Mini deep groove ball bearing for fishing reel and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of rolling bearing manufacturing technology, specifically to a miniature deep groove ball bearing for fishing reels and its preparation method. The bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, a cage, and rolling elements. The inner and outer rings are sintered from a mixture of powders in the following mass percentages: high-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxides, graphite nanoparticles, chromium powder, and boride sintering aids. The cage is prepared using polyetheretherketone (PEEK), fluorinated graphite composite material, and glass fiber reinforced filler. The rolling elements are silicon nitride ceramic balls. This invention, through the synergistic strengthening of multi-component alloy powder and ceramic rolling elements, and the closed-loop control of precision assembly and testing, enables angular contact ball bearings to simultaneously achieve micron-level rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, and low vibration performance under high-speed operating conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of rolling bearing manufacturing technology, and in particular to miniature deep groove ball bearings for fishing reels and their preparation methods. Background Technology

[0002] Modern fishing reels, especially high-end baitcasting reels and spinning reels, have stringent requirements for lightweight, high sensitivity, and smoothness of rotating components. Small-sized angular contact ball bearings are often used inside the reel to support the spindle, clutch, and guide rings to achieve high-speed casting and retrieval.

[0003] Traditional fishing reel bearings typically use ordinary GCr15 bearing steel inner and outer rings with stainless steel or ceramic rolling elements, and the cages are generally made of brass or engineering plastic injection molded parts. Due to limitations in material uniformity, surface quality, and assembly precision, these bearings are prone to increased rotational resistance, uncontrolled clearance, and insufficient corrosion resistance under fishing conditions such as prolonged high-speed idling, frequent moisture exposure, and fine sand intrusion. This results in shorter casting distances, poorer retrieval feel, and shortened bearing life. Therefore, there is an urgent need for miniature deep groove ball bearings for fishing reels and their manufacturing methods to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a miniature deep groove ball bearing for fishing reels and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0005] A miniature deep groove ball bearing for fishing reels, comprising an outer ring, an inner ring, a cage, and rolling elements, wherein the inner and outer rings are sintered from a mixture of powders in the following mass percentages: High-purity bearing steel powder: 57%–76%; Titanium microparticle reinforcing agent: 5%–10%; Nickel-based self-lubricating alloy: 10%–15%; Rare earth oxides: 2%–4%; Graphite nanoparticles: 3%–6%; Chromium powder: 3%–6%, Boride sintering aid: 1%–2%.

[0006] Optionally, the cage is made of polyetheretherketone, fluorinated graphite composite material and glass fiber reinforced filler, with the following weight ratio: polyetheretherketone accounts for 80-85%, fluorinated graphite accounts for 10-12%, and the remainder is glass fiber reinforced filler.

[0007] Optionally, the rolling element is a silicon nitride ceramic ball.

[0008] A method for manufacturing miniature deep groove ball bearings for fishing reels, used to prepare the aforementioned high rotational precision angular contact ball bearings, includes the following steps: S1, Inner and outer ring raw material mixing: High-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxide, graphite nanoparticles, chromium element powder and boride sintering aid are mixed in proportion, then a dispersion medium is added for wet mixing, and after drying, spheroidization treatment is carried out to obtain spherical alloy powder with uniform surface. S2, Inner and outer ring forming and sintering: spherical alloy powder is pressed to form inner and outer ring blanks, and the blanks are subjected to high-temperature sintering treatment; after sintering, the surfaces of the inner and outer rings are subjected to micro-arc oxidation surface treatment to obtain the inner and outer ring finished products for use. S3, Blending and molding of cage material: Polyether ether ketone resin, fluorinated graphite and reinforcing filler are weighed and blended in proportion, and then cage blanks are obtained by thermoplastic extrusion and injection molding. The cage blanks are then heat-set to obtain finished cages for use. S4, Rolling element processing: The surface of the rolling element is polished and modified by gas plasma treatment to obtain the finished rolling element for later use. S5, Component assembly: Pair the inner ring, outer ring, cage and rolling elements, assemble them according to the preset contact angle and preload requirements, and fill them with grease during the assembly process; S6, Finished Product Inspection and Processing: The assembled angular contact ball bearings are tested for rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, and vibration parameters. The bearings are then screened according to set standards to obtain the target bearing products.

[0009] Optionally, S1 specifically includes: S11, Weighing and mixing: Weigh and mix high-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxide, graphite nanoparticles, chromium element powder and boride sintering aid according to the mass percentage to form mixed powder A. S12, Wet mixing process: Anhydrous ethanol is added to the mixed powder A as a dispersion medium. The volume of the dispersion medium is 1.2 to 1.5 times the total volume of the mixed powder A. Wet mixing is carried out using a planetary ball mill. The mixing time is controlled at 1 to 2 hours, the ball-to-powder ratio is set to 4:1, and the rotation speed is controlled at 200 to 300 rpm. S13, Drying treatment: Transfer the wet-mixed slurry to a vacuum drying oven, set the drying temperature to 60-80℃, the vacuum degree to -0.08--0.1MPa, and the drying time to 4-6 hours to ensure that the dispersion medium is completely evaporated; S14, Spheroidization treatment: The dried mixed powder is fed into a high-temperature centrifugal spray device for spheroidization treatment. The spray temperature is controlled at 1400-1600℃, and the rotating disc speed is controlled at 1.2×10⁻⁶. 3 ~2.0×10 3The spherical alloy powder was collected at rpm using argon gas as the cooling medium.

[0010] Optionally, S2 specifically includes: S21, pressing: The spherical alloy powder obtained in S1 is loaded into the inner and outer ring special molds and formed by cold isostatic pressing. The pressing pressure is controlled at 150-220MPa and the holding time is 3-5 minutes to form the inner and outer ring preforms with a density of not less than 60%. S22, High-temperature sintering: The preform is heated to a high temperature under a protective atmosphere and sintered. The sintering temperature is controlled at 1150-1250℃, the heating rate is 5-10℃ / min, and the holding time is 3-4 hours. S23, Micro-arc oxidation treatment: The sintered inner and outer rings are placed into the micro-arc oxidation treatment device in sequence. A pulsed DC power supply is used to apply voltage, with the voltage range controlled between 400 and 550V, the frequency set to 500 to 1000Hz, and the treatment time being 10 to 20 minutes. S24, Remove for later use: After the micro-arc oxidation treatment, the inner and outer rings are rinsed with deionized water and dried in hot air at 60-80℃ for 30-60 minutes. The dried inner and outer rings are the finished products for later use.

[0011] Optionally, S3 specifically includes: S31, Raw material weighing and blending: Polyether ether ketone resin, fluorinated graphite and glass fiber reinforced filler are added to the hopper of a twin-screw extruder according to a predetermined mass percentage. The feed rate is set to 2-4 kg / h, the barrel temperature is controlled at 310-340℃, and the blending and plasticizing treatment is carried out. The screw speed is controlled at 100-200 rpm. S32, thermoplastic extrusion and pelletizing: The blended and plasticized melt is extruded into strips through an extruder head, cooled, and then pelletized to form special granules for cages, with the particle size controlled at 2-4 mm; S33, Injection molding of cage blank: The prepared cage granules are put into the injection molding machine, the mold temperature is set to 120-150℃, the injection temperature to 350-380℃, the injection pressure to 80-120MPa, and the holding time to 6-10 seconds, and the cage blank is formed by injection molding. S34, Heat setting treatment: The cage blank is placed in a heat setting furnace for heat setting treatment. The setting temperature is set at 180-200℃ and the holding time is 2-4 hours. S35, Finished product ready for use: Take out the retainer after heat setting, let it stand for 4 to 6 hours under natural cooling conditions, and then use it after the temperature returns to room temperature.

[0012] Optionally, S4 specifically includes: S41, Rolling element surface polishing treatment: The silicon nitride ceramic ball is placed in an ultra-precision polishing equipment, and diamond micro powder with a particle size of 0.01 to 0.05 μm is used as the polishing medium. Dry polishing treatment is carried out under the conditions of polishing pressure of 0.2 to 0.5 MPa and polishing disc speed of 100 to 300 rpm. The polishing time is controlled at 30 to 60 minutes, so that the surface roughness of the rolling element reaches below 0.005 μm. S42, Rolling body plasma surface modification treatment: The polished rolling body is placed into a vacuum plasma treatment chamber, the vacuum is drawn to 0.1-0.5 Pa, high-purity nitrogen is introduced as the reaction gas, the nitrogen pressure in the reaction chamber is stabilized at 200-400 Pa, radio frequency power of 300-500 W is applied for plasma treatment, the treatment time is 20-40 minutes, and the temperature is controlled at 100-200℃. S43, Finished Rolling Element Processing: After plasma treatment, the rolling element is removed and placed in an inert gas environment to cool naturally to room temperature for later use.

[0013] Optionally, S5 specifically includes: S51, Component size screening and matching: The dimensions of the sintered inner ring, outer ring, heat-set cage, and surface-modified rolling elements are measured separately. A coordinate measuring machine is used for measurement. Inner and outer rings with inner diameter, outer diameter, and groove size deviations of less than ±2μm are screened out. A group of rolling elements with a diameter difference of no more than ±0.2μm is selected and matched according to the principle of optimal size matching. S52, Preset contact angle and preload setting: Based on the target usage requirements of the angular contact ball bearing, the contact angle is set to 25°~35°, and the preload value is set to 50~120N; S53, Assembly: In a dedicated assembly fixture, the selected and matched inner ring, cage, rolling elements and outer ring are installed in sequence. S54, Grease filling: Fluorinated high-temperature grease is quantitatively injected into the internal cavity of the bearing using a grease injection machine. The amount of grease filling is controlled to be 15% to 25% of the free space inside the bearing. After grease filling, the bearing is allowed to idle for 5 to 10 revolutions.

[0014] Optionally, S6 specifically includes: S61, Rotational accuracy test: Install the assembled angular contact ball bearing on a high-precision spindle testing device, set the testing speed to 20,000 rpm, and measure the radial runout and axial runout of the spindle respectively. The qualified standard for rotational accuracy is: radial runout between 0.5 and 2.0 μm, and axial runout between 0.8 and 2.5 μm. S62, Dimensional stability test: A high-precision laser measuring instrument is used to measure the inner diameter, outer diameter and raceway width of the bearing. The measurement accuracy is not less than ±1μm. The qualified standard for dimensional change rate is: the change rate of each measured part relative to the initial size before assembly is controlled in the range of -0.3% to +0.3%, and the absolute dimensional change is controlled in the range of -2μm to +2μm. S63, Vibration parameter detection: The bearing is installed on a vibration test bench and a vibration test is performed at a speed of 15,000 rpm. The vibration amplitude is recorded using an acceleration sensor. The qualified standard for vibration amplitude is: the peak value of vibration acceleration is between 0.2 and 1.0g within the test frequency band. S64, Screening and Determination: Select angular contact ball bearings that simultaneously meet the requirements for rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, and vibration parameter range as target bearing products.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention introduces titanium microparticles, nickel-based self-lubricating alloys, rare earth oxides, graphite nanoparticles, chromium powder, and boride sintering aids into the inner and outer ring material systems. It also employs an integrated wet mixing-spheroidizing, high-temperature sintering-micro-arc oxidation process to achieve a dense alloy structure with high chemical homogeneity after forming. Combined with ultra-precision polishing and plasma modification of the silicon nitride rolling element, this significantly reduces the contact deformation and friction coefficient of the rolling pair, and maintains rotational accuracy stably within the micrometer range, meeting the stringent requirements of high-speed spindles for low runout and low vibration.

[0016] This invention achieves closed-loop quality control of the entire bearing process by blending and heat-setting polyetheretherketone-fluorinated graphite-glass fiber cages, combined with dimensional screening, contact angle control, and preload fine-tuning during the assembly stage, as well as multi-dimensional detection of rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, and vibration parameters based on interval judgment criteria. The resulting angular contact ball bearing has high dimensional stability and vibration suppression capability under high-speed operation conditions, which can extend the overall machine operating cycle and reduce maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only for this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the bearing manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should also be noted that, to make the embodiments more comprehensive, the following embodiments are the best and preferred embodiments, and those skilled in the art can use other alternative methods to implement some well-known technologies; moreover, the accompanying drawings are only for more specific description of the embodiments and are not intended to specifically limit the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that the use of terms such as "an embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments" in the specification indicates that the described embodiment may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments (whether explicitly described or not) should be within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0021] Generally, terms can be understood at least partly from their use in context. For example, depending at least partly on the context, the term "one or more" as used herein can be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in a singular sense, or a combination of features, structures, or characteristics in a plural sense. Additionally, the term "based on" can be understood not necessarily to convey an exclusive set of factors, but rather, alternatively, depending at least partly on the context, to allow for the presence of other factors that are not necessarily explicitly described.

[0022] Example 1 Miniature deep groove ball bearings for fishing reels, comprising an outer ring, an inner ring, a cage, and rolling elements, wherein the inner and outer rings are sintered from a mixture of powders in the following mass percentages: High-purity bearing steel powder (GCr15SiMn): 67.5%; Titanium microparticle reinforcing agent (TiC): 7%; Nickel-based self-lubricating alloy (Ni-Mo-Sn): 12%; Rare earth oxides (Y2O3): 3%; Graphite nanoparticles: 5%; Chromium powder (Cr): 4%, Boride sintering aids (such as TiB2): 1.5%.

[0023] The cage is made of polyetheretherketone, fluorinated graphite composite material and glass fiber reinforced filler, with the following weight ratio: polyetheretherketone accounts for 83%, fluorinated graphite accounts for 11%, and the remainder is glass fiber reinforced filler.

[0024] The rolling element is a silicon nitride ceramic ball.

[0025] like Figure 1As shown, the method for manufacturing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for fishing reels includes the following steps: S1, Inner and outer ring raw material mixing: High-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxide, graphite nanoparticles, chromium element powder and boride sintering aid are mixed in proportion, then a dispersion medium is added for wet mixing, and after drying, spheroidization treatment is carried out to obtain spherical alloy powder with uniform surface. S2, Inner and outer ring forming and sintering: spherical alloy powder is pressed to form inner and outer ring blanks, and the blanks are subjected to high-temperature sintering treatment; after sintering, the surfaces of the inner and outer rings are subjected to micro-arc oxidation surface treatment to obtain the inner and outer ring finished products for use. S3, Blending and molding of cage material: Polyether ether ketone resin, fluorinated graphite and reinforcing filler are weighed and blended in proportion, and then cage blanks are obtained by thermoplastic extrusion and injection molding. The cage blanks are then heat-set to obtain finished cages for use. S4, Rolling element processing: The surface of the rolling element is polished and modified by gas plasma treatment to obtain the finished rolling element for later use. S5, Component assembly: Pair the inner ring, outer ring, cage and rolling elements, assemble them according to the preset contact angle and preload requirements, and fill them with grease during the assembly process so that the lubricating layer covers the rolling contact area and forms a stable lubrication interface; S6, Finished Product Inspection and Processing: The assembled angular contact ball bearings are tested for rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, and vibration parameters. The bearings are then screened according to set standards to obtain the target bearing products.

[0026] S1 specifically includes: S11, Weighing and mixing: Weigh and mix high-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxide, graphite nanoparticles, chromium element powder and boride sintering aid according to the mass percentage to form mixed powder A. S12, Wet mixing treatment: Anhydrous ethanol is added to the mixed powder A as a dispersion medium. The volume of the dispersion medium is 1.3 times the total volume of the mixed powder A. Wet mixing is carried out using a planetary ball mill. The mixing time is controlled at 1.5 hours, the ball-to-powder ratio is set at 4:1, and the rotation speed is controlled at 250 rpm. S13, Drying treatment: Transfer the wet-mixed slurry to a vacuum drying oven, set the drying temperature to 70℃, the vacuum degree to –0.09MPa, and the drying time to 5 hours to ensure that the dispersion medium is completely evaporated; S14, Spheroidization treatment: The dried mixed powder is fed into a high-temperature centrifugal spray device for spheroidization treatment. The spray temperature is controlled at 1500℃, and the rotating disc speed is controlled at 1.6×10⁻⁶. 3The rpm was used as the cooling medium, argon gas, and the resulting spherical alloy powder was collected as material for subsequent molding.

[0027] S2 specifically includes: S21, Pressing: The spherical alloy powder obtained in S1 is loaded into the inner and outer ring special molds and formed by cold isostatic pressing. The pressing pressure is controlled at 200MPa and the holding time is 4 minutes to form the inner and outer ring preforms with a density of not less than 60%. S22, High-temperature sintering: The preform is heated to a high temperature under a protective atmosphere and sintered at 1200℃, with a heating rate of 8℃ / min and a holding time of 3.5 hours. S23, Micro-arc oxidation treatment: The sintered inner and outer rings are placed into the micro-arc oxidation treatment device in sequence. A pulsed DC power supply is used to apply voltage, the voltage range is controlled at 500V, the frequency is set to 800Hz, the treatment time is 15 minutes, and the electrolyte composition is a silicate-phosphate mixed system. S24, Remove for later use: After the micro-arc oxidation treatment, the inner and outer rings are rinsed with deionized water and dried in hot air at 70℃ for 45 minutes. The dried inner and outer rings are the finished products for later use.

[0028] S3 specifically includes: S31, Raw material weighing and blending: Polyether ether ketone resin, fluorinated graphite and glass fiber reinforced filler are added into the hopper of a twin-screw extruder according to a predetermined mass percentage. The feed rate is set to 3 kg / h, the barrel temperature is controlled at 330℃, and the blending and plasticizing treatment is carried out. The screw speed is controlled at 150 rpm. S32, thermoplastic extrusion and pelletizing: The blended and plasticized melt is extruded into strips through an extruder head, cooled, and then pelletized to form special granules for cages, with the particle size controlled at 3mm; S33, Injection molding of cage blank: The prepared cage granules are put into the injection molding machine, the mold temperature is set to 130℃, the injection temperature to 370℃, the injection pressure to 100MPa, and the holding time to 8 seconds, and the cage blank is formed by injection molding. S34, Heat setting treatment: The cage blank is placed in a heat setting furnace for heat setting treatment. The setting temperature is set at 190℃ and the holding time is 3 hours. S35, Finished product for later use: Remove the retainer after heat setting and let it stand for 5 hours under natural cooling conditions until the temperature returns to room temperature before use.

[0029] S4 specifically includes: S41, Rolling element surface polishing treatment: The silicon nitride ceramic ball is placed in an ultra-precision polishing equipment, and diamond micro powder with a particle size of 0.03μm is used as the polishing medium. Dry polishing treatment is carried out under the conditions of polishing pressure of 0.3MPa and polishing disc speed of 200rpm. The polishing time is controlled at 40 minutes to make the surface roughness of the rolling element reach 0.003μm. S42, Rolling body plasma surface modification treatment: The polished rolling body is placed into the vacuum plasma treatment chamber, the vacuum is drawn to 0.3Pa, high-purity nitrogen is introduced as the reaction gas, the nitrogen pressure in the reaction chamber is stabilized at 300Pa, radio frequency power of 400W is applied for plasma treatment, the treatment time is 30 minutes, and the temperature is controlled at 150℃. S43, Finished Rolling Element Processing: After plasma treatment, the rolling element is removed and placed in an inert gas environment to cool naturally to room temperature for later use.

[0030] S5 specifically includes: S51, Component size screening and matching: The dimensions of the sintered inner ring, outer ring, heat-set cage, and surface-modified rolling elements are measured separately. A coordinate measuring machine is used for measurement. Inner and outer rings with inner diameter, outer diameter, and groove size deviations of less than ±2μm are screened out. A group of rolling elements with a diameter difference of no more than ±0.2μm is selected and matched according to the principle of optimal size matching. S52, Preset contact angle and preload setting: Based on the target usage requirements of the angular contact ball bearing, the contact angle is set to 30°. Based on the calculated preset contact angle parameters, the relative installation tilt angle between the outer ring and the inner ring is adjusted. Based on the bearing's load requirements, the preload value is set to 80N. An end face pressure device is used to apply axial positioning force to the rolling element assembly area. S53, Assembly: In a special assembly fixture, the selected and matched inner ring, cage, rolling elements and outer ring are installed in sequence. The assembly speed is controlled to be less than 5 mm / min to avoid introducing additional displacement errors, while keeping the rolling elements evenly distributed in the groove. S54, Grease filling: Fluorinated high-temperature grease is quantitatively injected into the internal cavity of the bearing using a grease injection machine. The amount of grease filling is controlled to be 20% of the free space inside the bearing. After grease filling, the bearing is allowed to rotate 8 revolutions to promote the grease to evenly cover the rolling contact area.

[0031] S6 specifically includes: S61, Rotational accuracy test: Install the assembled angular contact ball bearing on a high-precision spindle testing device, set the testing speed to 20,000 rpm, and measure the radial runout and axial runout of the spindle respectively. The acceptable standard for rotational accuracy is: radial runout value of 0.8 μm and axial runout value of 1 μm. S62, Dimensional stability test: A high-precision laser measuring instrument is used to measure the inner diameter, outer diameter and groove width of the bearing. The measurement accuracy is not less than ±1μm. The qualified standard for dimensional change rate is: the change rate of each measured part relative to the initial size before assembly is in the range of -0.1% to +0.1%, and the absolute dimensional change is controlled between -2μm and +2μm. S63, Vibration parameter detection: The bearing is installed on a vibration test bench and a vibration test is performed at a speed of 15000 rpm. The vibration amplitude is recorded using an acceleration sensor. The qualified standard for vibration amplitude is: the peak value of vibration acceleration is between 0.2 and 1.0g within the test frequency band.

[0032] Example 2 S1: First, weigh out 76% high-purity bearing steel powder, 5% titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, 10% nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, 2% rare earth oxides, 3% graphite nanoparticles, 3% chromium powder, and 1% boride sintering aid by mass percentage, and add anhydrous ethanol as a dispersion medium, with a volume 1.2 times the total volume of the mixed powder; wet mix in a planetary ball mill at a ball-to-powder ratio of 4:1 and a rotation speed of 200 rpm for 1 hour, then transfer the mixed slurry to a vacuum drying oven, set the drying temperature to 60℃ and the vacuum degree to –0.08MPa, and continue drying for 4 hours; send the dried mixed powder into a high-temperature centrifugal spray device for spheroidization treatment, with the spray temperature controlled at 1400℃ and the rotating disk speed controlled at 1.2×10⁻⁶. 3 rpm, ensuring complete evaporation of the dispersion medium to obtain a mixed powder; S2: The dried mixed powder is loaded into a special mold and formed by cold isostatic pressing at a pressure of 150 MPa for 3 minutes to obtain inner and outer ring preforms with a density of not less than 60%. Then, sintering is carried out under a protective atmosphere at a temperature of 1150℃, a heating rate of 5℃ / min, and a holding time of 3 hours. After completion, the sintered body is subjected to micro-arc oxidation treatment with the following parameters: voltage 400V, frequency 500Hz, and treatment time 10 minutes. After treatment, it is rinsed with deionized water and dried under hot air at 60℃ for 30 minutes to obtain spare inner and outer ring parts. S3: The cage material is made of 80% polyetheretherketone, 10% fluorinated graphite, and the balance is glass fiber reinforced filler. The mixture is blended and plasticized in a twin-screw extruder at a feed rate of 2 kg / h, a barrel temperature of 310℃, and a screw speed of 100 rpm. Then it is extruded, cooled, and pelletized with a particle size controlled at 2 mm. It is then molded by injection molding at a mold temperature of 120℃, an injection temperature of 350℃, an injection pressure of 80 MPa, and a holding time of 6 seconds to obtain a cage blank. It is then heat-set at 180℃ for 2 hours and finally cooled naturally at room temperature for 4 hours to obtain the finished cage. S4: The rolling element is made of silicon nitride ceramic balls. It is first dry polished in an ultra-precision polishing equipment, using diamond micro powder with a particle size of 0.01μm as the polishing medium. It is polished for 30 minutes at a pressure of 0.2MPa and a speed of 100rpm, and the surface roughness is controlled at 0.004μm. Then, in a vacuum plasma chamber, the vacuum is evacuated to 0.1Pa and nitrogen is introduced. The reaction pressure is controlled at 200Pa, the radio frequency power is 300W, the processing temperature is 100℃, and the surface modification is completed for 20 minutes. S5: All components are screened and matched, with the inner and outer ring dimensional deviation less than ±2μm, the rolling element diameter difference not greater than ±0.2μm, and the cage meeting the molding accuracy requirements; during assembly, the contact angle is set to 25°, the preload is 50N, and the inner ring, cage, rolling elements and outer ring are assembled in sequence using a special fixture. After completion, fluorinated high-temperature grease is injected through a grease injection machine, with the grease amount being 15% of the bearing free space, and the bearing is run idle for 5 revolutions to distribute the grease; S6: Finally, the assembled bearings are inspected. They are installed on a high-precision spindle device, and the radial runout is measured to be 1μm and the axial runout is measured to be 2μm at a speed of 20,000rpm. The dimensional change rate is measured to be between -0.1% and +0.2% using a laser measuring instrument, and the absolute change value is within ±1.5μm. Vibration test is performed at 15,000rpm, and the peak vibration acceleration is between 0.5g and 0.8g.

[0033] Example 2 S1: First, weigh out 57% high-purity bearing steel powder, 10% titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, 15% nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, 4% rare earth oxides, 6% graphite nanoparticles, 6% chromium powder, and 2% boride sintering aid by mass percentage, and add anhydrous ethanol as a dispersion medium, with a volume 1.5 times the total volume of the mixed powder; wet mix in a planetary ball mill at a ball-to-powder ratio of 4:1 and a rotation speed of 300 rpm for 2 hours, then transfer the mixed slurry to a vacuum drying oven, set the drying temperature to 80℃ and the vacuum degree to –0.1MPa, and continue drying for 6 hours; send the dried mixed powder into a high-temperature centrifugal spray device for spheroidization treatment, with the spray temperature controlled at 1600℃ and the rotary disc speed controlled at 2.0×10⁻⁶. 3 rpm, ensuring complete evaporation of the dispersion medium to obtain a mixed powder; S2: The dried mixed powder is loaded into a special mold and formed by cold isostatic pressing at a pressure of 220 MPa for 5 minutes to obtain inner and outer ring preforms with a density of not less than 60%. Then, sintering is performed under a protective atmosphere at a temperature of 1250℃, a heating rate of 10℃ / min, and a holding time of 3.5 hours. After completion, the sintered body undergoes micro-arc oxidation treatment with parameters of 550V voltage, 1000Hz frequency, and 20 minutes. After treatment, it is rinsed with deionized water and dried under 80℃ hot air for 60 minutes to obtain spare inner and outer ring parts. S3: The cage material is made of 85% polyetheretherketone, 12% fluorinated graphite, and the balance is glass fiber reinforced filler. The mixture is blended and plasticized in a twin-screw extruder at a feed rate of 4 kg / h, a barrel temperature of 340℃, and a screw speed of 200 rpm. Then it is extruded, cooled, and pelletized with a particle size controlled at 4 mm. It is then molded by injection molding at a mold temperature of 150℃, an injection temperature of 380℃, an injection pressure of 120 MPa, and a holding time of 10 seconds to obtain a cage blank. It is then heat-set at 200℃ for 4 hours and finally cooled naturally at room temperature for 4 hours to obtain the finished cage. S4: The rolling element is made of silicon nitride ceramic balls. It is first dry polished in an ultra-precision polishing equipment, using diamond micro powder with a particle size of 0.05μm as the polishing medium. It is polished for 60 minutes at a pressure of 0.5MPa and a speed of 300rpm, and the surface roughness is controlled at 0.005μm. Then, in a vacuum plasma chamber, the vacuum is evacuated to 0.5Pa and nitrogen is introduced. The reaction pressure is controlled at 400Pa, the radio frequency power is 500W, the processing temperature is 200℃, and the surface modification is completed for 40 minutes. S5: All components are screened and matched, with the inner and outer ring dimensional deviations less than ±2μm, the rolling element diameter difference not greater than ±0.2μm, and the cage meeting the molding accuracy requirements; during assembly, the contact angle is set to 30°, the preload is 120N, and the inner ring, cage, rolling elements and outer ring are assembled in sequence using a special fixture. After completion, fluorinated high-temperature grease is injected through a grease injection machine, with the grease amount being 25% of the bearing free space, and the bearing is run idle for 8 revolutions to distribute the grease; S6: Finally, the assembled bearings are inspected. They are installed on a high-precision spindle device, and the radial runout is measured at 20,000 rpm, with an axial runout of 2.0 μm and an axial runout of 2.5 μm. The dimensional change rate is measured to be within the range of -0.2% to +0.3% using a laser measuring instrument, with the absolute change value within ±2 μm. Vibration tests are performed at 15,000 rpm, with the peak vibration acceleration between 0.5g and 1.0g.

[0034] Comparative Example 1 Step 1: Select GCr15 bearing steel raw material, heat it to about 1600℃ in an electric arc furnace and melt it. After casting it into steel ingots, it is forged a second time. The forging temperature is controlled at 1150℃ to obtain the preliminary inner ring and outer ring blanks. Step 2: The forged inner and outer ring blanks are turned and ground. The inner diameter, outer diameter and groove dimensions are controlled with an accuracy of approximately ±5μm to obtain the finished inner and outer rings with standard tolerance dimensions. The cage is usually formed by stamping steel plate. Step 3: Steel balls are made of chromium steel (GCr15), with the diameter tolerance controlled within ±0.5μm; the steel balls are then quenched (heated to 840℃ and oil-cooled) and tempered (tempering temperature 180℃, time 2 hours). Step 4: Assemble the inner ring, outer ring, cage, and rolling elements according to standard dimensions, set the contact angle to 15°, inject general lithium-based grease, and control the filling amount to within 30% of the free space. After completion, run the machine idle for 5 revolutions to distribute the grease.

[0035] Table 1 Comparison of Performance Parameters of Finished Angular Contact Ball Bearings

[0036] As can be seen from Table 1 above, Example 1 is the best embodiment because it is the most optimized in terms of material ratio, manufacturing process (spheroidization + centrifugal spraying + micro-arc oxidation), part precision control, lubrication method, and preload setting. The finished bearing exhibits the best performance in rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, vibration performance, surface roughness, and high-temperature resistance, making it suitable for high-load, high-speed, and high-reliability scenarios. Examples 2 and 3 are slightly less efficient in some parameters. In particular, although Example 3 is more aggressive in preload and surface treatment, its runout and vibration performance are not as good as Example 1, resulting in slightly lower overall performance, but still better than the prior art. Comparative Example 1 uses traditional GCr15 material, machining, and conventional steel balls, without employing powder metallurgy, ceramic balls, or advanced surface modification technology. Its key performance is significantly inferior to the three embodiments of the present invention, making it the worst-performing product from conventional processes. Therefore, Example 1 is the best.

[0037] Table 2 Comparison of other performance parameters

[0038] As can be seen from Table 2 above, Example 1 is the best in all indicators, with its temperature resistance, fatigue resistance and stability retention time being the most advanced. Although the manufacturing cost and process complexity are relatively high, its cost performance is the best in the high-end bearing field.

[0039] This invention encompasses any substitutions, modifications, equivalent methods, and solutions made within the spirit and scope of this invention. To provide the public with a thorough understanding of this invention, specific details are described in detail in the following preferred embodiments; however, those skilled in the art will fully understand the invention even without these details. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding of the essence of this invention, well-known methods, processes, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail.

[0040] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for fishing reels, the bearing comprising an outer ring, an inner ring, a cage, and rolling elements, wherein the inner and outer rings are sintered from a mixture of powders in the following mass percentages: high-purity bearing steel powder: 57%–76%; titanium microparticle reinforcing agent: 5%–10%; nickel-based self-lubricating alloy: 10%–15%; rare earth oxides: 2%–4%; graphite nanoparticles: 3%–6%; chromium powder: 3%–6%; boride sintering aid: 1%–2%; characterized in that… The method includes the following steps: S1, Inner and outer ring raw material mixing: High-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxide, graphite nanoparticles, chromium element powder and boride sintering aid are mixed in proportion, then a dispersion medium is added for wet mixing, and after drying, spheroidization treatment is carried out to obtain spherical alloy powder with uniform surface. S2, Inner and outer ring forming and sintering: spherical alloy powder is pressed to form inner and outer ring blanks, and the blanks are subjected to high-temperature sintering treatment; after sintering, the surfaces of the inner and outer rings are subjected to micro-arc oxidation surface treatment to obtain the inner and outer ring finished products for use. S3, Blending and molding of cage material: Polyetheretherketone, fluorinated graphite and glass fiber reinforced filler are weighed and blended in proportion, and then cage blanks are obtained by thermoplastic extrusion and injection molding. The cage blanks are then heat-set to obtain finished cages for use. S4, Rolling element processing: The surface of the rolling element is polished and modified by gas plasma treatment to obtain the finished rolling element for later use. The rolling element is a silicon nitride ceramic ball. S5, Component assembly: Match the inner ring, outer ring, cage and rolling elements, assemble according to the preset contact angle and preload requirements, and fill with grease during the assembly process; S6, Finished Product Inspection and Processing: The assembled bearings are tested for rotational accuracy, dimensional stability, and vibration parameters. The bearings are then screened according to set standards to obtain the target bearing products.

2. The method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for a fishing reel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cage components are in the following weight ratio: 80-85% polyetheretherketone, 10-12% fluorinated graphite, and the remainder is glass fiber reinforced filler.

3. The method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for a fishing reel according to claim 1, characterized in that, S1 specifically includes: S11, Weighing and mixing: Weigh and mix high-purity bearing steel powder, titanium microparticle reinforcing agent, nickel-based self-lubricating alloy, rare earth oxide, graphite nanoparticles, chromium element powder and boride sintering aid according to the mass percentage to form mixed powder A. S12, Wet mixing process: Anhydrous ethanol is added to the mixed powder A as a dispersion medium. The volume of the dispersion medium is 1.2 to 1.5 times the total volume of the mixed powder A. Wet mixing is carried out using a planetary ball mill. The mixing time is controlled at 1 to 2 hours, the ball-to-powder ratio is set to 4:1, and the rotation speed is controlled at 200 to 300 rpm. S13, Drying treatment: Transfer the wet-mixed slurry to a vacuum drying oven, set the drying temperature to 60-80℃, the vacuum degree to -0.08--0.1MPa, and the drying time to 4-6 hours to ensure that the dispersion medium is completely evaporated; S14, Spheroidization treatment: The dried mixed powder is fed into a high-temperature centrifugal spray device for spheroidization treatment. The spray temperature is controlled at 1400-1600℃, and the rotating disc speed is controlled at 1.2×10⁻⁶. 3 ~2.0×10 3 The spherical alloy powder was collected at rpm using argon gas as the cooling medium.

4. The method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for a fishing reel according to claim 1, characterized in that, S2 specifically includes: S21, pressing: The spherical alloy powder obtained in S1 is loaded into the inner and outer ring special molds and formed by cold isostatic pressing. The pressing pressure is controlled at 150-220MPa and the holding time is 3-5 minutes to form the inner and outer ring preforms with a density of not less than 60%. S22, High-temperature sintering: The preform is heated to a high temperature under a protective atmosphere and sintered. The sintering temperature is controlled at 1150-1250℃, the heating rate is 5-10℃ / min, and the holding time is 3-4 hours. S23, Micro-arc oxidation treatment: The sintered inner and outer rings are placed into the micro-arc oxidation treatment device in sequence. A pulsed DC power supply is used to apply voltage, with the voltage range controlled between 400 and 550V, the frequency set to 500 to 1000Hz, and the treatment time being 10 to 20 minutes. S24, Remove for later use: After the micro-arc oxidation treatment, the inner and outer rings are rinsed with deionized water and dried in hot air at 60-80℃ for 30-60 minutes. The dried inner and outer rings are the finished products for later use.

5. The method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for a fishing reel according to claim 1, characterized in that, S4 specifically includes: S41, Rolling element surface polishing treatment: The silicon nitride ceramic ball is placed in an ultra-precision polishing equipment, and diamond micro powder with a particle size of 0.01 to 0.05 μm is used as the polishing medium. Dry polishing treatment is carried out under the conditions of polishing pressure of 0.2 to 0.5 MPa and polishing disc speed of 100 to 300 rpm. The polishing time is controlled at 30 to 60 minutes, so that the surface roughness of the rolling element reaches below 0.005 μm. S42, Rolling body plasma surface modification treatment: The polished rolling body is placed into a vacuum plasma treatment chamber, the vacuum is drawn to 0.1-0.5 Pa, high-purity nitrogen is introduced as the reaction gas, the nitrogen pressure in the reaction chamber is stabilized at 200-400 Pa, radio frequency power of 300-500 W is applied for plasma treatment, the treatment time is 20-40 minutes, and the temperature is controlled at 100-200℃. S43, Finished Rolling Element Processing: After plasma treatment, the rolling element is removed and placed in an inert gas environment to cool naturally to room temperature for later use.

6. The method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for a fishing reel according to claim 1, characterized in that, S5 specifically includes: S51, Component size screening and matching: The dimensions of the sintered inner ring, outer ring, heat-set cage, and surface-modified rolling elements are measured separately. A coordinate measuring machine is used for measurement. Inner and outer rings with inner diameter, outer diameter, and groove size deviations of less than ±2μm are screened out. A group of rolling elements with a diameter difference of no more than ±0.2μm is selected and matched according to the principle of optimal size matching. S52, Preset contact angle and preload setting: Based on the target usage requirements of the bearing, set the contact angle to 25°~35° and the preload value to 50~120N; S53, Assembly: In a dedicated assembly fixture, the selected and matched inner ring, cage, rolling elements and outer ring are installed in sequence. S54, Grease filling: Fluorinated high-temperature grease is quantitatively injected into the internal cavity of the bearing using a grease injection machine. The amount of grease filling is controlled to be 15% to 25% of the free space inside the bearing. After grease filling, the bearing is allowed to idle for 5 to 10 revolutions.

7. The method for preparing a miniature deep groove ball bearing for a fishing reel according to claim 1, characterized in that, S6 specifically includes: S61, Rotational accuracy test: Install the assembled bearing on a high-precision spindle testing device, set the testing speed to 20,000 rpm, and measure the radial runout and axial runout of the spindle respectively. The qualified standard for rotational accuracy is: radial runout between 0.5 and 2.0 μm, and axial runout between 0.8 and 2.5 μm. S62, Dimensional stability test: A high-precision laser measuring instrument is used to measure the inner diameter, outer diameter and raceway width of the bearing. The measurement accuracy is not less than ±1μm. The qualified standard for dimensional change rate is: the change rate of each measured part relative to the initial size before assembly is controlled in the range of -0.3% to +0.3%, and the absolute dimensional change is controlled in the range of -2μm to +2μm. S63, Vibration parameter detection: The bearing is installed on a vibration test bench and a vibration test is performed at a speed of 15,000 rpm. The vibration amplitude is recorded using an acceleration sensor. The qualified standard for vibration amplitude is: the peak value of vibration acceleration is between 0.2 and 1.0g within the test frequency band. S64, Screening and Determination: Select bearings that simultaneously meet the requirements of rotational accuracy, dimensional stability and vibration parameter range as target bearing products.

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