belt retainer roller

Abstract

A belt retainer roller has a plurality of rollers and a retainer (2) that retains the rollers. The retainer (2) includes a pair of annular members (4) facing both axial ends of each roller, and a plurality of column portions (5) that are disposed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction across the outer diameter portions of the pair of annular members (4) for the rollers to be fitted into. An inner diameter portion of each annular member (4) is provided with a roller retaining claw (6) for preventing the rollers from falling toward the inner diameter side of the retainer. A retainer radial chamfer length (B) and a retainer wall thickness (A) satisfy the following relationship: 0 < B / A ≤ 1.6.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to JP Patent Application No. 2023-188815, filed on November 2, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates, for example, to retainer rollers used in double rows. Background Technology

[0004] To ensure the load capacity of retainer rollers, the roller fill rate needs to be increased. Increasing the roller fill rate typically involves eliminating the retainer inner diameter side column to ensure load capacity, but this causes the rollers to separate towards the retainer inner diameter side, resulting in decreased performance when assembled into mechanical devices.

[0005] In addition, when the retainer rollers operate in a double row, each row of retainer rollers will generate a thrust component caused by roller misalignment (hereinafter referred to as induced thrust), and the mechanical device requires a thrust support mechanism.

[0006] For double-row rollers with retainers, it is desirable to achieve high load capacity, excellent performance for assembly into mechanical devices, and a reduction in the number of parts.

[0007] like Figure 6 As shown, in the existing example of the retainer, to prevent the rollers 50 from falling off towards the inner diameter side of the retainer, roller retaining claws 52 are provided between adjacent rollers 50 in the inner diameter portion of the annular portion 51 (Patent Document 1). Furthermore, as... Figure 7 As shown, the filling rate of roller 50 is specified to be 80% or more. This balances ensuring the load capacity of the roller with retainer with the assemblability of the mechanical device.

[0008] In another existing example, such as Figure 8 As shown, the end face 53a of the roller 53 is made flat (Patent Document 2). This extends the contact length and ensures high load capacity. Furthermore, the surface 54a of the pad 54, which is positioned opposite the end face 53a of the roller 53, is tapered. This reduces the sliding area between the end of the roller 53 and the pad 54, effectively reducing sliding resistance during operation.

[0009] Existing technical documents

[0010] Patent documents

[0011] Patent Document 1: JP 2005-106211

[0012] Patent Document 2: JP 2009-216112 Summary of the Invention

[0013] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0014] In Patent Document 1, by providing roller retaining claws on the inner diameter side of the retainer and setting the roller filling rate to 80% or more, both high load capacity of the retainer rollers and improved assemblability of the device are achieved. However, in the case of double-row use, the roller retaining claws may come into contact with the rollers due to the induced thrust of adjacent retainer rollers.

[0015] In Patent Document 2, a tapered liner is arranged opposite to the end face of the roller to reduce the sliding resistance during operation. However, the need for the liner increases the number of parts.

[0016] The purpose of this invention is to provide a roller with a retainer that ensures high load capacity, excellent performance when assembled into a mechanical device, and prevents an increase in the number of parts.

[0017] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0018] The retainer roller of the present invention comprises a plurality of rollers and a retainer for retaining these rollers.

[0019] The retainer includes:

[0020] A pair of annular components facing the axial ends of each of the rollers; and

[0021] A plurality of column portions are provided circumferentially at equal intervals between the outer diameter portions of the pair of annular components for the insertion of rollers.

[0022] Each of the annular components is provided with a roller retaining claw on its inner diameter portion to prevent the roller from falling off towards the inner diameter side of the retainer;

[0023] The radial thickness of the column portion is defined as the retainer wall thickness A, and the length of the radially extending portion of the chamfer connecting the outer diameter surface and the width surface of the retainer is defined as the retainer radial chamfer length B.

[0024] The radial chamfer length B of the retainer and the wall thickness A of the retainer satisfy the following relationship:

[0025] 0 < B / A ≤ 1.6.

[0026] The “retainer wall thickness” refers to the radial thickness of the column or the axial thickness of the annular component.

[0027] The "retainer radial chamfer length" refers to the length of the radially extending portion of the chamfer connecting the outer diameter surface and the width surface of the retainer.

[0028] According to this structure, the radial chamfer length B of the retainer and the retainer wall thickness A satisfy the relationship 0 < B / A ≤ 1.6. When a load equivalent to the induced thrust is applied to the roller with the retainer, the retainer will not contact the roller and can rotate smoothly. When the radial chamfer length B of the retainer increases relative to the retainer wall thickness A, i.e., B / A exceeds 1.6, the bending moment acting on the annular component increases, and the deformation of the annular component inward in the axial direction becomes larger, which may lead to friction or wear of the retainer. In this application, a chamfer refers to a structure that forms a bevel at the angle between surfaces, a definition that conforms to JIS B 3401. Chamfers can be formed not only by cutting but also by stamping and other processes.

[0029] The retainer has a so-called portal retainer shape, consisting of a pair of annular components and multiple pillars. Therefore, compared to retainers with pillars on the inner diameter side, it can improve the roller filling rate and ensure high load capacity. Because roller retaining claws are provided in the inner diameter portion of each annular component, the rollers will not separate towards the inner diameter side of the retainer during assembly, resulting in excellent performance for mechanical assembly. The roller retaining claws located in the inner diameter portion of each annular component eliminate the need for additional parts to prevent roller slippage, thus reducing costs.

[0030] In double-row retainer rollers, axially adjacent retainers can be brought into contact with each other. In this case, there is no need to add shims or other parts to reduce sliding resistance during operation, allowing the retainers to rotate smoothly.

[0031] In the structure where the retainer rollers roll into contact with the inner diameter hole of the outer component and the shaft,

[0032] The radial clearance between the outer diameter of the shaft and the inner diameter of the roller retaining claw is set as C1.

[0033] Let C2 be the outer diameter of the roller retaining claw and the radial clearance between the outer diameter of the roller retaining claw and the position extending radially outward from the outer diameter of the roller retaining claw to the position where it intersects with the roller.

[0034] The inner diameter of the column and the radial clearance between the inner diameter of the column and the position where it intersects with the roller are defined as C3.

[0035] The radial clearance between the inner diameter of the outer square component and the outer diameter of the column is set as C4.

[0036] At this point, the following relationship can be satisfied: C1 > C3 and C2 > C4.

[0037] To prevent the retainer's retaining claw from contacting the roller or shaft during operation of rollers with retainers, it is advisable to ensure a retainer clearance. Based on this structure, by satisfying the relationships C1 > C3 and C2 > C4, smooth operation without contact between the retaining claw and the roller or shaft can be achieved.

[0038] The surface roughness of the annular component side, which serves as the width surface of the retainer, can be Rmax = 12.5s or less. Smooth operation can be achieved under these conditions.

[0039] The roller retaining claw can be a bent-plate roller retaining claw located between adjacent rollers in the inner diameter portion of the annular component. In this case, by bending the roller retaining claw after the rollers are assembled, the rollers can be kept from separating from the retainer, resulting in excellent performance when assembled into a mechanical device.

[0040] Double-row retainer rollers can be inserted onto an eccentric shaft. This allows the double-row retainer rollers to be used under high-load conditions that generate eccentric motion.

[0041] Any combination of at least two structures disclosed in the claims and / or description and / or drawings is part of this invention. In particular, any combination of two or more claims is part of this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The present invention will be more clearly understood through the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments and drawings are for illustration and description only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims. In the drawings, the same reference numerals in the plurality of drawings denote the same or equivalent parts.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a retainer roller according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a longitudinal section view of the rollers with retainers used in a double row.

[0045] Figure 3A This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the retainer with retainer rollers.

[0046] Figure 3B A diagram illustrating a variation of the retainer.

[0047] Figure 4 for Figure 3A A magnified view of a portion of the central IV region.

[0048] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the roller with retainer.

[0049] Figure 6 This is a longitudinal sectional view of an existing example of a roller with a retainer.

[0050] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the roller with retainer.

[0051] Figure 8 A diagram illustrating another existing example of a roller and a pad. Detailed Implementation

[0052] [First Implementation]

[0053] Reference Figures 1 to 5 This invention describes a retainer roller according to an embodiment of the present invention. This retainer roller is used in double rows, for example, in applications such as industrial machinery and vehicles. However, the retainer roller can also be used in a single row.

[0054] <Integral structure with retainer roller>

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, the retainer roller 1 includes a retainer 2 and a plurality of rollers 3. The retainer 2, which holds the plurality of rollers 3, has a pair of annular members 4 and a plurality of column portions 5. The pair of annular members 4 face the axial ends of each roller 3; in other words, they are a pair of annular members that are axially separated and opposite to each other.

[0056] Multiple column portions 5 span between the outer diameter portions of a pair of annular members 4 and are evenly spaced circumferentially, forming pockets for inserting rollers 3 between circumferentially adjacent column portions 5. Roller retaining claws 6 are provided in the inner diameter portion of each annular member 4 to prevent the rollers 3 from falling off into the inner diameter side of the retainer. The rollers 3 are made of, for example, bearing steel, and are needle rollers. However, the rollers 3 can also be cylindrical rollers.

[0057] In this specification, "axial" refers to the direction along or parallel to the axis AX of the retainer roller 1. "Radial" refers to the direction orthogonal to the straight line constituting the "axial" direction.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, retainer rollers are inserted in a double row on shaft 7, with retainer rollers 1a and 1b arranged axially adjacent to each other. Shaft 7 can be an eccentric shaft. In the double-row use of retainer rollers 1a and 1b, the axially adjacent retainers are in contact with each other. During operation, the retainer roller 1a on the axial side bears the induced thrust Fa of the retainer roller 1b on the axial side at the radial chamfer position 4a1 of the retainer 2. The radial chamfer position 4a1 is the position where the width dimension (axial dimension) of the retainer 2 is the largest.

[0059] <Retainer>

[0060] The column portion 5 is configured with a diameter larger than the pitch circle diameter of the roller arrangement and extends axially. For example... Figure 3A As shown, the roller retaining claw 6 is a curved, blade-shaped roller retaining claw disposed in the inner diameter portion of the annular component 4 between adjacent rollers. Figure 4As shown, the roller retainer 6 tilts axially inward as it moves toward the inner diameter side. The bending angle θ of the roller retainer 6 relative to the annular component 4 is, for example, 30° to 90°.

[0061] <Manufacturing Method>

[0062] like Figure 3A As shown, the retainer is formed into a gate type, for example, by cutting, stamping, or welding the tubing. The retainer unit is then subjected to a known heat treatment to achieve a specified hardness. After the rollers are inserted into the heat-treated retainer, the inner diameter portion of the annular member 4 is bent axially inward. The bending is performed by stamping or spinning. Thus, roller retaining claws 6 are provided in the inner diameter portion of the annular member 4.

[0063] <Retainer wall thickness and radial chamfer on the outer diameter side of the retainer>

[0064] To ensure the load capacity of the retainer rollers, the roller fill factor relative to the full circumference of the retainer needs to be increased. To increase the roller fill factor, the inner diameter side column is naturally eliminated, forming a portal retainer shape. The roller fill factor P is expressed by the following formula:

[0065] P = (d × n) / (D × π)

[0066] Where d: roller diameter, n: number of rollers, and D: pitch circle diameter of the roller arrangement.

[0067] In the case of a portal retainer shape, such as Figure 3B As shown, when subjected to the induced thrust Fa, the annular component 4 of the retainer deforms inward, causing the roller 3 ( Figure 2 ) and roller retaining claw 6 ( Figure 2 Contact can easily occur, thus hindering smooth rotation.

[0068] like Figure 3A As shown, the retainer 2 bears the induced thrust Fa at the radial chamfer position 4a1. If the retainer wall thickness is set as A and the retainer radial chamfer length is set as B, then the larger the retainer radial chamfer length B is relative to the retainer wall thickness A, the larger the bending moment acting on the annular component 4 of the retainer 2, and the greater the inward deformation of the annular component 4.

[0069] <Test Confirmation>

[0070] As an example, multiple specimens with varying retainer wall thickness A and retainer radial chamfer length B were used to test and confirm whether the retainer roller rotated smoothly when a load equivalent to the induced thrust Fa was applied. Additionally, as a comparative example, a retainer roller without roller retaining claws but with a retainer of approximately the same shape as the example was also verified. In Table 1, the example is labeled "with claws," and the comparative example is labeled "without claws." The retainer wall thickness A was measured at the axial center position of the column portion 5.

[0071] [Table 1]

[0072]

[0073] ○: Smooth rotation △: Friction present ×: Wear

[0074] In the embodiment, the retainer roller is confirmed to rotate smoothly when the radial chamfer length B of the retainer is 1.6 or less relative to the retainer wall thickness A. That is, when 0 < B / A ≤ 1.6, the retainer will not contact the roller, and it can rotate smoothly.

[0075] Even when used in a single row, the rollers with retainers will bear the induced thrust caused by the misalignment of their own rollers through the load application point of the retainer, thus yielding the same results as in the aforementioned test. In contrast, in the comparative example without roller retainers, regardless of B / A, the retainer does not contact the rollers for smooth rotation, but the rollers separate towards the inner diameter of the retainer, resulting in poor performance when assembled into mechanical devices.

[0076] <Retainer gap>

[0077] like Figure 5 As shown, to prevent the retainer's roller retaining claw 6 from contacting the roller 3 or shaft 7 during operation, it is advisable to ensure a retainer clearance. Specifically, for a structure where the retainer rollers roll-fit between the inner diameter bore 8a of the outer component 8 and the shaft 7, the following relationship must be satisfied:

[0078] C1 > C3 and C2 > C4

[0079] in,

[0080] C1: Radial clearance between the outer diameter of shaft 7 and the inner diameter 6b of roller retainer 6.

[0081] C2: The radial clearance between the outer diameter 6a of the roller retainer 6 and the position extending radially outward from the outer diameter of the roller retainer 6 to the point where it intersects with the roller 3.

[0082] C3: The radial clearance between the inner diameter 5b of the column 5 and the position extending radially inward from the inner diameter of the column 5 to the point where it intersects with the roller 3.

[0083] C4: Radial clearance between the inner diameter 8a of the outer square component 8 and the outer diameter 5a of the column 5.

[0084] By satisfying the relationship C1 > C3 and C2 > C4, smooth operation can be achieved so that the roller retaining claw 6 does not contact the roller 3 or the shaft 7.

[0085] like Figure 4 As shown, the surface roughness of the annular component side surface 4a, which serves as the width surface of the retainer, can be Rmax = 12.5s or less. Smooth operation can also be achieved when the maximum surface roughness height Rmax of the annular component side surface 4a is 12.5s or less.

[0086] <Effects>

[0087] Based on the above explanation Figure 1 Roller 1 with retainer, such as Figure 3A As shown, the radial chamfer length B of the retainer and the retainer wall thickness A satisfy the relationship 0 < B / A ≤ 1.6. When a load equivalent to the induced thrust is applied to the roller with the retainer, the retainer 2 will not contact the roller and can rotate smoothly. When the radial chamfer length B of the retainer increases relative to the retainer wall thickness A, that is, when B / A exceeds 1.6, the bending moment acting on the annular component 4 increases, and the deformation of the annular component 4 inward in the axial direction becomes larger, which may cause friction or wear to occur in the retainer 2.

[0088] The retainer 2 has a so-called gate-type retainer shape, comprising a pair of annular members 4 and multiple column portions 5. Therefore, compared with retainers having inner diameter side columns, it can improve the roller filling rate and ensure high load capacity. Since roller retaining claws 6 are provided in the inner diameter portion of each annular member 4, the rollers will not separate towards the inner diameter side of the retainer during assembly, resulting in excellent performance for mechanical assembly. The roller retaining claws 6 being provided in the inner diameter portion of each annular member 4 avoids the need for additional parts to prevent rollers from falling out, thus reducing costs.

[0089] like Figure 2 As shown, the roller retainer 6 is a bent-plate-shaped roller retainer located between adjacent rollers in the inner diameter portion of the annular component 4. Therefore, by bending the roller retainer after the rollers are assembled, the rollers 3 and the retainer 2 can be kept together without separation, resulting in excellent performance when assembled into a mechanical device.

[0090] When the double-row retainer rollers 1a and 1b are inserted into the eccentric shaft, the double-row retainer rollers 1a and 1b can be used to generate eccentric motion under high load conditions.

[0091] As mentioned above, while referring to the appendix Figure 1While the preferred embodiments have been described, various additions, modifications, and deletions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, these embodiments are also included within the scope of the invention.

[0092] Symbol Explanation

[0093] 1, 1a, 1b… Rollers with retainers

[0094] 2… Holder

[0095] 3… Roller

[0096] 4… Ring-shaped component

[0097] 5… Column

[0098] 6… Roller retaining claw

[0099] 7… axis

[0100] 8… External components.

Claims

1. A retainer roller comprising a plurality of rollers and a retainer for retaining the rollers. The retainer includes: A pair of annular components facing both ends of the axial direction of each roller; as well as A plurality of column portions are connected between the outer diameter portions of the pair of annular components and are equally spaced along the circumference; Each of the annular components has a roller retaining claw on its inner diameter portion to prevent the roller from falling off towards the inner diameter side of the retainer. Let the radial thickness of the column be the retainer wall thickness A, and let the length of the radially extending portion of the chamfer connecting the outer diameter surface and the width surface of the retainer be the retainer radial chamfer length B. The radial chamfer length B of the retainer and the wall thickness A of the retainer satisfy the following relationship: 0 < B / A ≤ 1.

6.

2. The roller with retainer according to claim 1, wherein, In a double-row retainer roller, the axially adjacent retainers are brought into contact with each other.

3. The roller with retainer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, In the structure where the retainer rollers roll into contact with the inner diameter hole of the outer component and the shaft, The radial clearance between the outer diameter of the shaft and the inner diameter of the roller retaining claw is set as C1. Let C2 be the outer diameter of the roller retaining claw and the radial clearance between the outer diameter of the roller retaining claw and the position extending radially outward from the outer diameter of the roller retaining claw to the position where it intersects with the roller. The inner diameter of the column and the radial clearance between the inner diameter of the column and the position where it intersects with the roller are defined as C3. The radial clearance between the inner diameter of the outer square component and the outer diameter of the column is set as C4. At this point, the following relationship is satisfied: C1 > C3 and C2 > C4.

4. The roller with retainer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The surface roughness of the side of the annular component, which serves as the width surface of the retainer, is Rmax = 12.5s or less.

5. The roller with retainer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The roller retaining claw is a curved, blade-shaped roller retaining claw located between adjacent rollers in the inner diameter portion of the annular component.

6. The roller with retainer according to claim 2, wherein, The retainer rollers used in a double row are inserted into the eccentric shaft.

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