This application is generally directed to a rolling bearing assembly, and is more particularly related to a cage for rolling elements in a rolling bearing assembly.
Some roller bearings include cylindrical rolling elements, or needle bearings, held in circumferential positions within a cage. In certain needle roller bearing applications, a flow of lubricant may be provided to the rolling elements to enhance bearing performance and reduce wear. Some known types of cage with enhanced lubrication features are disclosed in U.S. Pub. 2015/0292557 and CN Pub. 105257703.
One type of known needle roller bearing includes a cage that both holds rolling elements and provides a radial support surface for contacting a surrounding support element, such as a housing, a shaft, or a bearing ring. Excessive contact between the radial support surface of the cage and the surrounding support element can cause undesirable heat and abrasive wear.
A need exists for a cage that both facilitates lubricant flow to rolling elements and reduces undesirable excessive contact between the cage and a surrounding support element.
A roller-cage assembly that provides both improved lubrication and reduced contact of the cage with respect to a surrounding support element is disclosed. The roller-cage assembly includes a plurality of rolling elements and a cage. The cage includes a first radial flange, a second radial flange, and a plurality of crossbars extending therebetween that define a plurality of rolling element pockets. The plurality of rolling elements are located in at least some of the plurality of rolling element pockets. The plurality of crossbars each include lateral surfaces that support the plurality of rolling elements. The cage includes a radial support surface that includes at least one recess. The at least one recess provides both a lubrication reservoir and a reduction in surface area of the radial support surface against a surrounding support element, such as a housing, a shaft, or a bearing ring.
Preferred arrangements with one or more features of the invention are described below and in the claims.
The foregoing Summary as well as the following Detailed Description will be best understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. In the Drawings:
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common in the figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further recitation.
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “inner,” “outer,” “inwardly,” and “outwardly” refer to directions towards and away from the parts referenced in the drawings. A reference to a list of items that are cited as “at least one of a, b, or c” (where a, b, and c represent the items being listed) means any single one of the items a, b, or c, or combinations thereof. The terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivates thereof, and words of similar import.
As shown in
The cage 14 includes a radial support surface 26 that includes at least one recess 28. The radial support surface 26 defines a bearing surface that contacts a support element. As shown in
The radial support surface 26 is preferably defined on a radially outer surface 32 of the cage 14. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, a maximum depth (dR) of the recess 28 is between 3%-7% of a thickness (tCB) of one of the plurality of crossbars 20, and is preferably about 5% of the thickness (tCB) of one of the plurality of crossbars 20. In one embodiment, the recess 28 has a length (LR) that is between 5%-15% of a length (LC) of the cage 14, and is preferably about 10% of the length (LC) of the cage 14. In one embodiment, the recess 28 has a width (WR) that is between 30%-50% of a width (WCB) of one of the plurality of crossbars 20, and is preferably about 40% of the width (WCB) of one of the plurality of crossbars 20.
Having thus described various embodiments of the present roller-cage assembly in detail, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes, only a few of which are exemplified in the detailed description above, could be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.
Roller-cage assembly 10
Rolling elements 12
Cage 14
First radial flange 16
Second radial flange 18
Crossbars 20
Pockets 22
Lateral surfaces 24
Radial support surface 26
Recess 28, 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d
Axial channel 29b, 29d
Housing, shaft, bearing ring 30a, 30b
Channel 31d
Radially outer surface 32
Depth of recess (dR)
Thickness of crossbar (tCB)
Length of recess (LR)
Length of cage (LC)
Width of recess (WR)
Width of crossbar (WCB)