CAGE SEGMENT FOR A ROLLER BEARING CAGE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a cage segment for a rolling bearing cage according to the preamble of claim 1. The present invention further relates to a rolling bearing cage with a plurality of cage segments according to claim 7 and a rolling bearing according to claim 8.

[0002] Rolling elements in rolling bearings can be guided and held by bearing cages. This can be beneficial not only during operation but also during assembly. Bearing cages can be manufactured from metal using various processes or from plastics, for example, by injection molding. Due to the material's temperature properties and required strength, it may be necessary to use a glass fiber reinforced plastic, such as PEEK. However, especially with large bearings, the sheer quantity of material required, particularly for plastics with high per-kilogram costs, can make these cages very expensive. Larger metal cages are typically manufactured by first rolling solid material and then machining it.The known methods have in common that they require, on the one hand, a high amount of material, and on the other hand, a combination of several, sometimes complex, manufacturing processes with different machine tools, so that production can be complex and / or costly.

[0003] DE 10 2019 115335 A1 describes a spacer for a ball bearing comprising a strip section of sheet metal bent into a ring having two concavely curved contact surfaces for rolling elements. DE 10 2019 115335 A1 discloses a cage segment according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] DE 10 2015 206533 A1 describes a cage segment of a rolling bearing cage, consisting of two side plates arranged at a distance from each other in the axial direction of the cage and two transverse plates arranged at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction of the cage, wherein the two transverse plates are rigidly connected to the two side plates, and wherein the two transverse plates and the two side plates form a pocket for receiving a rolling element. The side plates each have a groove at their two ends facing the circumferential direction of the cage, and each of the two axial ends of the transverse plates has an axially extending web, the webs of the transverse plates are arranged in corresponding grooves of the side plates, and the transverse plates are rigidly connected to the side plates in the area of ​​the webs.

[0005] US 3 820 867 A describes a segmented retaining ring for a ball bearing.

[0006] DE 10 2016 216 286 A1 describes a segmented rolling bearing cage made of a series of cage segments assembled to form a cage ring, wherein the cage segments each consist of two side plates extending substantially in the circumferential direction of the rolling bearing cage and at least one transverse web connecting the side plates to each other, wherein furthermore the side plates of adjacent cage segments adjoin each other via end faces formed thereon, and wherein means for connecting the cage segments to each other are provided.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cage segment for a rolling bearing cage that can be manufactured simply and cost-effectively.

[0008] This task is accomplished by a cage segment for a rolling bearing cage according to claim 1, a rolling bearing cage according to claim 7 and a rolling bearing according to claim 8.

[0009] The following proposes a cage segment for a multi-part rolling bearing cage, particularly for large rolling bearings. The cage segment is designed for a roller bearing, i.e., a rolling bearing with roller-shaped rolling elements, such as tapered rollers, cylindrical rollers, needle rollers, and the like. Alternatively (not claimed), the cage segment can also be designed for a roller bearing such as barrels. To reduce material usage and manufacturing effort, in a preliminary stage of production, the cage segment is provided as a kit consisting of one or more flat sheet metal components. These sheet metal components are designed to be assembled to form the cage segment. In its assembled form, the cage segment has at least one joint where two ends of the sheet metal components are joined to form a pocket suitable for receiving at least one rolling element.This means that a sheet metal component is joined at its ends. By using sheet metal, the cage segment can be made thinner compared to a conventional cage segment, especially one made of plastic. Besides saving weight and material, this has the further advantage that the resulting smaller distance between the rolling elements allows for more rolling elements to be accommodated in the bearing, particularly in large bearings, thus increasing the bearing's performance. A large rolling bearing can, in particular, be one with a diameter of more than one meter.

[0010] The metal sheet can be, in particular, a metal sheet plate, a metal sheet strip, especially a coiled metal strip, or the like. Metal sheet can be processed and shaped easily and cost-effectively, for example by cutting, laser cutting, embossing, deep drawing, and bending. Furthermore, machining processes can be avoided, thus increasing material utilization.

[0011] Preferably, one or more sheet metal components of the cage segment are cut from a sheet of metal, in particular by laser cutting, punching, and / or nibbling. In other words, the separation lines required for the cage segment are provided in the sheet metal by cutting, in particular laser cutting, punching, and / or nibbling. This means that first the contour of the cage segment is cut, punched, and / or nibbled into the sheet metal, and then the shape of the cage segment is removed from the sheet metal. A laser, a punching tool, a nibbling machine, or the like can be used for this purpose.

[0012] According to the claimed invention, the cage segment is provided with at least one functional element. Furthermore, in the assembled form of the cage segment, the at least one functional element can be formed out of the plane of the sheet metal component, in particular bent outwards. This allows the functional element to be brought into better contact with an element with which the functional element is intended to interact. Furthermore, a functional element bulging towards and / or away from the pocket can serve to create a gap between the individual rolling elements, particularly in cases where the sheet metal components are made of a relatively thin sheet metal for reasons of strength and / or design. That is, the functional element bulging towards and / or away from the pocket can be designed, in particular, to compensate for a lack of sheet metal thickness.

[0013] Preferably, at least one of the sheet metal components of the cage segment precursor is provided with a contour, the contour being designed to form the at least one functional element in the assembled shape of the cage segment. This means that the functional elements can be at least partially formed when the sheet metal component is released, thus eliminating the need for an additional forming step. Furthermore, contouring the cage segment to form the at least one functional element removes some of the sheet metal component's material, making the resulting cage segment lighter. This also allows for more precise positioning of the functional element. Preferably, the contour is cut, in particular laser-cut. Alternatively or additionally, the contour can also be punched and / or nibbled.According to the claimed invention, the at least one functional element is a retaining element configured to interact with a rolling element to hold it, wherein the retaining element faces away from the pocket in the assembled form of the cage segment. Alternatively (not claimed), the at least one functional element is a retaining element configured to interact with a rolling element to hold it, wherein the retaining element faces towards the pocket in the assembled form of the cage segment. In particular, a retaining element can be configured to hold a rolling element received in the pocket of the cage segment within the cage segment, especially at a desired position.Alternatively or additionally, the retaining element can be designed as a tab, allowing a rolling element to snap into the cage segment and preventing it from detaching from the cage segment, even during overhead mounting. For example, the retaining element can be designed to prevent the cage segment from moving radially outwards and / or to ensure that the cage segment remains around the rolling element.

[0014] Furthermore, at least one functional element can be a guide element designed to interact with a flange to guide the cage segment, with the guide element facing the flange in the assembled form of the cage segment. By guiding the cage on a flange of the rolling bearing, it is advantageously possible to eliminate the need for a separate guide for the rolling bearing cage on a raceway of the rolling bearing, thereby increasing the service life of the raceways.

[0015] Furthermore, at least one functional element can be a connecting element designed to interact with a coupling element to connect one cage segment to another. The coupling element can additionally hold the cage segments together, thereby increasing the stability of the cage assembly and / or simplifying cage assembly. The coupling element, which can be, for example, a cable, wire, or ring and has a defined preload, guides the cage segments.

[0016] Preferably, the connecting element can have at least one eyelet through which the coupling element can be threaded. If the connecting elements are designed as eyelets, the coupling element can be easily inserted through these eyelets and removed again if necessary. The coupling element is not fixed to the eyelets but can move within them. This ensures that there is no restriction of play between the cage segments, and thus between the rolling elements, nor of movement between the cage segments. Alternatively, the eyelets can also be designed as open hooks or tabs into which the coupling element can be hooked, clipped, or snapped.

[0017] According to a further preferred embodiment, the cage segment has a first alignment element at the first end and a second alignment element at the second end at the joining point, wherein the second alignment element is complementary to the first alignment element, and wherein the first and second alignment elements interact to fix the first end and the second end in at least a first direction. For example, the alignment elements can be configured to align the first end and the second end such that the cage segment has a smooth or stepless surface opposite a raceway of a rolling element ring. Furthermore, the alignment element can also be configured to provide an adjustment option in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, so that the joining point is suitable for compensating manufacturing tolerances.Furthermore, the first and second alignment elements can be configured to interlock. For example, the first alignment element can have a first toothing and the second alignment element can have a second toothing complementary to the first toothing.

[0018] According to another aspect, a rolling bearing cage, particularly for large rolling bearings, with a plurality of cage segments, as described above, is proposed. A plurality of cage segments can be connected, at least temporarily, via a coupling element. For example, every second rolling element can be guided in a cage segment. Alternatively, one cage segment can be provided for each rolling element. For example, the outer diameter of the rolling bearing cage can be more than 1200 mm.

[0019] According to yet another aspect, a rolling bearing, in particular a large rolling bearing, is proposed with at least one inner ring and at least one outer ring, wherein rolling elements are arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, the rolling elements being held by a rolling bearing cage as described above.

[0020] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments are specified in the description, the drawings, and the claims. In particular, the combinations of features specified in the description and the drawings are purely exemplary, so that the features may also exist individually or in different combinations.

[0021] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. These exemplary embodiments and the combinations shown therein are purely illustrative and do not define the scope of protection of the invention. The scope of protection is defined solely by the appended claims.

[0022] They show: Fig. 1: a perspective view of a cage segment according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2: a perspective view of a sheet metal component of the cage segment of the Fig. 1 Fig. 3: a perspective view of a cage segment according to a second embodiment, Fig. 4: a perspective view of a sheet metal component of the cage segment of the Fig. 3 , and Fig. 5: a perspective view of a rolling bearing cage according to a first embodiment.

[0023] In the following, identical or functionally equivalent elements are marked with the same reference symbols.

[0024] With regard to the Figs. 1 and 2 A cage segment 1 according to a first embodiment is shown. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of cage segment 1 and the Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a sheet metal component 4 of the cage segment 1 of the Fig. 1 .

[0025] Cage segment 1 comprises a sheet metal component 4 joined at a joint 6 to form a pocket 2 designed to receive at least one rolling element. Cage segment 1 of the Fig. 1In a preliminary stage of production, the cage segment 1 consists of a kit with a flat sheet metal component 4. To assemble the cage segment 1 from the sheet metal component 4, the sheet metal component 4 is bent at predetermined corner areas 8 and joined at its two ends, thus forming the joint 6. The assembled cage segment 1 forms the pocket 2, which is suitable for receiving at least one rolling element.

[0026] At the ends of the metal sheet component 4, a first alignment element 10 and a second alignment element 12, which is complementary to the first alignment element 10, are provided. In the Figs. 1 and 2In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment elements 10, 12 are rectangular toothed sections. However, other shapes, such as wavy, triangular, and / or polygonal, are also conceivable. The two alignment elements 10, 12 can, for example, be punched and / or cut. The alignment elements 10, 12 are designed to align the cage segment 1 at the joining point 6 such that the cage segment can be joined together. In particular, the alignment elements 10, 12 are designed to fix the joined sides in a first direction perpendicular to the surface of the pocket 2 and to provide adjustability in at least one direction perpendicular to the first direction, which is suitable for compensating for manufacturing tolerances.

[0027] Furthermore, the cage element 1 is provided with four retaining elements 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4 facing the pocket 2. These retaining elements are designed to hold the rolling element 32 in a desired position within the pocket 2 and to prevent the cage segment 1 from migrating radially outwards during use. Additionally, the cage segment has four retaining elements 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4 that project towards the pocket, for example by bending. These retaining elements are also designed to hold the rolling element in a desired position within the pocket 2. Furthermore, the retaining elements 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4 that project towards the pocket can be used to create a gap between the individual rolling elements, particularly when the side elements 4 are made of relatively thin sheet metal for reasons of strength and / or design.This means that the retaining elements 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4, which bulge out towards the pocket, can be designed in particular to compensate for a lack of sheet thickness.

[0028] Furthermore, four retaining elements 18-1, 18-2, 18-3, 18-4 are provided on the side of cage segment 1 facing away from pocket 2. These elements are designed to hold a rolling element that is guided on the outside of the cage segment 1. Additionally, guide elements 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-4 are provided on the surfaces of cage segment 1 facing a bearing flange. These guide elements are designed to guide a bearing cage along a flange of the bearing. This advantageously eliminates the need to guide the bearing cage against a raceway of the bearing, thereby increasing the service life of the raceways. Finally, connecting elements can be provided on the cage segment to which coupling elements can be attached to join the individual cage segments 1 to form a bearing cage. The shape of the connecting elements depends essentially on the coupling element selected.

[0029] The metal sheet component 4 of the cage segment 1 is laser-cut from a metal sheet. Before the cage segment is assembled, the outer contour 16 of the metal sheet component has several projections and recesses which, in the assembled form of the cage segment 1, form the aforementioned functional elements 14, 18, 20 by being bent out of the plane of the metal sheet component 4, as shown in Fig. 1This can be seen. That is, the sheet metal component 4, including all projections and recesses required to form the subsequent functional element, is cut from the sheet metal sheet and then assembled. The functional elements 14, 18, and 20 can be bent out of the plane of the sheet metal component 4 before or after assembly. Naturally, the functional elements can also form indentations and protrusions, which, for example, are designed to hold a rolling element in the cage segment 1 or to position it at a desired location. Due to the contouring of the sheet metal component 4 and the associated reduction in the amount of material in the finished cage segment compared to a cage segment made from a substantially rectangular sheet metal component, the cage segment 1 is lighter.

[0030] With regard to the Figs. 3 and 4A cage segment 1 according to a second embodiment is shown. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of cage segment 1 and the Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a sheet metal component 4 of the cage segment 1 of the Fig. 3 The cage segment of the Figs. 3 and 4 In contrast to the cage segment, this includes the Figs. 1 and 2 Two sheet metal components 4-1, 4-2, joined at two joints 6-1, 6-2. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to provide more than two joints, such as four or more.

[0031] Fig. 5 A perspective view shows a section of a rolling bearing cage 30, in which the cage segment 1 of the Fig. 1is used. Preferably, the rolling bearing cage 30 can be used in large rolling bearings with a diameter of more than one meter. The rolling bearing cage 30 has several cage segments 1, as described above, wherein the several cage segments 1 are connected by several coupling elements (not shown). In the rolling bearing cage 30, every second rolling element 32 is guided in a pocket 2 of the cage segment 1, while the other half of the rolling elements 32 are guided between two cage segments 1. Alternatively, one cage segment 1 can be provided for each rolling element 32. The rolling elements 32 roll on an inner raceway 28 of an inner ring 26 and on the outer raceway of an outer ring (not shown) of a rolling bearing to allow relative rotation of the inner ring and the outer ring. As, for example, in the Fig. 1As shown, tabs 18 facing away from pocket 2 are provided, which are designed to hold the rolling elements 32 which are arranged between the cage segments 1, as well as retaining elements 15 that bulge inwards into the pocket, which are designed to hold the rolling elements 32 which are received in pocket 2 at a desired position in pocket 2.

[0032] To reduce material usage and manufacturing effort, it is proposed to manufacture cage segment 1 from a sheet metal part, thus eliminating the need for a material- and labor-intensive machining process. In a preliminary stage of production, cage segment 1 is supplied as a kit consisting of one or more flat sheet metal components 4. These components are equipped with functional elements designed to hold and guide rolling elements, guide the cage segment, and / or connect the cage segments to one another. The functional elements are already integrated into the contour of the sheet metal components when the components are cut from the metal sheet. This allows cage segment 1 to be manufactured with minimal material usage and / or a high degree of material utilization, as well as with relatively little labor, and therefore cost-effectively, especially for small production runs. Reference symbol list

[0033] 1 Cage segment 2 Pocket 4 Sheet metal component 6 Joining point 8 Corner 10 First alignment element 12 Second alignment element 14 Retaining element 15 Retaining element 16 Contour 18 Tab 20 Guide element 26 Inner ring 28 Inner raceway 30 Rolling bearing cage 32 Rolling elements

Claims

1. Cage segment (1) for a multi-part rolling-bearing cage (30), in particular for slewing bearings, wherein, in a preliminary stage of manufacture, the cage segment (1) is present in the form of a construction kit that consists of one or more planar metal-sheet components (4), wherein the metal-sheet components (4) are configured to be put together so as to form the cage segment (1), wherein, in its put-together form, the cage segment (1) has at least one joining point (6) at which two ends of the metal-sheet components (4) are joined together so as to form a pocket (2) which is suitable for accommodating at least one roller-shaped rolling body (32), wherein the cage segment (1) is provided with at least one functional element (14, 15, 18, 20), wherein, in the put-together form of the cage segment (1), the at least one functional element (14, 15, 18, 20) is formed, in particular bent, out of the plane of the metal-sheet component (4), characterized in that the at least one functional element is a holding element which is configured to interact with a tapered roller, cylindrical roller or needle so as to hold the latter, wherein, in the put-together form of the cage segment, the holding element is directed away from the pocket.

2. Cage element (1) according to Claim 1, wherein the one or the multiple metal-sheet components (4) of the cage segment are cut, in particular laser-cut, punched and / or nibbled, out of a metal sheet.

3. Cage segment (1) according to Claim 1, wherein at least one of the metal-sheet components (4) of the preliminary stage of the cage segment (1) is provided with a contour (16), wherein the contour (16) is configured to form the at least one functional element (14, 15, 18, 20) in the put-together form of the cage segment (1).

4. Cage segment (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one functional element (14, 15, 18, 20) is a guide element (20) which is configured to interact with a rim so as to guide the cage segment (1), wherein, in the put-together form of the cage segment (1), the guide element (20) is directed towards the rim.

5. Cage segment (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one functional element (14, 15, 18, 20) is a connecting element which is configured to interact with a coupling element so as to connect the cage segment (1) to a further cage segment (1).

6. Cage segment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, at the joining point (6), the cage segment (1) has a first alignment element (10) at the first end and has a second alignment element (12) at the second end, wherein the second alignment element (12) complements the first alignment element (10), and wherein the first and second alignment elements (10, 12) interact so as to fix the first and second ends in at least one first direction.

7. Rolling-bearing cage (30) having a plurality of cage segments (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of cage segments (1) are connectable at least temporarily via a coupling element, wherein the coupling element interacts with at least one functional element, in particular a connecting element.

8. Rolling bearing having at least one inner ring (26) and having at least one outer ring, wherein rolling bodies (32) are arranged between the inner ring (26) and the outer ring, wherein the rolling bodies (32) are held by a rolling-bearing cage (30) according to Claim 7.