BEARING ASSEMBLIES FOR THE PINION SHAFT OF AN AXLE DIFFERENTIAL

摘要

The vehicle differential includes a housing ( 40 ) having at least one bearing seat ( 41 ) that is aligned along an axis. The housing also includes a counter bore having an internal thread. A bearing assembly ( 20 ) located in at least one bearing seat ( 41 ) supports a pinion shaft. The bearing assembly ( 20 ) comprises a bearing ( 38 ) and a lock member ( 62 ). The bearing ( 38 ) is located in at least one bearing seat ( 41 ) and around the pinion shaft. The bearing ( 38 ) includes an outer race ( 45 ), an inner race ( 46 ) and rolling elements ( 47 ). The outer race has a raceway ( 48 ) that is inclined with respect to the axis. The outer race ( 45 ) also has an external thread ( 49 ) on the narrow/thin section of the outer race, that is located around the outer race ( 45 ) and that is engaged with the internal thread ( 43 ) of the housing counter bore to set the bearing ( 38 ) along the axis. The external thread ( 49 ) may have at least one of an axial groove ( 60 ) and a radial slot ( 56 ) such that the axial groove ( 60 ) is positioned within the external thread ( 49 ) and the radial slot ( 56 ) is positioned within the external thread ( 49 ) and the outer race ( 45 ). Additionally, the outer race may contain no axial grooves nor radial slots. The lock member ( 62 ) may removably attach to at least one of the axial groove ( 60 ) and the radial slot ( 56 ) of the outer race ( 45 ) and removably attaches to the housing ( 40 ) whereby the lock member ( 62 ) prevents rotation of the outer race ( 45 ) within the bearing seat ( 41 ) of the housing ( 40 ). The lock member may also attach to the outer race by other methods.