Technical domain

The present invention relates to a device and a method for measuring a housing. The invention further relates to a device and a method for measuring the housing of a gearbox of a vehicle. The aim of this is, ultimately, to set a bearing preload of a rotatable gear shaft in the housing of the gearbox.

Background art

A gearbox of a vehicle usually comprises a housing in which a number of rotatable gear shafts are arranged. The housing of the gearbox is constituted by at least two interconnectable housing parts with the rotatable gear shafts clamped between them. Herein, a first end of the rotatable gear shaft is positioned in a dedicated recess in the wall of a first housing part, and a second end of the rotatable gear shaft is positioned in a dedicated recess in the wall of a second housing part, respectively. In these recesses, the ends of the rotatable gear shafts are surrounded by bearings for rotatably mounting the rotatable gear shafts in the housing.

A common problem in gearboxes, however, is that variations may occur in the shape and dimensions of the housing and/or the rotatable gear shafts, which variations are usually the largest with the housing. As a result of these variations, it may occur that the rotatable gear shafts are not mounted in the housing with the desired bearing preload, and are therefore fitted too loosely or too tightly, which when using the gearbox may cause damage to the rotatable gear shafts and other parts of the gearbox.

To avoid or at least limit such damage, the position of the rotatable gear shafts in the housing needs to be adjusted, for instance using adjusting elements such as adjusting rings, to compensate for variations in the dimensions of the housing relative to the rotatable gear shafts, and thus also the resulting variations in the preload of the rotatable gear shafts in the housing of the gearbox. To determine the correct size of these adjusting elements, the variations in the dimensions of the housing relative to the dimensions of the rotatable gear shafts, or the variations in the preload, must be able to be determined in a precise way.

In a known device for measuring the variations in the dimensions of the housing relative to the dimensions of the rotatable gear shafts, the gearbox is opened by removing one of the housing parts of the housing. Then, a framework of the device is mounted onto the remaining housing part of the gearbox with the rotatable gear shafts still present inside. A rotatable gear shaft is then clamped between the remaining housing part and a resilient element attached to the framework of said device. From the compression of the resilient element, the variance can then be determined.

Said device, however, carries the disadvantage that it is large, and therefore impossible or difficult to use in a confined space. Thus, a gearbox, for instance, must be fully removed from the vehicle to be able to use the device. Furthermore, said device also carries the disadvantage that it must be readjusted every time to perform measurements on the different rotatable gear shafts of the gearbox. Said device therefore does not allow measurements to be performed quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, said device also carries the disadvantage that it is not always equally accurate.

Other devices for measuring the housing of a gearbox are known from CN 203964822 U and FR 2 919 053 A1 . Said devices also allow variations in the dimensions of the housing relative to the dimensions of the rotatable gear shafts to be determined.

However, the device of CN 203964822 U also carries the disadvantage that it must be readjusted every time for measuring different distances in the housing of the gearbox, so that using said device, quick and efficient measuring is not possible. Moreover, the use of said device involves many degrees of freedom, so that the measurements are not always equally accurate.

The device of FR 2 919 053 A1 also carries the disadvantage that it is large, and therefore impossible or difficult to use in a confined space. Therefore, it will be necessary in this case as well for the gearbox to be fully removed from the vehicle to be able to use the device. Furthermore, said device also carries the disadvantage that it is complex in use. Said device therefore does not allow measurements to be performed quickly and efficiently.

Description of the invention

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a device and method for measuring a housing which allow the measuring to be performed quickly and efficiently.

Furthermore, it is also an aim of the present invention to provide a device and a method for measuring a housing which allow the measuring to be performed in a confined space.

Furthermore, it is also an aim of the present invention to provide a device and method for measuring a housing which allow an accurate measuring of the housing.

These aims were achieved by means of a device according to the first independent claim and a method according to the second independent claim.

To this end, the present invention provides a device for measuring a housing. Preferably, the device is arranged for measuring a housing of a gearbox. Preferably, the device is arranged for measuring a housing of a predetermined type. Hereby, housings of the same type have, save for a certain amount of tolerance, the same shape and dimensions. The housing comprises at least two interconnectable housing parts constituting the housing. Preferably, the housing comprises two interconnectable housing parts constituting the housing. The device comprises a fastening element and a measuring element. The measuring element extends along a longitudinal direction. The fastening element is arranged to be fastened to at least one housing part of the housing. The measuring element is arranged to measure a distance between the fastening element and the at least one housing part when the fastening element is fastened to the at least one housing part. The fastening element is arranged to be fastened to the at least one housing part in a predetermined position relative to the at least one housing part. The fastening element comprises at least one guiding element. The at least one guiding element is positioned in the fastening element at a predetermined fixed position. The at least one guiding element is arranged to guide the measuring element along a predetermined direction, preferably a predetermined fixed direction, from the fastening element to a predetermined position on the at least one housing part.

The fastening element being attachable in a predetermined position to the at least one housing part, and the at least one guiding element being positioned at a predetermined fixed position in the fastening element, offer the advantage that for measuring a predetermined distance to be measured in the housing, no readjustment of the device according to the present invention is required. The fastening element only needs to be fastened to the at least one housing part, to then guide the measuring element through the at least one guiding element along the predetermined direction to the predetermined position on the at least one housing part. Then, the distance to be measured between the predetermined position on the at least one housing part and the fastening element, preferably between the predetermined position on the at least one housing part and a predetermined fixed point on the at least one guiding element, can easily be determined by means of the measuring element. This offers the advantage, on the one hand, that measuring the housing by means of the device can be performed quickly and efficiently. On the other hand, this also offers the advantage that the housing can be measured accurately, since no measurement deviations can occur as a result of a poor adjustment of the devices.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element comprises a plurality of guiding elements. Each guiding element is positioned at a different predetermined fixed position in the fastening element. Each guiding element is arranged to guide the measuring element along its own predetermined direction, preferably its own predetermined fixed direction, from the fastening element to a different predetermined position on the at least one housing part.

The plurality of guiding elements offers the advantage that for measuring a corresponding number of predetermined distances in the housing, no readjustment of the device according to the present invention is required, so that the housing is measurable more quickly and efficiently, and is also measurable more accurately.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element is arranged to be fastened, via a first side of the fastening element, to a first housing part of the housing in a predetermined position relative to the first housing part. The fastening element is arranged to be fastened, via a second side of the fastening element, to a second housing part of the housing in a predetermined position relative to the second housing part. The at least one guiding element is arranged to guide the measuring element along a predetermined first direction from the fastening element to a predetermined first position on the first housing part if the fastening element is fastened to the first housing part. The at least one guiding element is arranged to guide the measuring element along a predetermined second direction from the fastening element to a predetermined second position on the second housing part if the fastening element is fastened to the second housing part. The first direction and the second direction lie in line with each other in the housing when the first housing part and the second housing part are connected to each other. Furthermore, as a result of this, the first position and the second position are located opposite each other when the first housing part and the second housing part are connected to each other.

This embodiment offers the advantage that the same device is usable for measuring predetermined distances to be measured in the different housing parts, so that measuring the housing can be performed quickly and efficiently.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the measuring element is provided with a distance indicator which allows the distance to be measured to be determined relative to the at least one guiding element.

The distance indicator offers the advantage that the distance or distances to be measured in the housing are easily read out, so that measuring the housing can be performed quickly and efficiently.

The distance indicator may for instance be a graduation arranged onto the measuring element. The graduation can be an absolute graduation, or in other words, extend starting from 0 from a first end of the measuring element to a second opposite end of the measuring element. If the measuring element is arranged for measuring a predetermined distance having an expected value, the graduation may also be a relative graduation. Hereby, the scale graduation then starts at 0 on the measuring element from a position along the longitudinal direction of the measuring element corresponding to the expected value. From there on, the graduation can then extend with negative values in the direction of the first end of the measuring element and with positive values in the direction of the second end of the measuring element, or vice versa. This allows the measuring element to be used for determining a variation of the predetermined distance relative to the expected value.

Such a relative measurement may for instance also be performed using a measuring element which, at the level of the expected value, is provided with a depression that extends over a certain length in the direction of the first end of the measuring element, and extends over a certain length in the direction of the second end of the measuring element. Using a measuring element executed in this way, a feeler gauge can then be inserted into an open portion of the recess in the measuring element to measure the variance of the predetermined distance relative to the expected value.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the device comprises a separate measuring element for each of the guiding elements.

The use of separate measuring elements for each of the guiding elements offers the advantage that different predetermined distances in the housing can be determined in quick succession, without needing to move the measuring element every time, so that the housing is measurable more quickly and efficiently using the device according to the present invention.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element is arranged to be fastened to the at least one housing part in at least three non-collinear positions.

Because the fastening element is connectable to the at least one housing part in three or more positions, which are not in a single line, the possible influence of variations in the size and shape of the housing at the level of the connection with the fastening element is limited, which renders measuring the housing by means of the device according to the present invention more accurate.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the at least one guiding element is a tube. The tube is arranged so that the measuring element is slideable through the tube along the predetermined direction.

The inventors have found that by means of a tube, the at least one guiding element can be provided in the fastening element in a simple manner, which simplifies the construction of the fastening element. The tube also offers the advantage that it is easy to use, so that measuring the housing by means of the device according to the present invention can be performed quickly and efficiently.

To this end, the tube preferably has an inner cross section along the longitudinal direction of the tube which is similar in shape to an outer cross section of the measuring element along the longitudinal direction of the measuring element. Here, the dimensions of the respective inner cross section and the respective outer cross section only differ a predetermined margin from each other, allowing the measuring element to be slideable through the tube with at most a predetermined variance from the predetermined direction.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element is arranged to be fastened to the at least one housing part via a connecting edge on het at least one housing part. With the connecting edge, the at least one housing part is arranged to be connected with the remaining housing parts of the housing.

By using an already available connecting edge on the at least one housing part, the fastening element can easily be fastened to the at least one housing part, so that measuring the housing can be performed quickly and efficiently using the device according to the present invention.

Fastening the fastening element to the connecting edge of the at least one housing part also offers the advantage that no fastening is required to the outer wall of the at least one housing part, which allows the size of the fastening element, and thus of the device, to be limited, so that it is usable in a confined space.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element is arranged so that the fastening element is located within the outer perimeter of the connecting edge when the fastening element is connected to the at least one housing part.

The fastening element being arranged so that it does not extend outside the outer perimeter of the connecting edge of the at least one housing element offers the advantage that the device is usable in a confined space.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element comprises a frame. The frame is arranged to fasten the fastening element to the at least one housing part.

The use of the frame provides a simple construction of the fastening element having a limited size so that it is usable in confined spaces.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the fastening element comprises an inwardly extending part on the frame. The at least one guiding element is attached to the inwardly extending part.

The use of the inwardly extending part on the frame, to which the at least one guiding element is attached, is advantageous for limiting the size of the fastening element so that it is usable in confined spaces.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the device is arranged for measuring the housing of a gearbox. Hereby, the predetermined direction along which the at least one guiding element is arranged to guide the measuring element, is a direction along which a rotatable gear shaft of the gearbox is arranged in the housing of the gearbox in a fully assembled state of the gearbox. Hereby, the predetermined position to which the at least one guiding element is arranged to guide the measuring element is located at the level of a recess in the at least one housing part in which an end of the rotatable gear shaft is positioned in the fully assembled state of the gearbox.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the measuring element is provided with a supporting part at an end. The supporting part is arranged to be supported on the edge of the recess for the end of the rotatable gear shaft. Preferably, the supporting part is arranged to be supported on the entire edge of the recess for the end of the rotatable gear shaft.

To determine the available space for a rotatable gear shaft in the housing of a gearbox, preferably, the distance in the housing is measured up to the recesses for the ends of the rotatable gear shaft. This is because the recess itself has a curved rolling surface for the bearings, and an incorrect positioning of the measuring element in the recess itself will therefore be affected by the shape and size of the rolling surface at that position. Here, it is therefore advantageous to arrange the measuring element in such a way that it supports on the edge of the recess for the end of the rotatable gear shaft, so that the distance to these recesses is measurable in a quick, efficient and precise way. If the supporting part is arranged to be supported on the entire edge of the recess, the impact of possible variations in the size and shape of the edge is also limited, so that measuring the housing by means of the device according to the present invention is performable in a more accurate way.

In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the supporting part is releasably attached to the measuring element.

The releasably supporting part offers the advantage that the measuring element can be placed into and taken out of the at least one guiding element without interference from the supporting part. Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method for measuring a housing using the device according to the present invention. Preferably, the method is provided for measuring a housing of a gearbox. Preferably, the method is provided for measuring a housing of a predetermined type. The housing comprises at least a first housing part and a second housing part which are interconnectable for constituting the housing. The method comprises the step of a) releasing from each other the first housing part and the second housing part if these are connected to each other. The method comprises the step of b) fastening the fastening element to the first housing part. The method comprises the step of c) leading the measuring element along a predetermined first direction from the fastening element to a predetermined first position on the first housing part by means of a first guiding element of the fastening element. The predetermined first position and the predetermined first direction are determined by the first guiding element. The method comprises the step of d) measuring a first distance between the fastening element and the predetermined first position on the first housing part by means of the measuring element. The method optionally comprises the step of e) repeating steps c) and d) for a further guiding element of the fastening element, if present. This may be carried out using the same measuring element or, if present, using a further measuring element which is arranged for use with the further guiding element.

In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the method further comprises the step of f) releasing the fastening element from the first housing part. The method further comprises the step of g) fastening the fastening element to the second housing part. The method further comprises the step of h) leading the measuring element along a predetermined second direction from the fastening element to a predetermined second position on the second housing part by means of the first guiding element of the fastening element. The predetermined second position and the predetermined second direction are determined by the first guiding element. The method further comprises the step of i) measuring a second distance between the fastening element and the predetermined second position on the second housing part by means of the measuring element. The method further comprises the step of j) determining a third distance between the predetermined first position and the predetermined second position in the housing by means of the first distance and the second distance measured using the measuring element.

In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the method is provided for measuring a housing of a gearbox. The method further comprises the step of k) determining a variance between the third distance and the length of a rotatable gear shaft arranged between the predetermined first position and the predetermined second position in the housing in a fully assembled state of the gearbox. The method further comprises the step of I) selecting a size of an adjusting element intended to compensate for said variance when applying the rotatable gear shaft in the housing between the predetermined first position and the predetermined second position.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will hereafter be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.

Figure 1 shows a view from above of a fastening element of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2A shows a side view of a measuring element of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2B shows a view from below of the measuring element of Figure 2 A.

Figure 3 shows a view from above of a housing part of a gearbox that is measurable by means of the device constituted by the fastening element of Figure 1 and the measuring element of Figure 2A.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the housing part of Figure 3 in combination with the device constituted by the fastening element of Figure 1 and measuring elements according to Figure 2A.

Figure 5 shows a detailed view of the housing part of Figure 3 in combination with the device constituted by the fastening element of Figure 1 and the measuring element of Figure 2A.

Modes for carrying out the invention

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings, but the invention is not limited thereto and is only defined by the claims. The drawings shown are only schematic representations and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the sizes of some of the elements may be exaggerated, meaning that they are not drawn to scale, and are intended for illustrative purposes only. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, terms such as "first", "second", "third" and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, terms such as "top", "bottom", "over", "under" and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for indicating relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

The term "comprising" and derivative terms, as used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; the term does not exclude other elements or steps. It should to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of an expression such as "a device comprising means A and B" is not limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. What is meant, in contrast, is that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

Figure 1 , Figure 2A and Figure 2B show a device according to an embodiment of the present invention for measuring a housing 2 of a gearbox. The measuring of the housing 2 using said device is shown in Figure 4, and in more detail in Figure 5.

The housing 2 is constituted by a first housing part 21 , as shown in Figure 3, and a second housing part (not shown). The first housing part 21 and the second housing part are interconnectable by means of bolts passed through corresponding bolt holes 251 through connecting edges 25 on both housing parts 21 , wherein said bolts are secured by means of nuts. The connecting edges 25 are arranged to be placed against each other when interconnecting the housing parts 21 .

The housing 2 of the gearbox is arranged for housing a number of rotatable gear shafts, each positioned with a first end in a dedicated recess 23 in the first housing part 21 and positioned with a second, opposite end in a dedicated recess in the second housing part. In the respective recesses 23, the ends of the rotatable gear shafts are surrounded by bearing elements for rotatably suspending the rotatable gear shafts in the housing 2.

The device according to the embodiment shown is arranged for measuring the distances in the housing 2 along the direction according to which the rotatable gear shafts are arranged to extend inside the housing 2. These are, then, the distances between, on the one hand, the recesses 23 in the first housing part in which the first ends of the rotatable gear shafts are to be arranged, and on the other hand, the recesses in the second housing part in which the second ends of the rotatable gear shafts are to be arranged.

The device comprises a fastening element 11 , shown in Figure 1 , and one or more measuring elements 12, shown in Figure 2A and Figure 2B. The fastening element 11 is arranged to be fastened to the housing parts 21. The measuring elements 12 are arranged to measure distances between the fastening element 11 and the housing part 21 to which the fastening element 11 is fastened, and to be guided therein by the fastening element 11 from a predetermined position and along a predetermined direction. These distances between fastening element 11 and housing part 21 can be determined in each housing part 21 , to thus determine an internal distance in the housing 2 between both housing parts 21.

To this end, the fastening element 1 1 is arranged to be fastened to the first housing part 21 and also to be fastened to the second housing part, in a predetermined position relative to the respective housing part 21. To this end, the fastening element 11 is provided with a frame 113 in which bolt holes 1 16 are arranged in accordance with the bolt holes 251 arranged on the connecting edges 25 of the housing parts 21. Thus, the fastening element 11 can be fastened to the housing part 21 by means of bolts passing through the bolt holes 251 in the connecting edge 25 of the housing part 21 and through the corresponding bolt holes 116 in the fastening element 1 1 , wherein said bolts are secured by means of nuts.

The fastening element 11 comprises a first side 111 , which is arranged to be placed against the connecting edge 25 of the first housing part 21 when fastening the fastening element 1 1 to the first housing part 2. The outline of the frame 113 on the first side 111 of the fastening element 1 is similar in shape to the outline of the connecting edge 25 of the first housing part 21 , which allows the fastening element 1 1 to be quickly positioned in the predetermined position relative to the first housing part before fastening the fastening element 11 to the first housing part 21 . The fastening element 11 also comprises a second side 1 12, which is arranged to be placed against the connecting edge of the second housing part when fastening the fastening element 11 to the second housing part. The outline of the frame 113 on the second side 112 of the fastening element 11 is similar in shape to the outline of the connecting edge 25 of the second housing part, which allows the fastening element 11 to be quickly positioned in the predetermined position relative to the second housing part before fastening the fastening element 11 to the second housing part. The outline of the frame 113, and hence also that of the fastening element 11 that is similar in shape to the outline of the connecting edges 25 of the housing parts 21 , further also offers the advantage that the fastening element 11 does not extend outside the outline of the housing parts, and therefore is exceedingly suited for use in a space of limited size in which the housing part 21 may be located.

Moreover, the fastening element comprises 11 another inwardly extending part 114 in the shape of a crossbeam 1 14 extending within the fastening element 11 between different sides of the frame 113. To this inwardly extending part 114, a number of cylindrical tubes 115 are fastened in a number of predetermined positions in the fastening element 11 , serving as guiding elements 1 15 for guiding a measuring element 12 along a predetermined direction, as shown in Figure 2A. Hereby, the predetermined positions of the guiding elements 115 in the fastening element 11 are selected so that, when the fastening element 11 is fastened to a housing half 21 in the predetermined position relative to the housing half 21 , each of the guiding elements 115 is located above one of the recesses 23 in the housing half 21 , and the guiding elements 115 are aligned so that they can guide the measuring elements 12 from this predetermined position along the predetermined direction to said recesses 23 in the housing half 21 .

The measuring element 12, as shown in Figure 2A and Figure 2B, comprises a rod 120 and a disc-shaped supporting part 121 which can be screwed to the rod 120. The rod 120 is arranged to be slid through the cylindrical tubes 1 15 of the fastening element 11 when measuring the housing 2. To this end, the rod 120 has an outer diameter that is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical tubes 1 15, for guiding the measuring element 12 in a precise way along the predetermined direction toward the recess 23 in the housing part 21 . The supporting part 121 is arranged to allow the measuring element 12 to be supported in a stable way on the edge 24 around the recesses 23 in the housing parts 21 while measuring the distances in the housing 2, to allow an accurate measurement of the distance between the fastening element 11 and the recess 23 in the housing part 21.

The measuring element 12 is provided with a distance indicator 122, which in the embodiment shown, as can be seen for instance in Figure 2A, is in the form of a recess 122 along the outline of the rod 120. This recess 120 is located in a predetermined position along the longitudinal direction of the measuring element 12, determined by the distance in the housing 2 that is expected to be measured in accordance with the standard sizes of the housing 2. The recess 122 extends over a predetermined distance along the longitudinal direction of the measuring element 12. This predetermined distance is determined by a maximum margin to be expected on the distance to be measured in the housing 2 relative to the standard sizes of the housing 2. This margin may for instance be caused by the manufacturing process of the housing 2, the materials used, etc. The distance between a recess 23 in a housing part 21 and a fastening element 11 attached to the housing part 21 can then, when the rod 120 of the measuring element 121 is mounted with the supporting part 121 supported on the edge 24 around the recess 23 in the housing part 21 , be accurately measured by determining the distance between the top of the cylindrical tube 115 and the top of the recess 122 by means of a feeler gauge 3, as shown in Figure 5. It should however be understood that other types of distance indicators can also be used, such as for instance a graduation marked along the length or a portion of the length of the measuring element 12. Measuring a housing 2 of a gearbox of a vehicle, such as for instance a car, and subsequently adjusting the rotatable gear shafts in the housing 2 of the gearbox by means of the embodiment shown of the device 11 , 12 according to the present invention, can then be carried out as described below.

First, the vehicle is opened in such a way that the gearbox is sufficiently accessible for the housing 2 of the gearbox to be opened. Then, the housing 2 of the gearbox is opened by releasing the second housing part from the first housing part 21 and removing the second housing part from the first housing part 21. Preferably, the first housing part 21 is left in the vehicle to save time, and thus to allow a quick measuring of the housing 2. Measuring the first housing part 21 still present within the vehicle by means of the device according to the embodiment shown does not pose any problems, as the device is sufficiently compact to be used in the limited space available in the vehicle around the housing 2. After the housing 2 has been opened, the rotatable gear shafts are removed from the housing 2.

Then, the fastening element 11 of the device is placed with the first side 111 against the connecting edge 25 of the first housing part 21 and attached to the first housing part 21 in the predetermined position relative to the first housing part 21.

Then, the rod 120 of the measuring element 12 is slid, from the second side 112 of the fastening element 11 , through one of the cylindrical tubes 115 of the fastening element 11. After the rod 120 has been slid through the cylindrical tube 115, the supporting part 121 is screwed onto the rod 120 of the measuring element 12, and the rod 120 of the measuring element 12 is subsequently slid further along through the cylindrical tube 1 15 until the supporting part 121 rests upon the edge 24 around the recess 23 in the first housing part 21 , up to which recess the distance is measured. Then, the distance between the recess 23 and the fastening element 11 is determined by means of a feeler gauge 3, as described above. The same procedure is then repeated for measuring the distances between the fastening element 11 and the remaining recesses 23 in the first housing part 21. After this, the fastening element 11 is again released from the first housing part 21.

Then, the fastening element 11 of the device is placed with the second side 112 against the connecting edge of the second housing part and attached to the second housing part in the predetermined position relative to the second housing part, so that the distances between the fastening element 1 1 and the recesses for the rotatabie gear shafts in the second housing part can also be measured in the manner described above. After this, the fastening element 1 1 is then again released from of the second housing part.

Based on the distances measured in the first housing part 21 and in the second housing part, the distance between the recesses 23 in the first housing part 21 and the opposite recesses in the second housing part can then be determined, i.e. the space available in the housing 2 for the rotatabie gear shafts. If there is a variance between these distances in the housing and the length of the rotatabie gear shafts, adjusting elements having certain dimensions can be selected for compensating for this variance.

Finally, the rotatabie gear shafts are then placed back into the first housing part 21 , with or without any required adjusting elements, the first housing part 21 is again closed off using the second housing part, and the rest of the vehicle is reassembled.

References:

11 fastening element 122 distance indicator

111 first side fastening element 2 housing

112 second side fastening element 30 21 housing part

113 frame 23 recess

114 inwardly extending part 24 edge recess

115 guiding element 25 connecting edge

116 bolt opening 251 bolt opening

12 measuring element 35 3 feeler

120 rod measuring element

121 supporting part