Multi-row roller bearing device and gearbox equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to a multi-row roller bearing device and gearbox equipment. The utility model relates to a multi-row roller bearing arrangement (1) having at least two rows of rollers (20), an inner ring (30) and a cage (10), the inner ring (30) having an intermediate flange (32) for axially spacing the rollers (20), the cage (10) being a one-piece cage, the cage (10) having at least three side beams (11) in the axial direction, the side beams (11) being arranged in the axial direction of the cage (10), the axial width of the middle edge beam, located on the radial outer side of the middle flange (32), in the at least three edge beams (11) is smaller than the sum of the axial widths of the edge beams on the two sides, and therefore the axial width of the middle flange (32) can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a bearing device for planetary gears in wind turbine gearboxes, and belongs to the field of bearing technology. This technical field mainly focuses on structural improvements to bearings, including innovative designs of components such as cages, bearing ring retainers, and retaining rings, to enhance the performance of bearings under radial and axial forces. Background Technology

[0002] In existing gearbox structures, the planetary gears are generally helical gears. When the helical teeth of the planetary gears and the sun gear mesh, there are radial and axial force components on the teeth. The deflection deformation of the helical teeth also generates axial force. The radial force is borne by the bearing because the inner bore of the gear and the roller surface of the bearing are in direct contact. The axial force of the helical teeth and the axial force generated by the deflection deformation of the teeth are transmitted to the bearing through the intermediate edge extending from the gear into the bearing. Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a four-row cylindrical roller bearing without an outer ring. Within the planetary gear bore of a gearbox, flanges are arranged to transmit the forces and torques acting on the planetary gears to the bearing. The rolling bearing bears the radial force Fr and axial force Fa from the planetary gears and transmits these forces to the pins and planetary carrier structure, respectively. Figure 1 As shown, in existing four-row cylindrical roller bearings without outer rings, each row of rollers has a separate corresponding cage, which can be either inner ring guided or roller guided. Furthermore, the bearing's inner ring typically has a three-sided flange structure: edge flange, middle flange, and spacer flange, meaning both sides of the rollers have flange structures. Within the limited axial space of the gearbox, the length of the rolling elements used in multi-row cylindrical roller bearings directly determines the bearing's static load capacity; the longer the rolling elements, the higher the static load capacity of the bearing.

[0003] Current designs for four-row cylindrical roller bearings without outer rings utilize two symmetrically arranged double-row bearings, such as... Figure 1 The four-row bearings in this design all have four independent cages guided by the inner ring. As gearbox torque density increases, the requirements for bearing static load capacity become increasingly stringent. A drawback of existing solutions is that, to provide sufficient guiding or installation space for the four independent cage side beams, the width of the middle flange in the double-row bearing is excessively thick. To accommodate the space required for the cages, the axial width of the middle flange must be greater than the sum of the widths of the other two flanges. For the bearing pair in this application scenario, if the middle flange is only intended to withstand the axial force Fa transmitted by the planetary gears, then a flange width designed to be half the strength of the original middle flange would be sufficient. In existing solutions based on four individual cages, it is difficult to design a narrower middle flange, and extending the rolling element length is also challenging. The axial space of the bearing is not fully utilized, and there is no room for improvement in the bearing's static load capacity. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a novel multi-row roller bearing device, which can increase the length of the rolling elements within a limited axial space, thereby improving the static load capacity of the bearing.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model proposes a multi-row roller bearing assembly, comprising at least two rows of rollers, an inner ring, and a cage. The inner ring has a central flange for transmitting axial force, axially spaced rollers, and a supporting cage. The cage designed according to this utility model is an integral cage, capable of simultaneously supporting multiple rows of rollers. This cage has at least three side beams in the axial direction, with the axial width of the central side beam being less than the sum of the axial widths of the two side beams. By shortening the axial width of the central side beam, the axial width of the central flange of the inner ring can be correspondingly reduced, thereby increasing the length of the rollers within a fixed axial space. The advantages of the bearing structure designed according to this utility model are that the integral cage reduces assembly complexity, and by rationally designing the axial width of the cage side beams, the axial width of the central flange can be effectively reduced, thereby increasing the roller length within a limited space and improving the static load-bearing capacity of the bearing.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the integrated retainer designed according to the present invention, at least three side beams have equal axial widths. Equal axial widths simplify the manufacturing process of the retainer, reducing production difficulty and cost.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cage of the multi-row roller bearing assembly has two axially adjacent rows of pockets, the centerlines of which coincide or are at an angle. This design allows for flexible adjustment of the roller arrangement and stress distribution. The number of pockets in the two rows can be the same or different. The centerlines of the pockets can coincide or be at a specific angle. The number of pockets can be designed according to actual working conditions to optimize the stress on the rollers, enabling the bearing to effectively bear the load under different working conditions, disperse stress, reduce excessive local stress on the rollers, thereby extending the service life of the bearing and improving its adaptability to complex stress environments. Further preferably, the multi-row roller bearing assembly has a first stop and a second stop that restrict the axial movement of the rollers. The first stop can be constructed as a first edge flange of the inner ring, and the second stop can be constructed as a second edge flange of the inner ring, thereby restricting the axial movement of the two rows of rollers through three flanges (first edge flange, middle flange, and second edge flange). By limiting the axial movement of the rollers, the bearing maintains its correct position during operation, preventing collisions and wear caused by excessive axial displacement, thus improving the bearing's operating accuracy and reliability. Another option is to use retaining rings instead of flanges, specifically using a first retaining ring to replace the first edge flange and / or a second retaining ring to replace the second edge flange. Since edge flanges and spacer flanges generally do not bear axial force during operation, but only serve to correct roller posture and prevent roller centerline deflection during bearing operation, the strength requirements for these flanges are not high, and retaining rings can be used as replacements. A retaining ring can replace one or both flanges. That is, the first stop can be constructed as a first retaining ring or the first edge flange of the inner ring, and the second stop can be constructed as a second retaining ring or the second edge flange of the inner ring. Using a retaining ring structure to limit roller movement has significant advantages in installation and maintenance. Retaining rings are easy to disassemble and install, making it easier to perform bearing maintenance or component replacement. Further preferably, the axial width of the first stop is *a*, the axial width of the intermediate stop is *c*, and the axial width of the second stop is *b*, where 0.4c ≤ b ≤ c and 0.4c ≤ a ≤ c. This specific axial width relationship allows for the rational utilization of the axial space of the inner ring while ensuring the strength of each component. By optimizing the width of the stop and retainer, the axial length of the rollers can be increased as much as possible without sacrificing the overall strength of the bearing, thereby improving the static load-bearing capacity of the bearing and enabling it to withstand greater axial and radial loads to meet more demanding working conditions. Furthermore, since the stop or retainer corresponds to the side beams of the cage, the widths of the three side beams of the cage corresponding to the inner ring axially are S1, S2, and S3, respectively, where S2 ≤ c, S3 ≤ b, S2 ≥ S3, and S2 ≥ S1. This design of the side beam width relationship helps to further optimize the internal structure of the bearing.By reasonably limiting the width of the side beams, the fit between the cage and the inner ring is ensured. This guarantees that the cage can effectively guide and support the rollers while reducing unnecessary space occupation and avoiding stress concentration or operational interference caused by unreasonable dimensional relationships between components, thus improving the overall performance and reliability of the bearing. Alternatively, when the axial width space of the bearing is limited but the load-bearing requirements are high, the side beams on both axial ends of the cage can extend beyond the axial ends of the bearing. That is, the axial ends of the cage extend beyond the axial edge of the inner ring in the assembled state, meaning S1 > a. This maximizes the length of the rollers and improves the bearing's load-bearing capacity. Of course, if the axial space of the gearbox cannot be utilized or there are no stringent load-bearing requirements, the cage may not protrude beyond the axial edge of the inner ring, i.e., S1 ≤ a. In special cases where axial space is limited but high load-bearing capacity is required, allowing the cage side beams to extend beyond the left and right edges of the bearing can fully utilize the surrounding structural space.

[0008] The technical problem described in this utility model can also be solved by a gearbox device. This gearbox device has a multi-row roller bearing assembly including the above-mentioned features. Preferably, the gearbox device has a planetary gear assembly, with the multi-row roller bearing assembly disposed within the planetary gear assembly. The planetary gears serve as the outer rings of the multi-row roller bearing assembly, and the inner bores of the planetary gears serve as the raceways of the outer rings. A planetary gear center flange extending towards the multi-row roller bearing is provided axially at the center of the inner bore of the planetary gear to transmit the force and torque received by the planetary gear to the multi-row roller bearing assembly. Designing the planetary gear assembly and bearing assembly as an integrated mechanism saves structural space and reduces the number of parts. The planetary gear center flange accurately transmits the force and torque received by the planetary gear to the bearing, while the multi-row roller bearing assembly efficiently bears and transmits these loads, ensuring the stable operation of the planetary gear assembly. Through this structural design, the force transmission path in the planetary gear assembly is optimized, improving the load-bearing capacity and operating accuracy of the entire planetary gear system, enabling the gearbox to adapt to more complex working environments. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The preferred embodiments of this utility model are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a four-row cylindrical roller bearing assembly without outer rings, based on existing technology.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the retainer designed according to this utility model;

[0012] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the multi-row roller bearing device according to the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0013] Figure 4This is a cross-sectional view of the multi-row roller bearing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the multi-row roller bearing device according to the third embodiment of the present utility model;

[0015] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a planetary gear assembly with multiple rows of roller bearings.

[0016] In the figures, the same reference numerals indicate components with the same or similar functions. The terms "axial," "radial," etc., used in this utility model refer to directions relative to the bearing assembly. Radial outward / radial outer side refers to the direction radially away from the bearing assembly; radial inward / radial inner side refers to the direction radially toward the interior of the bearing assembly; axial inner side refers to the direction axially toward the interior of the assembly; and axial outer side refers to the direction axially toward the external environment. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Figure 1 illustrates the structure of a four-row cylindrical roller bearing without an outer ring according to the prior art, comprising a four-row cylindrical roller bearing assembly 100 without an outer ring. As shown in the figure, each row of rollers 120 has a separate corresponding cage 110. These cages 110 can be guided by either the inner ring 130 or the rollers 120. The inner ring 130 of the cylindrical roller bearing assembly 100 has three types of flange structures, including edge flanges 131, spacer flanges 133, and intermediate flanges 132. The width of the edge flange 131 is represented by A, the width of the spacer flange 133 by B, and the width of the intermediate flange 132 by C. This structure provides flanges on both sides of the rollers 120, effectively preventing axial movement of the rollers during operation. To provide sufficient guiding space for the four independent cage side beams, the intermediate flange 132 of the double-row bearing needs to be designed with a certain width, for example, C ≥ A + B. For the bearing assembly in this application scenario, if the intermediate flange 132 is only intended to withstand the axial force Fa transmitted by the planetary gear, then the width of the intermediate flange 132 only needs to be half that of the original intermediate flange, i.e., C / 2, to achieve sufficient strength. According to existing technologies, based on a four-cage design, it is difficult to make the intermediate flange 132 of the bearing assembly narrow, limiting the length of the rolling elements, resulting in underutilization of the bearing's axial space and no room for improvement in the bearing's static load-bearing capacity.

[0018] Figure 2 The cage 10 designed according to this utility model is shown. Two rows of rollers 20 use one integral cage 10, and four rows of bearing assemblies use two integral cages, as shown. Figure 4-6 The structure of cage 10 is as follows: Figure 3As shown, there are three side beams 11. The cage 10 has two axially spaced pockets 12. The number of rollers corresponding to two adjacent rows of pockets 12 of the same cage 10 are N1 and N2 respectively, and N1 and N2 can be the same or different. The centerlines of the axially adjacent pockets 12 of the cage 10 can coincide. For example, when N1 and N2 are the same, the two rows of pockets are completely aligned. Of course, the centerlines can also form a certain angle α. In the case where the number of pockets is the same or different, the centerlines of the two rows of pockets can both have a certain included angle. Here, it can be stipulated that 0 ≤ α ≤ π / N, where N is the number of pockets in one row. The lengths of two adjacent rows of pockets 12 of the cage 10 are L1 and L2 respectively, and L1 and L2 can be the same or different. These parameters can be designed according to actual requirements.

[0019] Figure 3 Shown is a multi-row roller bearing device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of a four-row cylindrical roller bearing device without an outer ring. It can be seen in the figure that each two rows of rollers 20 have a separately corresponding integral cage 10, and its structure is as Figure 3 shown. The four-row roller bearing device has two such cages 10. These cages 10 can be guided by the inner ring 30 or by the rollers 20. The inner ring 30 of the bearing device 1 also has three types of rib structures, including a first stop portion configured as an edge rib 31, a second stop portion configured as a spaced rib 33, and an intermediate rib 32. The width of the edge rib 31 is represented by a, the width of the spaced rib 33 is represented by b, and the width of the intermediate rib 32 is represented by c. This structure enables ribs to be provided on both axial sides of the rollers 20, effectively preventing the rollers from axially moving during operation. Preferably, 0.4*c ≤ b ≤ c, 0.4*c ≤ a ≤ c. When other dimensions of the bearing are equal, compared with Figure 1 the prior art shown, 0.4*B ≤ b < B, 0.4*C ≤ c < C, 0.4*A ≤ a < A. That is to say, the ribs can be reduced to more than 50% of the original design at most. The axial length of the ribs satisfies the above relationship, reducing the axial proportion of the inner ring as much as possible while ensuring meeting the strength requirements. When the total axial length remains unchanged, the axial length of the rollers can be increased as much as possible, thereby improving the static load-carrying capacity of the bearing.

[0020] As Figure 3 shown, the axially corresponding widths of the side beams 11 of the cage 10 are S1, S2 and S3 respectively, where S2 ≤ c, S3 ≤ b, S2 ≥ S3, S2 ≥ S1. S1 and S3 can be equal or unequal. In the extreme design case, that is, when the axial width space of the bearing is limited but the load-carrying requirement is high, the structural space around the bearing in the gearbox can also be borrowed, as Figure 4The leftmost side beam of the cage 10 shown on the left and the rightmost side beam of the cage 10 shown on the right extend beyond the edge of the inner ring 30. That is, the axial end side of the cage 10 extends beyond the axial edge of the inner ring 30 in the assembled state. In this case, S1 > a. If the axial space of the gearbox cannot be utilized, then S1 ≤ a.

[0021] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The second and third embodiments of the multi-row roller bearing device 1 of this utility model are shown respectively. Compared with the first embodiment, the first stop is constructed as a retaining ring 41, that is, the second embodiment uses a retaining ring 41 to replace the edge retainer 31, and the first stop and the second stop in the third embodiment are constructed as retaining rings 41 and 42 respectively, that is, retaining rings 41 and 42 replace the edge retainer 31 and the spacer retainer 33. Since the edge retainer and the spacer retainer do not bear axial force under normal working conditions, but only play a role in correcting the roller posture and preventing the roller centerline from deflecting during bearing operation, the strength requirements for these two retainers are not high. The edge retainers 31 on the left and right sides of the four-row bearing can be designed as retaining ring structures, and the spacer retainer 33 can also be designed as retaining ring structures.

[0022] Figure 6 shows a gearbox assembly with a planetary gear assembly. This planetary gear assembly has a multi-row roller bearing assembly 1 in the form of a four-row cylindrical roller bearing assembly without an outer ring. Arrows in the figure indicate the force transmission within the bearing assembly. The bearing assembly 1 is located between planetary gear 25 and planetary gear pin 24. The radial force Fr and axial force Fa experienced by planetary gear 25 are transmitted through the bearing assembly 1. The radial force Fr is transmitted to the planetary gear pin 24 via the bearing assembly, while the axial force Fa is transmitted to the planet carrier 22 via the bearing assembly. Planetary gear 25 serves as the outer ring of the multi-row roller bearing assembly 1, and the inner bore 26 of the planetary gear serves as the raceway of the outer ring. A planetary gear center flange 21 protrudes from the inner bore 26 in the axial direction of the four rows of rollers toward the multi-row roller bearing 1, which serves to transmit the force and torque experienced by planetary gear 25 to the bearing assembly 1. Furthermore, a bearing locating ring 23 is provided for fixing the bearing assembly 1.

[0023] While possible embodiments have been described exemplarily in the foregoing description, it should be understood that numerous variations of the embodiments exist through combinations of all known and readily conceived technical features and implementation methods. Furthermore, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples and do not in any way limit the scope, application, or construction of this invention. For instance, the specific shapes of the axial and radial segments can also have many variations. The foregoing description is more of a technical guide for those skilled in the art to transform at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein various changes can be made, particularly regarding changes to the function and structure of the components, without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0024] List of reference numerals

[0025] 100 cylindrical roller bearing assembly

[0026] 1. Multi-row roller bearing assembly

[0027] 10, 110 cages

[0028] 11 edge beams

[0029] 12 pockets

[0030] 20 and 120 rollers

[0031] 30, 130 inner circle

[0032] 31, 131 edge guard

[0033] 32, 132 middle retaining edge

[0034] 33, 133 interval stop

[0035] 41 First Ring

[0036] 42 Second clasp

[0037] 2 Planetary Gear Equipment

[0038] 21 planetary gear middle flange

[0039] 22 planetary frames

[0040] 23 Bearing Locating Ring

[0041] 24 planetary gear pins

[0042] 25 planetary gears

[0043] 26. Inner bore of planetary gear.

Claims

1. A multi-row roller bearing assembly (1) having at least two rows of rollers (20), an inner ring (30), and a cage (10), wherein, The inner ring (30) has a middle flange (32) for axially spaced apart from the rollers (20), wherein the cage (10) is an integral cage for multiple rows of rollers, the cage (10) having at least three side beams (11) in the axial direction, wherein the axial width of the middle side beam located radially outside the middle flange (32) of the at least three side beams (11) is less than the sum of the axial widths of the two side beams, thereby reducing the axial width of the middle flange (32).

2. The multi-row roller bearing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least three side beams (11) have equal axial widths.

3. The multi-row roller bearing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The retainer (10) has two rows of pockets (12) that are axially adjacent, and the center lines of the two rows of pockets (12) coincide or are at an angle α.

4. The multi-row roller bearing device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The multi-row roller bearing assembly (1) has a first stop and a second stop that restrict the axial movement of the rollers (20). The first stop is a first retaining ring (41) or a first edge retainer (31) of the inner ring (30), and the second stop is a second retaining ring (42) or a second edge retainer (33) of the inner ring (30).

5. The multi-row roller bearing device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The axial width of the first stop is a, the axial width of the intermediate stop (32) is c, and the axial width of the second stop is b, wherein 0.4*c≤b≤c and 0.4*c≤a≤c.

6. The multi-row roller bearing assembly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The retainer (10) has three side beams (11) in the axial direction. The widths of the three side beams (11) of the retainer (10) and the inner ring (30) in the axial direction are S1, S2 and S3, respectively, where S2≤c, S3≤b, S2≥S3 and S2≥S1.

7. The multi-row roller bearing device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The axial end of the cage (10) extends out of the axial edge of the inner ring (30) in the assembled state, and S1 > a.

8. A gearbox device, characterized in that, The gearbox equipment has a multi-row roller bearing assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The gearbox device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The gearbox device has a planetary gear assembly (2), and the multi-row roller bearing device (1) is disposed in the planetary gear assembly (2). The planetary gear (25) in the planetary gear assembly (2) serves as the outer ring of the multi-row roller bearing device (1), and the inner hole (26) of the planetary gear in the planetary gear assembly (2) serves as the raceway of the outer ring. The inner hole (26) of the planetary gear is provided with a planetary gear middle flange (21) extending toward the multi-row roller bearing device (1) to transmit the force and torque on the planetary gear (25) to the multi-row roller bearing device (1).

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