Cage for crankshaft bearing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10520033-B2
Application number	US-201715635792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A rolling-element bearing assembly includes an inner race and an outer race and a plurality of rolling elements between inner and outer races, the rolling elements being mounted in pockets between axial bridges of a cage having first and second axial side rings. One or both of the side rings has at least one corrugated surface, and the corrugations project axially and/or radially.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rolling-element bearing assembly comprising:
a radially inner race surface;
a radially outer race surface;
a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the radially inner race surface and the radially outer race surface and received in a cage, the cage including a first side ring and a second side ring axially spaced from the first side ring by a plurality of bridges, adjacent bridges of the plurality of bridges forming pockets for receiving, spacing, and guiding the plurality of rolling elements; and
at least one corrugated surface formed on at least one of the first side ring and the second side ring, the corrugated surface comprising a series of corrugation peaks and a series of corrugation valleys provided in an alternating arrangement, the series of corrugation peaks and the series of corrugation valleys being arranged such that each corrugation valley of the series of corrugation valleys is disposed axially adjacent to a region of a rolling-element center and each corrugation peak of the series of corrugation peaks is disposed axially adjacent to a bridge, wherein each corrugation peak of the series of corrugation peaks rises axially outwardly from a respective corrugation valley of the series of corrugation valleys,
wherein the radially inner race surface is disposed on a first component and the radially outer race surface is disposed on a second component,
wherein the first component and the second component are rotatably supported with respect to each other,
wherein the rolling-element bearing assembly is bordered axially by at least one of a side wall of the first component and a side wall of the second component, wherein the at least one of the first component side wall and the second component side wall extends at least partially radially beyond the corresponding race surface.

2. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a second series of corrugation peaks and a second series of corrugation valleys provided in an alternating arrangement each corrugation peak of the second series of corrugation peaks rises substantially radially outward from the respective corrugation valley of the second series of corrugation valleys.

3. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 2 , wherein each corrugation peak of the second series of corrugation peaks is disposed axially adjacent a pocket and each corrugation valley of the second series of corrugation valleys is disposed axially adjacent a bridge.

4. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one corrugated surface is formed on a lateral surface of the first side ring radially between a first radially planar annular region and a second radially planar annular region.

5. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 4 ,
the cage further comprising at least one first cage segment and one second cage segment, wherein the at least one first cage segment and one second cage segment abut on each other at separating surfaces, wherein the separating surfaces are complementary to each other,
at least one of the side rings further comprising at least one lubricant groove that extends at least one of radially or inclined relative to a radial direction,
wherein the bearing cage is manufactured from an injection-moldable material using an injection-molding method,
wherein at least one bridge of the cage has a tapering in a radial direction, the tapering being oriented in a direction inward from the associated cage pocket as the tapering extends from a peripheral edge of the associated bridge towards the rolling element center, wherein the rolling elements received in the associated cage pockets contact the bridge at their rolling-element ends,
wherein in at least one pocket of the pockets, the cage contact surfaces extending between the rolling element and the bridge are configured as radially extending, parallel contact surfaces, wherein bridge surfaces outside the contact surfaces are formed as retaining lobes wherein the retaining lobes cause the rolling element to osculate during use, and
each pocket includes a recess formed within an inner side wall of at least one of the first side ring and the second side ring at the level of the rolling-element center.

6. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the bearing cage is manufactured from an injection-moldable material using an injection-molding method.

7. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cage includes at least one first cage segment and at least one second cage segment, the at least one first cage segment and at least one second cage segment abut on each other at separating surfaces, wherein the separating surfaces are complementary to each other.

8. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first side ring and the second side ring includes at least one lubricant groove that extends at least one of radially or inclined relative to a radial direction.

9. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one bridge of the cage has a tapering in a radial direction, the tapering being oriented in a direction inward from the associated cage pocket as the tapering extends from a peripheral edge of the associated bridge towards the rolling element center, wherein the rolling elements received in the associated cage pockets contact the bridge at their rolling-element ends.

10. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein in at least one pocket of the cage contact surfaces between rolling element and the bridge are configured as radially extending, parallel contact surfaces, wherein bridge surfaces outside the contact surfaces are formed as retaining lobes wherein the retaining lobes cause the rolling element to osculate during use.

11. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each pocket includes a recess formed within an inner side wall of at least one of the first side ring and the second side ring at the level of the rolling-element center.

12. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one corrugated surface is formed on an axially outwardly facing surface of the cage.

13. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one corrugated surface is located radially between a first radially planar annular surface and a second radially planar annular surface.

14. The rolling-element bearing assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising a lubricant groove extending from the first annular surface across the at least one corrugated surface and into the second annular surface.

15. A cage for a rolling-element bearing assembly, comprising a first side ring and a second side ring axially spaced from the first side ring by a plurality of bridges, adjacent bridges of the plurality of bridges forming pockets for receiving, spacing, and guiding a plurality of rolling elements; and
at least one corrugated surface formed on at least one of the first side ring and the second side ring, the corrugated surface comprising a series of corrugation peaks and a series of corrugation valleys provided in an alternating arrangement, the series of corrugation peaks and the series of corrugation valleys being arranged such that each corrugation valley of the series of corrugation valleys is disposed axially adjacent to a region of a rolling-element center and each corrugation peak of the series of corrugation peaks is disposed axially adjacent to a bridge, wherein each c

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Weiglein Juergen
• Meyer Franziska

Classifications

• F16C33/6681 Primary

  Details of distribution or circulation inside the bearing, e.g. grooves on the cage or passages in the rolling elements · CPC title

• F16C2360/22

  Internal combustion engines · CPC title

• F16C9/00

  Bearings for crankshafts or connecting-rods; Attachment of connecting-rods (lubrication of connecting-rods in connection with crankshafts F16C3/14; connections to crossheads F16C5/00; to pistons F16J1/14) · CPC title

• F16C19/26

  with a single row of rollers · CPC title

• F16C33/516

  with two segments, e.g. double-split cages with two semicircular parts · CPC title