Hybrid cage and its applications

Abstract

The present invention provides a hybrid cage (1) comprising a main frame (2) formed integrally in the circumferential direction and fastening elements (3) adapted to be fixedly mounted to the main frame (2), wherein the fastening elements (3) are used to form cage pockets (4) for retaining rolling elements (5) of a bearing, independently of or in conjunction with the main frame (2). The hybrid cage allows various components (materials) to contribute different properties to meet the requirements of rolling bearing applications in terms of performance, cost, ease of machining, and many other aspects. In addition, the present invention further provides a large rolling bearing (10) having an outer diameter of 400 mm or more, equipped with the hybrid cage (1) described above.The application of the hybrid cage is particularly favored by the fact that large bearings have a large internal space, which naturally eliminates the limitations of tight spaces in complex connections.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a hybrid cage and a large rolling bearing using such a cage. State of the art

[0002] Large rolling bearings generally use copper cages or steel (or iron) cages. Copper cages have a low coefficient of friction and good wear resistance between the cages and the rolling elements, resulting in high limiting speeds and low vibration and noise. However, due to the limitation of material strength, copper cages are less suitable for withstanding higher loads (especially shock loads). Compared to copper cages, steel (or iron) cages have higher material strength and can therefore withstand higher loads. However, steel (or iron) cages have poor wear resistance and tend to generate iron filings when rubbing against the rolling elements, which poses a potential hazard to the safe operation of the bearings. In addition, although steel (or iron) cages have low material costs, they have high machining costs due to their hard texture.Taken together, their manufacturing costs are roughly the same as those of copper cages and do not offer a significant cost advantage.

[0003] Reality requires a cage that combines two or more material properties and / or performance advantages. Summary of the invention

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a hybrid cage comprising a main frame formed integrally in a circumferential direction and fastening elements adapted to be fixedly mounted to the main frame, the fastening elements being used to form cage pockets for retaining rolling elements of a bearing independently of or in conjunction with the main frame.

[0005] The hybrid cage allows different elements (materials) to contribute different properties. For example, the main frame has high strength while the fasteners have better friction properties, and / or the main frame has light weight while the fasteners have better machinability. Thus, the different properties of the cage components (materials) can meet the application requirements of rolling bearings in terms of performance, cost, ease of machinability, and many other aspects. In addition, the hybrid cage also helps reduce the relatively complex structure of the integrated cage into a relatively simple structure of the cage components, thus simplifying the production process and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0006] In addition, the present invention further provides a large rolling bearing having an outer diameter of 400 millimeters or more, which is equipped with the hybrid cage as described above.

[0007] The use of hybrid cages is particularly favored by the fact that large bearings have a large internal space, which of course eliminates the limitations of tight spaces in complex connections.

[0008] Various specific embodiments and advantageous technical effects of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Short description of the characters Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the overall structure of the hybrid cage; Fig. Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of a local structure of the hybrid cage; Fig. 3 shows a perspective structural view of a cage support as a fastening element; and Fig. 4 shows a partial perspective structural view of a spherical roller bearing assembled with the hybrid cage. Detailed description of the invention

[0009] In the following description, terms indicating directions such as "axial", "radial" and "circumferential" refer to the axial, radial and circumferential directions of the component being described, unless otherwise specified or delimited.

[0010] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the structural perspective overall and partial views of the hybrid cage. As can be seen from the drawings, the hybrid cage 1 comprises a main frame 2 formed integrally in the circumferential direction and fastening elements 3 adapted to be fixedly mounted to the main frame 2. In the specific embodiment shown, there are a large number of fastening elements 3 suitable for forming pockets 4, independently of or in conjunction with the main frame 1. The pockets 4 are recessed spaces in the cage 1 for holding and retaining rolling elements 5, as in Fig. 4, so that the rolling elements 5 can be distributed at predetermined distances from one another in the circumferential direction.

[0011] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. In the specific embodiment shown in Figure 2, the main frame 2 consists of an annular backbone independently formed with connecting structures 6 such as slots, holes, cavities, or the like for fastening means such as nails, bolts, tenons, or the like to attach the fastening elements 3 thereto. It is not difficult to understand that the connections between the main frame 2 and the fastening elements 3 are not limited to the above-mentioned connection methods. More general connections, including but not limited to gluing, welding, snap-in connections, and the like, can all be used to realize the hybrid cage described in the present invention, as long as they can reliably fasten and connect the main frame to the fastening elements in a predetermined manner.

[0012] Fig. 3 shows the structural perspective view of a fastener 3. As in connection with Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the fastening element 3 independently consists of a substantially locked support of uniform shape. These cage supports, after being arranged on the backbone 2, form pockets 4 between them for receiving the rolling elements 3. The cage supports 3 can be formed to have different profiles in order to adapt the shape of the pockets 4 to the rolling elements 5.

[0013] Fig.Figure 4 shows a partially structural perspective view of a roller bearing assembled with the hybrid cage. As can be seen, adjacent cage supports 3 are formed in the circumferential direction with concave spherical surfaces facing each other, corresponding in shape to and complementing the spherical surfaces of the rolling elements. Similarly, the cage supports 3 can also be equipped with the backbone 2 to form pockets 4 of other shapes for receiving bearing rolling elements, such as cylindrical rollers, tapered rollers, or spherical rollers (i.e., balls).

[0014] An important feature of the present invention is also that different materials can be used for the various components of the cage 1. For example, the main frame 2 can be made of a first material, while the fastening elements 3 are made of a second material that is different from the first material. Since different materials have different properties, this imparts a variety of properties and / or advantages to the cage. For example, the first material can have strength properties that are better than those of the second material, while the second material can have friction properties that are better than those of the first material.The resulting cage has a low coefficient of friction with the rolling elements while having high structural strength of the main body, combining several properties and / or advantages not possible with a cage made of a single material.

[0015] It is important to note that the material properties are not limited to mechanical properties such as strength and wear resistance, but also include other properties such as weight, cost, and ease of machining, which are of significant value for production and application. As a specific embodiment, the first material may be steel, iron, or an aluminum alloy, and the second material may be a wear-resistant material made of copper, copper alloy, aluminum, or polymer. Among them, steel and iron have higher strength and lower material costs, while copper and copper alloys have better wear resistance and ease of machining. As a preferred embodiment, the main frame 2 may be made of steel or iron, while the fasteners 3 are made of copper or a copper alloy.The combination of the above materials provides the cage with high body strength, good friction and wear resistance and relatively low manufacturing costs at the machining level, thus combining performance advantages at the technical level and cost advantages at the economic level.

[0016] Not surprisingly, hybrids rely on interconnections, and interconnections sometimes come at the expense of space. Large bearings have a large internal space, which naturally eliminates the constraints of small space in complex interconnections (structures) and is therefore particularly favorable for the application of the hybrid cage. The hybrid cage is therefore particularly suitable for large rolling bearings, especially those with an outer diameter of 400 mm or more.

[0017] The hybrid cage described above and the rolling bearings in which it is used are not limited to the specific embodiments, and more general technical solutions are subject to the limitations of the appended claims. All modifications and improvements of the present invention fall within the scope of the present invention, provided they comply with the limitations of the appended claims.

Claims

[1] Hybrid cage (1) comprising a main frame (2) formed integrally in a circumferential direction and fastening elements (3) adapted to be fixedly fastened to the main frame (2), wherein the fastening elements (3) are used to form cage pockets (4) for retaining rolling elements (5) of a bearing, independently of or in conjunction with the main frame (2). [2] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the main frame (2) consists mainly of a ring-shaped backbone. [3] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 2, characterized by that the backbone (2) is formed with connecting structures (6) to which the fastening elements (3) can be adapted and with which they can be connected. [4] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that the fastening elements (3) are firmly attached to the connecting structures (6) by means of fastening means. [5] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that the fastening elements (3) are web-shaped cage supports with a uniform shape which, after being arranged on the connecting structures (6), form the pockets (4) between adjacent cage supports. [6] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 5, characterized by that the pockets (4) are shaped to fit cylindrical rollers, tapered rollers or spherical rollers. [7] Hybrid cage (1) according to one of claims 1-6, characterized by that the main frame (2) is made of a first material and the fastening elements (3) are made of a second material which is different from the first material. [8] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that the first material has strength properties that are better than those of the second material, and the second material has friction properties that are better than those of the first material. [9] Hybrid cage (1) according to claim 8, characterized bythat the first material is steel, iron or an aluminum alloy, and the second material is copper, a copper alloy, aluminum or a wear-resistant polymer material. [10] A large rolling bearing (10) having an outer diameter of 400 mm or more and equipped with the hybrid cage (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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