Bearing retainer, bearing and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10151348-B2
Application number	US-201615202604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A bearing retainer for use in a bearing is provided. The bearing includes an inner ring, rolling elements and an outer ring. The bearing retainer has a body. The body defines an inner periphery and an outer periphery of the body. The body further defines a plurality of openings extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the body. The plurality of openings are adapted to retain the rolling elements in a spaced apart relationship. The body further defines opposed faces extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the body. The body further defines a plurality of face pockets formed in at least one of the faces of the body. The face pockets are adapted to storing lubrication. The body further includes a pathway from at least one face pocket of the body to the inner periphery of the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing retainer for use in a bearing including an inner ring, rolling elements and an outer ring, the bearing retainer comprising a body, defining a generally cylindrical inner periphery and a generally cylindrical outer periphery thereof, said body further defining a plurality of openings extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, the plurality of openings adapted to retain the rolling elements in a spaced apart relationship, said body further defining opposed faces extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery thereof, said body further defining a plurality of face pockets formed in at least one of the faces of the body, the face pockets being adapted for storing lubrication, said body further defining a circumferential groove positioned centrally in the inner periphery of said body and a plurality of inner periphery pockets spaced from the plurality of openings and formed in the inner periphery of said body, said body.

2. The bearing retainer in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove formed in the inner periphery of said body provides a lubricant path from the inner periphery pockets to the plurality of openings.

3. The bearing retainer in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the body forms a first pathway from one of the face pockets to one of the inner periphery pockets and wherein the circumferential groove forms a second pathway from one of the inner periphery pockets to one of the plurality of openings.

4. A bearing, comprising:
an inner ring defining an inner race;
an outer ring defining an outer race;
a plurality of rolling elements adapted to move along the inner race and the outer race; and
a bearing retainer having a body, said body formed by a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion, said body defining an inner periphery and an outer periphery thereof, said body further defining a plurality of openings extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, the plurality of openings adapted to retain the rolling elements in a spaced apart relationship, at least one of the first portion and the second portion including a plurality of connectors for connecting the first portion to the second portion, said body further defining opposed faces extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery thereof, said body further defining a plurality of face pockets formed in at least one of the faces of the body, the face pockets being adapted for storing lubrication, said body further comprising a pathway for lubricant from at least one face pocket to the inner periphery of said body, said plurality of face pockets extending radially inwardly of the plurality of connectors.

5. The bearing in accordance with claim 4 :
wherein the bearing retainer further includes a circumferential groove formed in the inner periphery of said body; and
wherein the body forms the pathway for lubricant from the circumferential groove to at least one of the plurality of openings.

6. The bearing in accordance with claim 4 , wherein one of the face pockets is positioned between adjacent openings of the plurality of openings.

7. The bearing in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the plurality of face pockets are formed in a first face of said body.

8. The bearing in accordance with claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of inner periphery pockets formed in the inner periphery of said body and spaced from the openings.

9. The bearing in accordance with claim 8 , wherein one of the inner periphery pockets is positioned in axial alignment with one of the face pockets.

10. The bearing in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said first portion and said second portion are substantially identical.

11. The bearing in accordance with claim 4 :
wherein the first portion comprises a plurality of first type connectors and a plurality of second type connectors; and
wherein the second portion comprises a plurality of first type connectors and a plurality of second type connectors, at least some of the second type connector adapted to cooperate with at least some of the first type connectors to secure the first portion to the second portion.

12. A method for guiding and lubricating rolling elements in a bearing, said method comprises the steps of:
providing a bearing including an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of rolling elements;
providing a bearing retainer having a body having a first portion and a second portion and defining an inner periphery and an outer periphery thereof, the body further defining a plurality of openings extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, the body including a plurality of connectors for connecting the first portion to the second portion;
retaining the rolling elements with the plurality of openings in a spaced apart relationship between the inner ring and the outer ring;
forming a plurality of face pockets formed in at least one of the faces of the body, the plurality of face pockets extending radially inwardly from the plurality of connectors;
forming a plurality of inner periphery pockets in the inner periphery of the body of the bearing retainer;
storing lubrication in the face pockets;
providing a pathway for lubricant from one of the face pockets to one of the inner periphery pockets; and
providing a circumferential groove for advancing lubrication from one of the inner periphery pockets to one of the plurality of openings, whereby the pathway and the circumferential groove provide for lubrication of one of the rolling elements by the lubrication passing from one of the face pockets to one of the plurality of openings.

Assignees

• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Kamath Anil Venkatray

Classifications

• F16C33/6614 Primary

  in recesses or cavities provided in retainers, races or rolling elements · CPC title

• F16C33/3875

  made from plastic, e.g. two injection moulded parts joined by a snap fit · CPC title

• F16C35/047

  with a base plate substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, e.g. horizontally mounted pillow blocks · CPC title

• F16C23/084

  sliding on a complementary spherical surface · CPC title

• F16C19/06

  with a single row or balls · CPC title