Rolling bearing cage comprising a cage lock and method for mounting said rolling bearing cage

Abstract

The invention relates to a rolling bearing cage (1) comprising a cage lock, comprising two side rings (2, 3) having a common axis of rotation and identical basic dimensions and axially spaced apart from one another, and a plurality of cage webs (4) connecting the side rings to one another, the cage webs being designed with rolling element guides (5, 6) projecting inwardly from the cage beyond the inner diameter of the side rings, and a cage pocket (7) for receiving a rolling element being formed between each of the cage webs, wherein the rolling bearing cage is axially split at at least one peripheral location and thus has at least a first cage end (8) and a second cage end (9), a mutually corresponding closure element (10, 11) being positioned at each of the first and second cage ends, and the side rings being designed with end portions (12, 13, 14, 15) which are reduced to half the radial height of the side rings and are arranged one above the other in the radial direction when the rolling bearing cage is closed. According to the invention, the rolling bearing cage is characterized in that between the height-reduced end portions at the first cage end, the cage web (4.1) which delimits the last cage pocket (7.1) and the penultimate cage pocket (7.2) on both sides is provided with a cross-sectional profile which is reinforced compared to the other cage webs, and in that the closure element at the first cage end is formed by an axial recess 16 in the rolling element guide at the radial web surface (17) of the cage web which delimits the penultimate cage pocket, and the closure element at the second cage end is formed by a partial web (18) which connects the height-reduced end portions at the second cage end to one another and has the same material thickness as the end portions, and which can be hooked into the axial recess in the rolling element guide of the cage web at the first cage end, so that the cage ends are fixed in the peripheral direction and in both radial directions against unintentional loosening of the connection.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a rolling bearing cage with cage lock, which is particularly advantageous for an inner ring fastening type roller sleeve for carrying a hollow shaft, a gear wheel or a planet carrier in a manual transmission of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for mounting a rolling bearing cage. BACKGROUND

[0002] In rolling bearing technology, it is generally known that roller sleeves are a radial rolling bearing design with a minimum radial overall height and enable a particularly space-saving and easy-to-assemble bearing arrangement with a high radial load carrying capacity. The most well-known and most frequently used design is a housing fastening or outer ring fastening roller sleeve, which is known, for example, from DE 195 13 668 A1, which comprises an outer ring, which can be inserted into a housing, and a roller and cage assembly, which is inserted into the outer ring and is formed by an axially slotted bearing cage without cage lock made of plastic and is made of a plurality of roller-type rolling elements inserted into said bearing cage, which roll on an outer raceway formed by the inner lateral surface of the outer ring, wherein the roller and cage assembly is axially guided by means of two flanges arranged on the axial sides of the outer ring and extending radially inwards.

[0003] Contrary to such an outer ring fastening roller sleeve, a design is known, for example, from the documents DE 10 2011 007 458 A1 and DE 10 2012 021 687 A1, which is an axle fastening or inner ring fastening roller sleeve, which, like the outer ring fastening roller sleeve, comprises an inner ring fastened on a shaft or axle and a roller and cage assembly, which is arranged on said inner ring and is formed by a bearing cage comprising two side rings and a plurality of connecting webs and a plurality of roller-type rolling elements inserted into the bearing cage and held in regular intervals in the circumferential direction by the bearing cage and rolling on an inner raceway formed by the outer lateral surface of the inner ring. In this design, the roller and cage assembly is also axially guided by means of two flanges with the same length, which are arranged on the axial sides of the inner ring and in this case extend radially outwards.

[0004] However, it has been found that a disadvantage of this design of the roller sleeve is that it is not possible to use a cost-effective, axially slotted bearing cage made of plastic without cage lock, as is the case with the outer ring fastened roller sleeve, since the end portions of the bearing cage are not supported by the outer ring. Thus, when assembling the transmission parts mounted on the inner ring fastened roller sleeve, the end portions of the plastic bearing cage, which rest loosely against each other, can fall out of the inner ring due to gravity, causing problems during transmission assembly due to the blocking of the installation space of the transmission parts by the end portions of the cage.

[0005] A possible solution to this problem is to use a closed bearing cage made of sheet steel, which is then inserted into the inner ring before the second flange is bent over and, after the second flange is bent over, is subjected to the necessary heat treatment together with the inner ring. However, for this, increased manufacturing and material costs for the production of the inner ring fastened roller sleeve must be accepted.

[0006] Another possibility for solving the problem is to design the open plastic cage so that it can be closed with a cage lock, as is known, for example, from DE 38 21 037 A1. The rolling bearing cage disclosed in this publication comprises two side rings having a common axis of rotation and identical basic dimensions and axially spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of cage webs connecting the side rings to each other, the cage webs being designed with rolling element guides projecting inwardly from the cage beyond the inner diameter of the side rings on both sides, a cage pocket for receiving a rolling element being formed between each of the cage webs. In this case, the rolling bearing cage is axially split at at least one peripheral location and thus has at least a first cage end and a second cage end, a mutually corresponding closing element being positioned at each of the first and second cage ends, and the side rings are designed with end portions which are reduced to half the radial height of the side rings and are arranged one above the other in the radial direction when the rolling bearing cage is closed.

[0007] However, in practice, it has been shown that this type of cage lock is not suitable for application on plastic cages in inner ring fastened roller sleeves with large diameters and narrow widths due to the small width of the cage, or that it has proven to be not sufficiently durable for the requirements present in transmissions.

[0008] Object of the invention

[0009] Based on the disadvantages of the known prior art solutions, the invention is therefore based on the object of providing an axially split rolling bearing cage, the cage lock of which is suitable for use on inner ring fastening type roller sleeves having a large diameter and a narrow width. SUMMARY

[0010] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a rolling bearing cage, such that between the height-reduced end portions at the first cage end, the cage web is provided with a reinforced cross-sectional profile compared to the other cage webs, the two sides of which delimit the last cage pocket and the penultimate cage pocket, respectively, and the closure element at the first cage end is formed by an axial recess in the rolling element guide located at the radial web surface of the cage web, which radial web surface delimits the penultimate cage pocket, while the closure element at the second cage end is formed by a partial web, which connects the height-reduced end portions at the second cage end to each other and has the same material thickness as the end portions, and which is able to hook into the axial recess in the rolling element guide of the cage web located at the first cage end, such that the cage end is fixed in the peripheral direction and in both radial directions against unintentional loosening of the connection.

[0011] The preferred embodiments and other refinements of the rolling bearing cage designed according to the invention are described below.

[0012] Thus, it can be provided in the rolling bearing cage designed according to the invention that the height-reduced end portions at the first cage end are formed on the side ring with an extension of the outer peripheral surface of the side ring, and the height-reduced end portions at the second cage end are formed on the side ring with an extension of the inner peripheral surface of the side ring. Since the end portions at both cage ends have a height that is reduced to half the radial height of the side ring, the rolling bearing cage has the same radial height at its split point as the other parts of the side ring due to this design in the mounted state, in which the end portions are arranged one above the other in the radial direction.

[0013] A further feature of the rolling bearing cage according to the application is that the height reduction of the end portion is implemented by a straight step in the side ring, and the end portion at the first cage end has a greater length than the length of the end portion at the second cage end. Instead of a transition from the radial height of the side ring to the radial height of the end portion via a straight step, it is alternatively also possible to design the transition with a concave profile, into which the corresponding convex end face of the end portion then engages. The longer design of the end portion at the first cage end has proven advantageous for the installation of the rolling bearing cage, since an unfavorable collision of the partial web at the second cage end with the step of the end portion at the first cage end can thereby be avoided.

[0014] A feature of the rolling bearing cage according to the application is also that the rolling element guide of the cage web at the first cage end, as well as all other rolling element guides on the cage web, are designed to be shorter in the axial direction than the cage web itself and are arranged axially centrally on the cage web. This design has also proven useful for the installation of the rolling bearing cage, since it makes it possible to arrange the end portion at the first cage end axially adjacent to the end portion at the second cage end.

[0015] A further advantageous further development of the rolling bearing cage designed according to the application is that the axial recess in the rolling element guide of the cage web at the first cage end has the same profile cross section as the partial webs connecting the end portions at the second cage end to one another, and in the installed state of the rolling bearing cage, the axial recess is filled by the partial webs. This has proven advantageous, since the rolling element guide thereby does not have a shoulder or edge that impedes the rolling element contact and the flow of lubricant in the cage pockets.

[0016] Furthermore, a feature of the rolling bearing cage designed according to the application is that the fixing of the cage end against unintentional loosening in the other circumferential direction is implemented by filling the rolling elements into the penultimate cage pocket of the rolling bearing cage, which is completed after the connection of the cage end to the partial web. Specifically, this means that the cage end is fixed against unintentional loosening in the counterclockwise direction by the partial web at the second cage end, which is fixed in the axial recess in the rolling element guide of the cage web at the first cage end, while the cage end is fixed against unintentional loosening in the clockwise direction by the rolling element inserted into the penultimate cage pocket at the first cage end, which rests with its lateral surface against the rolling element guide completed with the partial web of the second cage end.

[0017] Finally, as an advantageous embodiment of the rolling bearing cage according to the application, it is further proposed that the fixing of the cage ends against displacement in both axial directions and the centering of the cage ends relative to one another is achieved by filling the rolling elements into the last cage pocket of the rolling bearing cage, which is completed after the connection of the cage ends, In the case of an inner ring fastening type roller sleeve, this means that after the insertion of the cylindrical roller into the last cage pocket at the second cage end, the end face represents the stop on both sides, by means of which the axial movement of the first cage end in both directions is prevented.

[0018] Furthermore, the object of the application is also achieved by a novel method for mounting the rolling bearing cage, which comprises the following steps:

[0019] a) widening the cage ends of the axially separated rolling bearing cage to such an extent that the rolling bearing cage can be pushed into the roller sleeve via the radial flange of the inner ring of the sleeve;

[0020] b) tangentially displacing the cage ends relative to one another such that the cage web at the first cage end is lifted above the partial web at the second cage end into the last cage pocket and the end portion at the first cage end is arranged axially adjacent to the end portion at the second cage end;

[0021] c) tangentially displacing the cage ends against one another until the partial web at the second cage end is displaced into the axial groove in the rolling element guide of the cage web located at the first cage end and fills the axial groove;

[0022] d) axially displacing the cage ends until the end portion at the first cage end is arranged radially above the end portion at the second cage end and the end face of the end portion of the first cage end rests against the step of the second cage end in the side ring;

[0023] e) fixing the connection against unintentional loosening in the circumferential direction by inserting the rolling elements of the roller sleeve into the pockets of the rolling bearing cage.

[0024] Thus, the rolling bearing cage comprising a cage lock designed according to the application offers the advantage compared to the axially separated rolling bearing cages known from the prior art that the cage lock of the rolling bearing cage is suitable for use on inner ring fastening type roller sleeves with a large diameter and a narrow width by using the partial web hooked into the axial groove in the cage web located at the first cage end as a closure element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] The preferred embodiment of the rolling bearing cage designed according to the present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 An enlarged spatial diagram of the two cage ends of the rolling bearing cage according to the present invention is shown;

[0027] Figure 2 An enlarged top view of the two cage ends of the rolling bearing cage according to the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 3 It shows that according to Figure 2 A side view of the two cage ends of the rolling bearing cage according to the present invention, in section BB;

[0029] Figure 4 A spatial diagram showing the first method steps for installing a rolling bearing cage according to the invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 5 A spatial illustration shows the second method steps for installing a rolling bearing cage according to the invention;

[0031] Figure 6 A spatial diagram is shown of a third method step for installing a rolling bearing cage according to the invention;

[0032] Figure 7 A spatial illustration is shown of the fourth method step for installing the rolling bearing cage according to the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Figure 1 A partial view is shown of a rolling bearing cage 1 suitable for an inner ring-locked roller sleeve. The rolling bearing cage includes two side rings 2 and 3 and multiple cage webs 4. The two side rings have a common axis of rotation and the same basic dimensions and are axially spaced apart from each other. The multiple cage webs connect the side rings 2 and 3 to each other, as shown. Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of cage webs are designed to have rolling element guides 5 and 6 that protrude inward from the cage beyond the inner diameter of the side rings 2 and 3, and cage recesses 7 for receiving rolling elements (not shown) are formed between each of the plurality of cage webs. As can be clearly seen, the rolling bearing cage 1 is axially separated at its periphery and thus has a first cage end 8 and a second cage end 9, at each of which are positioned corresponding closing elements 10 and 11 for connecting the cage ends 8 and 9. Additionally, the side rings 2 and 3 are formed with end portions 12, 13, 14, and 15 in a known manner, said end portions being reduced to the radial height H of the side rings.S Half of them and when the rolling bearing cage 1 is closed, they are arranged such that one is above the other in the radial direction.

[0034] Figure 1 and Figure 2 It is also shown that a cage web 4.1 is arranged between the height-reduced end portions 12 and 13 at the first cage end 8, the cage web defining the last cage recess 7.1 and the penultimate cage recess 7.2 on both sides, as shown. Figure 3 As shown, the cage web has a reinforced cross-sectional profile compared to the other cage webs 4. Similarly, in Figure 3 As shown, the closing element 10 at the first cage end 8 is correspondingly formed by an axial groove 16 in the rolling element guide portion 5 located on the radial web surface 17 of the cage web 4.1, which defines the penultimate cage recess 7.2. The closing element 11 at the second cage end 9 is formed by a partial web 18 that connects the reduced-height end portions 14 and 15 at the second cage end 9 to each other, and has the same material thickness as the end portions 14 and 15. This partial web can hook into the axial groove 16 in the rolling element guide portion 5 of the cage web 4.1 at the first cage end 8, such that the cage ends 8 and 9 are secured in the circumferential direction and both radial directions to prevent accidental loosening of the connection. The axial groove 16 has the same profile cross-section as the partial web 18 that connects the end portions 14 and 15 at the second cage end 9 to each other, and is completely filled by the partial web 18.

[0035] Similarly, from Figure 1 and Figure 3 As can be seen, the height-reduced end portions 12 and 13 at the first retainer end 8 are formed on the side rings as extensions of the outer peripheral surfaces 19 and 20 of the side rings 2 and 3, and the height-reduced end portions 14 and 15 at the second retainer end 9 are formed on the side rings as extensions of the inner peripheral surfaces 21 and 22 of the side rings, and the height reduction of the end portions 12, 13, 14, and 15 is achieved by straight stepped portions 23, 24, 25, and 26 in the side rings 2 and 3. Furthermore, in order to avoid collision between the portion of the web 18 at the second retainer end 8 and the stepped portions 23 and 24 of the end portions 12 and 13 at the first retainer end 9 when the retainer ends 8 and 9 are connected, the end portions 12 and 13 at the first retainer end 8 have a length L1 that is larger than the length L2 of the end portions 14 and 15 at the second retainer end 9.

[0036] Figure 2It is also shown that the rolling element guide 5 of the cage web 4.1 at the first cage end 8 and all other rolling element guides 5 on the cage web 4 are designed to be shorter in the axial direction than the cage web 4.1 itself and are arranged axially centrally on the cage web 4, 4.1 such that during the installation of the rolling bearing cage 1 the end portions 12, 13 at the first cage end 8 can be arranged axially adjacent to the end portions 14, 15 at the second cage end 9. Fixing the cage ends 8, 9 against unintentional loosening in the other peripheral direction is achieved by filling the rolling elements into the penultimate cage pocket 7.2 of the rolling bearing cage 1, which is completed after connecting the cage ends 8, 9 to the partial web 18, and fixing the cage ends 8, 9 against displacement in both axial directions and centering the cage ends 8, 9 relative to one another is achieved by filling the rolling elements into the last cage pocket 7.1 of the rolling bearing cage 1, which is completed after connecting the cage ends 8, 9.

[0037] Finally, Figures 4 to 7 The individual method steps for installing the rolling bearing cage 1 are shown schematically. Thus, in the first method step shown in Figure 4 the cage ends 8, 9 of the axially split rolling bearing cage 1 are first widened to such an extent that the rolling bearing cage can be pushed into the roller sleeve via the radial flange of the inner ring of the sleeve (not shown). As shown in Figure 5 then the cage ends 8, 9 are displaced tangentially relative to one another such that the cage web 4.1 at the first cage end 8 is lifted over the partial web 18 at the second cage end 9 into the last cage pocket 7.1 and the end portions 12, 13 at the first cage end 8 are arranged axially adjacent to the end portions 14, 15 at the second cage end 9. Then, as indicated in Figure 6 the cage ends 8, 9 are displaced tangentially back against one another until the partial web 18 at the second cage end 9 is displaced into the axial groove 16 in the rolling element guide 5 of the cage web 4.1 at the first cage end 8 and completely fills the axial groove 16. Then, the cage ends 8, 9 are displaced axially in the manner shown in Figure 7 until the end portions 12, 13 at the first cage end 8 are arranged radially above the end portions 14, 15 at the second cage end 9 and finally the connection of the cage ends 8, 9 is fixed against unintentional loosening in the peripheral direction by inserting the rolling elements of the roller sleeve into the pockets 7, 7.1, 7.2 of the rolling bearing cage 1.

[0038] List of reference signs

[0039] 1 axial recess in rolling bearing retainer 165

[0040] 2 side ring of 1 17 radial web surface of 4.1

[0041] 3 side ring of 1 18 part web of 4.1

[0042] 4 retainer web of 1 19 outer peripheral surface of 2

[0043] 4.1 retainer web 20 outer peripheral surface of 3

[0044] 5 rolling element guide on 4, 4.1 21 inner peripheral surface of 2

[0045] 6 rolling element guide on 4 22 inner peripheral surface of 3

[0046] 7 retainer pocket of 1 23 step on 12

[0047] 7.1 last retainer pocket 24 step on 13

[0048] 7.2 second last retainer pocket 25 step on 14

[0049] 8 first retainer end 26 step on 15

[0050] 9 second retainer end

[0051] 10 closing element on 8 H S 2 and 3 radial height

[0052] 11 closing element on 9 L1 length of 12 and 13

[0053] 12 end portion of 2 L2 length of 14 and 15

[0054] 13 end portion of 3

[0055] 14 end portion of 2

[0056] 15 end portion of 3.

Claims

1. Rolling bearing cage (1) with cage lock, comprising two side rings (2, 3) having a common axis of rotation and identical basic dimensions and being axially spaced apart from one another, and a plurality of cage webs (4) connecting the side rings (2, 3) to one another and designed with rolling element guides (5, 6) projecting from the cage inward beyond the inner diameter of the side rings (2, 3), and with a cage pocket (7) for receiving a rolling element being formed between each of the cage webs, wherein The rolling bearing cage (1) is axially split at at least one peripheral location and thus has at least a first cage end (8) and a second cage end (9), at each of which a mutually corresponding closure element (10, 11) is arranged, and the side rings (2, 3) are designed with end portions (12, 13, 14, 15) which are reduced to half the radial height (H S ) of the side rings and are arranged one above the other in the radial direction when the rolling bearing cage (1) is closed, characterized in that between the height-reduced end portions (12, 13) at the first cage end (8), in each case a cage web (4.1) which delimits a last cage pocket (7.1) and a penultimate cage pocket (7.2) on one side is arranged with a reinforced cross-sectional profile relative to the other cage webs (4), and the closure element (10) at the first cage end (8) is formed by an axial recess (16) in the rolling element guide (5) at a radial web surface (17) of the cage web (4.1) which delimits the penultimate cage pocket (7.2), while the closure element (11) at the second cage end (9) is formed by a partial web (18) which connects the height-reduced end portions (14, 15) at the second cage end (9) to one another and has the same material thickness as the end portions (14, 15) and can be hooked into the axial recess (16) in the rolling element guide (5) of the cage web (4.1) at the first cage end (8) such that the cage ends (8, 9) are fixed in the peripheral direction and in both radial directions against unintentional loosening of the connection.

2. A rolling bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height-reduced end portion (12, 13) at the first cage end (8) is formed on the side ring with an extension of the outer peripheral surface (19, 20) of the side ring, and the height-reduced end portion (14, 15) at the second cage end (9) is formed on the side ring with an extension of the inner peripheral surface (21, 22) of the side ring.

3. A rolling bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height reduction of the end portions (12, 13, 14, 15) is achieved by straight steps (23, 24, 25, 26) in the side ring (2, 3), and the end portion (12, 13) at the first cage end (8) has a greater length (LI) than the length (L2) of the end portion (14, 15) at the second cage end (9).

4. A rolling bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rolling element guide (5) of the cage web (4.1) at the first cage end (8) as well as all other rolling element guides (5) on the cage web (4) are designed to be shorter in the axial direction than the cage web (4.1) itself and are arranged axially centrally on the cage web (4, 4.1).

5. A rolling bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axial recess (16) in the rolling element guide (5) of the cage web (4.1) at the first cage end (8) has the same profile cross section as the partial web (18) connecting the end portions (14, 15) at the second cage end (9) to one another, and the axial recess (16) is filled by the partial web (18).

6. A rolling bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Fixing the cage ends (8, 9) against unintentional loosening in another peripheral direction is achieved by filling rolling elements into the penultimate cage pocket (7.2) of the rolling bearing cage (1) completed after connecting the cage ends (8, 9) to the partial web (18).

7. A rolling bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Fixing the cage ends (8, 9) against displacement in both axial directions and centering the cage ends (8, 9) relative to one another is achieved by filling rolling elements into the last cage pocket (7.1) of the rolling bearing cage (1) completed after connecting the cage ends (8, 9).

8. A method for mounting a rolling bearing cage (1) having the features of any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The following steps: a) widening the cage ends (8, 9) of the axially separated rolling bearing cage (1) to such an extent that the rolling bearing cage can be pushed into a roller sleeve via a radial flange of an inner ring of the roller sleeve; b) tangentially displacing the cage ends (8, 9) relative to one another such that the cage web (4.1) at the first cage end (8) is lifted above the partial web (18) at the second cage end (9) into the last cage pocket (7.1), and the end portion (12, 13) at the first cage end (8) is arranged axially adjacent to the end portion (14, 15) at the second cage end (9); c) shifting the cage end portions (8, 9) against each other tangentially rearward until the part web (18) at the second cage end portion (9) is shifted into and fills the axial recess (16) in the rolling element guide (5) of the cage web (4.1) at the first cage end portion (8); d) shifting the cage end portions (8, 9) axially until the end portions (12, 13) at the first cage end portion (8) are arranged radially above the end portions (14, 15) at the second cage end portion (9); e) fixing the connection of the cage end portions (8, 9) against unintentional loosening in the circumferential direction by inserting the rolling elements of the roller sleeve into the pockets (7, 7.1, 7.2) of the rolling bearing cage (1).

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