Power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10215225-B2
Application number	US-201715469027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

In a power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to the present invention, an inner ring has plural inner ring members disposed in series in an axial direction, an outer ring has plural outer ring members respectively cooperating with the plural inner ring members. Plural rolling elements are disposed between the cooperating inner ring members and outer ring members. A retainer has plural partitions retaining the plural rolling elements at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction such that rolling elements disposed between one pair of cooperating inner ring and outer ring members and rolling elements disposed between another pair of cooperating inner ring and outer ring members orbit the corresponding inner ring members in a synchronized manner, and a connector connecting the plural partitions such that the plural partitions integrally rotate around an axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing, comprising:
an inner ring directly or indirectly supported by a rotational shaft so as to be incapable of relative rotation;
an outer ring surrounding the inner ring such that there is a gap between the outer ring and the inner ring;
a plurality of rolling elements held by the inner ring and the outer ring therebetween;
a retainer that retains the plurality of rolling elements at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction and rotates around the same axis as the rotational shaft in conjunction with orbital rotation of the plurality of rolling elements; and
a preloading means exerting a pressing force in an axial direction on one of the inner ring and the outer ring to exert a preload between the inner ring and the outer ring,
wherein the inner ring has a plurality of inner ring members including first and second inner ring members that are disposed in series in the axial direction;
the outer ring has a plurality of outer ring members including first and second outer ring members that respectively cooperate with the first and second inner ring members;
the plurality of rolling elements include first and second rolling elements, the first rolling elements being disposed in the circumferential direction between the first inner ring member and the first outer ring member, the second rolling elements being disposed in the circumferential direction between the second inner ring member and the second outer ring member; and
the retainer has:
a plurality of partitions retaining the plurality of rolling elements at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction such that the first and second rolling elements orbit the corresponding first and second inner ring members in a synchronized manner while the first and second rolling elements being freely rotatable around the respective centers in an independent manner with respect to one another, and
a connector connecting the plurality of partitions such that the plurality of partitions integrally rotate around an axis.

2. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the one pair of cooperating inner and outer ring members and the rolling elements disposed therebetween have the same configurations as the other pair of cooperating inner and outer ring members and the rolling elements disposed therebetween.

3. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising a power-transmitting case accommodating the plurality of inner ring members, the plurality of rolling elements, the plurality of outer ring members, and the retainer, so as to allow access to the plurality of inner ring members and the retainer from outside.

4. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 2 , further comprising a power-transmitting case accommodating the plurality of inner ring members, the plurality of rolling elements, the plurality of outer ring members, and the retainer, so as to allow access to the plurality of inner ring members and the retainer from outside.

5. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 3 , wherein
the inner ring has first and second inner ring members disposed in series in order of a first side, which is one side in the axial direction, to a second side, which is opposite to the first side in the axial direction, as the plurality of inner ring members;
the outer ring has first and second outer ring members respectively cooperating with the first and second inner ring members as the plurality of outer ring members;
the power-transmitting case has a stopper engaged with an end face on the first side in the axial direction of the first outer ring member to prevent movement of the first outer ring member toward the first side in the axial direction;
the preloading means presses the second outer ring toward the first side in the axial direction; and
the second outer ring member, the second inner ring member, the first inner ring member, and the first outer ring member are configured such that a pressing force exerted on the second outer ring member by the preloading means is transmitted to the second inner ring member via the corresponding rolling elements as a force that presses the second inner ring member toward the first side in the axial direction, and the pressing force toward the first side in the axial direction transmitted to the second inner ring member is transmitted to the first outer ring member via the first inner ring member and the corresponding rolling elements as a force that presses the first outer ring member toward the first side in the axial direction.

6. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 4 , wherein
the inner ring has first and second inner ring members disposed in series in order of a first side, which is one side in the axial direction, to a second side, which is opposite to the first side in the axial direction, as the plurality of inner ring members;
the outer ring has first and second outer ring members respectively cooperating with the first and second inner ring members as the plurality of outer ring members;
the power-transmitting case has a stopper engaged with an end face on the first side in the axial direction of the first outer ring member to prevent movement of the first outer ring member toward the first side in the axial direction;
the preloading means presses the second outer ring toward the first side in the axial direction; and
the second outer ring member, the second inner ring member, the first inner ring member, and the first outer ring member are configured such that a pressing force exerted on the second outer ring member by the preloading means is transmitted to the second inner ring member via the corresponding rolling elements as a force that presses the second inner ring member toward the first side in the axial direction, and the pressing force toward the first side in the axial direction transmitted to the second inner ring member is transmitted to the first outer ring member via the first inner ring member and the corresponding rolling elements as a force that presses the first outer ring member toward the first side in the axial direction.

7. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 5 , wherein
the power-transmitting case has a peripheral wall, a first end wall blocking the first side in the axial direction of the peripheral wall and having an axial hole into which the rotational shaft is inserted, and a second end wall blocking the second side in the axial direction of the peripheral wall and having an access opening for access to the retainer;
the peripheral wall has:
an engagement surface directly or indirectly engaged with outer circumferential surfaces of the first and second outer ring members so as to allow axial-direction movement of at least the second outer ring member, and terminating at a position more toward the first side in the axial direction than the second end wall is, and
an attachment surface extending from an end on the second side in the axial direction of the engagement surface in a radially outward direction with reference to an axis of the rotational shaft, and facing the second side in the axial direction; and

the preloading means has a screw member inserted into a screw hole open to the attachment surface, and a pressing body directly or indirectly engaged with the second side in the axial direction of the second outer ring member and fixed to the peripheral wall by the screw member.

8. The power-transmitting mechanism with rolling-element bearing according to claim 6

Assignees

• Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg Co Ltd
• Univ Kinki

Inventors

• Sugimoto Hiroshi
• Imanaka Hajimu
• Tottori Hiroshi
• Tozaki Yasuyoshi

Classifications

• F16C33/497

  made from metal, e.g. cast or machined comb cages · CPC title

• F16C19/184

  in O-arrangement · CPC title

• F16C33/60

  divided {or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings} · CPC title

• F16C33/495

  formed as one piece cages, i.e. monoblock comb cages · CPC title

• F16C2240/14

  Preload · CPC title