Bearing cage for a rolling bearing
The warehouse cage with recesses or notches in the ring elements addresses the flexibility issue, enabling larger rollers and higher load capacity by enhancing radial flexibility and reducing contact strength, thus improving bearing performance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102023206867
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-07-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-23
AI Technical Summary
Conventional warehouse cages for cone roller bearings have limited radial flexibility, restricting the use of larger rollers and limiting the load capacity due to material thickness constraints, which hinders the increase in bearing capacity.
The warehouse cage features ring elements with recesses or notches that enhance radial flexibility, allowing larger rollers to be accommodated while maintaining a slim construction, achieved by designing the first ring element with recesses or notches that enable elastic deformation and reduced contact strength at specific areas.
The enhanced flexibility allows larger rollers to be used, increasing the load capacity of the bearing while retaining a compact design, facilitating easier assembly and maintaining structural integrity.
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Abstract
Description
Technical area
[0001] The present invention relates to a bearing cage for a rolling bearing according to the preamble of patent claim 1. Technical background
[0002] Cages for tapered roller bearings, which are used, for example, in bearing units for a vehicle wheel bearing, usually have two ring elements that are connected to one another via a plurality of webs, wherein the ring elements and the webs form pockets designed to guide and hold the tapered rollers. The bearing units generally comprise an outer ring and an inner ring, wherein the inner ring is provided with a retaining flange at an axially inner end which is designed to hold the rolling elements in the raceway. Next to this retaining flange there is usually a clip-ring area in which both inner rings are held together by a clip ring. In order to mount the cage fitted with rollers, however, it may be necessary to slide the cage over the clip-ring area and the retaining flange so that the cage comes to rest in front of the retaining flange.However, bearing cages - even if they are made of glass fiber reinforced plastic - have only limited radial flexibility / extensibility.
[0003] The radial height over which the roller-loaded bearing cage must be slid is determined, on the one hand, by the radial height of the clamping ring area and the retaining flange, and, on the other hand, by the radial material thickness of the inner ring in the raceway area. Depending on the design of the bearing unit, it may be necessary for this area to not fall below a certain material thickness, for example, if the inner ring is designed as a two-part ring in which the two ring parts are positively connected by a clamping ring. The clamping ring is received in a groove formed in the area of the inner ring where the retaining flange is also located.
[0004] For example, to increase the load capacity of the bearing, the diameter of the rollers can be increased. However, in order to fit the larger rollers into the bearing together with the cage, it may be necessary to reduce the above-mentioned radial height over which the bearing cage fitted with rollers must be pushed. To do this, the material thickness of the raceway can be reduced slightly, but not the radial diameter in the area of the clamping ring and the retaining flange, resulting in a higher step to the raceway that cannot be overcome by a conventional cage dimensioned for positioning the rollers on the raceway. In other words, adhering to the material thickness counteracts an increase in the load capacity of the bearing if a radial height that must be overcome and is determined by the flexibility of the cage must be maintained.
[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bearing cage for a rolling bearing which enables an increase in the bearing load capacity. Summary of the invention
[0006] This object is achieved by a bearing cage for a rolling bearing according to patent claim 1.
[0007] The following provides a bearing cage for a rolling bearing, in particular for a tapered roller bearing. The bearing cage has at least one first ring element with a first diameter and at least one second ring element with a second diameter, which are connected to one another via a plurality of webs. The ring elements and the webs form pockets designed to guide and hold rolling elements. The second diameter can in particular be larger than the first diameter. Alternatively, the second diameter can also be equal to the first diameter. The rolling bearing can have an outer ring and an inner ring, wherein the outer ring and the inner ring each have raceways on which the rolling elements can roll.
[0008] The inner ring region is preferably formed in two parts, with the two inner ring parts being connected to each other by means of a clamping ring. For this purpose, a groove can be provided, in particular on a radial inner side of the inner ring parts, into which the clamping ring can be inserted. Furthermore, the bearing cage can be made of a plastic, in particular a fiber-reinforced plastic. For example, the bearing cage can be made of glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide PA66.
[0009] In order to make the bearing cage flexible in terms of its radial diameter on at least one side of the ring element, so that the rolling elements inserted into the cage can be pulled over a higher step between the radial outer diameter of an inner ring onto the raceway, which is then deeper than usual, the first ring element has at least one first recess in an outer edge region and / or in an inner edge region, which is designed such that the diameter of the first ring element can be changed. For example, the at least one recess can be formed in a radial and / or axial edge region. In particular, the diameter of the first ring element can be elastically changed. This means that the diameter can return to its original size after it has been pulled over the step.This would allow larger rolling elements to be used inside the bearing, increasing the bearing's load-bearing capacity while maintaining the bearing's slim design.
[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the first ring element has at least one second recess which is formed in an edge region opposite the edge region in which the at least one first recess is formed. For example, if the at least one first recess is provided in a radially outer region of the ring element, the at least one second recess can be provided in a radially inner region of the first ring element and vice versa. Furthermore, if the at least one first recess is provided in an axially outer region of the ring element, the at least one second recess can be provided in an axially inner region of the first ring element and vice versa. In particular, the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess can be U-shaped.The radial flexibility of the first ring element can be further increased by the first and second recesses, which run in different radial directions.
[0011] In a case in which the at least one first recess is provided in a radially outer region and / or in a radially inner region of the first ring element, the at least one first recess can extend in the axial direction through the first ring element. Alternatively, in a case in which the at least one first recess is provided in an axially outer region and / or in an axially inner region of the first ring element, the at least one first recess can extend in the radial direction through the first ring element. In particular, the at least one recess can be formed as a radial incision that extends over the entire axial extent of the first ring element or the entire radial extent of the first ring element. This makes it possible to further increase the flexibility of the first ring element.In particular, several recesses can be provided next to one another, so that the recesses in the first ring element form a kind of wave pattern or meandering spring structure with radial slots or with axial slots.
[0012] Preferably, a depth of the at least one first recess and a depth of the at least one second recess overlap. In other words, both the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess extend in the radial direction or the axial direction, depending on the direction in which the at least one recess is formed, at least over half the thickness of the first ring element in this direction. This makes it possible to reduce the strength of the first ring element to a certain extent, thereby making it easier to increase the diameter of the first ring element.
[0013] Furthermore, the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess can be arranged circumferentially next to one another. For example, the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess can be arranged as a group. Furthermore, more than one first recess can be arranged with a second recess as a group, or more than one second recess can be arranged with a first recess as a group. In particular, two first recesses and one second recess can be provided, with the second recess being arranged between the two first recesses in the circumferential direction. Because the recesses are provided alternately from the outside and inside in the first ring element of the cage, the flexibility of the ring element can be increased even further, so that the rolling elements can more easily slide over the obstacle of the clamping ring area orretaining flange and the ring element, when the rolling elements reach the raceway, can spring back to its original diameter in order to bring the rolling elements in the bearing into the actual raceway area so that the cage can perform its roller guidance function in the original sense.
[0014] Preferably, the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess are formed in the region of a pocket. In the region of the pocket, i.e., between two webs, the strength of the first ring element is lower, so that a sufficient increase in flexibility can be achieved by the recess or recesses.
[0015] According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one recess is formed as a tapered notch which extends in the axial direction through the first ring element. In particular, the notch can be V-shaped. If the bearing cage is used in a tapered roller bearing, the notch is preferably formed in a region of the web near the small roller end. Advantageously, the notch can extend in the axial direction beyond the ring element onto the web or can only be formed on the web. The notch makes it possible to keep the first ring element of the cage as stiff as in a cage without a recess, but to make the cage webs softer, particularly in the region of the small end of a rolling element.
[0016] Preferably, the notch extends in the axial direction at least to a contact point of the rolling element with the web. This allows the wall thickness of the web to be reduced radially outward from the contact point, whereby a contact surface of the web with the rolling element has a lower strength, so that the end of the rolling element located in this region can slide radially upward to a certain extent by slightly bending the webs. Alternatively or additionally, a central, axially extending slot can also be provided in at least one web, whereby the strength of the contact surface of the web with the rolling element can be reduced.
[0017] Preferably, the first ring element is provided with a plurality of recesses that are evenly distributed around the circumference. For example, the first ring element can have notches in the area of the webs as well as groups of first and second recesses in the area of the pocket. This makes it possible to both increase the flexibility of the first ring element and reduce the strength of the web in the area of the contact surface with the rolling elements, so that the cage equipped with rolling elements can be pushed more easily over the clip ring area and retaining flange.
[0018] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments are set forth in the description, the drawings, and the claims. In particular, the combinations of features set forth in the description and the drawings are purely exemplary, so the features may also be present individually or in other combinations. Short character description
[0019] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. The exemplary embodiments and the combinations shown in the exemplary embodiments are purely exemplary and are not intended to define the scope of the invention. This scope is defined solely by the appended claims.
[0020] They show: Fig. 1: a bearing cage according to a first embodiment, Fig. 2: a bearing cage according to a second embodiment, and Fig. 3: a bearing cage according to a third embodiment. Detailed description of the invention
[0021] In the following, identical or functionally equivalent elements are identified by the same reference symbols.
[0022] Fig. 1 shows a bearing cage 1 for rolling bearings (not shown) according to a first embodiment. Fig. 1 the rolling bearing is a tapered roller bearing, which can be used, for example, in a bearing unit for a wheel bearing arrangement.
[0023] The bearing cage has at least one first ring element 2 with a first diameter d and at least one second ring element 4 with a second diameter, which are connected to one another via a plurality of webs 6. The ring elements 2, 4 and the webs 6 form pockets in which a rolling element 8, in particular a tapered roller, is accommodated. Fig. 1 shows a tapered roller bearing, the first diameter d of the first ring element 2 is smaller than the second diameter of the second ring element 4. Therefore, the first ring element can also be referred to as a small ring element. In use, the first ring element is located in the axially inner region of the rolling bearing.
[0024] In the Fig. 1, the first ring element 2 has a plurality of first recesses 10 provided in a radially outer region of the first ring element 2, and a plurality of second recesses 12 provided in a radially inner region of the first ring element 2. As shown in the Fig. 1, the first recesses 10 and the second recesses 12 are arranged in groups, each group consisting of a first recess 10 and two second recesses 12. In the circumferential direction, the first recess is located between the two second recesses. The groups of recesses are in the Fig. 1 in the area of the pocket, i.e., between two webs 6. It is of course also possible to provide only first recesses 10 or only second recesses 12 or groups of recesses consisting of a first and a second recess 10, 12 or more than three recesses 10, 12. Preferably, the groups or recesses 10, 12 are arranged so as to be evenly distributed around the circumference.
[0025] The recesses 10, 12 extend in the axial direction through the first ring element 2 and are formed, for example, as U-shaped radial incisions that extend over the entire axial extent of the first ring element 2. The radial depth of the first and second recesses 10, 12 is selected such that the radial depth of the first recesses 10 and the radial depth of the second recesses 12 overlap. In other words, both the first recess 10 and the second recess 12 extend in the radial direction at least over half the radial extent of the first ring element 2.
[0026] The recesses 10, 12 have the particular advantage of allowing the diameter d of the first ring element 2 to be elastically varied, allowing the first ring element 2 to be pulled over a step formed on the inner ring, which can be a retaining flange, for example, and yet subsequently return to its original size. This allows for the use of larger rolling elements inside the bearing, increasing the bearing's load-bearing capacity while maintaining the bearing's slim design.
[0027] Alternatively, the recesses 10, 12 can also be arranged radially instead of as in Fig. 1, in the axial direction. In this case, recesses formed in the first ring element from the axial inside, i.e., from the roller pocket, alternate with recesses formed in the first ring element 2 from the axial outside, i.e., from the end face of the first ring element 2. The desired flexibility of the ring element 2 can also be achieved with such a spring structure.
[0028] Fig. Figure 2 shows a bearing cage 1 for rolling bearings (not shown) according to a second embodiment. The bearing cage of Fig. 2 differs from the bearing cage 1 of the Fig. 1 in that tapered notches 14 are formed instead of the recesses 10, 12. The notches 14 can, for example, be V-shaped. As in Fig. 2, the notches 14 extend in the axial direction through the first ring element 2 and beyond the ring element 2 onto the web 6. Alternatively, the notch 4 can also be formed only on the web 6. In the axial direction, the notches 14 extend at least to a contact point of the rolling element 8 with the web 6.
[0029] The notches 14 make it possible to keep the first ring element 2 of the cage 1 as rigid as in a cage without a recess, but to soften the cage webs 6 in the region of one end of a rolling element 8. The axial extension of the notches 14 beyond the ring element 2 onto the web 6 makes it possible to reduce the wall thickness of the web 6 radially outward from the contact point, whereby a contact surface of the web 6 with the rolling element 8 has a lower strength, so that the end of the rolling element 8 located in this region can slide radially upwards to a certain extent when the cage 1 is pulled over the retaining flange.
[0030] Fig. Figure 3 shows a bearing cage 1 for rolling bearings (not shown) according to a third embodiment. The bearing cage of Fig. 2 differs from the bearing cage 1 of the Fig. 2 in that in addition to the notches 14, it also has the Fig.1. This makes it possible to increase the flexibility of the first ring element 2 through the recesses 10, 12 and also to reduce the strength of the web 6 in the area of the contact surface with the rolling elements 8, so that the cage 1 equipped with rolling elements 8 can be pushed more easily over the retaining flange.
[0031] In summary, a bearing cage 1 is provided that allows the load-bearing capacity of the bearing to be increased by increasing the diameter of the rolling elements 8 used, while still maintaining the bearing height. This is achieved by providing the axially inner ring element 2 of the bearing cage 1 with recesses 10, 12 that increase the flexibility of the ring element 2 and / or by providing it with notches 14 that reduce the strength of the webs in the region of the ring element 2, so that the rolling elements can overcome the retaining flange during assembly of the rolling element 8 and cage 1 on the inner ring. List of reference symbols 1 bearing cage 2 first ring element 4 second ring element 6 bridge 8 rolling elements 10 first recess 12 second recess 14 Notch d diameter t radial depth
Claims
[1] Bearing cage (1) for a rolling bearing, in particular for a tapered roller bearing, with at least one first ring element (2) with a first diameter (d) and at least one second ring element (4), which are connected to one another via a plurality of webs (6), wherein the ring elements (2, 4) and the webs (6) form pockets which are designed to guide and hold rolling bodies (8), characterized by that the first ring element (2) has at least one recess (10, 12, 14) in an outer edge region and / or in an inner edge region, which is designed such that the diameter (d) of the first ring element is variable. [2] Bearing cage (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first ring element (2) has at least one second recess (12) formed in an edge region opposite the edge region in which the at least one recess (10, 12) is formed. [3] Bearing cage (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one recess (10, 12, 14) is provided in a radially outer region and / or in a radially inner region of the first ring element (2) and extends in the axial direction through the first ring element (2) or wherein the at least one recess (10, 12, 14) is provided in an axially outer region and / or in an axially inner region of the first ring element (2) and extends in the radial direction through the first ring element (2). [4] Bearing cage (1) according to claim 3, wherein a depth (t) of the at least one first recess (10, 14) and a depth (t) of the at least one second recess (12) overlap. [5] Bearing cage (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the at least one first recess (10) and the at least one second recess (12) are arranged circumferentially next to one another. [6] Bearing cage (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the at least one first recess (10) and the at least one second recess (12) are formed in the region of a pocket. [7] Bearing cage (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the at least one first recess (10) and the at least one second recess (12) are U-shaped. [8] Bearing cage (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one recess (10, 12, 14) is formed as a tapered notch (14) which extends in the axial direction through the first ring element (2). [9] Bearing cage (1) according to claim 8, wherein the notch (14) is formed in a region of the web (6) and preferably extends in the axial direction beyond the ring element (2) onto the web (6). [10] Bearing cage (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first ring element (2) is provided with a plurality of recesses (10, 12, 14) which are arranged uniformly distributed around the circumference.