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  Bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of an universal jointUSPTO Application #: 20080108444Title: Bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of an universal joint Abstract: A bearing arrangement for supporting a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup includes a radial bearing having cylindrical rolling elements disposed between the trunnion and the outer cup, and a resistance member made of a material to allow elastic deformation and bearing upon a confronting surface area of an end surface of the trunnion. The resistance member and the trunnion are hereby so configured either alone or in combination as to form a large lubricant reservoir. Disposed at a distance to the end surface of the trunnion is a stop member to define an axial gap, whereby the stop member inhibits an axial movement of the trunnion after the trunnion has moved in axial direction to close the gap. (end of abstract) Agent: Henry M. Feiereisen Henry M. Feiereisen, Llc - New York, NY, US Inventor: Martin Kruppa USPTO Applicaton #: 20080108444 - Class: 464130 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080108444. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application is a divisional of prior filed copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/800,401, filed Mar. 12, 2004, the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 and which in turn is a continuation of prior filed PCT International application no. PCT/EP02/09054, filed Aug. 13, 2002, which designated the United States and on which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 101 45 536.4, filed Sep. 14, 2001, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The content of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/800,401 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]The present invention relates, in general, to a bearing arrangement, and more particularly to a bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of a Cardan type universal joint pr the like. [0003]German utility model DE 73 02 217 G describes a bearing arrangement for universal joints, which includes an axial bearing having a closed washer which is made of plastic. The washer forms in the center a contact surface in a direction of the trunnion and has a collar disposed in concentric surrounding relationship to the contact surface and has a shorter length than the contact surface so that a gap is defined between the collar and the end surface of the trunnion. Between the central contact surface and the peripheral collar, the washer is provided on the trunnion-facing side with recesses for introduction of lubricant. The so-formed lubricant reservoir is thus limited between the central contact surface and the peripheral collar to a narrow annular gap which is capable of receiving only a very small amount of lubricant. [0004]It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved bearing arrangement for a universal joint to obviate prior art shortcomings and to realize a greater lubricant reservoir. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005]According to one aspect of the present invention, a bearing arrangement for supporting a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup includes a radial bearing having cylindrical rolling elements disposed between the trunnion and the cup, and an axial bearing having a resistance member provided with a central axial projection for support of an end surface of the trunnion and having an outer surface resting against a bottom wall of the cup, wherein the resistance member is formed with openings or recesses spaced partially about its circumference for defining spaces for lubricant alone or in combination with a configuration of the end surface of the trunnion, and wherein the resistance member is provided about its circumference with first stop members projecting axially toward the end surface of the trunnion and defined by a length which is shorter than a length of the axial projection as to define a gap between the stop members and a confronting portion of the end surface of the trunnion. [0006]According to another aspect of the present invention, a bearing arrangement for supporting a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup includes a radial bearing having cylindrical rolling elements disposed between the trunnion and the cup, and an axial bearing having a resistance member disposed in concentric surrounding relationship to a central flange of the trunnion for support thereof and having an outer surface resting against a bottom wall of the cup, wherein the resistance member is formed with first stop members projecting axially toward the end surface of the trunnion and defined by a length which is shorter than a length of the flange as to define an axial gap between the stop members and a confronting portion of the end surface of the trunnion, and wherein the resistance member defines in combination with a configuration of the end surface of the trunnion spaces for introduction of lubricant. [0007]The present invention resolves prior art problems by a novel and inventive configuration of the end surface of the trunnion and the use of an resistance member which is made, preferably, of elastic material. As a result, the space for receiving lubricant is increased within the cup. The resistance member is hereby provided with circumferentially spaced-apart openings, pockets or recesses which are formed continuously or unilaterally in the resistance member, and the trunnion is configured such as to significantly enlarge the space for introduction of lubricant. The resistance member defines a lubricant reservoir which extends axially from the end surface of the trunnion to at least the bottom wall of the cup and is bounded in radial direction by the central projection of the resistance member and partly by the inner wall of the cup. This configuration thus greatly increases the available lubricant volume so as to positively affect the service life of the cup. [0008]The provision of stop members of shorter length compared to the central projection so as to define a gap between the trunnion and the stop members results in at least a two-phased, progressive support of the trunnion, when subjected to an increased axial force, and thus enables the bottom wall of the cup to transmit a greater axial force while the bottom wall of the cup can have a relatively small stiffness in the lower load range. The trunnion abuts at slight load in mid-section of the thin-walled and thus elastic bottom wall of the cup. As the load increases, the configuration of the resistance member enables a radial support in the peripheral and more rigid marginal zone of the end wall. [0009]The resistance members may be guided on their outside directly upon the inner wall or a bottom wall portion of the cup. The resistance member may extend across the entire area of the bottom wall of the cup and cover the end surface of the trunnion at the same time, so that the trunnion is indirectly supported by the bottom wall of the cup. As an alternative, the resistance member may be supported directly upon the bottom wall of the cup, whereby the resistance member is disposed here in concentric surrounding relationship to a central, axial flange of the trunnion. [0010]According to another feature of the present invention, the trunnion may have a bore in the end surface of the trunnion, with the axial projection being constructed for engagement in the bore of the trunnion. One option involves an engagement of the axial projection with clearance in the bore of the trunnion to thereby form a circular ring shaped space for use a lubricant reservoir. Another option involves a press-fitting engagement of the axial projection in the bore of the trunnion. It is also possible to configure the end surface of the trunnion in a stepped shape, whereby the axial projection of the resistance member is press-fitted in the stepped bore with smallest diameter. This construction simplifies assembly as the resistance member is held captive on the trunnion. [0011]According to another feature of the present invention, the resistance member allows a two-step support of the trunnion upon the bottom wall, when the trunnion is acted upon by an axial force. Suitably, the resistance member may have second stop members disposed in alternating relationship to the first stop members, whereby the first and second stop members have different lengths. In this way, the trunnion can be borne by a three-phased support upon the resistance member and the bottom wall of the cup in dependence on the applied axial force of the trunnion. This construction subjects the bottom wall of the cup to less stress thereby increasing the service life of the cup. [0012]The resistance member can be guided and centered on the inner wall of the cup. This configuration allows the resistance member to form an axial stop for the rolling elements. [0013]According to another feature of the present invention, the bottom wall of the cup may be made without material removal with a gradation which ends in an axial surface area of a size that corresponds to a size of a surface area of the confronting axial projection. The gradation, resembling a crimp, improves the stiffness and thus the strength of the bottom wall which thus lasts longer without changing the wall thickness. [0014]According to another feature of the present invention, the bottom wall of the cup has a side distal to the end surface of the trunnion, whereby this side of the bottom wall may be formed with a stepped configuration. The resistance member can hereby be centered at the step where the bottom wall is of smallest diameter, whereby the axial projection of the resistance member has an axial length which is greater than a vertical dimension of the step so as to provide a support surface for the trunnion. In addition, the axial projection is arranged so that a gap is established between the end surface of the trunnion and a step of the bottom wall. This construction results in a stepped support of the trunnion in dependence on the applied axial force. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0015]Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: [0016]FIG. 1 is a half-section of a first embodiment of a bearing arrangement according to the present invention for support of a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup; [0017]FIG. 2 is a half-section of a second embodiment of a bearing arrangement according to the present invention for support of a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup; [0018]FIG. 3 is a half-section of a third embodiment of a bearing arrangement according to the present invention for support of a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup; [0019]FIG. 4 is a half-section of a fourth embodiment of a bearing arrangement according to the present invention for support of a universal joint trunnion in a outer cup; [0020]FIG. 5 is a half-section of a fifth embodiment of a bearing arrangement according to the present invention for support of a universal joint trunnion in an outer cup; Continue reading... Full patent description for Bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of an universal joint Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of an universal joint patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of an universal joint or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Manipulator Next Patent Application: Universal joint Industry Class: Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for rotary shafts ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Bearing arrangement for supporting a trunnion of an universal joint patent info. 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