Gravity self-locking bearing

Abstract

This invention discloses a gravity self-locking bearing, comprising an outer ring, a cage, and an inner ring. A plurality of rolling elements are disposed between the outer and inner rings, and the rolling elements are mounted in pockets within the cage. A friction sleeve is fitted into the inner ring's inner bore with clearance fitting; both the outer and inner rings have axial grooves along the outer ring. The outer ring is longer, and its inner bore is a tapered bore, with a retaining ring at the larger diameter end and a cage at the smaller diameter end. An abutment plate is disposed between the retaining ring and the cage, abutting against a first spring, and between the abutment plate and the cage against a second spring, with the first spring having a larger elastic coefficient. A positioning groove is provided in the inner bore of the outer ring corresponding to the abutment plate, and the abutment plate floats within the groove. This bearing has a simple structure, is reliable in use, and can self-lock promptly upon impact or collision, providing good safety in use.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a gravity self-locking bearing. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the modern mechanical industry system, bearings, as the core components of mechanical rotation support, are as important as human joints. They can effectively reduce the friction coefficient during mechanical operation and ensure the rotation accuracy of the shaft, so they are widely used in various aspects of our life and work. Because mechanical devices in different fields face completely different working environments, such as some need to operate stably under high temperature and high pressure, some need to adapt to humid and dusty working conditions, and some have very high requirements for precision and speed. This has prompted bearings to diversify, such as deep groove ball bearings, conical rolling element bearings, and thrust bearings. Gravity self-locking bearings are one of the most distinctive and valuable applications. For example, in a magnetic levitation protection bearing device, gravity self-locking bearings play an important role. Although magnetic levitation bearings can achieve non-contact operation, when starting, stopping, or encountering sudden failures that cause magnetic levitation force to fail, the rotor is prone to lose stability. At this time, the gravity self-locking bearing will respond quickly, lock the rotor through its structural characteristics, and gradually reduce the rotor speed using the braking force generated by mechanical contact to avoid collisions with other components caused by high-speed loss of control, ensuring the safety of the entire magnetic levitation system. In devices that need to be stopped urgently, such as some large-scale lifting equipment and high-speed transmission machinery, when an emergency situation occurs and the operation needs to be terminated immediately, the gravity self-locking bearing does not need to rely on complex external braking systems. It only relies on gravity to drive the internal locking mechanism to quickly clamp the rotating components, achieving instantaneous braking and providing critical protection for equipment operation safety. In addition, in high-altitude working platforms, lifting equipment in construction, and other equipment that need to prevent high-altitude falling, gravity self-locking bearings are the core safety components. Once the equipment starts to slide unexpectedly, the locking mechanism will immediately trigger, locking the transmission components tightly to prevent the equipment from falling and maximize the protection of the operator's life safety and the integrity of the equipment. SUMMARY

[0003] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present application provides a gravity self-locking bearing which has simple structure, reliable use, can be self-locked in time when impacted or collided, and has good use safety.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the application provides a gravity self-locking bearing, which comprises an outer ring, a retainer and an inner ring, a plurality of rolling elements are arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring, the rolling elements are installed in the pockets of the retainer, a friction sleeve is arranged in the inner hole of the inner ring in a clearance fit, a fracture groove is arranged on the friction sleeve and the inner ring along the axial direction of the outer ring respectively, the length of the outer ring is greater than that of the inner ring, the inner hole of the outer ring is arranged in a taper hole, a baffle is arranged at the end of the inner hole of the outer ring with a larger diameter, the retainer is arranged at the end of the inner hole of the outer ring with a smaller diameter, a contact plate is arranged between the baffle and the retainer, a first spring is in contact between the baffle and the contact plate, a second spring is in contact between the contact plate and the retainer, the elastic coefficient of the first spring is greater than that of the second spring, a positioning groove is arranged on the inner hole of the outer ring corresponding to the position of the contact plate, the contact plate is arranged in the positioning groove, and the contact plate is arranged in the positioning groove in a floating manner.

[0005] The advantages of this configuration are as follows: During installation, the end with the larger inner diameter of the outer ring is positioned at the top along the height, while the end with the smaller inner diameter is positioned downwards along the height. When the bearing is installed on the mating shaft, the outer ring, due to gravity, presses against the rolling elements, which in turn press against the inner ring. This causes the inner ring and friction sleeve to close together and hold tightly against the mating shaft. When the bearing needs to be moved to adjust its position, simply press the cage near the end with the smaller inner diameter of the outer ring. The cage moves inwards towards the outer ring, reducing the resistance force on the rolling elements. This loosens the friction sleeve and inner ring, preventing them from holding tightly against the shaft, thus allowing the bearing to move on the spindle. When the end with the larger inner diameter of the outer ring is subjected to gravity or external pressure, the entire outer ring moves downwards along the height. As the bearing moves downwards, the first spring actively releases its elastic force, acting directly on the contact plate. Due to the large elastic force of the first spring and the movement of the outer ring along the height direction, the contact plate, which is floating in the positioning groove (meaning it has space to slide along the length of the outer ring), moves towards the cage under the force of the first spring. This allows the force to be transferred to the second spring, resulting in better and more stable contact with the cage. This increases the contact force on the rolling elements from the outer ring, increases the pressure on the inner ring and friction sleeve, and increases the force of the friction sleeve pressing against the mating shaft. Thus, under the synergistic action of the first and second springs, the bearing can be instantly locked onto the spindle. This design allows for instantaneous and stable locking, effectively preventing accidental slippage caused by insufficient locking force in traditional bearings. It is particularly suitable for equipment installed vertically or in vibrating environments, offering excellent adaptability. Furthermore, when adjusting the position, simply press the end of the cage closest to the smaller diameter of the outer ring's inner bore to move the cage inward, reducing the resistance force on the rolling elements and allowing the inner ring and friction sleeve to loosen quickly. No complex tools are required; a single person can easily complete the position adjustment, significantly reducing operational difficulty and time costs. Additionally, the clearance fit design between the friction sleeve and the inner ring reduces wear between components during adjustment, extending the overall lifespan of the bearing.

[0006] As a further feature of the present invention, the inner ring end is provided with a skirt, and the friction sleeve abuts against the skirt.

[0007] The beneficial effects of this design are as follows: The contact design between the inner ring end skirt and the friction sleeve, besides precisely positioning and limiting the friction sleeve, also prevents axial movement of the friction sleeve during bearing operation or adjustment, preventing misalignment between the friction sleeve and the inner ring's groove. This ensures that both sleeves synchronously clamp the mating shaft when closed, guaranteeing uniform transmission of clamping force and preventing locking failure caused by uneven local force. Simultaneously, the skirt can absorb the axial force generated by the friction sleeve's clamping / loosening, reducing direct frictional loss between the friction sleeve and the inner ring bore wall, extending the friction sleeve's service life. Furthermore, it helps maintain the clearance fit accuracy between the inner ring and the friction sleeve, providing more reliable structural support for stable bearing locking and flexible adjustment.

[0008] As a further arrangement of the present application, the cage is provided with a plurality of pockets, the rolling elements are arranged in the pockets, and a snap ring is arranged at the edge of the pocket and abuts against the rolling elements.

[0009] The beneficial effects of such an arrangement are that the arrangement of the snap ring in the pocket of the cage and the abutment of the edge of the snap ring against the rolling elements can stabilize the position of the rolling elements from multiple dimensions, providing key support for the reliable operation of the pneumatic lock. The snap ring can also reduce direct friction between the rolling elements and the inner wall of the pocket, reduce the wear of the components, prolong the service life of the cage and the rolling elements, and ensure that the structure can maintain stable motion accuracy in the locked or unlocked state, adapting to long-term high-frequency use scenarios.

[0010] As a further arrangement of the present application, the cage is provided with an abutment step corresponding to the position of the second spring, and the other end of the second spring abuts against the abutment step.

[0011] The beneficial effects of such an arrangement are that the abutment step can accurately limit the radial deviation of the spring on the side of the cage, avoid the spring from being skewed due to uneven force when being compressed or reset, and ensure that the spring force is accurately transmitted to the cage along the axis of the lock body. At the same time, the step can also provide a stable force support point for the spring, reduce the wear of the spring and the cage, and avoid the force attenuation of the spring due to position shifting after long-term use.

[0012] As a further arrangement of the present application, a plurality of lubrication grooves are spirally arranged on the inner circumferential wall of the friction sleeve.

[0013] The beneficial effects of such an arrangement are that the spiral lubrication grooves on the inner circumferential wall of the friction sleeve can primarily store lubricating oil or grease, uniformly coat the contact surface with lubricant, form a continuous and stable oil film, greatly reduce dry friction between metals, reduce the wear rate of the friction sleeve and the shaft, and prolong the service life of the two. At the same time, the lubrication grooves can accommodate small debris generated by friction, avoid scratches on the contact surface caused by debris accumulation, maintain the precision of the inner wall of the friction sleeve, ensure the stability of the clearance between the friction sleeve and the shaft, and not affect the transmission of the wrapping force during locking. In addition, good lubrication can also reduce the resistance during bearing adjustment, making the operation of pressing the cage to move the bearing more smooth, reducing the problem of component jamming caused by excessive friction resistance, and improving the overall use reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 The structure of the embodiment of the present application is shown in the figure;

[0015] Figure 2 The cross-sectional structure of the embodiment of the present application is shown in the figure;

[0016] Figure 3 The inner ring structure of the embodiment of the present application is shown in the figure;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the friction sleeve in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cage structure in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] This invention provides an embodiment of a gravity self-locking bearing, such as... Figures 1 to 5As shown, including the outer ring 1, cage 4 and inner ring 2, the outer ring 1 and inner ring 2 are provided with a plurality of rolling body 41, the rolling body 41 is installed in the pocket of the cage 4, the inner hole of the inner ring 2 is matched with the friction sleeve 3, the friction sleeve 3 and the inner ring 2 are respectively provided with a broken slot along the outer ring 1, the length of the outer ring 1 is greater than the inner ring 2, the inner hole of the outer ring 1 is provided with a taper hole, the larger end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1 is provided with a check ring 11, the cage 4 is arranged at the smaller end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1, the check ring 11 and the abutting plate 13 are arranged between the cage 4, the first spring 5 is abutted between the check ring 11 and the abutting plate 13, the second spring 6 is abutted between the abutting plate 13 and the retaining member, the elastic coefficient of the first spring 5 is greater than that of the second spring 6, the positioning groove is arranged on the inner hole of the outer ring 1 corresponding to the position of the abutting plate 13, the abutting plate 13 is arranged in the positioning groove, and the abutting plate 13 is arranged in the positioning groove. The beneficial effects of such arrangement are: when the bearing is installed, the larger end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1 is arranged above along the height direction, the smaller end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1 is arranged downward along the height direction, when the bearing is installed on the matching shaft, the outer ring 1 is abutted on the rolling body 41 due to the gravity, the rolling body 41 is pressed to the inner ring 2, so that the inner ring 2 and the friction sleeve 3 are gathered and tightly held on the matching shaft, when the bearing needs to be moved to adjust the position, the cage 4 is pressed close to the smaller end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1, the cage 4 moves inwardly to the outer ring 1, the rolling body 41 on the cage 4 is subjected to the abutting force of the outer ring 1, the friction sleeve 3 and the inner ring 2 are loose, and the shaft body is not tightly held, so that the bearing can be moved on the mandrel; when the larger end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1 is subjected to the gravity or external pressure, the outer ring 1 moves downwardly along the height direction as a whole, at this time, the first spring 5 actively releases the elastic force, the first spring 5 directly acts on the abutting plate 13, due to the greater elastic force of the first spring 5 and the movement of the outer ring 1 along the height direction, the abutting plate 13 is floatingly arranged in the positioning groove, the floating arrangement herein means that the abutting plate 13 can have a sliding space along the length direction of the outer ring 1 in the positioning groove, the abutting plate 13 moves to the cage 4 direction under the elastic force of the first spring 5, so that the force can be transmitted to the second spring 6, so that the abutting force of the cage 4 is better and more stable, the abutting force of the rolling body 41 to the outer ring 1 is greater, the pressure of the inner ring 2 and the friction sleeve 3 is greater, and the force of the friction sleeve 3 wrapped on the matching shaft is greater, so that the bearing can be locked on the mandrel instantaneously under the cooperation of the first spring 5 and the second spring 6.In this way, instantaneous stable locking can be achieved, the problem of accidental sliding caused by insufficient locking force of the traditional bearing can be effectively avoided, it is especially suitable for equipment installed vertically or in a vibrating environment, and good adaptability is achieved; when the position is adjusted, the cage 4 only needs to be pressed close to the end of the inner hole of the outer ring 1 with a smaller diameter, so that the cage 4 can move inward, the resistance of the rolling body 41 is reduced, the inner ring 2 and the friction sleeve 3 are quickly loosened, a complex tool is not needed, and one person can easily complete the position adjustment, the operation difficulty and time cost are greatly reduced, meanwhile, the gap cooperation design of the friction sleeve 3 and the inner ring 2 can reduce the abrasion between the components during the adjustment process, and the service life of the bearing as a whole is prolonged.

[0020] As a further arrangement of the present embodiment, the end of the inner ring 2 is provided with a skirt 21, and the friction sleeve 3 abuts against the skirt 21. The beneficial effect of this arrangement is that, in addition to precisely positioning and limiting the friction sleeve 3, the abutment design of the end skirt 21 of the inner ring 2 and the friction sleeve 3 can also avoid axial movement of the friction sleeve 3 during bearing operation or adjustment, prevent misalignment of the fracture groove of the inner ring 2, ensure synchronous clamping of the two when they are folded, guarantee uniform transmission of the clamping force, and avoid locking failure caused by uneven local force.

[0021] As a further arrangement of the present embodiment, the cage 4 is provided with a plurality of pockets, the rolling body 41 is arranged in the pocket, a snap ring 43 is arranged on the edge of the pocket, and the edge of the snap ring 43 abuts against the rolling body 41. The beneficial effect of this arrangement is that, by arranging the snap ring 43 in the pocket of the cage 4 and making the edge of the snap ring abut against the roller, the position of the roller can be stably guaranteed from multiple dimensions, and key support is provided for reliable operation of the pneumatic lock. The snap ring 43 can also reduce direct friction between the roller and the inner wall of the pocket, reduce the abrasion of the components, prolong the service life of the cage 4 and the roller, and ensure that the structure can still maintain stable motion accuracy in the locked or unlocked state, which is suitable for long-term high-frequency use scenarios.

[0022] As a further arrangement of the present embodiment, the cage 4 is provided with an abutment step 42 corresponding to the position of the second spring 6, and the other end of the second spring 6 abuts against the abutment step 42. The beneficial effect of this arrangement is that the abutment step 42 can precisely limit the radial deviation of the spring on the side of the cage 4, avoid the spring from being skewed due to uneven force during compression or reset, and ensure that the spring force is accurately transmitted to the cage 4 along the axial direction of the lock body. Meanwhile, the step can also provide a stable force support point for the spring, reduce the abrasion of the spring and the cage 4, and avoid force attenuation caused by position movement of the spring after long-term use.

[0023] As a further arrangement of the present embodiment, the inner wall of the friction sleeve 3 is spirally provided with lubricating grooves 31. The beneficial effects of such an arrangement are as follows: the spiral lubricating grooves 31 on the inner wall of the friction sleeve 3 are designed to primarily store lubricating oil or grease, uniformly coat the contact surface with lubricant, and form a continuous and stable oil film, thereby greatly reducing the dry friction between metals, reducing the wear rate of the friction sleeve 3 and the shaft, and prolonging the service life of both. At the same time, the lubricating grooves 31 can accommodate the tiny debris generated by friction, prevent the contact surface from being scratched due to debris accumulation, maintain the precision of the inner wall of the friction sleeve 3, ensure the stability of the mating clearance between the friction sleeve 3 and the shaft, and not affect the transmission of the locking force. In addition, good lubrication can also reduce the resistance during bearing adjustment, making the operation of moving the presser retainer 4 more smooth, reducing the problem of component jamming caused by excessive friction resistance, and improving the overall use reliability.

[0024] The above examples are only one of the preferred specific examples of the present application, and any usual changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical solutions of the present application are included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A gravity self-locking bearing comprising an outer ring, a cage and an inner ring, a plurality of rolling elements being arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring, the rolling elements being mounted in pockets of the cage, characterized in that: The inner hole of the inner ring is matched with a friction sleeve, the friction sleeve and the inner ring are respectively provided with a fracture groove along the axial direction of the outer ring, the length of the outer ring is greater than that of the inner ring, the inner hole of the outer ring is a tapered hole, the end of the inner hole of the outer ring with a larger diameter is provided with a stop ring, the retainer is arranged at the end of the inner hole of the outer ring with a smaller diameter, a contact plate is arranged between the stop ring and the retainer, the stop ring and the contact plate are in contact with a first spring, the contact plate and the retainer are in contact with a second spring, the elastic coefficient of the first spring is greater than that of the second spring, the inner hole of the outer ring is provided with a positioning groove corresponding to the position of the contact plate, the contact plate is arranged in the positioning groove, and the contact plate is floatingly arranged in the positioning groove.

2. The gravity self-locking bearing of claim 1, wherein: The inner ring is provided with a skirt at the end, and the friction sleeve is in contact with the skirt.

3. The gravity self-locking bearing of claim 1, wherein: The retainer is provided with a plurality of pockets, the rolling body is arranged in the pocket, and a snap ring is arranged on the edge of the pocket.

4. The gravity self-locking bearing of claim 1, wherein: The retainer is provided with a contact step corresponding to the position of the second spring, and the other end of the second spring is in contact with the contact step.

5. The gravity self-locking bearing of claim 1, wherein: The inner wall of the friction sleeve is spirally provided with a lubricating groove.

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