Cage and rollers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10047795-B2
Application number	US-201415104742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2013
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A cage of a cage and rollers includes engaging projecting portions that are provided on outer circumferential surfaces of rim portions, the engaging projecting portions being configured to be elastically deformed when the cage is inserted into a support hole of a rocker arm to thereby allow the cage to be contracted in diameter and to be elastically restored to be brought into engagement with the rocker arm after the cage is inserted in the support hole, to thereby position the cage properly in relation to an axial direction relative to the rocker arm. The cage and rollers can be assembled to the rocker arm while being positioned properly in relation to the axial direction so that the cage and rollers and the rocker arm can be formed into a rocker arm unit, and the cage and rollers can easily be assembled to the rocker arm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cage and rollers comprising:
a plurality of needles that are rolling elements; and
a resin cage comprising a pair of annular rim portion that are provided so as to be spaced apart in an axial direction from each other and a plurality of pillar portions that are disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction between the rim portions, the pillar portions that lie adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction and the rim portions defining a plurality of pockets in which the plurality of needles are held to roll freely, and configured to be installed in an outer ring corresponding member having a support hole whose inner circumferential surface constitutes a raceway surface for the needles, the cage and rollers, wherein:
the cage is made up of a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical cage elements having the same shapes;
the pair of cage elements each comprise a first rim portion having a pair of engaging projecting portions that project in the circumferential direction from circumferential end faces thereof, a second rim portion having on circumferential end faces thereof a pair of engaged portions that can be brought into engagement with the engaging projecting portions and a collar portion that can be brought into abutment with or face a side surface of the outer ring corresponding member, and a plurality of pillar portion that are disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction between the first and second rim portions;
the cage is formed into a cylindrical shape by bringing the engaging projecting portions into engagement with the engaged portions and making up a pair of rim portions by the one or first rim portion of the pair of cage elements and the other or second rim portion of the pair of cage elements, and the other or first rim portion of the pair of cage elements and the one or second rim portion of the pair of cage elements; and
the collar portions of the pair of cage elements are brought into abutment with or face both the side surfaces of the outer ring corresponding member.

2. The cage and rollers according to claim 1 , wherein:
the engaged portions are made up of axial side surfaces of step portions that are formed by spacing the collar portions in the circumferential direction from the circumferential end faces; and
the axial side surface of the first rim portion and the axial side surface of the second rim portion become level with each other.

3. A cage and rollers comprising:
a plurality of needles that are rolling elements; and
a resin cage comprising a pair of annular rim portion that are provided so as to be spaced apart in an axial direction from each other and a plurality of pillar portions that are disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction between the rim portions, the pillar portions that lie adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction and the rim portions defining a plurality of pockets in which the plurality of needles are held to roll freely, and configured to be installed in an outer ring corresponding member having a support hole whose inner circumferential surface constitutes a raceway surface for the needles, the cage and rollers, wherein:
a slit is formed in the cage which divides the cage in the circumferential direction so that the cage can be contracted in diameter;
the cage comprises engaging projecting portions that are formed on outer circumferential surfaces of the rim portions so as to project radially outwards therefrom to be brought into engagement with the outer ring corresponding member, to thereby position the cage properly in relation to the axial direction relative to the outer ring corresponding member;
circumferential end portions of the cage that define the slit are tapered so as to be inclined relative to a straight line that passes through a center of the cage to extend diametrically so that a radially outer portion constitutes a distal end in the circumferential direction in the one circumferential end portion, and a radially inner portion constitutes a distal end in the circumferential direction in another circumferential end portion; and
the engaging projecting portions are formed on positions that lie closer to the another circumferential end portion.

4. The cage and rollers according to claim 3 , wherein
circumferential end portions of the cage that define the slit are formed so as to overlap each other when seen from the axial direction.

5. A cage and rollers comprising:
a plurality of needles that are rolling elements; and
a resin cage comprising a pair of annular rim, portion that are provided so as to be spaced apart in an axial direction from each other and a plurality of pillar portions that are disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction between the rim portions, the pillar portions that lie adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction and the rim portions defining a plurality of pockets in which the plurality of needles are held to roll freely, and configured to be installed in an outer ring corresponding member having a support hole whose inner circumferential surface constitutes a raceway surface for the needles, the cage and rollers, wherein:
a slit is formed in the cage which divides the cage in the circumferential direction so that the cage can be contracted in diameter;
the cage comprises engaging projecting portions that are formed on outer circumferential surfaces of the rim portions so as to project radially outwards therefrom to be brought into engagement with the outer ring corresponding member, to thereby position the cage properly in relation to the axial direction relative to the outer ring corresponding member; and
a radially outer surface of the engaging projecting portion is formed so that an edge portion facing the slit is positioned further radially outwards than an edge portion on a side lying opposite to the side facing the slit as seen in the circumferential direction.

Assignees

• Nsk Ltd

Inventors

• Watanabe Eisho
• MATSUMOTO Sou
• Ishikawa Kouji

Classifications

• F01L2305/00

  Valve arrangements comprising rollers · CPC title

• F01L2303/00

  Manufacturing of components used in valve arrangements · CPC title

• F16C2360/22

  Internal combustion engines · CPC title

• F16C19/466

  comprising needle rollers and an outer ring, i.e. subunit without inner ring · CPC title

• F16C33/4635

  made from plastic, e.g. injection moulded window cages · CPC title