Thrust Bearing Cage Folded Flange for Stiffness and Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Roller thrust bearings with flush-mounted raceways face challenges in achieving uniform flange height and stiffness due to material thickness limitations, leading to potential damage and reduced piloting surfaces when flange heights are less than twice the material width, resulting in low stiffness and ease of bending.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece cage design for roller thrust bearings with annular portions and flanges that exceed twice the material width in height, featuring axially and radially extending flanges, and a disk-shaped second flange portion that can be folded inward for improved stiffness and piloting surfaces, ensuring adequate clearance and retention features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the flange height is minimized to provide required clearance for flush-mounted raceways, then clearance is adequate, but the flange exhibits low stiffness and is easily bent or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is formed by folding material back on itself, transitioning from a simple axial extension to a multi-dimensional structure with radial and axial components. This folding creates a compact geometry that provides adequate clearance while maintaining structural integrity through the folded configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange utilizes the material's own flexibility and elastic properties through controlled folding, creating a structure that combines thin material thickness with enhanced stiffness. The folded configuration acts as a composite structure where the material layers work together to resist bending while maintaining minimal overall height.
2Length of stationary object
If the flange height is less than two times the material width, then clearance is improved, but manufacturing uniformity becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is pre-formed with the folded configuration during the cage manufacturing process rather than attempting to achieve the final compact height through subsequent operations. This preliminary folding action ensures uniformity is built into the structure from the start, making the manufacturing process more controllable and consistent.
3Length of stationary object
If the flange height is minimized, then clearance for race retention features is adequate, but the piloting surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The piloting surface is created through the folded configuration of the flange, which generates radial and axial surfaces in addition to the original axial face. This multi-dimensional surface geometry provides adequate piloting area for race retention while maintaining minimal overall flange height for clearance requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A cage (110) for a roller thrust bearing (100), including a first cage half (120) including an annular portion (122), a first flange (130) extending axially from an inner peripheral edge (124) of the annular portion, and a second flange (132) extending axially from an outer peripheral edge (126) of the annular portion, and a second cage half (140) including an annular portion (142), a first flange (150) extending axially from one of an inner peripheral edge (144) and an outer peripheral edge (146) of the annular portion, a second flange (152) extending both axially and radially from the other of the inner peripheral edge and the outer peripheral edge, the second flange including a first flange portion (154) and a second flange portion (156), wherein the second flange portion of the second flange of the second cage half is disk-shaped and is disposed in a plane that is transverse to a longitudinal center axis of the roller retainer cage.