Clamp collar

1 . A bearing assembly, comprising:

an outer race;

a plurality of rolling elements associated with the outer race;

a shaft;

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 including a cylindrical extension forming a plurality of tabs symmetrically arranged around an entire periphery of the cylindrical extension;

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;

a plurality of threaded openings extending radially through the height of the circular wall, each of the plurality of threaded openings having inner and outer openings defined on the circular wall;

a plurality of threaded members each threadably engaged within a respective one of the plurality of threaded openings so that each of the plurality of threaded members extends through the respective one of the threaded openings and abuttably and releasably contacting a tab from the plurality of tabs; and

a clamp collar gap extending radially through the circular wall, the clamp collar gap having a clamp collar gap thickness that is tangential to the circular wall;

a clamp collar bolt threaded opening extending tangentially through an inner opening of the clamp collar through the circular wall on both sides of the clamp collar gap; and

a clamp collar bolt that threadably engages within the clamp collar bolt threaded opening to decrease the clamp collar gap thickness,

wherein the plurality of threaded openings are symmetrically spaced around the clamp collar in an area opposite the clamp collar bolt threaded opening, and

wherein the clamp collar is installed on and around the cylindrical extension such that each of the plurality of threaded members applies a biasing force on one of the plurality of tabs in the radial direction towards the shaft and at a center of the one of the plurality of tabs to secure the inner race on the shaft in both the radial and axial directions.

2 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs extends equally over a segment of an inner periphery of the cylindrical extension.

3 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements is symmetrically arranged between the inner and outer races.

4 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a clamp collar key that slides into the gap between two of the plurality of tabs to align the threaded member with a center of one of the plurality of tabs.

5 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded member and the clamp collar bolt have a socket size that is the same.

6 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded member comprises a corresponding plurality of threaded members that each threadably engage with a respective one of the plurality of threaded openings and apply the biasing force on the respective one of the plurality of tabs in the radial direction towards the shaft and at the center of the respective one of the plurality of tabs.

7 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a base supporting the outer race.

8 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner race further comprises a second cylindrical extension forming a second plurality of tabs symmetrically arranged around the entire periphery of the cylindrical extension, the second cylindrical extension extending from the inner race in the axial direction but opposite the cylindrical extension.

9 . The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamp collar further comprises a hinge that is 180 degrees from the clamp collar gap.

10 . A method of rotatably supporting a shaft, comprising:

providing a bearing assembly on the shaft, 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 the 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:

a threaded opening extending radially through the height of the circular wall, the threaded opening having inner and outer openings defined on the circular wall;

sliding a clamp collar key into the gap between two of the plurality of tabs to align the threaded opening with the center of one of the plurality of tabs;

threadably engaging a threaded member within the threaded opening, the threaded member extending through the threaded opening and abuttably and releasably contacting a tab of the plurality of tabs at a center of the tab; 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 to secure the inner race on the shaft in both the radial and axial directions.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs extends equally over a segment of an inner periphery of the cylindrical extension.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements is symmetrically arranged between the inner and outer races.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the threaded opening comprises a plurality of threaded openings, and wherein threaded member comprises a plurality of threaded members that each threadably engage with a respective one of the plurality of threaded openings.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the applying of the biasing force by the threaded member on the one of the plurality of tabs places a centerline of the shaft collinear with a centerline of the inner race, thereby decreasing vibration of the bearing assembly during operation.

15 . A method of rotatably supporting a shaft, comprising:

providing a bearing assembly on the shaft, 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 the 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:

a threaded opening extending radially through the height of the circular wall, the threaded opening having inner and outer openings defined on the circular wall;

threadably engaging a threaded member within the threaded opening, the threaded member extending through the threaded opening and abuttably and releasably contacting a tab of the plurality of tabs at a center of the tab; 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 to secure the inner race on the shaft in both the radial and axial directions,

wherein the providing of the clamp collar further includes a clamp collar gap extending radially through the circular wall, the clamp collar gap having a clamp collar gap thickness that is tangential to the circular wall, and a clamp collar bolt threaded opening extending tangentially through an inner opening of the clamp collar through the circular wall on both sides of the clamp collar gap, the method further comprising threadably engaging a clamp collar bolt within the clamp collar bolt threaded opening to decrease the clamp collar gap thickness.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the threaded opening comprises a plurality of threaded openings that are symmetrically spaced around the clamp collar in an area opposite the clamp collar bolt threaded opening.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the threaded member and the clamp collar bolt have a socket size that is the same.

18 . A bearing assembly, comprising:

an outer race and an inner race;

a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer races, the inner race including a cylindrical extension having a plurality of axial spaces that form a plurality tabs symmetrically arranged around an entire periphery of the cylindrical extension;

a clamp collar on the cylindrical extension, the clamp collar having a circular wall, a clamp collar gap extending radially through the circular wall, and two threaded openings extending radially through the height of the circular wall;

a shaft having the inner race disposed thereon so that the clamp collar gap is aligned with a first of the plurality of axial spaces and the two threaded openings are positioned on opposite sides of a second of the plurality of axial spaces, the first and second of the plurality of axial spaces being 180 degrees from one another;

a threaded member threadably engaged with each of the two threaded openings, respectively; and

a clamp collar bolt extending tangentially through the clamp collar across the clamp collar gap, wherein the inner race is secured to the shaft in both the radial and axial directions by the two threaded members being threaded into contact with a different tab from the plurality of tabs and the clamp collar bolt being threaded across the clamp collar gap so as to decrease a thickness of the clamp collar gap.

19 . The bearing assembly of claim 18 , wherein the clamp collar further comprises a hinge that is 180 degrees from the clamp collar gap and radially aligned with the second of the plurality of axial spaces.