Synthetic resin retainer and angular ball bearing

• US 7,059,776 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Umemitsu, Ueno, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US10/822,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20040234181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 384/470, 384/523, 384526-528, 384/533, 384/534
• US Class Current: 384/470
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/163 with angular contact
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2240/40 Linear dimensions, e.g. length, radius, thickness, gap
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2240/44 Hole or pocket sizes
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2322/39 General build up of machine tools, e.g. spindles, slides, actuators in general B23Q
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3856 made from plastic, e.g. injection moulded window cages
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3887 Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or ball retaining means

Abstract

An angular ball bearing is provided which can suppress runout of a retainer during high-speed rotation. A retainer of a synthetic resin is mounted between an outer ring and an inner ring, and balls are housed in pockets formed in the retainer. The pockets are cylindrical. Conical guide surfaces are formed on the cylindrical inner surface of each pocket at its inner-diameter end in the circumferential direction of the retainer. The radius of curvature of the conical guide surfaces at the large diameter ends thereof is greater than the radius of curvature of the cylindrical inner surfaces, thereby preventing the contact points between the balls and the conical guide surfaces from becoming markedly displaced in the diametric direction during high-speed rotation, and thus suppressing runout of the retainer.

Claims

1. A synthetic resin retainer comprising an annular member made of a synthetic resin and formed with a plurality of pockets to receive balls, said pockets having cylindrical inner surfaces, wherein a pair of conical guide surfaces to be guided by said balls are formed on the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket at an inner-diameter end thereof so as to oppose each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, and wherein the radius of curvature of each said conical guide surface at a large-diameter end thereof is larger than the radius of curvature of the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket.

2. A synthetic resin retainer as claimed in claim 1 wherein in the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket, diametric grooves are formed so as to divide said cylindrical inner surface into four parts comprising a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, and a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the axial direction of the retainer.

3. A synthetic resin retainer comprising an annular member made of a synthetic resin and formed with a plurality of pockets to receive balls, said pockets having cylindrical inner surfaces, wherein a pair of conical surfaces are formed on the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket at an inner-diameter end thereof so as to oppose each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, wherein a lubricant retaining surface is integrally formed from the inner-diameter end of each said conical surface inwardly of the pocket, and wherein a linear ball guide edge to be guided by a ball is formed inside each said lubricant retaining surface so as to be parallel to the axis of the retainer.

4. A synthetic resin retainer as claimed in claim 3 wherein in the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket, diametric grooves are formed so as to divide said cylindrical inner surface into four parts comprising a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, and a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the axial direction of the retainer.

5. An angular ball bearing comprising a synthetic resin retainer mounted between an outer ring and an inner ring, and balls mounted in a plurality of pockets formed spaced circumferentially from each other in said retainer to support said outer ring and said inner ring so as to be rotatable relative to each other, wherein said pockets have cylindrical inner surfaces, wherein in the cylindrical inner surface of said each pocket, diametric grooves are formed so as to divide said cylindrical inner surface into four parts comprising a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, and a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the axial direction of the retainer, wherein a pair of conical guide surfaces to be guided by said balls are formed on the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket at an inner-diameter end thereof so as to oppose each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, and wherein the radius of curvature of said each conical guide surface at a large-diameter end thereof is larger than the radius of curvature of the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket.

6. An angular ball bearing comprising a synthetic resin retainer mounted between an outer ring and an inner ring, and balls mounted in a plurality of pockets formed spaced circumferentially from each other in said retainer for supporting said outer ring and said inner ring so as to be rotatable relative to each other, wherein said pockets have cylindrical inner surfaces, wherein in the cylindrical inner surface of each said pocket, diametric grooves are formed so as to divide said cylindrical inner surface into four parts comprising a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, and a pair of arcuate inner surfaces opposing each other in the axial direction of the retainer, wherein a pair of conical surfaces are formed on the cylindrical inner surface of said each pocket at an inner-diameter end thereof so as to oppose each other in the circumferential direction of the retainer, wherein a lubricant retaining surface is integrally formed from the inner-diameter end of each said conical surface inwardly of the pocket, and wherein a linear ball guide edge to be guided by a ball is formed inside each said lubricant retaining surface so as to be parallel to the axis of the retainer.