Cage for rolling bearing

• US 20090060407A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kotani, Kazuyuki, Nakano, Shusuke, Tachi, Hiroshi
• Application Number:
  US12/230,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20090060407A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/533
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3806 Details of interaction of cage and race, e.g. retention, centring
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3875 made from plastic, e.g. two injection moulded parts joined by a snap fit
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3887 Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or ball retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6681 Details of distribution or circulation inside the bearing, e.g. grooves on the cage or passages in the rolling elements

Abstract

A cage of the invention is equipped with a first annular portion and a second annular portion that are disposed respectively at both ends in an axial direction, and a plurality of columns which couples the first annular portion and the second annular portion to each other, and which forms a plurality of pockets in which rolling elements are accommodated. The cage is composed of a first body portion and a second body portion that are arranged in the axial direction of the bearing and that are coupled to each other via interlocking columns provided on each of the first and second body portions. At least one of the first body portion and the second body portion has an outer diameter face having recessed therein an oil groove whose base end leads to a corresponding pocket.

Claims

1. A cage for a bearing comprising:

a holding portion disposed in an annular space between a inner ring and an outer ring that holds a plurality of rolling elements between the inner ring and the outer ring so that the rolling elements rolls,

wherein

the holding portion includes a first annular portion and a second annular portion that are disposed respectively at either end of the holding portion in an axial direction of the cage, and a plurality of columns which couples the first annular portion and the second annular portion to each other and which forms a plurality of pockets, in which the rolling elements are accommodated, the plurality of the columns being disposed in a circumferential direction of the holding portion,

the plurality of the columns are constituted by a first column portion and a second column portion that are disposed adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the annular holding portion and coupled to each other, and

an oil groove is formed in an outer diameter face of at least one of the first column portion and the second column portion, wherein the oil groove is recessed in the outer diameter face, and a base end of the oil groove leads to a corresponding pocket.

2. The cage according to claim 1, wherein

the oil groove is formed at an incline with a greater depth at its base end side and the depth of the oil groove gradually decreases towards its tip side.

3. The cage according to claim 2, wherein

the oil groove has a greater width at its base end side and the width of the oil groove gradually decreases toward its tip side.

4. The cage according to claim 1, wherein

the oil groove is formed with a cross-sectional area that is larger at its base end than at its tip side.

5. The cage according to claim 4, wherein

the oil groove is formed with the cross-sectional area that gradually decreases from its base end toward its tip side.

6. The cage according to claim 1, wherein

balls are used as the rolling elements;

the pockets are formed in a generally quadrangular shape, the four sides of which contact the outer peripheral faces of the balls, and

the oil groove extends in a direction between the circumferential direction of the cage and the axial direction of the cage from at least one of corner portions of the corresponding pocket.

7. The cage according to claim 6, wherein

the oil groove is formed in each of the first column portion and the second column portion, and extends in a direction between the circumferential direction of the cage and the axial direction of the cage from the corner portion of the corresponding pocket.

8. The cage according to claim 6, wherein

the first column portion and the second column portion have a first lateral face adjacent to the other column portion, and a second lateral face facing in a direction opposite to the first lateral face, respectively, and

the oil groove extends toward the second lateral face of each of the column portions in which the oil groove is formed.

9. The cage according to claim 6, wherein

a projection that projects toward an inner diameter face of the outer ring is formed in an outer diameter face of at least one of the first column portion and the second column portion.

10. The cage according to claim 1, wherein

the oil groove extends in the circumferential direction of the holding portion.

11. The cage according to claim 1, wherein

a projection that projects toward an inner diameter face of the outer ring is formed in an outer diameter face of at least one of the first column portion and the second column portion.

12. A rolling bearing comprising:

a inner ring;

a outer ring;

a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring; and

a holding portion disposed in an annular space between the inner ring and the outer ring that holds the plurality of the rolling elements between the inner ring and the outer ring so that the rolling elements rolls, wherein

the holding portion includes a first annular portion and a second annular portion that are disposed respectively at either end of the holding portion in an axial direction of the cage, and a plurality of columns that couples the first annular portion and the second annular portion to each other and forms a plurality of pockets in which the rolling elements are accommodated, the plurality of the columns being disposed in a circumferential direction of the holding portion,

the plurality of the columns are constituted by a first column portion and a second column portion that are disposed adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the holding portion and coupled to each other, and

an oil groove is formed in an outer diameter face of at least one of the first column portion and the second column portion, wherein the oil groove is recessed in the outer diameter face. and a base end of the oil groove leads to the corresponding pocket.

13. The rolling bearing according to claim 12, wherein

the oil groove is formed at an incline with a greater depth at its base end and the depth gradually decreases toward the tip side of the oil groove.

14. The rolling bearing according to claim 12, wherein

a cross-sectional area of the oil groove is greater at its base end side than at its tip side.