Technical Field

The invention is related to an apparatus which provides for the mounting of damper rings and other ring-shaped flexible elements that are positioned on the side surface of ballbearings.

Prior Art

In order to prevent the transfer of vibrations between a ball-bearing and the structure to which the ball-bearing is connected, damper rings that are positioned between the ballbearing and the structure and provide the absorption of the vibrations are used. The seating of the damper rings on the outer race of the ball-bearing is performed manually. This decreases the production rate and increases the need for labor related to this procedure.

In the document number CN210139169U, a mechanism which provides for the o-rings to be fitted on the ball-bearing outer race is described. It was mentioned that this procedure was previously performed manually and with the invention of this document, it is aimed to eliminate the requirement for this procedure to be performed manually. The o-ring is fitted onto the ball-bearing as a result of the two arms located at the end of the piston to be pressed against the o-ring with the movement of the piston. The distance between these arms can be adjusted based on different types of ball-bearings.

Brief Description and Purposes of the Invention

The purpose of this invention is to develop an apparatus which provides for the mounting of damper rings and other ring-shaped flexible elements positioned on the side surface, and particularly, on the outer race, of ball-bearings. The apparatus of the invention does not require the said elements to be placed in a precise manner before mounting, and considerable energy to be spent by an operator manually in order to flex the structures. The apparatus is suitable for full-automation of the mounting process. Detailed Description of the Invention

The mounting apparatus developed in order to achieve the purposes of this invention is illustrated in the attached drawings.

Figure 1 Perspective view of an exemplary ball-bearing to be mounted with a mounting apparatus according to the invention, and the related damper rings.

Figure 2 A view of the mounting of damper rings according to the prior art.

Figure 3 Perspective view of the mounting apparatus according to the invention with a ballbearing and damper ring before the mounting.

Figure 4 Perspective view of the mounting apparatus seen in Figure 3 after the mounting of the damper ring with the ball-bearing.

The parts in the figures have been individually numbered and the corresponding parts are as follows.

1. Ball- bearing

2. Damper ring

3. Table

4. Roller

5. Propulsion mechanism

6. Width adjustment mechanism

7. Centering bearing

8. Stopper

The mounting apparatus of the invention provides for the mounting of ring-shaped elements that are manufactured from flexible materials, having a smaller width than the ball-bearing (1), on the side surface of a ball-bearing (1). Here, the side surface of the ball-bearing (1) and the surfaces perpendicular to the central axis of the ball-bearing (1), and with the width, the measurements of the ball-bearing (1) and the ring-shaped element along a perpendicular direction to the side surfaces are described.

Basically, the mounting apparatus comprises; a table (3) holding the ball-bearing (1) in the way to expose the subject side surface, a roller (4) which can rotate around an axis parallel to the subject side surface of the ball-bearing (1),

A propulsion mechanism (5) which propels at least one of the roller (4) and the table (3) along a parallel direction of the subject ball-bearing (1) in relation to one another, in the way to press the roller (4) and the ring-shaped element towards the ball-bearing (1).

The ring-shaped element is placed in the way to be offset from the central axis of the ballbearing (1) towards the starting position of the roller, on the subject side surface of the ballbearing (1). After the placing of the ring-shaped element, the propulsion mechanism (5) is actuated. In the meantime, the roller (4) pushes the portion of the ring-shaped element that is close to the central axis of the ball-bearing (1) towards the boundary of the ball-bearing (1), thereby flexing the portion that is close to the central axis and pulling the portion that is far away from the central axis; seating the same in their positions on the ball-bearing (1) in a snug fit.

The table (3) and the roller (4) can be brought back to their starting position with the reverse actuation of the propulsion mechanism after the mounting. Instead, the offset direction of the ring-shaped element from the ball-bearing central axis can be changed after each propelling procedure, and mounting of one ring-shaped element per each propelling procedure can be performed.

Thanks to the rotation of the roller (4) around the subject axis, wearing of the ring-shaped element by the roller (4) as it is pushed can be prevented. The roller (4) can rotate without requiring an additional driving mechanism, only with the effect of the forces created between the same and the ring-shaped element during the propelling. In turn, the mounting apparatus may also comprise a driving element that provides the rotation of the roller (4) based on the flexibility and surface properties of the ring-shaped element to be used.

The roller (4) can be one-piece, as it can be composed of more than one discs aligned along the subject axis. On the table (2), there are centering and fixing elements that provide for the correct positioning of the ball-bearing (1) during mounting. The centering and fixing elements can support the ball-bearing (1) internally or externally. One or more of the centering and fixing elements can be movable, in order to be used with ball-bearings (1) having different dimensions or to make the loading of the ball-bearing (1) easier. For example, the centering element can be a ‘’V” shaped fixed centering bearing (7) and the fixing element can be a movable stopper (8).

Preferably, the table (3) holds the ball-bearing (1) in the way that the subject side surface faces up.

The mounting apparatus of the invention also comprises a width adjustment mechanism (6) which can adjust the distance between the table (2) and the roller (4), to be used with different ball-bearings (1) and ring-shaped elements that have different dimensions. For the ringshaped elements to be seated on the outer surface of the ball-bearing (1) without overflowing to the side surface, the distance between the table (2) and the roller (4) is adjusted such that it would be the sum of the width of the ball-bearing (1) to be mounted and the radius of the roller (4), that is, the roller (4) would press on the side surface.

The propulsion mechanism (5) is preferably a hydraulic or pneumatic-drive piston. The piston can be controlled by an operator or automatically. Preferably, the table (3) remains fixed and the propulsion mechanism (5) propels the roller (4).

Before the mounting, the ring-shaped element can be placed on the ball-bearing (1) directly by an operator, by means of an operator-controlled mechanism, or an automatic mechanism.

The mounting apparatus of the invention can be used for the mounting of the ring-shaped elements on each of the two side surfaces of the ball-bearings (1) as well. For this purpose, after the mounting of one ring-shaped element on a side surface, the ball-bearing (1) is rotated in the way to expose the other side surface. This procedure can be performed by an operator, by an operator-controlled mechanism, or an automatic mechanism.

The mounting apparatus of the invention provides for the mounting of ring-shaped elements that have a smaller width than the width of the ball-bearing (1) to the ball-bearing (1). These ring-shaped elements can be round, square, or have another profile. Especially, the ringshaped elements which have an inner diameter having the same dimensions as the outer diameter of the ball-bearing (1) can be seated on the outer race or if any, on another element that surrounds the outer race. There may be chutes present on the ball-bearing (1) outer surface, on which the ring-shaped elements will be seated. In which case, the inner diameter has the same dimensions with the bottom of this chute, and ring-shaped elements that are smaller than the outer diameter of the ball-bearing (1) can be used as well.

As an example to these ring-shaped elements seated on the outside of to the ball-bearing (1), damper rings (2) that provide for the prevention of vibration transfer between the ballbearing (1) and the structure to which the ball-bearing (1) will be connected can be given.

In addition to the ring-shaped elements that are seated on the outside of the ball-bearing (1), the invention can also be used for the ring-shaped elements whose inner diameter is the same as the outer diameter of the inner race, and outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer race. Between such an inner race and outer race, the mounting of a ring-shaped element positioned in the way that does not fill this space, can be performed at the same time with the mounting of a ring-shaped element positioned on the outside of the ball-bearing (1).

Preferably, the mounting apparatus of the invention comprises the above-described automatic mechanisms with elements such as a camera that provides the monitoring of the status of the ball-bearing (1) and the ring-shaped elements, and performs all the mounting procedures automatically.