Cage, rolling bearing, and assembly method for rolling bearing

Abstract

A cage 14 comprises: a first wall facing a first end surface 26 of a roller 13 of a rolling bearing 10; a second wall facing a second end surface 27 of the roller 13; and a plurality of bars connecting the first wall to the second wall. A space between the first wall and the second wall and between a pair of the bars serves as a pocket 29 for accommodating the roller 13. The bars have, on at least one of a first side and a second side in a radial direction, a fall-off prevention portion for preventing the roller 13 accommodated in the pocket 29 from falling off. A connecting portion between the first wall and each of the bars has a first recessed surface 44 located on the first side in the radial direction, and a second recessed surface 43 located on the second side in the radial direction, the first recessed surface 44 being recessed more than the second recessed surface 43.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cage, a rolling bearing, and a method for assembling a rolling bearing.

Background Art

[0002] A rolling bearing has an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements, and a cage for holding the plurality of rolling elements. The cage has a plurality of pockets for accommodating the rolling elements. The cage disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a first annular body facing the first end face of a roller as a rolling element, a second annular body facing the second end face of the roller, and a plurality of columns connecting the first annular body and the second annular body. A space between the first annular body and the second annular body and between a pair of columns serves as a pocket for accommodating the roller.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a part of a conventional cage. FIG. 22 is a view of a pocket of a conventional cage seen along the axial direction of the roller. The cage 90 has a protrusion 92 as a dropout prevention part for preventing dropout of the roller 99 accommodated in the pocket 91. Two protrusions 92 are located in one pocket 91. The dimension B between the two protrusions 92 is smaller than the diameter D of the roller 99. Therefore, when the roller 99 is incorporated into the pocket 91, the column 93 of the cage 90 elastically deform by the roller 99 pushing the protrusion 92. Then, stress concentration occurs at the connection part 95 between the column 93 and the annular body 94.

[0005] To alleviate the aforementioned stress concentration, a recess surface 96 is provided at the connection portion 95 between the column 93 and the annular body 94. The recess surface 96 is formed over the entire area from the outer circumferential surface 97 to the inner circumferential surface 98 of the retainer 90. Because the area over which the recess surface 96 is formed is wide, the thickness of the connection portion 95 becomes small, and the strength of the retainer 90 may be insufficient.

[0006] Furthermore, the recessed surface 96 reduces the contact area between the roller 99 and the annular body 94. The roller 99 has a recessed portion 100 on the radially inward side of its end face 99a for manufacturing purposes. The end face 99a of the roller 99 contacts the annular body 94, but if the recessed portion 100 is large and the recessed surface 96 is also widely formed in the radial direction, the contact area between the roller 99 and the annular body 94 becomes smaller. For this reason, especially when the retainer 90 is made of resin, a part of the annular body 94 is prone to wear due to contact with the end face 99a of the roller 99.

[0007] Therefore, this disclosure makes it possible to alleviate stress concentration that occurs when the rollers are assembled into the pockets in a cage for a rolling bearing, and to suppress wear due to contact with the rollers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A retainer according to an embodiment of the present invention is A retainer having a first wall facing the first end face of a rolling bearing roller, a second wall facing the second end face of the roller, and a plurality of columns connecting the first wall and the second wall, wherein the space between the first wall and the second wall and between a pair of the columns forms a pocket for housing the roller, The column has a fall prevention portion on at least one of the first and second radial sides to prevent the rollers housed in the pocket from falling out. The connection between the first wall and the column has a first concave surface located on the first radial side and a second concave surface located on the second radial side, wherein the first concave surface is more deeply recessed than the second concave surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The cage of the present invention is capable of alleviating stress concentration that occurs when rollers are incorporated into the cage pockets, and can suppress wear of the cage due to contact with the rollers. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the rolling bearing of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the retainer. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the item when it was placed in a pocket, viewed along its central axis at that time. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is the same diagram as the explanatory diagram shown in Figure 3, but with the rollers removed. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a magnified view of a part of the retainer. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the region where the concave arc surface is formed within the first connection portion, as seen in the radial direction of the retainer. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the recess surface formation region of the first connection portion, viewed in the radial direction of the retainer. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the retainer shown in Figure 5. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the retainer shown in Figure 8, and shows the pockets as viewed along the central axis of the rollers. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a rolling bearing. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cage of the rolling bearing shown in Figure 10. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the retainer shown in Figure 11. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a rolling bearing. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a front view showing a part of the rolling bearing shown in Figure 13. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the retainer segment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a view showing a modified example of the cage shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a view showing a modified example of the cage shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the rolling bearing. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a view showing still another modified example of the cage. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a view showing still another modified example of the cage shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. [[ID=…]]请注意,你提供的原始文本中存在一些未完整标记的情况(如ID=…),我按照完整的格式要求进行了翻译,若你能补充完整这些内容,我可以为你提供更准确的翻译。​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​According to the aforementioned retainer, the column undergoes elastic deformation when the roller pushes against the anti-fall portion in order to insert the roller into the pocket. In this case, the first concave surface can alleviate stress concentration that occurs at the connection point. The first concave surface is located on the first radial side and not on the second radial side. Therefore, the contact area between the first end face of the roller and the first wall is wider than if the first concave surface were to penetrate from the first radial side to the second radial side. Wear of the retainer caused by the small contact area is suppressed.

[0013] (2) Preferably, the first concave surface has an inclined surface in which the gap formed between it and the roller increases as it moves radially away from the second concave surface. In this case, the retainer can enhance its ability to secure a larger contact area without impairing the stress concentration relief function.

[0014] (3) Preferably, the retainer is made of resin, and the first wall has a connecting surface that connects the first concave surface on one of a pair of adjacent columns with the first concave surface on the other column, and the connecting surface is a surface on which the gap formed between it and the roller gradually increases toward the first side in the radial direction. In this case, when the retainer is molded using a mold, the mold becomes easier to remove from the first side in the radial direction.

[0015] (4) Preferably, the first wall is a first annular body, and the second wall is a second annular body. In this case, the retainer is an annular retainer having multiple pockets, and each pocket accommodates a roller.

[0016] (5) Preferably, a cage comprising a plurality of cage segments located in the annular space between the inner ring and the outer ring of a rolling bearing, wherein each of the cage segments has the first wall, the second wall, and the two columns. In this case, the retainer is composed of multiple retainer segments.

[0017] (6) Preferably, the second radial edge of the connecting surface is located radially to the first side of the first concave surface on one column side and the second radial edge of the first concave surface on the other column side. This configuration increases the surface area on the first wall that the rollers can contact. This prevents wear on that surface caused by the rollers sliding against it.

[0018] (7) A rolling bearing according to an embodiment of the present invention is The device comprises an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rollers positioned between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a retainer that holds the rollers. Regarding the cage of the aforementioned rolling bearing, stress concentration that occurs when the rollers are assembled into the pockets is alleviated, and wear due to contact with the rollers can be suppressed.

[0019] (8) The assembly method of the rolling bearing according to the embodiment of the present invention is: The process includes an integration step in which the roller is assembled into the pocket from at least one of the first and second radial sides to obtain a unit of the retainer and the roller, In the integration process, the rollers press against the fall-prevention portion, causing the column to elastically deform, and the rollers are then incorporated into the pocket.

[0020] According to the assembly method described above, stress concentration that occurs when the rollers are fitted into the pockets is mitigated. Wear due to contact with the rollers is suppressed in the cage of the assembled rolling bearing.

[0021] <Details of Embodiments of the Invention> Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. [First form of rolling bearing] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the rolling bearing of the present invention. The rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 1 is a cylindrical roller bearing and comprises an inner ring 11, an outer ring 12, a plurality of rollers (cylindrical rollers) 13, and a cage 14 that holds the plurality of rollers 13. The inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 have an annular shape. The rollers 13 are located between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12. The central axis of the inner ring 11 and the central axis of the outer ring coincide, and these central axes constitute the central axis C of the rolling bearing 10.

[0022] The cage 14 shown in Figure 1 is annular. With regard to each embodiment of the present invention, the state in which the central axis of the cage 14 coincides with the central axis C of the rolling bearing 10 will be described. With respect to the inner ring 11, outer ring 12 and cage 14, the direction parallel to the central axis C is defined as the "axial direction". The direction perpendicular to the central axis C is defined as the "radial direction". The direction along the circle centered on the central axis C is defined as the "circumferential direction".

[0023] The inner ring 11 has an inner ring raceway surface 21 on its outer circumferential surface. The outer ring 12 has an outer ring raceway surface 22 on its inner circumferential surface. The outer ring 12 has flanges 23 on both sides of the outer ring raceway surface 22 in the axial direction. The roller 13 is cylindrical and has a first end face 26, a second end face 27, and an outer circumferential surface 28. The roller 13 rolls and makes contact with the inner ring raceway surface 21 and the outer ring raceway surface 22. The inner ring 11, outer ring 12, and roller 13 are made of steel. The cage 14 is made of resin.

[0024] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the retainer 14. The retainer 14 has a first annular body 31, a second annular body 32, and a plurality of columns 33. The first annular body 31 is annular and forms the first wall facing the first end face 26 of the roller 13. The second annular body 32 is annular and forms the second wall facing the second end face 27 of the roller 13. The columns 33 connect the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32. The columns 33 face the outer circumferential surface 28 of the roller 13. The space between the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32, and between a pair of columns 33 adjacent in the circumferential direction, forms a pocket 29 for housing the roller 13.

[0025] The column 33 has an inner anti-drop portion 34 on the inner circumference side of the retainer 14 to prevent the roller 13 housed in the pocket 29 from falling out. The anti-drop portion 34 is partially provided on the column 33 in the axial direction and is composed of a projection that protrudes from the column 33. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the roller 13 housed in the pocket 29 as viewed along its central axis P. When the roller 13 housed in the pocket 29 is displaced radially inward of the retainer 14, it comes into contact with the anti-drop portion 34, preventing the roller 13 from falling out.

[0026] The column 33 has an outer anti-drop portion 35 on the outer circumference of the retainer 14 to prevent the roller 13, which is housed in the pocket 29, from falling out. The anti-drop portion 35 is partially provided on the column 33 in the axial direction (see Figure 2) and is composed of a projection that protrudes from the column 33. Note that the outer anti-drop portion 35 may be omitted.

[0027] The assembly method for the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 1 is as follows. With the cage 14 positioned on the inner circumference side of the outer ring 12, the rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 of the cage 14. The rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 from the inner circumference side of the cage 14. As shown in Figure 3, when focusing on one pocket 29, the dimension B between the two anti-dropout parts 34 is smaller than the diameter D of the roller 13. Therefore, when fitting the rollers 13 into the pockets 29, the rollers 13 push against the anti-dropout parts 34, causing the column 33 to undergo elastic deformation. The outer ring assembly is formed when all the rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 of the cage 14 positioned on the outer ring 12. The rolling bearing 10 is formed by combining the outer ring assembly with the inner ring 11.

[0028] In Figure 2, the first connection part 41 is the part where the first annular body 31 is connected to one column 33. The second connection part 42 is the part where the second annular body 32 is connected to one column 33. Focusing on the unit pocket part 15 that constitutes one pocket 29, the two columns 33 sandwich one roller 13 that is housed in that pocket 29 in the circumferential direction of the holder 14. For this reason, there are two first connection parts 41 in one pocket part 15, and there are two second connection parts 42 in one pocket part 15.

[0029] Figure 4 is the same diagram as shown in Figure 3, but with the roller 13 removed. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a part of the retainer 14. The first connecting portion 41 has a concave arc surface (second concave surface) 43 located on the outer circumference and a recess surface (first concave surface) 44 located on the inner circumference. The concave arc surface 43 is a surface having a shape along a cylinder with a small radius. The recess surface 44 is a surface that is more deeply concave than the concave arc surface 43. The concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 are also provided in the second connecting portion 42. That is, the second connecting portion 42 has a concave arc surface 43 located on the outer circumference and a recess surface 44 located on the inner circumference. In this embodiment, the concave arc surface 43 of the first connecting portion 41 and the concave arc surface 43 of the second connecting portion 42 have the same shape, and the recess surface 44 of the first connecting portion 41 and the recess surface 44 of the second connecting portion 42 have the same shape.

[0030] The recess surface 44 is a surface that has a shape along a cone. The recess surface 44 has an inclined surface 45 that increases in depth as it moves radially away from the concave arc surface 43, that is, as it moves toward the inner circumference. The gap e1 formed between the recess surface 44 and the end face 26 (27) of the roller 13 (see Figure 1) increases toward the inner circumference due to the inclined surface 45.

[0031] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the region where the concave arc surface 43 is formed within the first connecting portion 41, viewed in the radial direction of the retainer 14. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the column 33 has a side surface 33a facing the outer circumferential surface 28 of the roller 13. The first annular body 31 has a side surface 31a facing the first end surface 26 of the roller 13. The concave arc surface 43 is the surface at the intersection of the first annular body 31 and the column 33, and when viewed radially (see Figure 6), its cross-section is concave arc-shaped. In the cross-section shown in Figure 6, the side surface 33a of the column 33 follows the tangent to the first end 43a of the concave arc surface 43. The side surface 31a of the first annular body 31 follows the tangent to the second end 43b of the concave arc surface 43.

[0032] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the region where the recess surface 44 is formed within the first connection portion 41, viewed in the radial direction of the retainer 14. As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the recess surface 44 is the surface at the intersection of the first annular body 31 and the column 33, and when viewed radially (see Figure 7), its cross-section is a concave arc shape. In the cross-section shown in Figure 7, the side surface 33a of the column 33 is along the tangent to the first end 44a of the recess surface 44. The side surface 31a of the first annular body 31 intersects with the tangent K at the second end 44b of the recess surface 44. The recess surface 44 is recessed from the side surface 31a of the first annular body 31 so as to be away from the end surface 26 of the roller 13.

[0033] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the retainer 14 shown in Figure 5. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the retainer 14 shown in Figure 8, showing the pocket 29 as viewed along the central axis P of the roller 13. The retainer 14 shown in Figures 8 and 9 and the retainer 14 shown in Figures 2 to 5 use the same reference numerals for the same components. In the retainer 14 shown in Figures 8 and 9, as in the retainer 14 shown in Figures 2 to 5, the first connecting portion 41 has a concave arc surface 43 located on the outer circumference and a recess surface 44 located on the inner circumference. The recess surface 44 is a surface that is more deeply recessed than the concave arc surface 43. The concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 are also provided in the second connecting portion 42.

[0034] The retainer 14 shown in Figures 8 and 9 differs from the retainer 14 shown in Figures 2 to 5 in that the first annular body 31 has a connecting surface 46. In the case of the retainer 14 shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first annular body 31 has a connecting surface 46 that connects the recess surface 44 on one of a pair of adjacent columns 33 in the circumferential direction to the recess surface 44 on the other column 33. The connecting surface 46 is a surface on which the gap e2 formed between the roller 13 (first end face 26) and the roller gradually increases toward the inner circumference. The connecting surface 46 is a surface that slopes from the side surface 31a of the first annular body 31. The second annular body 32 may also have a connecting surface 46, similar to the first annular body 31. When the retainer 14 is molded using a mold (injection molding die), the mold is easily removed radially by the connecting surface 46.

[0035] Figures 16 and 17 show modified examples of the retainer 14 shown in Figures 8 and 9. The configurations shown in Figures 16 and 17 differ from those shown in Figures 8 and 9 in that the connecting surface 46 is different, but the other components are the same. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. In the modified examples shown in Figures 16 and 17, compared to the configurations shown in Figures 8 and 9, the radially outer edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 is located closer to the radially inner side. The edge 46e is the portion along the line where the connecting surface 46 and the side surface 31a intersect.

[0036] Specifically, the edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 is located radially inward from the radially outer edge 44e of the recess surface 44 on one column 33 side and the recess surface 44 on the other column 33 side. With this configuration, the area of ​​the side surface 31a that the roller 13 can contact in the first annular body 31 is wider than in the configurations shown in Figures 8 and 9. As a result, wear of the side surface 31a can be reduced.

[0037] In the configurations shown in Figures 8 and 9, and in the configurations shown in Figures 16 and 17, when the roller 13 is inserted into the pocket 29, the intersection portion 25 (see Figure 18) between the end face 26 and the outer peripheral surface 28 of the roller 13 comes into contact with the connecting surface 46. This facilitates the insertion of the roller 13 into the pocket 29. The intersection portion 25 is a convex, rounded shape.

[0038] Figure 19 shows yet another modified example of the retainer 14. In the embodiment shown in Figure 17, the edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 has a straight shape. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in Figure 19, the edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 has an arc shape. This arc shape follows a circle that is concentric with the arc shape of the inner circumferential surface 31b of the first annular body 31. The embodiment shown in Figure 17 has a greater effect in increasing the area of ​​the side surface 31a. The embodiment shown in Figure 19 has a greater effect in facilitating the insertion of the rollers 13 into the pockets 29. The arc shape of the edge 46e may also be an arc shape that does not follow a circle that is concentric with the arc shape of the inner circumferential surface 31b of the first annular body 31.

[0039] In Figure 18, the connecting surface 46 intersects with the inner circumferential surface 31b of the first annular body 31. The line of intersection is the radially inner edge 46f of the connecting surface 46. In the configuration shown in Figure 18, the inner edge 46f of the connecting surface 46 coincides with the radially inner edge 44f of the recess surface 44. However, the inner edge 46f of the connecting surface 46 may be closer to the roller 13 in the axial direction than the inner edge 44f of the recess surface 44. In each of the above embodiments of the retainer 14, the second annular body 32 also has the same configuration as the connecting surface 46 of the first annular body 31.

[0040] [Second form of rolling bearing] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a rolling bearing. The rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 10 is a tapered roller bearing, where the rollers 13 provided between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 are tapered rollers. With respect to the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 10, the same components as those in the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components is omitted.

[0041] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cage 14 of the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 10. The cage 14 has a large-diameter first annular body 31, a small-diameter second annular body 32, and a number of columns 33. The first annular body 31 is annular and forms the first wall facing the first end face 26 of the roller 13. The second annular body 32 is annular and forms the second wall facing the second end face 27 of the roller 13. The columns 33 connect the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32. The columns 33 face the outer circumferential surface 28 of the roller 13. The space between the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32, and between a pair of columns 33 adjacent in the circumferential direction, forms a pocket 29 that accommodates the roller 13.

[0042] The column 33 has an inner anti-drop portion 34 on the inner circumference side of the retainer 14 to prevent the rollers 13 housed in the pocket 29 from falling out. The anti-drop portion 34 is partially provided on the column 33 in the axial direction and is composed of a projection that protrudes from the column 33. In the configuration shown in Figure 11, the anti-drop portion 34 is located closer to the first annular body 31 than to the second annular body 32. When the rollers 13 housed in the pocket 29 are displaced radially inward of the retainer 14, they come into contact with the anti-drop portion 34, preventing the rollers 13 from falling out.

[0043] The assembly method for the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 10 is as follows. With the cage 14 positioned on the inner circumference side of the outer ring 12, the rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 of the cage 14. The rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 from the inner circumference side of the cage 14. Similar to the first embodiment (see Figure 3), when focusing on one pocket 29, the dimension between the two anti-fall parts 34 is smaller than the diameter of the roller 13 at the position where these anti-fall parts 34 are formed. Therefore, when fitting the rollers 13 into the pockets 29, the rollers 13 push against the anti-fall parts 34, causing the column 33 to undergo elastic deformation. The outer ring assembly is formed when all the rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 of the cage 14 positioned on the outer ring 12. The rolling bearing 10 is formed by combining the outer ring assembly with the inner ring 11. During assembly, the end face of the roller 13 is pressed along the first concave surface 44 using an assembly jig, allowing the roller 13 to be smoothly assembled into the pocket 29.

[0044] In Figure 11, the portion where the first annular body 31 is connected to one column 33 is the first connection portion 41. The portion where the second annular body 32 is connected to one column 33 is the second connection portion 42. In one pocket portion 15 that constitutes one pocket 29, there are two first connection portions 41 and two second connection portions 42. In this respect, it is the same as the first embodiment (see Figure 2).

[0045] The first connecting portion 41 has a concave arc surface 43 located on the outer circumference and a recess surface 44 located on the inner circumference. The concave arc surface 43 is a surface that has a shape along a cylinder with a small radius. The recess surface 44 is a surface that is more deeply recessed than the concave arc surface 43. In the configuration shown in Figure 11, the concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 are not provided on the second connecting portion 42, but they may be provided on the second connecting portion 42.

[0046] The recess surface 44 is a surface with a shape that follows the contour of a cone. The recess surface 44 has an inclined surface 45 that increases in depth as it moves radially away from the concave arc surface 43, that is, towards the inner circumference. The gap e1 formed between the recess surface 44 and the end face 26 of the roller 13 (see Figure 10) increases towards the inner circumference due to the inclined surface 45. The shapes of the concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 are the same as in the first embodiment (Figures 6 and 7).

[0047] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the retainer 14 shown in Figure 11. The retainer 14 shown in Figure 12 differs from the retainer 14 shown in Figure 11 in that the first annular body 31 has a connecting surface 46. In the case of the retainer 14 shown in Figure 12, the first annular body 31 has a connecting surface 46 that connects the recess surface 44 on one of a pair of adjacent columns 33 in the circumferential direction to the recess surface 44 on the other column 33. The connecting surface 46 is a surface on which the gap formed between it and the roller 13 (first end face 26) gradually increases toward the inner circumference. The connecting surface 46 is a surface that slopes from the side surface 31a of the first annular body 31. The connecting surface 46 has the same configuration as the connecting surface 46 of the retainer 14 shown in Figure 8.

[0048] Figure 20 shows yet another modified example of the retainer 14 shown in Figures 11 and 12. The configuration shown in Figure 20 differs from that shown in Figures 11 and 12 in that the connecting surface 46 is different, but the other components are the same. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. In the modified example shown in Figure 20, compared to the configuration shown in Figure 12, the radially outer edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 is located closer to the radially inner side. The edge 46e is the portion along the line that intersects the connecting surface 46 and the side surface 31a.

[0049] Specifically, the edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 is located radially inward from the radially outer edge 44e of the recess surface 44 on one column 33 side and the recess surface 44 on the other column 33 side. With this configuration, the area of ​​the side surface 31a that the roller 13 can contact in the first annular body 31 is larger than in the configuration shown in Figure 12. As a result, wear of the side surface 31a can be reduced. The edge 46e of the connecting surface 46 may be a straight line or an arc shape as described in the configuration shown in Figure 19. In each of the above embodiments of the retainer 14, the second annular body 32 also has the same configuration as the connecting surface 46 of the first annular body 31.

[0050] [The third form of rolling bearing] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a rolling bearing. The rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 13 is a tapered roller bearing, where the rollers 13 provided between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 are tapered rollers. With respect to the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 13, the same components as those in the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components is omitted. The cage 14 of the rolling bearing 10 according to the third embodiment is composed of a plurality of cage segments 17, as shown in Figure 14. The plurality of cage segments 17 are located in the annular space S between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12. One roller 13 is held in one cage segment 17.

[0051] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the retainer segment 17. The retainer segment 17 has a first wall 51, a second wall 52, and two columns 53. The first wall 51 faces the first end face 26 of the roller 13 (see Figure 13). The second wall 52 faces the second end face 27 of the roller 13. The columns 53 connect the first wall 51 and the second wall 52. The columns 53 face the outer circumferential surface 28 of the roller 13. The space between the first wall 51 and the second wall 52 and between the pair of columns 53 becomes a pocket 29 that accommodates the roller 13.

[0052] The column 53 has an outer anti-drop portion 35 on the outer circumference of the retainer segment 17 to prevent the rollers 13 housed in the pocket 29 from falling out. The anti-drop portion 35 is composed of a projection that protrudes from the column 53. When the rollers 13 housed in the pocket 29 are displaced radially outward from the retainer 14, they come into contact with the anti-drop portion 35, preventing the rollers 13 from falling out. The column 53 has an inner anti-drop portion 34 on the inner circumference side of the retainer segment 17 to prevent the rollers 13 housed in the pocket 29 from falling out. The anti-drop portion 34 is composed of a projection that protrudes from the column 53. When the rollers 13 housed in the pocket 29 are displaced radially inward of the retainer 14, they come into contact with the anti-drop portion 34, preventing the rollers 13 from falling out.

[0053] The assembly method for the rolling bearing 10 shown in Figure 13 is as follows: The rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 of the cage segment 17. The rollers 13 are fitted into the pockets 29 from the outer circumference side of the cage segment 17. Focusing on one cage segment 17 (see Figure 15), the distance between the two outer anti-fall portions 35 is smaller than the diameter of the roller 13 at the position where these anti-fall portions 35 are formed. Therefore, when fitting the rollers 13 into the pockets 29, the rollers 13 push against the outer anti-fall portions 35, causing the column 53 to undergo elastic deformation. When all the rollers 13 are fitted into the cage segment 17, it becomes a caged roller bearing. The caged roller bearing is formed by combining the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12.

[0054] In Figure 15, the part where the first wall 51 and one column 53 are connected is the first connection part 41. The part where the second wall 52 and one column 53 are connected is the second connection part 42. There are two first connection parts 41 in one retainer segment 17, and there are two second connection parts 42 in one retainer segment 17.

[0055] The first connecting portion 41 has a concave arc surface 43 located on the inner circumference side and a recess surface 44 located on the outer circumference side. The concave arc surface 43 is a surface that has a shape along a cylinder with a small radius. The recess surface 44 is a surface that is more deeply recessed than the concave arc surface 43. The concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 are also provided in the second connecting portion 42. That is, the second connecting portion 42 has a concave arc surface 43 located on the inner circumference side and a recess surface 44 located on the outer circumference side. The concave arc surface 43 of the first connecting portion 41 and the concave arc surface 43 of the second connecting portion 42 have the same shape, and the recess surface 44 of the first connecting portion 41 and the recess surface 44 of the second connecting portion 42 have the same shape.

[0056] The recess surface 44 is a surface with a shape that follows the contour of a cone. The recess surface 44 has an inclined surface 45 that increases in depth as it moves radially away from the concave arc surface 43, that is, as it moves toward the outer circumference. The gap formed between the recess surface 44 and the end face 26 (27) of the roller 13 (see Figure 13) increases toward the outer circumference due to the inclined surface 45. The shapes of the concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 are the same as in the first embodiment (Figures 6 and 7).

[0057] [Regarding the rolling bearing 10 and cage 14 of each configuration] As described above, the cage 14 of each of the above forms of rolling bearing 10 has a first annular body 31 (first wall 51) facing the first end face 26 of the roller 13, a second annular body 32 (second wall 52) facing the second end face 27 of the roller 13, and a plurality of columns 33 (columns 53) connecting the first annular body 31 (first wall 51) and the second annular body 32 (second wall 52). The space between the first annular body 31 (first wall 51) and the second annular body 32 (second wall 52) and between the pair of columns 33 (columns 53) becomes a pocket 29 that accommodates the roller 13.

[0058] Column 33 (Column 53) has a fall prevention part on its first radial side to prevent the roller 13 from falling out of the pocket 29. In the case of the first form of the retainer 14 (see Figures 3 and 4) and the second form of the retainer 14 (see Figure 11), the first radial side is the inner circumference side of the retainer 14, and the second radial side is the outer circumference side of the retainer 14. In the case of the third form of the retainer 14 (retainer segment 17) described above (see Figure 15), the first radial side is the outer circumference side of the retainer 14 (retainer segment 17), and the second radial side is the inner circumference side of the retainer 14 (retainer segment 17).

[0059] In each of the above embodiments of the retainer 14, the first connection portion 41 between the first annular body 31 (first wall 51) and the column 33 (column 53) has a concave arc surface 43 located on the second radial side and a recess surface 44 located on the first radial side. The recess surface 44 is more deeply recessed than the concave arc surface. The assembly method for the rolling bearing 10 having each of the above-described forms of cage 14 includes an integration step in which the rollers 13 are assembled into the pocket 29 from the first radial side to obtain a unit of cage 14 and rollers 13. In this integration step, the rollers 13 press against the fall-out prevention part, causing the column 33 (column 53) to elastically deform, and the rollers 13 are assembled into the pocket 29.

[0060] In order to incorporate the roller 13 into the pocket 29, the column 33 (column 53) undergoes elastic deformation. Even in this case, the retainer 14 can alleviate the stress concentration that occurs at the first connection portion 41 through the recess surface 44. The recess surface 44 is present on the first radial side but not on the second radial side. Therefore, the contact area between the first end face 26 of the roller 13 and the first annular body 31 (first wall 51) is wider than in the conventional design. Wear of the retainer 14 due to the reduction in the contact area is suppressed.

[0061] The recess surface 44 is present on the first radial side but not on the second radial side. This suppresses a decrease in the strength of the retainer 14. In each of the above-described forms of the retainer 14, the recessed surface 44 increases the length of the elastically deformable portion in the column 33 (column 53), making it easier to assemble the roller 13 into the pocket 29.

[0062] In the first and third embodiments described above, the second connection portion 42 between the second annular body 32 (second wall 52) and the column 33 (column 53) has, like the first connection portion 41, a concave arc surface 43 located on the second side in the radial direction and a recess surface 44 located on the first side in the radial direction. The recess surface 44 is more deeply recessed than the concave arc surface 43. As a result, the contact area between the second end face 27 of the roller 13 and the second annular body 32 (second wall 52) is wider than in the conventional configuration.

[0063] In each of the above embodiments, the recess surface 44 has an inclined surface 45 in which the gap formed between it and the roller 13 increases as it moves radially away from the concave arc surface 43. The contact area between the first end face 26 of the roller 13 and the first annular body 31 (first wall 51) can be widened by this inclined surface 45 without impairing the stress concentration relief function.

[0064] [Regarding other matters] In each of the above embodiments, the recess surface (first concave surface) 44 connected to the concave arc surface (second concave surface) 43 has been described in the case where it has a shape along a cone. However, the recess surface 44 may be otherwise, and although not shown, it may have a shape along a cylinder larger than the concave arc surface 43. For example, the recess surface 44 may be composed of a surface shaped along a cylinder larger than the concave arc surface 43 and a surface shaped along a cone.

[0065] In each of the above embodiments, the boundary between the concave arc surface 43 and the recess surface 44 is located midway along the radial direction of the first connection portion 41 (second connection portion 42). The concave arc surface 43 may be formed over a radially longer area than the recess surface 44, or the recess surface 44 may be formed over a radially longer area than the concave arc surface 43. When the concave arc surface 43 is formed over a longer area, the contact area becomes larger. When the recess surface 44 is formed over a longer area, the stress concentration relief function becomes higher.

[0066] As described for each of the above embodiments, the shape of the cage may differ depending on the form of the rolling bearing, that is, depending on the rolling elements of the rolling bearing.

[0067] The embodiments described above are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the embodiments, and includes all modifications within the scope of equivalence to the configurations described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 10 Rolling bearings 11 Inner circle 12 Outer ring Around 13 14 Cage 17 Retainer Segments 26 First end face 27 Second end face 29 pockets 31. First ring (first wall) 32 Second ring (second wall) 33 pillars 34 Falling prevention part 35 Falling prevention part 41 First connection part (connection part) 42 Second connection section 43 Concave arc surface (second concave surface) 44 Recessed surface (first concave surface) 44e edge 45 Slope 46 Connecting surface 46e edge 51 First wall 52 Second wall 53 pillars

Claims

1. A retainer having a first wall facing the first end face of a rolling bearing roller, a second wall facing the second end face of the roller, and a plurality of columns connecting the first wall and the second wall, wherein the space between the first wall and the second wall and between a pair of the columns forms a pocket for housing the roller, The column has a fall prevention portion on at least one of the first and second radial sides to prevent the rollers housed in the pocket from falling out. The connection between the first wall and the column has a first concave surface located on the first radial side and a second concave surface located on the second radial side, wherein the first concave surface is more deeply recessed than the second concave surface. The first concave surface has an inclined surface in which the gap formed between it and the roller increases as it moves radially away from the second concave surface. The first wall has a connecting surface that connects the first concave surface on one of a pair of adjacent columns with the first concave surface on the other column. The aforementioned connecting surface is a resin retainer, the surface on which the gap formed between it and the roller gradually increases toward the first radial side.

2. The aforementioned first wall is a first ring body which is an annular shape. The retainer according to claim 1, wherein the second wall is a second annular body that is ring-shaped.

3. A cage composed of multiple cage segments located in the annular space between the inner and outer rings of a rolling bearing, The retainer according to claim 1, wherein each of the retainer segments has the first wall, the second wall, and the two columns.

4. The retainer according to claim 1, wherein the second radial edge of the connecting surface is located radially to the first side of the second radial edge of the first concave surface on one column side and the first concave surface on the other column side.

5. It comprises an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rollers positioned between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a retainer that holds the rollers, The retainer is the retainer described in any one of claims 1 to 4. Rolling bearings.

6. A method for assembling a rolling bearing according to claim 5, The process includes an integration step in which the roller is assembled into the pocket from at least one of the first and second radial sides to obtain a unit of the retainer and the roller, In the aforementioned integration process, the roller presses against the fall-prevention portion, causing the column to elastically deform, and the roller is then incorporated into the pocket. How to assemble rolling bearings.

Images