Split Cage Cylindrical Roller Bearing Axial Force Transmission
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transmissions face challenges in accommodating large radial and axial forces, particularly in first gear and reverse operations, where conventional bearing designs often fail to efficiently distribute these forces, leading to size and cost inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The use of double-row cylindrical roller bearings with a split cage design, where the cage halves click together and include a central flange to directly transmit axial forces to adjacent support surfaces, bypassing the bearing cage, allowing for high load capacity and compact size with reduced production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional needle bearings are used in idler gears, then the transmission can handle radial forces, but the bearing cannot efficiently manage axial forces and requires larger dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing cage is divided into two separate half-cages that can be assembled together. This segmentation allows the cage to be opened for easy installation of roller bearings onto the idler shaft, then closed to form a complete cage structure that properly manages both radial and axial forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The axial force transmission function is extracted from the bearing cage and assigned to a dedicated axial force transmission element (such as a flange or shoulder). This separation allows the bearing cage to focus on radial support while the extracted element handles axial forces, improving overall efficiency and reducing size.
2Strength
If the bearing cage supports axial forces directly, then the structure is simplified, but the load capacity and reliability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary axial force transmission element is introduced between the bearing components and the idler gear. This mediator (flange or shoulder) specifically handles axial force transmission, allowing the bearing cage to maintain its structural integrity for radial loads while the intermediary element manages axial forces, thereby increasing overall load capacity.
3Ease of manufacture
If solid bearing cages are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but assembly of roller bearings becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing cage is segmented into two half-cages that can be manufactured separately and then assembled together. This segmentation makes the manufacturing process simpler for each half-cage while enabling easy assembly of the roller bearings onto the idler shaft, as the cage can be opened during assembly and then closed to complete the bearing unit.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A gearbox for a motor vehicle, illustrated with an internal combustion engine, has an obliquely toothed reversing gearwheel (4) which is mounted on a two-row cylinder roller bearing with left-hand cylinder rollers (7) and with right-hand cylinder rollers (8) which are each supported on the inside on a rotating centre rim (9) in the reversing gearwheel (4). The left-hand cylinder rollers (7) and the right-hand cylinder rollers (8) are held in a bearing cage (14). The bearing cage (14) is embodied in such a way that the force flux (13) for axial forces between the reversing gearwheel (4) and its gear shaft (1) is applied to the input shaft (1) through the centre rim (9) and via end sides of the cylinder rollers (7, 8) which bear directly thereon, through the opposite end sides of the cylinder rollers (7, 8) and through adjacent components (6, 2), with the omission of the bearing cage (14).