the group of balls 56 constitute a double-row outward angular ball bearing.

The rolling bearing 6 includes an inner ring 61 and an outer ring 6
2. A cylindrical roller group 63 held by an outer ring 62.
The flanges 62a and 62b of the outer ring 62 merely prevent the cylindrical roller group 63 from slipping out in the axial direction, and there is a gap between the flanges 62a and 62b and the end surface of the cylindrical roller 63. It is formed and has a structure that does not receive an axial load.

The rolling bearing 6 is pressed into the pinion shaft 4 and is assembled from the large diameter side opening of the bearing case 1a and mounted on the annular wall 14. In addition, the rolling bearing 5
A spacer 8 is provided between the pinion shaft 4 and the rolling bearing 6.
It is press-fitted in and attached to the annular wall 13. Further, the companion flange 7 is spline-fitted to the small diameter portion 41 of the pinion shaft 4 on the drive shaft side, and the nut 15 serving as a fastening means is fastened to the companion flange 7. As a result, the rolling bearings 5 and 6 arranged side by side through the spacer 8 are arranged.
Are sandwiched between the pinion gear 3 and the companion flange 7, are preloaded, and are fixed to the pinion shaft 4.

In this manner, the rolling bearing 6 formed of a cylindrical roller bearing receives a radial load, and the rolling bearing 5 formed of a double row angular ball bearing receives an axial load and a radial load, so that the pinion shaft 4 is moved. The differential case 1 is rotatably supported.

According to the bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft constructed as described above, the rolling bearing 6 on the pinion gear side on which a large thrust load acts is a cylindrical roller bearing, and the rolling bearing 5 on the companion flange side is a double row angular contact bearing. As a ball bearing, a cylindrical roller bearing and a double-row angular ball bearing that have smaller frictional resistance than these tapered roller bearings receive radial load and axial load, respectively, so the rotating torque becomes smaller than that of the tapered roller bearing. The efficiency of the differential device is improved.

Further, since the rolling bearing 5 consisting of the angular ball bearing is of the tandem type, the number of balls in the ball group 54 increases, the load capacity increases, and sufficient supporting rigidity can be obtained even if a ball bearing is used.

Further, since the collar portion 64 that abuts on the rear surface of the pinion gear 3 is formed on the pinion gear side of the pinion shaft 4, the strength of the pinion gear 3 is improved.

The rolling bearing 5 on the companion flange side may be, for example, a double row outward angular contact ball bearing consisting of at least two rows of balls consisting only of the groups of balls 55, 56, and the number of rows of balls. Whether or not it is a tandem type is not particularly limited.

The fastening means is not limited to the nut 15, and may be a crimp formed by crimping the drive shaft side end of the pinion shaft 4 to the companion flange 7.

Further, both ends in the axial direction of the rolling bearing 5 may be sealed with seal members to provide grease lubrication.

The inner ring 61 of the rolling bearing 6 may be formed integrally with the pinion shaft 4, or the inner ring 52 of the rolling bearing 5 may be integrally formed with the companion flange 7.

The outer ring 53 of the rolling bearing 5 is attached to the annular wall 1
Instead of mounting on the outer ring 53, a flange may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 53 so as to be fixed to the bearing case portion 1a by bolting.

Further, in the above embodiment, the rolling bearing 6 on the pinion gear side is a cylindrical roller bearing, and the rolling bearing 5 on the companion flange side is a double row angular contact ball bearing, but the present invention is not limited to this. However, the rolling bearing may be configured by a combination of a cylindrical roller bearing and a double row angular contact ball bearing, and the installation positions of the cylindrical roller bearing and the double row angular contact ball bearing are not particularly limited. .

For example, the rolling bearing on the pinion gear side may be a double-row angular ball bearing, the rolling bearing on the companion flange side may be a cylindrical roller bearing, or the double-row angular ball bearing may be on each of the pinion gear side and companion flange side rolling bearings. You may arrange | position separately.

[0032]

According to the bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft of the present invention, the rotating torque is reduced and the efficiency of the differential device is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a differential device to which a bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional differential device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 differential case 2 differential transmission 2a ring gear 3 pinion gear 4 pinion shaft 5 Rolling bearing on companion flange side 6 Pinion gear side rolling bearing 7 companion flange 15 Nut (fastening means)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) F16C 25/06 F16C 25/06 F16H 1/14 F16H 1/14 (72) Inventor Kunihiko Yokota Chuo-ku, Osaka Minamisenba 3-5-8 Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3J009 DA20 EA06 EA18 EA23 EA32 EB23 FA07 3J012 AB04 BB03 BB05 CB01 CB06 FB10 FB11 HB02 3J063 AA02 AB04 AC01 BA04 CA05 CD06 361 A77A41 A41 A41 A62 A41 A62 A41 A62 A41 A41

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pinion shaft support comprising a rolling bearing that rotatably supports the pinion shaft with respect to a case between a pinion gear provided at one end of the pinion shaft and a companion flange provided at the other end. A bearing device for use, wherein the rolling bearing comprises a cylindrical roller bearing and a double row angular contact ball bearing, and the preload is applied by fastening the companion flange in the pinion gear direction by fastening means to provide the rolling bearing. Is fixed to the pinion shaft, and a bearing device for supporting the pinion shaft is provided. 2. A pair of rolling elements arranged in parallel in the axial direction for rotatably supporting the pinion shaft with respect to the case between a pinion gear provided at one end of the pinion shaft and a companion flange provided at the other end. A bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft, comprising a bearing, wherein the rolling bearing on the pinion gear side is a cylindrical roller bearing,
The rolling bearing on the companion flange side is a double row angular ball bearing, and the pair of rolling bearings is fixed to the pinion shaft by applying a preload by fastening the companion flange in the pinion gear direction by fastening means. A bearing device for supporting a pinion shaft.