Retainer for ball bearing and ball bearing including the same

Abstract

To provide a retainer for a ball bearing which enables a large number of balls to be disposed therein, and to provide a ball bearing including the retainer.SOLUTION: A retainer 20 for a ball bearing includes: a pair of annular parts 21 disposed at an interval in an axial direction; and a plurality of pillar parts 22 which extend along the axial direction between the pair of annular parts 21 and are disposed at an interval in a circumferential direction. The one pair of annular parts 21 and the adjacent pillar parts 22 form a pocket 23 for retaining a ball 13. At least one of the pillar parts 22 is divided at a center part in the axial direction so as to connect the adjacent pockets 23 formed by the pillar part 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cage for ball bearings applicable to four-point contact ball bearings, angular ball bearings, etc., and a ball bearing provided with the same.

Background Art

[0002] As a cage for ball bearings, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, it includes a ring portion 111 and column portions 112 protruding axially at a plurality of locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at one end of the ring portion 111, and a resin crown-shaped cage having a number of pockets 113 formed between the column portions 112 for rotatably holding balls (not shown) in the circumferential direction is known (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in ball bearings, it is required to increase the number of balls to increase the load capacity and extend the life, and further improvement of the cage shape is necessary.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cage for ball bearings in which a large number of balls can be arranged, and a ball bearing provided with the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configurations [1] and [2].

[0007] [1] A ball shaft receiving retainer comprising a pair of annular portions arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and a plurality of column portions extending along the axial direction between the pair of annular portions and arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, wherein pockets for holding balls are formed by the pair of annular portions and the column portions adjacent thereto. The column portions are members for separating the adjacent balls in the circumferential direction, and include a first column portion divided at the axial center portion so that the adjacent pockets are connected, and a second column portion formed so that the adjacent pockets are separated. The interval between the adjacent balls via the first column portion is smaller than the interval between the adjacent balls via the second column portion. Ball shaft receiving retainer. [2] An outer ring having an outer ring raceway groove on its inner peripheral surface, An inner ring having an inner ring raceway groove on its outer peripheral surface, A plurality of balls rolling between the outer ring raceway groove and the inner ring raceway groove, The ball shaft receiving retainer according to claim 1, and a ball bearing having the same. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0008] According to the ball shaft receiving retainer of the present invention and the ball bearing including the same, a large number of balls can be arranged, the load capacity of the ball bearing can be increased, and the life can be extended. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, in the four-point contact ball bearing 10, a plurality of balls 13 are held by a cage 20 so as to be freely rollable at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction between an outer ring 11 and two inner rings 12 that are axially divided into two. On the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 11 and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 12, an outer ring raceway groove 11a and an inner ring raceway groove 12a are respectively formed by two arc surfaces 11a1, 11a2, 12a1, 12a2 having different curvature centers.

[0012] The outer ring raceway groove 11a and the inner ring raceway groove 12a are in contact with the balls 13 with contact angles β1 and β2 on the load side and the anti-load side, and the four-point contact ball bearing 10 receives an axial load and a radial load from both axial sides.

[0013] Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cage 20 is made of resin and includes a pair of annular portions 21 arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and a plurality of column portions 22 extending along the axial direction between the pair of annular portions 21 and arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. The cage 20 forms a pocket 23 for holding the balls 13 by the pair of annular portions 21 and the adjacent column portions 22. In this case, the pocket 23 has a spherical shape along the balls 13.

[0014] In addition, in the present embodiment, the plurality of column portions 22 are partition (partition wall) - like members that separate adjacent balls in the circumferential direction, and every other one has a first column portion 22A that is divided at the axial center portion via a communication portion 24, and adjacent pockets 23 formed by the first column portion 22A are connected to each other. In this case, a second column portion 22B, which is a normal column portion that continuously connects a pair of annular portions 21 in the axial direction, and the first column portion 22A that is divided at the axial center portion are alternately provided in the circumferential direction. Note that the second column portion 22B is formed such that virtual circles extending the circumferential direction portions of adjacent pockets 23 are separated from each other (non - contacting).

[0015] As a result, since the distance between pockets 23 located on both circumferential sides of the first column portion 22A, that is, the distance between balls 13, can be reduced, the number of balls held by the cage 20 can be increased, the load capacity of the ball bearing 10 can be enhanced, and the service life can be extended.

[0016] Note that the distance between pockets 23 located on both circumferential sides of the first column portion 22A is preferably such that the balls 13 arranged in both pockets 23 do not contact each other even when they approach, and depending on that distance, the first column portion 22A is divided at the axial center portion.

[0017] Also, in the above - described embodiment, the plurality of column portions 22 are divided at the axial center portion every other one, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that at least one column portion is divided at the axial center portion.

[0018] For example, as in the modified example shown in FIG. 4, the first column portion 22A located between three pockets 23 is divided at the axial center portion so that three adjacent pockets 23 are connected, and the second column portion 22B that is continuous in the axial direction is provided every other one. Thereby, the number of balls held by the cage 20 can be further increased. Also, the plurality of column portions 22 may be configured such that four or more adjacent pockets 23 are connected.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5, the cage of the present invention may have a bulging portion 25 where the column portion 22 bulges outward and inward in diameter, and further hold the ball 13 at the axial center of the column portion 22 so as to increase the holding force of the ball 13. In this case, in the first column portion 22A, the bulging portion 25 is also divided at the axial center portion.

[0020] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. In addition, each of the embodiments and each modification example described in this specification can be applied in combination within the applicable range.

[0021] For example, in the above embodiment, the four-point contact ball bearing has been described, but the ball bearing of the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be an angular ball bearing.

[0022] Also, in the above embodiment, the pocket 23 has a spherical shape, but it may be a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cage 20 is a ball guiding method guided by the balls 13 of the bearing, but either an inner ring guiding method or an outer ring guiding method may be applied.

[0023] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc.

[0024] As described above, the following matters are disclosed in this specification. (1) A cage for a ball bearing, comprising a pair of annular portions arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and a plurality of column portions extending along the axial direction between the pair of annular portions and arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, and forming pockets for holding balls by the pair of annular portions and the column portions adjacent thereto, wherein the column portion is a member that separates adjacent balls in the circumferential direction, and has a first column portion divided at the axial center portion so that adjacent pockets are connected to each other, and a second column portion formed so that adjacent pockets are separated from each other. The distance between adjacent balls through the first column portion is smaller than the distance between adjacent balls through the second column portion. Ball bearing cage. According to this configuration, a large number of balls can be arranged in the cage.

[0025] (2) An outer ring having an outer ring raceway groove on its inner peripheral surface, An inner ring having an inner ring raceway groove on its outer peripheral surface, A plurality of balls that roll between the outer ring raceway groove and the inner ring raceway groove, The ball bearing cage according to (1), A ball bearing having According to this configuration, by arranging more balls, the load capacity of the ball bearing can be increased and the life of the ball bearing can be extended further.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0026] 10 Four-point contact ball bearing (ball bearing) 11 Outer ring 11a Outer ring raceway groove 12 Inner ring 12a Inner ring raceway groove 13 Ball 20 Cage (ball bearing cage) 21 Annular portion 22 Column portion 22A First column portion 22B Second column portion 23 Pocket

Claims

1. A ball bearing retainer comprising a pair of annular portions arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and a plurality of column portions extending along the axial direction between the pair of annular portions and arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, wherein pockets for holding balls are formed by the pair of annular portions and the column portions adjacent thereto, the column portions are members for separating adjacent balls in the circumferential direction, and include a first column portion divided at the axial center so that adjacent pockets are connected to each other, and a second column portion formed so that adjacent pockets are separated from each other, the distance between adjacent balls via the first column portion is smaller than the distance between adjacent balls via the second column portion, a ball bearing retainer.

2. an outer ring having an outer raceway groove on its inner peripheral surface, an inner ring having an inner raceway groove on its outer peripheral surface, a plurality of balls rolling between the outer raceway groove and the inner raceway groove, the ball bearing retainer according to claim 1, a ball bearing having the same.

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