Segmented Bearing Cage with Bronze Protrusions for Friction Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-diameter rolling bearings used in tunnel boring machines face high friction torque due to contact between segmented cages and inner/outer rings, necessitating expensive materials like bronze to reduce friction.
Innovation Solution
A segmented cage design with a main body made from steel and protruding means made from a material with a lower friction coefficient, such as bronze, which only the protruding means contact the rings, reducing overall friction and eliminating the need for expensive materials in the main body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the segmented cage is made from expensive material such as bronze to reduce friction with the inner and outer rings, then the friction coefficient is reduced, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different material properties to different parts of the cage structure. The protruding means (which contact the rings) are made from bronze or similar low-friction material, while the main body is made from cheaper steel. This local differentiation of material quality reduces overall cost while maintaining friction reduction where it is most needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cage is constructed as a composite structure combining two different materials: bronze protruding means attached to a steel main body. This composite approach allows each component to contribute its optimal properties - the bronze provides low friction at contact points while the steel provides structural integrity at lower cost.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the main body of the cage segment is made from expensive material such as bronze, then the friction contribution is reduced, but the material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire cage body from expensive bronze, the invention applies bronze only to the protruding means that actually contact the rings. The main body is made from cheaper steel, significantly reducing the quantity of expensive material required while maintaining friction reduction effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction-reducing function is extracted from the main body and concentrated in the protruding means. By separating the friction management function from the structural body, the invention reduces the quantity of expensive material needed while preserving the essential friction reduction benefit.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the protruding means are made from material with lower friction coefficient such as bronze, then the friction coefficient is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cage is divided into distinct functional segments: the main body structure and the protruding means. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured separately using optimal materials and processes, then assembled together. The protruding means can be manufactured as separate components (such as inserted elements or attached features) rather than requiring complex multi-material manufacturing of the entire cage.
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
The solution significantly reduces friction torque in large-diameter rolling bearings, allowing the main body to be made from less expensive materials like steel without compromising performance.
Implementation Method 1
The protruding means of the first and second groups are made from material having a friction coefficient smaller than the one of the main body. Accordingly, the friction contribution of the cage segment is further reduced.
Data Source
AI summary
The cage segment for rolling bearing has a main body provided with at least two pockets each configured to receive at least a roller, with two opposite cylindrical faces extending circumferentially and delimiting radially the cage segment, and with two opposite frontal faces delimiting axially the cage segment. The cage segment further provides a first group of protruding means affixed to the main body and protruding relative to the cylindrical faces, and a second group of protruding means affixed to the main body and protruding relative to the frontal faces.