Cage for multirow roller bearing

Abstract

The application discloses a cage for a multi-row roller bearing, which comprises a cage body, matching holes are arranged on the cage body at intervals, support walls are arranged on the cage body on both sides of the matching holes, assembly steps are formed between the support walls and the side walls of the matching holes, a cage cover is matched on the cage body, the cage cover is arranged on the assembly steps, a plurality of assembly holes are arranged on the cage cover at intervals, the assembly holes and the matching holes are combined to form assembly spaces for containing rolling bodies, the cage cover is arranged in an arc shape, the arc of the cage cover is adapted to the arc of the cage body, and the cage cover is combined to form a ring shape. The cage has the advantages of simple structure, convenient assembly, effective binding of rollers in a rotating state, improved use stability of the structure and good use effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cage for multi-row roller bearings. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of high-end manufacturing and precision equipment industries, the requirements for the precision, rigidity, load-bearing capacity, and reliability of turntable support components in core equipment such as high-precision machine tools and chip production lines are continuously increasing. Turntable bearings, as key components for achieving precise rotation and indexing positioning, directly affect the operational stability of equipment. Cages for multi-row roller bearings, especially three-row roller bearings, have become the mainstream choice for high-precision turntables due to their high load-bearing capacity, high rigidity, and high reliability. These bearings typically consist of an outer ring, inner housing ring, inner cover ring, radial rollers, and axial rollers. Their axial raceways do not have flanges on the outside, and the radial restraint and circumferential uniform distribution of the rollers rely entirely on the cage. Currently, the industry generally uses integral cages, relying on the inner diameter surface and the inner ring to constrain the rollers and prevent them from detaching from the raceway due to centrifugal force during high-speed rotation. However, as bearing sizes continue to increase, the drawbacks of integral cages are becoming increasingly prominent: First, the integral ring structure is difficult to mold and form, resulting in complex processing techniques and low yield rates; second, material consumption and mold costs are high, leading to poor economic efficiency in large-scale production; third, the integral component is heavy, requires high assembly and positioning standards, has low installation efficiency, and necessitates complete replacement after damage, resulting in high maintenance costs. Existing integral cages cannot meet the demands for low-cost manufacturing, efficient production, and convenient assembly of cages for large-size multi-row roller bearings, becoming a bottleneck restricting the performance improvement and widespread application of high-end rotary table bearings. Therefore, the industry urgently needs a new cage structure that is simple to process, easy to assemble, low in cost, and provides reliable constraints to address the shortcomings of existing technologies and adapt to the development needs of high-end equipment for large-size, high-precision bearings. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a cage for multi-row roller bearings. It has a simple structure, effectively restrains the rollers during rotation, and is easy to assemble, effectively improving the stability of the structure and providing excellent performance.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a cage for a multi-row roller bearing, comprising a cage body, wherein the cage body is provided with mating holes at intervals, and the cage body is provided with support walls on both sides of the mating holes, wherein an assembly step is formed between the support walls and the side walls of the mating holes, and a cage cover is also fitted onto the cage body, the cage cover being mounted on the assembly step, the cage cover being provided with a plurality of assembly holes at intervals, the assembly holes and the mating holes combining to form an assembly space for accommodating rolling elements, the cage cover being arc-shaped, the arc of the cage cover being adapted to the arc of the cage body, and the cage cover being assembled to form a ring.

[0005] The advantages of this design are as follows: This design, employing a separate assembly structure of the cage body and the arc-shaped cage cover, replaces the traditional integral cage, significantly reducing the manufacturing difficulty of large-size multi-row roller bearing cages. The cage body features mating holes and support walls; the support walls and the side walls of the mating holes form assembly steps, enabling rapid positioning and overlapping of the cage cover. The assembly process requires no complex tooling, greatly improving assembly efficiency. The cage cover has an arc-shaped structure that matches the curvature of the cage body. Multiple sections of the cage cover can be spliced ​​together to form a complete ring, ensuring the overall circumferential continuity of the cage while allowing for smaller and lighter individual components, facilitating transportation, storage, and on-site installation. The combination of mating holes and assembly holes forms a closed assembly space, stably accommodating the rolling elements. During high-speed bearing rotation, this effectively constrains the radial and circumferential positions of the rolling elements, preventing them from shifting, jamming, or detaching from the raceway under centrifugal force, thus improving the bearing's operational stability and safety. This structure simplifies mold design, reduces mold opening costs and molding difficulty, improves production qualification rate, and allows for individual replacement of the frame or cover when damaged, reducing maintenance costs. It balances structural strength, reliability, and economy, perfectly solving the problems of difficult processing, high cost, and inconvenient assembly of large-size bearing cages, and significantly improving the overall performance and market applicability of turntable bearings for high-end equipment.

[0006] As a further feature of the present invention, the support wall is provided with guide grooves spaced apart, and the cover is provided with a guide shaft at the position corresponding to the guide groove, the guide shaft being inserted into the guide groove.

[0007] The beneficial effects of this design are as follows: With guide grooves in the support wall and corresponding guide shafts in the cage cover, precise positioning of the cage body and cover is achieved through the mating of the guide shafts and guide grooves. This effectively prevents circumferential offset, radial misalignment, or angular deviation during assembly, ensuring perfect alignment of the assembly holes and mating holes. It guarantees a regular shape and precise dimensions in the rolling element assembly space, preventing abnormal friction, interference, or wear between the rolling elements and the hole walls. The guide structure acts as an assembly guide, reducing the difficulty of manual alignment, shortening assembly time, and improving mass production efficiency. The cooperation between the guide shaft and guide groove restricts the radial movement and circumferential slippage of the cage cover relative to the cage body. When the bearing rotates at high speed and is subjected to impact loads, it maintains the relative position stability of the cage body and cover, preventing deformation of the pockets and impaired rolling element operation due to relative displacement, thus improving the overall integrity and durability of the cage structure. This guide structure is simple and easy to manufacture, without significantly increasing manufacturing costs, yet it can greatly improve the assembly accuracy and operational reliability of the cage, reduce the risk of early bearing failure, and extend bearing life. It is particularly suitable for multi-row roller bearings with high-speed and high-precision requirements.

[0008] As a further feature of the present invention, a snap-fit ​​groove and a snap-fit ​​block are provided between the support wall and the cover, and the snap-fit ​​groove and the snap-fit ​​block snap-fit ​​together to form a fixed connection between the frame and the cover.

[0009] The advantages of this design are as follows: This design achieves a secure connection between the cage and the cage cover through the snap-fit ​​mechanism of the snap-fit ​​groove and snap-fit ​​block, replacing traditional bolt connections, adhesive bonding, or interference fits. This simplifies the connection structure, eliminates the need for additional fasteners, reduces the number of parts and processing costs, and makes the cage lighter overall, thus reducing bearing rotational inertia and frictional power consumption. The snap-fit ​​structure is easy to assemble; simply press to lock it in place without complex tools, improving assembly efficiency and production cycle time. The snap-fit ​​connection is reliable, effectively resisting centrifugal force, vibration, and impact loads during bearing operation, preventing the cage cover from loosening, lifting, or separating from the cage body, ensuring that the rolling elements are always stably constrained within the assembly space, guaranteeing continuous and reliable bearing operation. This snap-fit ​​structure facilitates disassembly; damaged parts can be quickly removed and replaced during maintenance without damaging the overall structure, reducing maintenance difficulty and cost. Simultaneously, the snap-fit ​​mechanism further restricts the circumferential and axial movement of the cage cover, forming a dual positioning system with the guide structure, significantly improving the overall rigidity and structural stability of the cage, resulting in more uniform rolling element distribution, smoother rotation, and reduced noise and heat generation.

[0010] As a further feature of the present invention, the contact surface between the snap-fit ​​groove and the snap-fit ​​block is set at an angle, and the snap-fit ​​block is set as a wedge-shaped block.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this design are as follows: By setting the contact surface between the locking slot and the locking block as an inclined plane, and using a wedge-shaped block structure for the locking block, the inclined plane provides automatic guidance and locking functions. During assembly, the locking block is smoothly guided into the locking slot by pressing the cover downwards, preventing jamming, jamming, or damage to parts, reducing assembly effort, and improving assembly smoothness. The inclined plane ensures a tighter fit between the locking block and the locking slot, creating a self-locking effect that prevents loosening under vibration and centrifugal force, improving connection reliability and anti-loosening performance. The wedge-shaped block structure increases the contact area, dispersing stress concentration and preventing excessive local stress that could lead to cracking or deformation, thus improving the strength and durability of the cage structure. The inclined plane guidance also compensates for machining and assembly errors, reducing stringent requirements on part dimensional accuracy, increasing production yield, and lowering manufacturing costs. This structure ensures a high-strength connection while also offering advantages such as easy assembly, difficulty in loosening, impact resistance, and long service life. It enables the cage to maintain a stable connection between the cage body and the cage cover even under high-speed, heavy-load, and strong vibration conditions, ensuring reliable rolling element constraint, improving the overall stability and safety of the bearing, and meeting the high reliability and long service life requirements of high-end equipment.

[0012] As a further feature of the present invention, the snap-fit ​​block is disposed on the frame cover, and the snap-fit ​​groove is disposed on the frame support wall.

[0013] The advantages of this design are: it facilitates one-piece molding using processes such as injection molding and die casting, improving production efficiency and structural integrity. This layout places the snap-fit ​​position within the stable stress zone of the support wall, enabling better load transfer, resistance to rotational centrifugal and radial forces, and preventing premature failure of the connection. The snap-fit ​​groove is recessed into the support wall, not protruding from the inner or outer diameter surfaces of the cage, thus not affecting the fit clearance between the cage and the inner and outer rings of the bearing, preventing scratching of the raceways or seals, and ensuring smooth bearing operation.

[0014] As a further feature of the present invention, the contact surfaces of the mating hole and the assembly hole with the rolling element are inclined, and an included angle α is formed between the two contact surfaces of the mating hole and the rolling element, and between the two contact surfaces of the assembly hole and the rolling element. α = sin -1 [2(h-kb) / Dw] In the formula, h is the height from the sidewall of the mating hole or the sidewall of the assembly hole to the center of the rolling element, b is the distance between adjacent mating holes or adjacent assembly holes, Dw is the diameter of the rolling element, and k = 1 / 2 to 2 / 3.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this design are as follows: The inclined plane precisely constrains the radial displacement of the rolling elements, ensuring they rotate centrally within the pocket, reducing radial runout, friction, wear, and heat generation, and improving bearing rotational accuracy and operational stability. The included angle α is optimized based on the sidewall height, spacing, and rolling element diameter, accommodating rollers of different specifications, ensuring uniform contact and reasonable stress distribution, and preventing stress concentration that could lead to cage cracking or rolling element pitting. The inclined plane structure increases the contact area with the rolling elements, dispersing contact stress, improving impact resistance and load-bearing capacity, and extending service life. This inclined plane design makes the pocket structure more compact, allowing more rolling elements to be arranged within the same circumference, thus improving the overall load-bearing capacity of the bearing. Simultaneously, it optimizes rolling element lubrication conditions, facilitating lubricant film formation, reducing dry friction, and lowering noise and energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a front view structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with the rolling element. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention is used in the implementation of cages for multi-row roller bearings, for example. Figures 1 to 4As shown: The cage includes a frame 1 with spaced-apart mating holes. Support walls 11 are provided on both sides of the mating holes, forming an assembly step 12 between the support walls 11 and the sidewalls of the mating holes. A cover 2 is also fitted onto the frame 1, resting on the assembly step 12. The cover 2 has several spaced-apart assembly holes 21, which, together with the mating holes, form an assembly space for accommodating rolling elements. The cover 2 is arc-shaped, its curvature matching that of the frame 1, and the cover 2 together form a ring. The advantages of this design are: by using a separate assembly structure of the frame 1 and the arc-shaped cover 2, replacing the traditional integral cage, the manufacturing difficulty of large-size multi-row roller bearing cages is significantly reduced. The mating holes and support walls 11 on the frame 1, with the support walls 11 and the sidewalls of the mating holes forming the assembly step 12, allow for quick positioning and overlapping of the cover 2. The assembly process requires no complex tooling, greatly improving assembly efficiency. The cage cover 2 has an arc-shaped structure that matches the curvature of the cage body 1. Multiple sections of the cage cover 2 are spliced ​​together to form a complete ring, ensuring the overall circumferential continuity of the cage while allowing for smaller size and lighter weight of individual components, facilitating transportation, storage, and on-site installation. The mating holes and assembly holes 21 combine to form a closed assembly space, stably accommodating the rolling elements. This effectively constrains the radial and circumferential positions of the rolling elements during high-speed bearing rotation, preventing them from shifting, jamming, or detaching from the raceway under centrifugal force, thus improving the bearing's operational stability and safety. This structure simplifies mold design, reduces mold opening costs and molding difficulty, and improves production yield. In case of damage, the cage body 1 or cage cover 2 can be replaced individually, reducing maintenance costs. Balancing structural strength, reliability, and economy, this design perfectly solves the problems of difficult processing, high cost, and inconvenient assembly of large-size bearing cages, significantly improving the overall performance and market applicability of turntable bearings for high-end equipment.

[0018] As a further feature of the present invention, guide grooves 13 are spaced apart on the support wall 11, and guide shafts 22 are provided on the cover 2 corresponding to the guide grooves 13, with the guide shafts 22 inserted into the guide grooves 13. The beneficial effects of this arrangement are: with guide grooves 13 on the support wall 11 and corresponding guide shafts 22 on the cover 2, precise positioning of the frame 1 and cover 2 is achieved through the insertion and mating of the guide shafts 22 and guide grooves 13. This effectively avoids circumferential offset, radial misalignment, or angular deviation during assembly, ensuring perfect alignment of the assembly hole 21 and the mating hole, guaranteeing a regular shape and accurate dimensions in the rolling element assembly space, and preventing abnormal friction, interference, or wear between the rolling element and the hole wall. The guiding structure can guide the assembly, reducing the difficulty of manual alignment, shortening assembly time, and improving batch production efficiency. The cooperation between the guide shaft 22 and the guide groove 13 restricts the radial movement and circumferential slippage of the cage cover 2 relative to the cage body 1. When the bearing rotates at high speed and is subjected to impact loads, it maintains the relative position stability of the cage body 1 and the cage cover 2, preventing deformation of the pocket and obstruction of the rolling elements due to relative displacement, thus improving the overall integrity and durability of the cage structure. This guide structure is simple and easy to manufacture, without significantly increasing manufacturing costs, yet it can greatly improve the assembly accuracy and operational reliability of the cage, reduce the risk of early bearing failure, and extend the bearing's service life. It is especially suitable for multi-row roller bearings with high-speed and high-precision requirements.

[0019] As a further feature of the present invention, a snap-fit ​​groove 14 and a snap-fit ​​block 23 are provided between the support wall 11 and the cover 2. The snap-fit ​​groove 14 and the snap-fit ​​block 23 snap together to form a fixed connection between the frame 1 and the cover 2. The advantages of this configuration are: this configuration achieves a firm connection between the frame 1 and the cover 2 through the snap-fit ​​engagement of the snap-fit ​​groove 14 and the snap-fit ​​block 23, replacing traditional bolt connections, adhesives, or interference fits. This simplifies the connection structure, eliminates the need for additional fasteners, reduces the number of parts and processing costs, and makes the overall cage lighter, which helps reduce bearing rotational inertia and frictional power consumption. The snap-fit ​​structure is easy to assemble; simply pressing it locks it in place without the need for complex tools, improving assembly efficiency and production cycle time. The snap-fit ​​connection has reliable strength and can effectively resist centrifugal force, vibration, and impact loads during bearing operation, preventing the cover 2 from loosening, lifting, or separating from the frame 1, ensuring that the rolling elements are always stably constrained within the assembly space, and guaranteeing continuous and reliable bearing operation. This snap-fit ​​structure facilitates disassembly, allowing for quick replacement of damaged parts during maintenance without disrupting the overall structure, thus reducing repair difficulty and costs. Simultaneously, the snap-fit ​​further restricts circumferential and axial movement of the cage cover, forming a dual positioning system with the guide structure. This significantly improves the overall rigidity and structural stability of the cage, resulting in more even distribution of rolling elements, smoother rotation, and reduced noise and heat generation.

[0020] As a further feature of the invention, the contact surface between the locking groove 14 and the locking block 23 is inclined, and the locking block 23 is configured as a wedge-shaped block. The advantages of this configuration are: by setting the contact surface between the locking groove 14 and the locking block 23 as an inclined plane, and by adopting a wedge-shaped block structure, the inclined plane provides automatic guiding and locking functions. During assembly, the cover 2 is pressed downwards, and the inclined plane guides the locking block 23 smoothly into the locking groove 14, preventing jamming, jamming, or damage to parts, reducing assembly effort, and improving assembly smoothness. The inclined plane ensures a tighter fit between the locking block 23 and the locking groove 14, creating a self-locking effect, making it less prone to loosening under vibration and centrifugal force, thus improving connection reliability and anti-loosening performance. The wedge-shaped block structure increases the contact area, disperses stress concentration, and prevents excessive local stress from causing cracking and deformation, improving the strength and durability of the cage structure. The inclined plane guidance also compensates for processing and assembly errors, reduces stringent requirements on part dimensional accuracy, improves production qualification rate, and reduces manufacturing costs. This structure ensures a high-strength connection while also offering advantages such as easy assembly, difficulty in loosening, impact resistance, and long service life. It enables the cage to maintain a stable connection between the cage body 1 and the cage cover 2 even under high-speed, heavy-load, and strong vibration conditions, ensuring reliable rolling element constraint, improving the overall stability and safety of the bearing, and meeting the high reliability and long service life requirements of high-end equipment.

[0021] As a further feature of the present invention, the snap-fit ​​block 23 is disposed on the cover 2, and the snap-fit ​​groove 14 is disposed on the support wall 11 of the frame 1. The advantages of this arrangement are: it facilitates integral molding using processes such as injection molding and die casting, improving production efficiency and structural integrity. This layout places the snap-fit ​​position in the stress-stable area of ​​the support wall 11, enabling better load transfer, resistance to rotational centrifugal force and radial force, and preventing premature failure of the connection. The snap-fit ​​groove 14 is recessed into the support wall 11, not protruding from the inner and outer diameter surfaces of the cage, and does not affect the fit clearance between the cage and the inner and outer rings of the bearing, preventing scraping of the raceway or seal ring and ensuring smooth bearing operation.

[0022] As a further feature of the present invention, the contact surfaces of the mating hole and the assembly hole 21 with the rolling element are inclined, and an included angle α is formed between the two contact surfaces of the mating hole and the rolling element, and between the two contact surfaces of the assembly hole 21 and the rolling element. α = sin -1 [2(h-kb) / Dw] In the formula, h is the height from the sidewall of the mating hole or the sidewall of the mounting hole 21 to the center of the rolling element, b is the distance between adjacent mating holes or adjacent mounting holes 21, Dw is the diameter of the rolling element, and k = 1 / 2 to 2 / 3. The beneficial effects of this design are: the inclined plane can precisely constrain the radial displacement of the rolling element, ensuring the rolling element operates centrally within the pocket, reducing radial runout, lowering friction and wear, and improving bearing rotation accuracy and operational stability. The included angle α is optimized based on the sidewall height, spacing, and rolling element diameter, adapting to different roller specifications, ensuring uniform contact and reasonable stress distribution, and avoiding stress concentration that could lead to cage cracking or rolling element pitting. The inclined plane structure increases the contact area with the rolling element, dispersing contact stress, improving impact resistance and load-bearing capacity, and extending service life. This inclined plane design makes the pocket structure more compact, allowing more rolling elements to be arranged within the same circumference, improving the overall load-bearing capacity of the bearing. Simultaneously, it optimizes the lubrication conditions of the rolling element, facilitating the formation of a lubricating oil film, reducing dry friction, and lowering noise and energy consumption.

[0023] The above examples are merely one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Ordinary variations and substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention are all included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cage for a multi-row roller bearing, comprising a cage body having mating holes spaced apart thereon, characterized in that: The frame has support walls on both sides of the mating hole, and an assembly step is formed between the support walls and the side wall of the mating hole. The frame is also fitted with a cover, which is placed on the assembly step. The cover has several assembly holes spaced apart. The assembly holes and the mating holes combine to form an assembly space for accommodating the rolling element. The cover is arc-shaped, and the arc of the cover is adapted to the arc of the frame. The cover and the frame are combined to form a ring.

2. The cage for a multi-row roller bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support wall is also provided with guide grooves spaced apart, and the cover is provided with guide shafts at the corresponding positions of the guide grooves, and the guide shafts are inserted into the guide grooves.

3. The cage for a multi-row roller bearing according to claim 2, characterized in that: A snap-fit ​​groove and a snap-fit ​​block are provided between the support wall and the cover, and the snap-fit ​​groove and the snap-fit ​​block snap together to form a fixed connection between the frame and the cover.

4. The cage for a multi-row roller bearing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The contact surface between the snap-fit ​​groove and the snap-fit ​​block is set at an angle, and the snap-fit ​​block is set as a wedge-shaped block.

5. The cage for a multi-row roller bearing according to claim 4, characterized in that: The snap-fit ​​block is installed on the frame cover, and the snap-fit ​​groove is installed on the frame support wall.

6. The cage for a multi-row roller bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact surfaces of the mating hole and the assembly hole with the rolling element are inclined, and the two contact surfaces of the mating hole and the rolling element, as well as the two contact surfaces of the assembly hole and the rolling element, respectively form included angles α, where α = sin -1 [2(h-kb) / Dw] In the formula, h is the height from the sidewall of the mating hole or the sidewall of the assembly hole to the center of the rolling element, b is the distance between adjacent mating holes or adjacent assembly holes, Dw is the diameter of the rolling element, and k = 1 / 2 to 2 / 3.

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