Sheet metal plate raceway comprising a flange for rolling elements

Abstract

A raceway element (2) for a rolling bearing is disclosed, wherein the rolling bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of rolling elements (20) arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the raceway element (2) is configured as the inner ring of the bearing or as the outer ring of the bearing or is configured to be attachable to the inner ring or to the outer ring of the bearing, wherein at least one surface (5) of the raceway element (2) is configured as a raceway for the rolling elements (20), wherein the raceway element (2) is formed from a sheet metal plate (1) and a flange (28) for the rolling elements (20) is formed from the same sheet metal plate (1) and is integral with the raceway element (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a raceway element for a bearing, particularly a raceway element for a rolling bearing (or rolling element bearing) according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, this invention relates to a bearing (particularly a rolling bearing) comprising at least one such raceway element, and a method for manufacturing such a raceway element. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, raceways made of thin-walled metal are known for use in rolling bearings, formed by rolling and subsequent deep drawing. For this purpose, a pot-shaped raceway blank is produced in several possible deep drawing steps; the pot-shaped raceway blank has a generally cylindrical shape and includes a collar located on the side of the pot opposite the closed side. Deep drawing can be performed in multiple steps until the desired height for the subsequent raceway is achieved. Subsequently, the base of the pot-shaped raceway blank thus produced is cut out, and the collar produced by deep drawing is removed.

[0003] To achieve the necessary surface properties in the raceway thus obtained, further processing steps (such as hardening, annealing, or other surface treatments) may be required to obtain the desired material properties of the raceway. Depending on the type of rolling bearing, flanges may need to be provided to retain and / or guide the rolling elements on the raceway elements, which may necessitate costly alignment and connection of the flanges to the raceway elements.

[0004] Therefore, the manufacture of raceways requires a series of machines and process steps, which makes manufacturing uneconomical, especially when producing small quantities of raceways. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a raceway element that can be manufactured at a reduced cost.

[0006] This objective is achieved by the raceway element for a bearing according to claim 1, the bearing according to claim 9, and the method for manufacturing the raceway element according to claim 10.

[0007] Below, a raceway element for a rolling bearing is proposed, wherein the rolling bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner and outer rings, wherein the raceway element is configured as either the inner or outer ring, or as an inner or outer ring that can be attached to the bearing. To reduce material usage and manufacturing costs, the raceway element is manufactured from a sheet metal panel. Specifically, the sheet metal panel may have already undergone the surface treatment required for the finished raceway element. Alternatively, the surface treatment may be performed on the manufactured raceway element and / or in an intermediate step of manufacturing.

[0008] Furthermore, the flange for the rolling element is formed from the same sheet metal, wherein the flange and the raceway element are integrally formed (one-piece). In particular, this eliminates the need for connecting the flange, which is manufactured separately from the raceway element, thereby eliminating the need for complex orientation and connection between the flange and the raceway element. Another flange may be provided on the side opposite to the side forming the flange.

[0009] Furthermore, the sheet metal can already have the desired thickness for the raceway element. Moreover, not only can a single raceway element be manufactured from the sheet metal, but many raceway elements can also be manufactured from the sheet metal, and these raceway elements can have different dimensions.

[0010] The sheet metal is preferably made of a metal suitable for providing the desired material properties for the raceway. For this purpose, known steels (such as strip steel, construction steel, case hardened steel, or tempered steel) can be used in particular. The steel used is preferably suitable for welding, to achieve, for example, a bonded connection between two components. However, other types of connections can also be used, such as interference fit or friction fit connections. In particular, the sheet metal may have undergone heat treatment and / or surface treatment. The sheet metal preferably has a thickness between 0.5 mm and 4 mm.

[0011] Here, the first surface of the raceway element may include a raceway that interacts with a rolling element rolling thereon. Alternatively, the first surface of the raceway element may include a sliding surface that interacts with another sliding surface, such that the raceway element is formed as an inner ring or an outer ring, or such that an element used as an inner ring for a bearing and an element used as an outer ring for a bearing are rotatable relative to each other, or that the inner and outer rings of a bearing are rotatable relative to each other.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the raceway elements are formed from sheet metal by laser cutting and / or stamping. Laser cutting allows for the manufacture of raceway elements of any shape without incurring significant manufacturing costs. Here, the various dimensions of the raceway elements can be achieved through simple software control or programming of the control device for controlling the laser cutting. Therefore, the step of individually manufacturing stamping tools suitable for each raceway can be omitted. Consequently, raceway elements made from plates (especially sheet metal) are more economical, even in smaller quantities.

[0013] If the raceway element or multiple raceway elements are manufactured from a sheet of metal with a large surface area, the laser cutting apparatus can be relatively easily designed to be movable relative to the sheet. Furthermore, there is no force acting orthogonally (or perpendicularly) to the plane of the sheet, as is present in stamping processes, which could cause undesirable deformation of the raceway element's edges. Moreover, the particularly precise edges of the raceway elements can be formed by laser cutting, often eliminating post-processing steps compared to stamped edges. In this way, manufacturing is simplified. Due to laser cutting, the outer contour can be formed particularly easily and individually, allowing raceway elements of different shapes to be manufactured using the same tool and from a sheet of metal of one size.

[0014] In the first state of the metal sheet, the raceway element preferably has an outer contour in the shape of a substantially rectangular strip, wherein two opposite sides are configured as joint edges, which are joined together in the second state to form an annular raceway element. In particular, the substantially rectangular strip has two long sides and two short sides, wherein the short sides are preferably configured as joint edges.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the joint edges are formed by stamping, and the remainder of the outer contour (i.e., the two long sides) is formed by laser cutting. Since the joint edges typically have a shorter length compared to the rest of the raceway element's boundary, the negative (adverse) effects of the stamping process can be ignored, and their positive (positive) properties prevail. Furthermore, laser cutting can lead to significant heat development, which may cause edge hardening, negatively impacting any subsequent possible welding (process) of that edge. By punching the joint edges that will connect (especially weld) to each other for the manufacture of the finished raceway element, the negative effects caused by the potential heat development from laser cutting (which could lead to the aforementioned hardening that negatively impacts the weld) can be prevented.

[0016] As described above, according to another embodiment, one joint edge of the raceway element is connected to another joint edge of the raceway element via a material-bonded, interference-fit, or friction-fit connector to obtain an annular raceway element. Here, in particular, a material-bonded connector (e.g., a welded connector) is advantageous. Here, in particular, laser welding is preferred over resistance welding because the molten material pushed off during resistance welding can cause protrusions.

[0017] Alternatively, or additionally, the raceway element may preferably include at least one chamfer. The chamfer is preferably formed along the joint edge. Here, at least one chamfer can accommodate protrusions generated during welding (such as, for example, the upper bead), thereby preventing interference with the sliding or rolling of the rolling element on the raceway element.

[0018] According to one alternative implementation, in a first state of the sheet metal, the raceway element has an outer contour in the shape of a parallelogram, the outer contour having two sides extending obliquely relative to the circumferential direction, wherein the two sides extending obliquely relative to the circumferential direction are configured as joint edges, the joint edges being connected to each other in a second state to form an annular raceway element.

[0019] This has particular advantages: the course (i.e., especially the weld) of the two connecting joint edges extends obliquely relative to the circumferential direction of the finished raceway element, so that, especially in the case of rolling elements with a line-shaped abutment (rolling elements with linear contact) abutting the finished raceway element, each rolling element encounters interference only at a single point as it runs along the connecting joint edges, rather than encountering interference over the entire line-shaped abutment. It is advantageous to provide connection points for the raceway elements that minimize interference from linear touch or linear contact of the rolling elements by allowing the rolling contact of the rolling elements to continuously overrun the connection point, particularly compared to joint edges extending only radially.

[0020] Specifically, at least one of the joint edges may be at least partially configured as a first alignment element and / or include at least one first alignment element. Here, the first joint edge may be aligned radially, axially, and / or circumferentially relative to the second joint edge, thereby achieving precise flush alignment of the joint edges to be joined before the joining process, which may be, for example, welding. Therefore, the risk of the joint edges being misaligned (offset) relative to each other in the joined state can be eliminated or at least significantly reduced. Preferably, both the first and second joint edges include alignment elements. This improves alignment accuracy.

[0021] The second connector edge preferably includes a second alignment element and / or is at least partially configured as a second alignment element, wherein the second alignment element and / or the connector edge at least partially configured as a second alignment element is configured to be complementary to the first alignment element, such that in the connected state, the first connector edge and the second connector edge are aligned relative to each other radially, axially, and / or circumferentially. Due to the complementary form, the connector edges can be automatically aligned relative to each other by engaging the alignment element or the connector edge configured as an alignment element one-to-one.

[0022] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the alignment element is configured such that movement of the joint edges relative to each other in the axial and / or radial directions is restricted or prevented, thereby facilitating and more precisely performing the joining process. For example, the alignment element may include a first section and a second section extending at different distances in the circumferential direction, thereby preventing the first joint edge from shifting relative to the second joint edge when the joint edges are in contact. This virtually eliminates the risk of misalignment of the joint edges during welding.

[0023] Here, alignment elements can also be used to construct routes for the edges of joints that connect to each other, so that rolling elements with linear contacts do not roll along their entire linear contact along the edges of the joint, but only at certain points.

[0024] Therefore, for example, the first connector edge may include a projection that protrudes in the circumferential direction, and the second connector edge may include an opening complementary to the projection. The first connector edge may also include a projection that protrudes in the circumferential direction and an opening that is recessed in the circumferential direction, and the second connector edge may include an opening complementary to the projection and a projection complementary to the recessed opening. It is also conceivable that the first connector edge includes a plurality of alignment elements, and the second connector edge includes a plurality of complementary alignment elements corresponding to the plurality of alignment elements. The projections and openings preferably have a triangular or semi-circular shape, or the first and second connector edges as a whole have a wavy shape. All shapes are used for alignment and to minimize contact with over-rolling rolling elements.

[0025] Because the rigidity of sheet metal, especially with greater material thickness, can hinder round bending, another problem may arise during the round bending of the strip raceway element when manufacturing raceway elements from sheet metal. According to another embodiment, the raceway element thus includes bending facilitating recesses, for example in the form of knurling or ribbing, to facilitate bending the raceway element into a ring shape. Here, the bending facilitating recess can be provided on one surface opposite the future raceway of the rolling element. Alternatively, or additionally, an edge may also include such a bending facilitating recess. Here, in particular, at least one bending facilitating recess can extend perpendicular to the circumferential direction or perpendicular to the longitudinal (length) edge of the raceway element. At least one bending facilitating recess preferably extends continuously over the entire axial length of the finished product (i.e., the annular raceway element) without extending through the entire thickness of the raceway element. Multiple bending facilitating recesses are preferably evenly distributed over the entire circumference of the finished annular raceway element.

[0026] The outer contour of the raceway element preferably includes at least one micro-connection point, through which the raceway element is connected to the sheet metal used to manufacture the raceway element during its manufacturing process (i.e., particularly during stamping at the joint edge). The at least one micro-connection point is preferably generated during laser cutting, for example, by briefly interrupting the laser beam so that the edge is not completely laser-cut, leaving (or remnant of) the micro-connection point. In particular, the presence of at least one micro-connection point allows multiple raceway elements to be formed simultaneously from the sheet metal, but still subject to surface treatments (e.g., hardening, annealing, etc.) and / or profiling within the composite structure of the sheet metal, as described below. In particular, this allows the manufacturing of the raceway element to be designed to be more efficient.

[0027] The surface of the raceway element can also be profiled, particularly for the rolling element. The profile can preferably be concave, convex, or straight. Specifically, the profile can be applied to the surface before the raceway element is circularly bent to form the finished raceway element. This simplifies the molding process, especially for the raceway. For example, the profile can be set in the sheet metal before the raceway element is released by laser cutting and / or stamping. It is also conceivable that the raceway element is profiled after the outer profile of the raceway element is formed by laser cutting and / or stamping, but the raceway element is still connected to the sheet metal via micro-connecting points. In particular, this allows for the profiles to be set for multiple raceway elements in parallel. The profile can also be set for the raceway element after the micro-connecting points have been released.

[0028] According to another embodiment, the flange is formed by bending. It is advantageous to form at least one targeted bending point on at least one surface of the raceway element to facilitate bending. For example, the targeted bending point can be configured as a notch. However, other forms of the targeted bending point are also possible.

[0029] Furthermore, the region of the raceway element that forms the flange can be rolled and / or milled so that the cross-section of this region is flatter than the cross-section of the rest of the raceway element. This simplifies the process of bending the raceway element to form the flange.

[0030] Since problems may arise during the circular bending of the raceway element due to compression or stretching of the flange, depending on whether the raceway element is used on the inner or outer ring, the aforementioned bending-promoting recesses can also be formed on the outer edge of the flange as an alternative or additional method to facilitate bending into a ring shape. In particular, a plurality of bending-promoting recesses can be provided circumferentially evenly distributed around the outer edge of the flange, preferably in the form of ribs or knurling.

[0031] Furthermore, at least one recess (particularly a continuous recess) can be formed in the surface of the raceway element, which forms the raceway. Here, at least one recess can be configured as a lubricant reservoir to, for example, improve the lubrication of the rolling element. In addition, at least one recess also allows for material reduction, which on the one hand reduces the cost of the raceway element, and on the other hand reduces its weight.

[0032] At least one recess is preferably formed in the region of the joined edge. Furthermore, both the first and second joint edges may include a first portion and a second portion, defined by the recess, and wherein, in the state where the first and second joint edges are joined to form an annular raceway element, the first and second portions are arranged to be circumferentially offset (offset) relative to each other. This reduces the weld length, thereby reducing the time required to generate the weld and lowering the weld cost in terms of both the required working time and the required welding material. Furthermore, the heat introduced into the raceway element during welding can be reduced by the shorter weld. Another advantage is that contact with the rolling element is minimized during the rolling process as the joined edge is passed over by the rolling element.

[0033] For example, at least one recess may have a substantially elongated shape, extending obliquely in its longitudinal direction relative to the circumferential direction of the raceway element. Furthermore, at least one recess may be arranged circumferentially at the edge region of the raceway element. This allows for material savings, particularly in the unloaded portions of the raceway, such as in the case of a balance shaft.

[0034] According to another aspect, a bearing comprising at least one of the aforementioned raceway elements is provided. Here, the bearing may preferably be a rolling bearing. The rolling bearing may advantageously include two of the described raceway elements. For example, the inner ring and / or outer ring of the bearing may include or be formed of raceway elements. The raceway elements may also be attached to the inner ring and / or outer ring. Of course, bearings or rolling bearings in which elements such as shafts, hollow shafts, etc., are used as the inner ring or elements such as housings are used as the outer ring may also be used. For example, the bearing may be a ball bearing, a cylindrical roller bearing, a tapered roller bearing, etc.

[0035] According to another aspect, a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned raceway element is proposed, wherein the method includes the following steps: Provide sheet metal, and One or more raceway elements are formed from sheet metal.

[0036] Here, in particular, the raceway elements are formed by laser cutting and / or stamping. It is preferable to form multiple (raceway) elements simultaneously, thereby making the manufacture of raceway elements more efficient and thus reducing the manufacturing cost of each individual raceway element, making it cost-effective even for small-scale production.

[0037] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing raceway elements may include additional steps. For example, the method may include one or more of the following steps: At least one recess is formed in the surface of at least one of a plurality of raceway elements, said surface being configured as a raceway. A contour is applied to the raceway element, wherein the contour is in particular concave, convex, or straight. The flange for the rolling element is formed integrally with the raceway element by folding / bending the same sheet metal. The raceway element is released from the rest of the sheet metal plate by disconnecting the micro-connection points (via which the raceway element is connected to the rest of the sheet metal plate after its formation), provided that the raceway element is attached to the sheet metal plate via the aforementioned micro-connection points. Where necessary, partial release of the micro-connection points is first achieved to allow flange formation. Subsequently, after the flange is formed, the micro-connection points connecting the raceway element to the rest of the sheet metal plate are released, such that during folding / flange formation, the raceway element remains connected to the sheet metal plate via at least a portion of the micro-connection points. Circular curved raceway element, Material connection, friction fit connection and / or interference fit connection joint edge.

[0038] If multiple raceway elements are formed from sheet metal, it is particularly advantageous to arrange the raceway elements on the sheet metal to minimize excess material of the sheet metal not used for the raceway elements. For this purpose, for example, corresponding outer contours of the multiple raceway elements can be arranged on the sheet metal such that the area of ​​the outer contour forming at least one recess in the circularly curved state of the raceway element receives the area of ​​the raceway element forming a non-recessed area in the circularly curved state of the raceway element.

[0039] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments are set forth in the specification, drawings, and claims. In particular, the combinations of features listed in the specification and drawings are merely exemplary, such that features may also exist individually or in other combinations. Attached Figure Description

[0040] The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings. Here, the exemplary embodiments and combinations shown in the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope is defined only by the pending claims.

[0041] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a sheetmetal panel including multiple raceway elements according to a first exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 2A A schematic detail diagram of a round-bent raceway element is shown. Figure 2B A schematic detail of a circularly curved raceway element is shown, in which the joint edges are connected to each other. Figure 3 Another exemplary implementation of the raceway element is shown. Figure 4A A cross-section of a raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 4B A cross-section of a raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 4C A cross-section of a raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 5A A raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 5B A raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 5C A raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 5D A raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 6A A cross-section of a raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 6B A cross-section of a raceway element according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 7A A plan view of the raceway element in a first state according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 7B It shows according to Figure 7A A plan view of the raceway element in the second state. Figure 7C It shows from Figure 7B A three-dimensional view of the raceway element from (an angle of view). Figure 8A A plan view of the raceway element in a first state according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 8B It shows according to Figure 8A A plan view of the raceway element in the second state. Figure 8C It shows from Figure 8B A three-dimensional view of the raceway element from (an angle of view). Figure 9A A plan view of the raceway element in a first state according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 9B It shows according to Figure 9A A plan view of the raceway element in the second state. Figure 9C It shows from Figure 9B A three-dimensional view of the raceway element from (an angle of view), and Figure 10 A schematic flowchart of a method for manufacturing raceway elements according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0042] 1 Sheet metal plate 2. Raceway Components 3. Outer contour 4 Surface 6-1, 6-2 Joint edges 7 Long side 8. Connector 9 Surface 10-1 - 10-4 Chamfering 12 microconnection points 14 clusters 16 Metal Plate Area 18. Knurling (or embossing) 19. Bending promotes concave areas 20 Rolling elements 21 Linear contact section 22mm thickness 24 Target bending point Alignment elements 26-1 and 26-2 28 Flange Areas 30 and 32 34 Edge 40 recess 42 Part 1 44 Part Two 100 methods S1-S8 Method Steps Detailed Implementation

[0043] In the following text, identical or functionally equivalent elements are indicated by the same reference numerals. The directional names (axial, radial, circumferential) used in the following text always refer to the finished raceway elements.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a sheet metal panel 1 comprising a plurality of raceway elements 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment is shown. Each raceway element 2 has an outer contour 4. Figure 1 As shown, multiple raceway elements of different designs can be formed from the sheet metal plate 1. Of course, only one raceway element 2 can also be formed from the sheet metal plate 1.

[0045] like Figure 1 The outer contours 4 of each raceway element 2, schematically indicated by the thickness of the lines, are formed by laser cutting and / or stamping. Figure 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the outer contour 4 has a rectangular shape.

[0046] Specifically, the first surface 5 of the raceway element 2 can be configured as a raceway that interacts with rolling elements rolling thereon. Alternatively, the first surface 5 of the raceway element 2 can be configured as a sliding surface that interacts with another sliding surface, such that the element used as the inner ring of the bearing and the element used as the outer ring of the bearing can rotate relative to each other, or that the inner ring and the outer ring of the bearing can rotate relative to each other.

[0047] exist Figure 1In the exemplary embodiment shown, in a first state of the sheet metal plate 1, the raceway element 2 has an outer contour 4 in the shape of a substantially rectangular strip, the outer contour 4 having two long sides (or long edges) 7 and two short sides (or short edges) 6. Here, the two short sides 6 are configured as so-called joint edges 6-1 and 6-2, which are connected to each other in a second state to form an annular raceway element 2. Here, the connection of the joint edges 6-1 and 6-2 can be achieved by means of material, friction fit, or interference fit, wherein material connection is preferred, particularly by means of welding.

[0048] The joint edges 6-1 and 6-2 are preferably formed by stamping. Here, this stamping of the joint edges 6-1 and 6-2 can be performed before laser cutting the rest of the outer contour 4 (i.e., the two long sides 7). It is preferable to perform the stamping before laser cutting because the metal sheet still has greater stability at this time.

[0049] The main advantages of using a combination of laser cutting / stamping or laser cutting alone are, for example... Figure 1 As shown in the example, the raceway element 2 can be easily cut from a large-surface sheet metal plate 1. Here, a raceway element 2 can be obtained from the sheet metal plate 1. Figure 1 Multiple raceway elements 2 of the same size are shown. However, the sizes of these raceway elements 2 can also be different.

[0050] To form a space for fixing one or more raceway elements 2 for steps that occur, for example, after laser cutting (such as stamping, bending, rolling, stamping), and to improve the manageability of the raceway elements 2, it is preferable that each raceway element 2 is connected via micro-connection points 12. Figure 5A The raceway element 2 is connected to the rest of the sheet metal plate 1. Thus, multiple raceway elements formed by the sheet metal plate 1 can be supported in a flat state by keeping the raceway element 2 connected to the sheet metal plate 1 via the micro-connection point 12. These micro-connection points 12 can only be released when the corresponding raceway element 2 is needed. The micro-connection points 12 are preferably configured so that the raceway element 2 can be released from the sheet metal plate 1 by simple manual disconnection ( / breaking) of the micro-connection point 12. Mechanical and / or machine disconnection or removal is also feasible.

[0051] For ease of storage and handling or further processing, multiple raceway elements 2 can be grouped into "clusters" 14, with stabilizing metal plate regions 16 formed between the clusters 14. Therefore, the stabilizing metal plate regions 16 prevent the raceway elements 2 from unintentionally releasing from the sheet metal plate 1. To provide one of the raceway elements 2, the corresponding cluster 14 can first be completely released from the remainder of the metal plate 1, and in a subsequent step, the desired raceway element 2 can be separated from the remainder of the cluster 14.

[0052] In order to form the finished raceway element 2, after the raceway element 2 is cut from the sheet metal 1, it must be shaped into the desired form, for example, by round bending. Figure 2A ). Figure 2A The result of this circular bend is schematically shown in the figure, wherein, for simplicity, only a portion of the circularly bend raceway element 2 is shown.

[0053] The two joint edges 6-1, 6-2 can be assembled via connectors (e.g., welded connectors 8 as described above) to form the finished annular raceway element 2. Figure 2B The circularly curved raceway element 2 is shown after the two joint edges 6-1, 6-2 are joined together by welded connector 8. To prevent excess material from protruding during the connection (especially on the surface configured as raceway 5), as shown in... Figure 2A or Figure 2B As can be seen in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, chamfers 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, and 10-4 can be formed along the joint edges 6-1 and 6-2. These chamfers are used to receive excess material generated during welding, so that protrusions of welding material do not damage the raceway 5.

[0054] Figure 3 Another exemplary embodiment of the raceway element 2 is shown. Circular bending of the strip raceway element 2 can be problematic, especially when the sheet metal plate 1 has a large material thickness. Here, circular bending of the raceway element 2 can be facilitated by means of a bending facilitating recess 19, which, in the depicted exemplary embodiment, is in the form of knurling 18. Here, the knurling 18 is preferably provided on the side 9 opposite to the surface 5 (constructed as a raceway). Furthermore, Figure 3 The image depicts a rolling element 20 that rolls on a raceway 5.

[0055] The knurling 18 includes a plurality of recesses distributed circumferentially on the raceway element 2 and extending perpendicular to the circumferential direction or perpendicular to the long side 7 of the raceway element 2. The recesses 19 of the knurling 18 preferably extend continuously over the entire axial length of the finished product (i.e., the annular raceway element 2) without extending through the entire thickness 22 of the raceway element.

[0056] Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 4C Cross sections of raceway element 2 according to other exemplary embodiments are shown. Depending on the application, raceway element 2 may be provided with a profile for raceway 5. Figure 4A A raceway element 2 with a straight raceway profile is shown. Figure 4B A cross-section of a raceway element 2 with a crowned or convex profile is shown; this raceway element 2 is used, for example, in needle roller bearings. Conversely, Figure 4C A cross-section of a raceway element 2 with a hollow or concave profile is shown, which is used, for example, with annular rollers. The profile can be applied to the sheet metal 1 before cutting out the raceway element 2 or before finally releasing the raceway element 2.

[0057] To ensure that, for example, in the case of rolling elements having linear contact (i.e., line-shaped abutment abutting against the raceway 5), the rolling element 20 does not contact the entire linear contact portion 21 along the connecting joint edges 6-1, 6-2, Figures 5A to 5D In the exemplary embodiment shown, the joint edges 6-1, 6-2 of the connection are arranged to be inclined relative to the linear contact portion 21 or relative to the long side 7 of the raceway element, which is parallel to the circumferential direction of the annular raceway element 2.

[0058] Figure 5A The raceway element 2 is shown in a first state of sheet metal plate 1, with an outer contour 4 in the shape of a parallelogram having two short sides 6 extending obliquely relative to the circumferential direction; the short sides 6 are configured as joint edges 6-1, 6-2, which are connected to each other in a second state to form an annular raceway element 2.

[0059] exist Figures 5B to 5DIn the raceway element 2 shown, the joint edge is further configured as a first alignment element 26-1 or a second alignment element 26-2. Using the first alignment element 26-1 or the second alignment element 26-2, the first joint edge 6-1 is aligned radially, axially, and / or circumferentially with respect to the second joint edge 6-2. This allows for precise flush alignment of the joint edges 6-1 and 6-2 to be joined before the joining process. Figures 5B to 5D As shown, the first connector edge 6-1 and the second connector edge 6-2 preferably have complementary alignment elements; here, the alignment elements 26-1, 26-2 are in Figure 5B It has a triangular shape, in Figure 5C It has a semi-circular shape and is Figure 5D It has a waveform shape.

[0060] As can be seen from the exemplary embodiments depicted, the alignment elements 26-1, 26-2 can also be used to construct the course of the joint edges that are connected to each other, such that the rolling element 20 with the linear contact portion 21 does not roll along its entire linear contact portion 21 on the connected joint edges 6-1, 6-2, but only at certain points.

[0061] In the case where the raceway element 2 forms the raceway 5 for the rolling element 20 in a rolling bearing (including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner and outer rings), in Figure 6A and Figure 6B In the exemplary embodiment shown, a flange 28 for the rolling element 20 is provided. The flange 28 is formed from the same sheet metal plate 1 and is integral with the raceway element 2 (one-piece).

[0062] Flange 28 is formed by bending, wherein, Figure 6A Exemplary implementations and Figure 6B In the exemplary embodiments described, a target bending point 24 is provided. Figure 6A In an exemplary embodiment, a target bending point is obtained such that region 30 of the raceway element 2 (which forms a flange) is rolled and / or milled such that the cross-section of region 30 is flatter than the cross-section of the rest of the raceway element 32. The flange 28 is then formed by folding, turning up, and / or bending region 30. Figure 6B The target bend point 24 is shown as an alternative notch.

[0063] Since the problem of compression or stretching necessary for flange 28 may occur during the circular bending of raceway element 2, depending on whether raceway element 2 is used on the inner or outer ring, knurling can also be provided on the outer edge 34 of flange 28 to simplify the bending of raceway element 2 even with existing flange 28.

[0064] Figures 7A to 9C An exemplary embodiment of a raceway element is shown, comprising at least one recess 40 that extends continuously through a surface of the raceway element 2, which is formed as a raceway 5. Here, Figure 7A , Figure 8A and Figure 9A Each shows a raceway element 2 in a first state before it is joined to each other at the joint edges to form an annular raceway element 2. Figure 7B , Figure 8B and Figure 9B Various exemplary embodiments of the annular raceway element 2 are shown in plan view, and Figure 7C , Figure 8C and Figure 9C Various exemplary embodiments of the annular raceway element 2 are shown in perspective.

[0065] Figures 7A to 7C The raceway element 2 is shown, wherein a recess 40 is formed as a lubricant reservoir to improve the lubrication of the rolling element 20 and reduce weight by saving material. Here, the recess 40 is formed in the region of the connecting joint edges 6-1, 6-2, wherein both the first joint edge 6-1 and the second joint edge 6-2 include a first section 42 and a second section 44. The first section 42 and the second section 44 are defined by the recess 40 and are configured such that in the annular state of the raceway element 2… Figure 7B , Figure 7C The first part 42 and the second part 44 are arranged to be offset from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0066] In addition, at least one recess can reduce material usage, which can reduce the cost and weight of the raceway element.

[0067] Figures 8A to 8C The raceway element 2 is shown, wherein a recess 40 is arranged circumferentially on the edge region of the raceway element 2, thereby enabling material savings, for example, in the unload-bearing portions of the raceway 5 (such as the portion with the balance shaft). Furthermore, Figures 8A to 8CAccordingly, the oblique course of the connecting joint edges 6-1, 6-2 is shown, which minimizes the contact between the rolling element with linear contact portion and the joint edges 6-1, 6-2.

[0068] Similar to Figures 7A to 7C , Figures 9A to 9C The raceway element 2 is shown, wherein a recess 40 is formed in the region of the connecting joint edges 6-1, 6-2, and defines a first portion 42 and a second portion 44 of the first joint edge 6-1 and a first portion 42 and a second portion 44 of the second joint edge 6-2, wherein, in the annular state of the raceway element 2 ( Figure 9B , Figure 9C Part 42 and Part 44 are arranged to be offset from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0069] Also in Figures 7A to 7C and Figures 9A to 9C In the exemplary embodiment shown, in addition to minimizing the length of the connector edge, an inclined positioning of the connector edge can also be provided to further reduce the contact between the rolling element with linear contact portion and the connected connector edge.

[0070] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a method 100 for manufacturing the aforementioned raceway element 2 is shown. Here, the method includes step S1, in which a sheet metal plate 1 is provided. Subsequently, in step S2, one or more raceway elements 2 are formed from the sheet metal plate 1 by laser cutting and / or stamping. Preferably, multiple elements 2 are formed simultaneously, thereby making the manufacturing of the raceway elements 2 more efficient and thus reducing the manufacturing cost of each individual raceway element 2, making it cost-effective even for small-scale production.

[0071] Depending on the desired raceway element 2, method 100 may include step S3, in which at least one recess 40 is formed in the surface configured as raceway 5. Furthermore, in step S4, a contour may be applied to raceway element 2, wherein the contour is particularly recessed, convex, or straight (or linear). If raceway element 2 remains connected to sheet metal plate 1 via micro-connection points 12, these micro-connection points 12 may be released by disconnection in step S5. However, step S5 may also be performed at another point during the method.

[0072] Furthermore, method 100 may include step S6, in which a flange 28 for the rolling element is formed from the same sheet metal by folding or bending, and the flange 28 is integrally formed with the raceway element. To finally complete the raceway element 2, in step S7, the raceway element 2 is formed by circular bending, and in step S8, the raceway element 2 is completed by connecting the joint edges 6-1, 6-2.

[0073] In summary, raceway elements can be manufactured particularly economically by means of laser cutting and / or stamping, allowing for individual manufacturing without the need for specialized tools that match the dimensions of the raceway elements. Advantageously, the raceway elements can be manufactured from sheet metal, wherein, during manufacturing, the raceway elements remain connected to the remainder of the sheet metal via micro-connection points.

Claims

1. A raceway element (2) for a rolling bearing, wherein, The rolling bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements (20) arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring. The raceway element (2) is configured as the inner ring or the outer ring of the bearing, or is configured to be attached to the inner ring or the outer ring of the bearing. At least one surface (5) of the raceway element (2) is configured as a raceway for the rolling element (20). The raceway element (2) is characterized in that it is formed from a sheet metal plate (1), and the flange (28) for the rolling element (20) is formed from the same sheet metal plate (1) and integrally formed with the raceway element (2). The raceway element (2) includes at least one bending-promoting recess (19) that facilitates bending the raceway element (2) into a ring shape. The bending-promoting recess (19) is disposed on a side (9) opposite to the surface (5).

2. The raceway element (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flange (28) is formed by bending.

3. The raceway element (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that, A target bending point (24) is formed on at least one surface (5, 9) of the raceway element (2) to facilitate bending.

4. The raceway element (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The target bending point (24) is constructed as a notch.

5. The raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The region (30) of the raceway element (2) forming the flange (28) is rolled and / or milled such that the cross section (22) of the region (30) is flatter than the cross section (22) of the rest of the raceway element (2).

6. The raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The raceway element (2) is formed by laser cutting and / or stamping.

7. The raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Another flange (28) is provided on the side opposite to the side where the flange (28) is formed.

8. The raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The at least one bending-promoting recess (19) is knurled (18) or ribbed.

9. The raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Multiple bends promote the uniform distribution of recesses (19) around the outer edge (34) of the flange (28) in the circumferential direction.

10. A bearing comprising at least one raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The bearing according to claim 10, characterized in that, The bearing is a rolling bearing.

12. A method (100) for manufacturing a raceway element (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the following steps: a) Provide sheet metal plate (1). b) One or more raceway elements (2) are formed from the sheet metal plate (1). c) A flange (28) for the rolling element (20) is folded / bent from the same sheet metal plate (1), wherein the flange (28) is integrally formed with the raceway element (2), and d) The raceway element (2) is circularly bent.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, It also includes at least one of the following steps: e) Release the raceway element (2) from the rest of the sheet metal plate (1), after which the raceway element (2) is connected to the rest of the sheet metal plate (1) via micro-connection point (12).

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The raceway element (2) is formed by laser cutting and / or stamping.

15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, In step e), the raceway element (2) is released from the rest of the sheet metal plate (1) by disconnecting the micro-connection point (12).

16. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, Step e) is performed after step c).

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