Bearing retainer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A bearing cage for use with a plurality of rolling elements in a bearing assembly, the bearing cage comprising:
- a plurality of bridge elements arranged to separate the rolling elements from each other and to retain the rolling elements in alignment in the bearing assembly, each of the bridge elements being formed of sheet material bent to define a partially hollow component; and
at least one rim element connecting the plurality of bridge elements;
wherein each of the plurality of bridge elements includes;
a bridge back defined by first and second opposite ends and two opposite side edges; and
first and second wings, each wing extending from a corresponding side edge of the bridge back, the wings being bent toward each other so that together the bridge back and the wings define at least a portion of the bridge element that is hollow; and
a first blade extending from a side edge of the first wing and being bent relative to the first wing;
wherein each bridge element is configured to contact a first rolling element of a pair of adjacent rolling elements with an outer surface of the first wing and a surface of the first blade, and is configured to contact a second rolling element of the pair of adjacent rolling elements with an outer surface of the second wing, to align and constrain the motion of the rolling elements such that the first blade and the first wing together provide only two angularly separated contact points as alignment-constraining regions for guidance of the first rolling element.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bearing cage for use with a plurality of rolling elements in a bearing assembly includes a plurality of bridge elements arranged to separate the rolling elements from each other and to retain the rolling elements in alignment in the bearing assembly. Each of the bridge elements is formed of sheet material bent to define a partially hollow component. The cage further includes at least one rim element connecting the plurality of bridge elements.
18 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A bearing cage for use with a plurality of rolling elements in a bearing assembly, the bearing cage comprising:
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a plurality of bridge elements arranged to separate the rolling elements from each other and to retain the rolling elements in alignment in the bearing assembly, each of the bridge elements being formed of sheet material bent to define a partially hollow component; and at least one rim element connecting the plurality of bridge elements; wherein each of the plurality of bridge elements includes; a bridge back defined by first and second opposite ends and two opposite side edges; and first and second wings, each wing extending from a corresponding side edge of the bridge back, the wings being bent toward each other so that together the bridge back and the wings define at least a portion of the bridge element that is hollow; and a first blade extending from a side edge of the first wing and being bent relative to the first wing; wherein each bridge element is configured to contact a first rolling element of a pair of adjacent rolling elements with an outer surface of the first wing and a surface of the first blade, and is configured to contact a second rolling element of the pair of adjacent rolling elements with an outer surface of the second wing, to align and constrain the motion of the rolling elements such that the first blade and the first wing together provide only two angularly separated contact points as alignment-constraining regions for guidance of the first rolling element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A bearing assembly comprising:
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a plurality of rolling elements; and a plurality of bridge elements arranged between respective rolling elements to separate the rolling elements from each other and to retain the rolling elements in alignment in the bearing assembly, each of the bridge elements being formed of sheet material bent to define; a bridge back defined by first and second opposite ends and two opposite side edges; a wing extending from a side edge of the bridge back and being bent relative to the bridge back; and a blade extending from a side edge of the wing and being bent relative to the wing; wherein each bridge element is configured to contact a first rolling element of a pair of adjacent rolling elements with a surface of the wing, and is configured to contact the first rolling element of the pair of adjacent rolling elements with a surface of the blade, such that the blade and the wing together provide only two angularly separated contact points as alignment-constraining regions for guidance of the first rolling element. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A bearing cage for use with a plurality of rolling elements in a bearing assembly, the bearing cage comprising:
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a plurality of bridge elements arranged to separate the rolling elements from each other and to retain the rolling elements in alignment in the bearing assembly, each of the bridge elements being formed of sheet material bent to define a partially hollow component; and a first rim element that interconnects first ends of a first group of the plurality of bridge elements, a second rim element that interconnects first ends of a second group of the plurality of bridge elements, and a third rim element interconnecting second ends of each of the first group and each of the second group of the plurality of bridge elements to define a cage section that extends less than an overall circumferential dimension of the cage; and wherein the first and second rim elements overlie and abut one another such that each bridge element interconnected by the first rim element is positioned between a pair of bridge elements interconnected by the second rim element. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification