Patent Application
20170241476
The present disclosure relates broadly to high speed bearings, and, more particularly, to spindle bearings in production machinery.
Ball guided cages are preferred in order to provide a bearing that is quiet. Typically, high speed bearings have an outer ring piloted cage. For example,
According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a bearing including an axis of rotation, an inner ring, an outer ring arranged radially outward of the inner ring, the outer ring including a radially inner circumferential surface including: a race surface, a first outer ring portion arranged closer, in a first radial direction, to the axis of rotation than the race surface, and a second outer ring portion arranged closer, in the first radial direction, to the axis of rotation than the race surface and the first outer ring portion. The bearing further includes a cage radially arranged between the inner and outer rings, the cage comprising a radially outer circumferential surface including: a first cage portion and a second cage portion axially aligned with the first cage portion so that a line, parallel to the axis of rotation, passes through the first and second cage portions and at least one rolling element positioned within the cage axially between the first and second cage portions.
According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a bearing including an axis of rotation, an inner ring, an outer ring arranged radially outward of the inner ring, the outer ring comprising: a radially inner circumferential surface, the radially inner circumferential surface having: a race surface, a first outer ring portion arranged closer, in a first radial direction, to the axis of rotation than the race surface, a space formed between the race surface and the first outer ring portion along the radially inner circumferential surface, a cage radially arranged between the inner and outer rings, and at least one rolling element positioned within the cage, wherein a circumferential line, about the axis of rotation, passes through the space without contacting the cage, the outer race, or the at least one rolling element.
According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a bearing including an axis of rotation, an inner ring, an outer ring arranged radially outward of the inner ring, the outer ring having a radially inner circumferential surface located a first distance, orthogonal to the axis of rotation, from the axis of rotation, a cage radially arranged between the inner and outer rings, the cage comprising a radially outer circumferential surface including: a first cage portion located a second distance, orthogonal to the axis of rotation, from the axis of rotation, the second distance being less than the first distance and a second cage portion located a third distance, orthogonal to the axis of rotation, from the axis of rotation, the third distance being equal to the second distance and less than the first distance, and at least one rolling element positioned within the cage.
According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a bearing including an axis of rotation, an inner ring, an outer ring arranged radially outward of the inner ring, a cage radially arranged between the inner and outer rings, the cage comprising a radially outer circumferential surface including: a first cage portion and a second cage portion axially aligned with the first portion so that a line, parallel to the axis of rotation, passes through the first and second cage portions, and at least one rolling element positioned within the cage axially between the first and second cage portions.
Various embodiments are disclosed, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, in which:
At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosure as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects.
Furthermore, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It should be understood that any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that the term “substantially” is synonymous with terms such as “nearly”, “very nearly”, “about”, “approximately”, “around”, “bordering on”, “close to”, “essentially”, “in the neighborhood of”, “in the vicinity of”, etc., and such terms may be used interchangeably as appearing in the specification and claims. It should be appreciated that the term “proximate” is synonymous with terms such as “nearby”, “close”, “adjacent”, “neighboring”, “immediate”, “adjoining”, etc., and such terms may be used interchangeably as appearing in the specification and claims. By “non-rotatably connected” components, we mean that the two components are connected so that whenever one of the components rotates the other component rotates and vice versa.
To clarify the spatial terminology, objects 12, 13, and 14 are used. An axial surface, such as surface 15 of object 12, is formed by a plane parallel to axis 11. Axis 11 is coplanar with planar surface 15; however it is not necessary for an axial surface to be coplanar with axis 11. A radial surface, such as surface 16 of object 13, is formed by a plane orthogonal to axis 11 and coplanar with a radius, for example, radius 17. Surface 18 of object 14 forms a circumferential, or cylindrical, surface. For example, circumference 19 forms a circle on surface 18. As a further example, axial movement is parallel to axis 11, radial movement is orthogonal to axis 11, and circumferential movement is parallel to circumference 19. Rotational movement is with respect to axis 11. The adverbs “axially,” “radially,” and “circumferentially” refer to orientations parallel to axis 11, radius 17, and circumference 19, respectively.
No line, parallel to axis of rotation AR, passes through cage 103 and outer ring 102. Cage 103 is substantially symmetrical about center C of rolling element 104. In other words, cage 103 is substantially symmetrical about line L3 orthogonal to axis of rotation AR. Outer ring 102 includes radially inner circumferential surface CS located a distance D3 from axis of rotation AR. Cage portions 105 and 106 are located distances D4 and D5, respectively, from axis of rotation AR. Distance D3 is larger than both distances D4 and D5. Distance D4 is equal to distance D5.
Cage 103 contacts rolling element 104 and is piloted by outer ring portion 110 of radially inner circumferential surface CS.
Surface CS includes race surface 111, outer ring portion 112, and outer ring portion 110 arranged closer, in radial direction RD1, to axis of rotation AR, than race surface 111 and outer ring portion 112, and space S formed between race surface 111 and outer ring portion 110 along radially inner circumferential surface CS. Outer ring portion 110 is located distance D8 in radial direction RD1 from outer ring portion 112 toward axis of rotation AR to pilot cage 103. In an example embodiment, space S is formed between outer ring portions 110 and 112. Circumferential line 114, about axis of rotation AR, passes through space S without contacting cage 103, outer race 102, or rolling element 104. Rolling element 104 is in contact with race surface 111.
Space S is formed by radially extending portion 113 of radially inner circumferential surface CS, axially extending portion 114 of radially inner circumferential surface CS and rolling element 104. Radially extending portion 113 and axially extending portion 114 are free of contact with rolling element 104.
In an example embodiment, cage portion 106 is axially aligned with cage portion 105 so that line L1, parallel to axis of rotation AR, passes through both cage portions 105 and 106 and is co-linear with cage portions 105 and 106. In an example embodiment, cage 103 includes radially inner circumferential surface 115 including cage portions 108 and 109 axially aligned so that line L2, parallel to axis of rotation AR, passes through cage portions 108 and 109 and is co-linear with cage portions 108 and 109.
In an example embodiment, cage portions 105 and 106 are radially arranged distance D6 from center point C of rolling element 104 and cage portions 108 and 109 are radially arranged distance D7 from the center point C. In an example embodiment, distances D6 and D7 are equal.
In an example embodiment, rolling element 104 is centered axially and radially in cage 103.
Advantageously, bearing 100 addresses the problem of cages noted above. Bearing 80 in
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
