RACEWAY OF A BEARING

FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to surface finishing machines and more specifically to an apparatus for providing surface finish to surfaces of bearing raceways.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] A typical bearing raceway consists of groove which carries the balls or rollers of the bearing. For efficient performance of the bearing, the surfaces of raceways need to be superfinished. Superfinishing the surfaces of the raceways of the bearing results in reducing the friction between the balls or rollers and the raceway surfaces. Additionally, it is desirable to have low vibrations as well as low noise levels during operation of the bearings. Existing apparatuses incorporate honing stones to accomplish the superfinishing of rolling surfaces of bearing raceways. However, the existing apparatuses with honing stones do not provide an economical solution. Moreover, the reliability of superfinishing process is reduced as honing stones result in increased vibrations and noise. Further, the superfinishing with honing stones is not user-friendly, and replacing different tools as and when desired is difficult.

[0004] There is, therefore, a need for an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing that alleviates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing.

[0006] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing that is economical. [0007] Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing that increases reliability of the superfinishing process.

[0008] Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing that is user- friendly to operate.

[0009] Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing that offers ease of tool changing for various kinds of bearings.

Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

[00010] The present disclosure discloses an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing configured to be grasped by a headstock. The apparatus has an arm configured to be slidably disposed on a longitudinal slide and a transverse slide of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a pivot defined on an operative end of the arm, a tool configured to be pivotably attached to the arm through the pivot and an abrasive film configured to be wrapped over the periphery of the tool. The tool is configured to engage with the raceway of the bearing while the bearing is being rotated about the longitudinal axis of the headstock to provide superfinish to the raceway of the bearing while the tool is angularly oscillated about the axis of the pivoting axis of the pivot.

[00011] In a preferred embodiment, the tool is configured to be detachably attached to the pivot.

[00012] In another embodiment, the tool is configured to be fixedly attached to the pivot.

[00013] In a preferred embodiment, the tool has a profile that corresponds to the profile of the raceway of the bearing.

[00014] In a preferred embodiment, the headstock is configured on an operative end of the apparatus to grip the bearing, and the bearing is configured to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the headstock. [00015] In an embodiment, the tangential velocity of the raceway of the bearing is in the range of 150 to 500 m/min.

[00016] In an embodiment, the frequency of angular oscillations of the pivot is upto 2000 Hz.

[00017] In a preferred embodiment, the tool is configured to be angularly oscillated about the pivot by +/- 10 degrees.

[00018] In a preferred embodiment, the pivoting axis of the pivot is oriented in an operative vertical direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

[00019] An apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing, of the present disclosure, will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:

[00020] Figure 1 shows a front view of the apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00021] Figure 2 shows a top view of the apparatus shown in figure 1.

[00022] Figure 3 shows a top view of the tool pivotably attached to the arm of the apparatus of figure 1.

[00023] Figure 4 shows an isometric view of the apparatus of the figure 1.

[00024] Figure 5 shows another isometric view of the apparatus of the figure 1.

[00025] LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN DETAILED DESCRIPTION

AND DRAWING

10 - arm

20 - flexible abrasive film

30 - tool

40 - pivot 50 - headstock

100 - apparatus

200 - bearing

P - pivoting axis of pivot

H - longitudinal axis of headstock

L - longitudinal direction

T - transverse direction

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that tire details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.

The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a," "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, operations, elements and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[00026] Referring to the figures 1-5, an apparatus 100 for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing 200 is shown. The bearing 200 to be superfinished is grasped by the chuck of a headstock 50. The headstock 50 is configured to be mounted on an operative end of the superfinishing unit 100. The bearing 200 is configured to be rotated about a longitudinal axis H of the headstock 50. The apparatus 100 comprises an arm 10, a pivot 40, a tool 30 and an abrasive film 20. The arm 10 extends along a longitudinal direction L of the apparatus 100 that is parallel to the longitudinal axis H of the headstock 50. The pivot 40 is defined on an operative end of the arm 10. The arm 10 is configured to be mounted on a longitudinal slide as well as a transverse slide to facilitate adjusting the position of the arm 10 relative to the bearing 200. The pivot 40 is typically a pivot joint that imparts rotational degree of freedom to die tool 30. The tool 30 is thus configured to be angularly oscillated about tire pivoting axis P of the pivot 40 by an actuator (not shown in figures). The profile of the tool 30 corresponds to the profile of the raceway of the bearing 200. In an embodiment, the tool 30 is configured to be detachably attached to the pivot 40 defined on the arm 10 for replacement with a tool with a different profile. Thus, for a raceway of the bearing 200 having a distinct profile, a distinct tool 30 is engaged into the pivot 40. 'lire abrasive film 20 is configured to be routed over the periphery of the tool 30 through the apparatus 100. The abrasive film 20 is made of a flexible material to confirm to the profile of tool 30 and a layer of abrasive is provided on one surface of the film.

[00027] The working of the apparatus 100 will now be described with the help of the figures 1-5. The bearing 200 that is desired to be superfinished is held in the headstock 50. The headstock 50 is then rotated about the longitudinal axis H to cause rotation of the bearing 200 about the longitudinal axis H at a predetermined rate of rotation. The arm 10 is slid along the longitudinal direction L on the longitudinal slide such that the tool 30 moves towards the bearing 200. The tool 30 is then slid in a transverse direction T on the transverse slide such that the tool 30 wrapped with the abrasive film 20 contacts the raceway of the bearing 200. Oscillation of the tool 30 is started about the pivoting axis P of the pivot 40 by the actuator (not shown in figures), superfinishing process is carried out for predefined amount of time. Thus, superfinishing operation of the bearing 200 is accomplished. The tool 30 is then slid back along the transverse direction T, oscillation is stopped and the tool 30 is slid back along the longitudinal direction L. The rotational movement of the bearing 200 is then stopped. The abrasive film 20 is indexed before subsequent superfinishing operation. This completes the superfinishing operation on the raceway of the bearing 200. [00028] In an embodiment, the tangential velocity of the raceway of the bearing is in the range of 150 m/min to 500 m/min.

[00029] In an embodiment, the frequency of angular oscillations of the tool 30 about the pivoting axis P of the pivot 40 is upto 2000 Hz.

[00030] In an embodiment, the tool 30 is configured to be angularly oscillated about the pivoting axis P of the pivot 40 by +/-10 degrees.

[00031] In another embodiment, the tool 30 is configured to be fixedly attached to the pivot 40.

[00032] In a preferred embodiment, the pivoting axis (P) of the pivot (40) is oriented in an operative vertical direction.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

TECHNICAL ADVANCES AND ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE

[00033] The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of an apparatus for performing superfinishing operation on a raceway of a bearing abrasive, that:

• is cost-effective;

• increases reliability and safety of superfinishing process; and

• allows interchanging of distinct tools with ease.

The disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration. The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully revealed the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.