US 11,835,093 B2
Clamp collar
Thomas E. Kuckhoff, Greenville, SC (US); and James G. Saxon, Russellville, TN (US)
Assigned to Dodge Industrial, Inc., Oxford, CT (US)
Filed by Dodge Industrial, Inc., Oxford, CT (US)
Filed on Aug. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/991,801.
Prior Publication US 2022/0049742 A1, Feb. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. F16C 35/063 (2006.01); F16C 43/04 (2006.01); F16C 33/58 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 35/063 (2013.01) [F16C 33/586 (2013.01); F16C 43/04 (2013.01); F16C 2226/10 (2013.01); F16C 2226/60 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bearing assembly, comprising:
an outer race;
a plurality of rolling elements associated with the outer race;
an inner race rotatably disposed within the outer race such that the plurality of rolling elements is disposed between the inner and outer races, the inner race adapted to receive therein a shaft, the inner race including a cylindrical extension forming a plurality of tabs symmetrically arranged around an entire periphery of the cylindrical extension, the cylindrical extension adapted to engage the shaft;
a clamp collar having an annular shape defined by a circular wall, the circular wall having a thickness in an axial direction and a height in a radial direction;
at least one threaded opening extending radially through the height of the circular wall, the at least one threaded opening having inner and outer openings defined on the circular wall;
a threaded member threadably engaged within the at least one threaded opening, the threaded member extending through the at least one threaded opening and configured to abuttably and releasably contact a tab from the plurality of tabs; and
a clamp collar key configured to slide into a gap between two of the plurality of tabs to align the threaded member with a center of one of the plurality of tabs,
wherein the clamp collar is installed on and around the cylindrical extension such that the threaded member applies a biasing force on one of the plurality of tabs in the radial direction towards the shaft when the shaft is disposed in the inner race to secure the inner race on the shaft in both the radial and axial directions.
 
9. A method of rotatably supporting a shaft, comprising:
providing a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly including:
an outer race,
a plurality of rolling elements associated with the outer race, and
an inner race rotatably disposed within the outer race such that the plurality of rolling elements is disposed between the inner and outer races, the inner race adapted to receive therein a shaft, the inner race including a cylindrical extension forming a plurality of tabs symmetrically arranged around an entire periphery of the cylindrical extension, the cylindrical extension adapted to engage the shaft;
providing a clamp collar, the clamp collar having an annular shape defined by a circular wall, the circular wall having a thickness in an axial direction and a height in a radial direction, the clamp collar including:
at least one threaded opening extending radially through the height of the circular wall, the at least one threaded opening having inner and outer openings defined on the circular wall;
sliding a clamp collar key into a gap between two of the plurality of tabs to align a threaded member with a center of one of the plurality of tabs;
threadably engaging the threaded member within the at least one threaded opening, the threaded member extending through the at least one threaded opening and configured to abuttably and releasably contact a tab of the plurality of tabs; and
installing the clamp collar on and around the cylindrical extension such that the threaded member applies a biasing force on one of the plurality of tabs in the radial direction towards the shaft when the shaft is disposed in the inner race to secure the inner race on the shaft in both the radial and axial directions.