Bearing cap for small machine ball race - giving firm location without requiring close dimensional tolerances for bearing housing

摘要

The fixed cage ball race (3) is a press fit on the motor shaft (6), and is contained in a bearing housing (41) in the machine endplate (4). The bearing cap (2) for locating the ball race has an axial extension with a wedge shaped cross section (21). There is flexibility between the bearing cap flange and the axial extension (21), typically a bellows section (22), to apply axial pressure to the outer race (31) when the cap is bolted (5) to the endplate. The angled face (211) of the extension is radially inwards, and bears against the outer face(31) to push the bearing against the bottom (44) of the bearing housing, and also compensate for any gap (b) between the outer race and the bearing housing bore. The bearing clamping arrangement removes the need for close dimensional tolerance of the stationary parts. The bearing cap in particular can thus be made as a plastic moulding.