Plastic Bearing Cage Closure for Stable Roller Sleeve Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inner-ring-fastened roller sleeves face issues with plastic bearing cages not being supported at their ends, leading to loose ends during assembly, and known cage locks are unsuitable for large diameter and narrow width applications, or lack durability in transmissions.
Innovation Solution
A plastic cage design with a radially central parting line and projections/latches that fix the cage ends both radially and axially, using projections as extensions of the cage webs, ensuring secure closure without tangential play or imbalance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an open plastic bearing cage is used in inner-ring-fastened roller sleeves, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the cage ends are not supported and may fall out during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic cage is designed with self-latching closure elements that automatically engage and secure the cage ends to the inner ring during assembly, eliminating the need for separate cage locks or manual fastening operations. The closure elements utilize elastic deformation of the plastic material to create reliable mechanical interlocking
Solution Approach 2:
The cage is divided into two cage ends that can be separately formed and then joined through the closure elements, allowing the cage to be assembled from modular components while maintaining structural integrity and preventing end separation during operation
2Reliability
If a closed bearing cage made of sheet steel is used, then cage end stability is improved, but manufacturing cost and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the advantages of closed cage stability with the benefits of plastic material by using plastic closure elements with integrated latching mechanisms that provide secure engagement without requiring expensive sheet steel construction or additional fastening components
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for separate cage locks by integrating the locking function directly into the plastic cage structure through self-latching closure elements, thereby reducing component count and manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability
3Reliability
If known cage locks are used to secure cage ends, then cage end stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The closure elements combine multiple functions into a single integrated component: they provide structural closure for the cage, incorporate latching mechanisms for secure engagement, and enable automatic assembly through elastic deformation. This merging eliminates the need for separate locks, clips, or fastening devices
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic cage consists of two side rings that have a common axis of rotation and are axially spaced apart from one another, and a plurality of cage webs that connect the side rings to one another and between which pockets are formed for receiving rolling elements, wherein the plastic cage is axially slotted at at least one peripheral location by a parting line which defines a first cage end and a second cage end and at the boundary surfaces of which mutually corresponding closure elements are located, by means of which the first and second cage ends can be fixed relative to one another both in the axial and radial direction and in the peripheral direction.