TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present invention relates to a bearing arrangement, according to the preamble of appended claim 1. In particular, the invention can be utilized in connection with motor vehicles, for the purpose of constituting an arrangement for mounting a declutching bearing in a clutch of a transmission in such a vehicle.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

In connection with vehicles, for example heavy goods vehicles, a clutch device which is arranged at the gear-box of the vehicle is used. According to previously known solutions, the clutch device has a declutching bearing, which is so arranged that it can be displaced in an axial direction along a spigot which is connected to the gearbox and protrudes from it. The axial movement of the declutching bearing is achieved by influencing a declutching fork. The declutching fork can, in turn, be manoeuvred by means of a servo device.

In connection with modern goods vehicles, there is, in order to save weight, a desire to manufacture the cover and the bar of the gearbox in a light metal, for example aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Since the declutching bearing is so arranged that it can be displaced axially along the spigot, the surface of the spigot will be exposed to a large degree of wear, which of course is a problem. For this reason, there is a need for improved bearing devices for mounting of the declutching bearing.

A bearing device for a declutching bearing is previously known from DE 4444633. This device comprises a bowl- or cup-shaped bearing sleeve, which is arranged on a shaft which is connected to the cover of the gearbox, and which

protrudes from it. The bearing sleeve is fixed in its correct position on the shaft by means of stamped, bent down tongues, which exhibit edges which are in contact with the surface of the shaft, and thus prevent the bearing sleeve from being displaced and falling off the shaft. The declutching bearing is, in turn, arranged on the bearing sleeve in such a manner that it can be axially displaced.

Although the previously known device provides a good bearing function for the declutching bearing, it has certain drawbacks. It is relatively expensive to manufacture, since it is relatively complex in design and demands a number of production steps. Another drawback is that there is considerable waste of material during production. Furthermore, the previously known bearing sleeve is relatively difficult to disassemble. Also, the shaft can easily be damaged when the locking force of the locking tongues is to be overcome in connection with such a disassembling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

A main object of the present invention is thus to provide an improved bearing device for a declutching bearing in a vehicle. This is obtained by means of a device of the initially mentioned kind, the characteristics of which will become apparent from claim 1.

The device according to the invention comprises an essentially tube-shaped part, which is intended for a spindle of the transmission of the vehicle, and an essentially sleeve-shaped bearing element arranged on the tube-shaped part. Furthermore, the declutching bearing is arranged displaceably in an axial direction on the bearing element. The invention is based on said tube-shaped part around its casing surface being shaped with a part which is recessed in the radial direction, and on the bearing

element being arranged for detachable assembly in said recessed part. In this manner, an efficient locking of the bearing element on the tube-shaped part is obtained. In the radial direction, the bearing element is locked due to the position of the declutching bearing around the bearing element.

The bearing jacket is suitably manufactured by cutting a band or a roll of sheet metal to a suitable length, and then bending it so that it becomes essentially tube-shaped. This results in low cost in connection with the production of the bearing sleeve, since it is of simple design, and since there is no waste of material. Furthermore, the bearing element according to the invention is very simple to disassemble.

According to a preferred embodiment, the recessed part is delimited in the axial direction by two edges. In this way, the bearing element can also be locked in the axial direction.

Advantageous embodiments will become apparent from the appended dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The invention will in the following be described in connection to examples of preferred embodiments and the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side-view in partial cross-section of a device according to the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a bearing element according to the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Fig. 1 shows a side-view, partially in cross-section, of a device which comprises the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment, the invention is intended to be used in connection with heavy goods vehicles, to be more exact for supporting a declutching bearing of the clutch of the vehicle. The drawing thus shows a cover 1, intended for a (not shown) spindle of a gearbox of the vehicle, which is not shown in detail. The cover 1 is shaped in one piece, with an essentially tube-shaped part in the form of a bar 2, which in this manner forms a spigot, which is intended to support a declutching bearing 3. According to the invention, the cover 1 and the spigot 2 are manufactured from a cast aluminum alloy, but other materials are also possible, for example pure aluminum. In principle, cast iron can also be utilized for the cover 1 and the spigot 2.

The declutching bearing 3 is, as such, of a conventional kind, and is for this reason not described in greater detail.

The spigot 2, which has an essentially tube-shaped and circular cross-section, is shaped with a recessed part 4. This part 4 has a certain axial extension, and is terminated by two edges 5, 6 respectively, with an extension essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the spigot 2. The recessed part 4 is suitably shaped by turning, and is intended to house a special sleeve-like bearing element 7. The bearing sleeve 7, which is shown separately in Fig. 2, is preferably manufactured from bent sheet metal, for example sheet steel. The bearing sleeve 7 can also be manufactured from other materials, such as, for example, brass, bronze or plastic materials. The bearing sleeve 7 is bent to a tube-like shape, with a narrow slit 8 formed where its end-parts meet, as can be seen in Fig. 2.

When placing the bearing sleeve 7 on the spigot 2, it is first bent outwards slightly, following which it is placed in position on the recessed part 4. In so doing, it is, due to its own force, fixed against the spigot 2, i.e. in the radial direction, since it is bent with a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the recessed part 4. There is thus a "self-locking" effect of the bearing sleeve 7, since the bearing sleeve 7 snaps into the recessed part 4. The bearing sleeve 7 is furthermore held in place in the axial direction, since its axial movement is limited by the edges 5, 6. When the bearing sleeve 7 has been put in place, the declutching bearing 3 can be positioned on the bearing sleeve 7. In some cases, the declutching bearing can be assembled in advance on the clutch itself.

Conversely, the bearing sleeve 7 can easily be disassembled following the removal of the declutching bearing 3, by bending the bearing sleeve 7 upwards using a suitable tool, so that it can be removed from the bar 2.

The thickness of the bearing sleeve 7 essentially corresponds to the depth of the recessed part 4, and is in the order of size of 0.5-3 mm. The recessed part 4 furthermore has an extension which essentially corresponds to the length of the declutching bearing and its cylinder stroke in the axial direction.

The invention is not limited to that which has been described above; various embodiments are possible within the scope of the claims. It is, for example, not necessary for the spigot 2 and the cover 1 to be shaped in one piece; instead they can consist of two separate parts which have been joined together in a suitable manner. The bearing casing 7 can furthermore be manufactured from a variety of different materials.