Bearing Cage Roller Retention Using a Removable Transport Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rolling-element bearing cages face challenges in securely transporting rollers without the rollers falling out during transportation, requiring complex and costly redesigns of the cage and injection-molding tools.
Innovation Solution
A transport-securing unit with tongue-shaped elements that are elastically deflectable radially inward, attached to an annular region, securely captures rollers in pockets of the bearing cage, allowing for efficient transportation and assembly without modifying the cage design, and can be reused.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a transport-securing unit is integrated into the cage design, then rollers can be securely transported without falling out, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to redesign of the cage and injection-molding tool
Solution Approach 1:
The transport-securing unit is designed as a separate, removable component from the cage, allowing the cage to maintain its simple original design while the securing function is provided by the attached transport-securing unit with tongue-shaped elements
Solution Approach 2:
The transport-securing unit acts as an intermediary component that temporarily provides the securing function during transport, without requiring modification of the cage itself. The tongue-shaped elements engage with the rollers to prevent them from falling out during transportation
2Reliability
If the cage design is modified to secure rollers, then transport security is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to change of injection-molding tool
Solution Approach 1:
The transport-securing unit is segmented as a separate component that can be attached to existing cages, avoiding the need to modify the injection-molding tool for the cage itself. This allows existing cages to be used without costly tooling changes
Solution Approach 2:
The securing function is localized to the transport-securing unit with its tongue-shaped elements that specifically engage with the rollers, leaving the cage design unchanged and avoiding the need for expensive injection-molding tool modifications
3Ease of operation
If tongue-shaped elements are made elastically deflectable, then the transport-securing unit can be easily attached and detached, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue-shaped elements are designed with elastic deflectability, allowing them to dynamically adapt during attachment and detachment operations. This elastic property enables simple attachment by deflecting the tongues and securing them in place, while the elasticity itself is achieved through straightforward material selection rather than complex structural design
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure, efficient, and cost-effective transportation and assembly of rollers, allowing for pre-assembly away from the final assembly line and retrofitting of existing cages without redesign, while maintaining a compact and simple design.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of tongue-shaped elements each advantageously include at least one tip that is elastically deflectable radially inward with respect to a central axis of the annular region
Data Source
AI summary
A transport-securing unit for retaining a plurality of rollers in a rolling-element bearing cage during transportation may include an annular region and a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced projections extending from the annular region. Also, an assembly of the transport-securing unit, a rolling-element cage and a plurality of rollers in pockets of the rolling-element bearing cage, where the transport-securing unit is formed separately from the rolling-element bearing cage, and where the projections extend inside the cage and limit radially inward movement of the rollers relative to the cage.