Rolling-element bearing cage and method for producing a rolling-element bearing cage

• US 8,974,123 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Schulz, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US14/005,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20140003757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 384/572, 384/575, 384/576, 384/580
• US Class Current: 384/572
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/02 Milling surfaces of revolution B23C3/06, B23C3/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2220/66 by milling
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/4623 formed as one-piece cages, i.e. monoblock cages
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/467 Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or roller retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303752 Process

Abstract

A rolling-element bearing cage (12) having two lateral rings (2) and a plurality of cage webs (1), wherein the laterals rings (2) and the cage webs (1) form a plurality of cage pockets (8). In order for the rolling-element bearing cage (12) to have an especially light and stable design, a respective recess (3) is formed in each of the corners (10) of the cage pockets (8). This recess is tapered or reduced toward the radial center (7) of the recess without forming a running surface for the associated rolling element (9). A method for producing the rolling-element bearing cage (12) is also provided, wherein a plurality of cage pockets (8) are milled into a solid cage blank, wherein the corners (10) of the cage pockets (8) are milled in such a way that a respective recess (3) is formed in each of the corners of the cage pockets, which recess is tapered or reduced toward the radial center (7) of the recess without forming a running surface for the associated rolling element (9).

Claims

1. Rolling-element bearing cage comprising two lateral rings and a plurality of cage webs, the lateral rings and the cage webs form a plurality of cage pockets, each having corners, a recess is formed in each of the corners of the cage pockets, and the recesses taper towards a radial center thereof, without forming a running surface for the associated rolling-element body.

2. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 1, wherein the tapering of the recess of the pocket corners is formed both in a peripheral direction and also in an axial direction of the cage.

3. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 1, wherein in a top view from radially outside to radially inside, the pocket corners are formed approximately with an elliptical or stadium-like shape.

4. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 1, wherein the cage including the lateral rings and the cage webs is formed as a unitary piece.

5. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer side of the cage webs is formed wider in a circumferential direction of the cage than a radially inner side.

6. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 1, wherein sides of the cage webs in a circumferential direction each have two sections angled toward each other.

7. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 6, wherein the sections angled toward each other of the sides of the cage webs bound each other at an angle (a) of 120°

to 170°

.

8. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 6, wherein a radially inner side of each of the cage webs extend to a radially outer adjacent one of the sections of the sides in the circumferential direction at an angle (b) of 100°

to 150°

.

9. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 6, wherein the radially outer side of each of the cage webs extend to a radially inner adjacent one of the sections of the sides in the circumferential direction at an angle (c) of 80°

to 90°

.

10. Rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 6, wherein a radially inner one of the sections of the sides in the circumferential direction in each of the cage webs is oriented at an angle (d)=20°

to 40°

relative to a straight line (L) that is oriented parallel to a surface normal (N) of a radially inner side of the cage web.

11. Method for producing a rolling-element bearing cage according to claim 1, comprising milling a plurality of cage pockets in a solid cage blank, the corners of the cage pockets are milled such that, in each of the corners, a recess is formed that tapers towards a radial center, without forming a running surface for an associated rolling-element body.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the recess of the pockets corners are milled so that the tapers are formed both in a peripheral direction and also in an axial direction of the cage.

13. Method according to claim 11, wherein the pocket corners are milled so that these are formed approximately in an elliptical or stadium-like shape from the radial outside to the radial inside.

14. Method according to claim 11, wherein the milling is performed with a multi-axis milling machine.