Multi-part bearing cage assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118626-B2
Application number	US-202016751917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2020
Priority date	Jan 24, 2020
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A bearing cage assembly including two different cage halves formed from different materials is disclosed. The first cage half includes a first rim and a first plurality of arms extending from the first rim. The second cage half includes a second rim and a second plurality of arms extending from the second rim. The first cage half and the second cage half are fastened to each other via engagement between a plurality of first retainers of the first cage half with the plurality of second retainers of the second cage half.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing cage assembly comprising:
a first cage half formed from a first material, the first cage half including a first rim and a first plurality of arms extending from the first rim, adjacent arms of the first plurality of arms defining a rolling element pocket half of a first plurality of rolling element pocket halves, a plurality of first retainers defined between the first plurality of rolling element pocket halves;
a second cage half formed from a second material that is different from the first material, the second cage half including a second rim and a second plurality of arms extending from the second rim, adjacent arms of the second plurality of arms defining a rolling element pocket half of a second plurality of rolling element pocket halves, a plurality of second retainers defined between the second plurality of rolling element pocket halves,
first axial ends of the first plurality of arms each include a circumferentially extending slot defining a first one of a pocket or a protrusion, the circumferentially extending slot being enclosed in a radially inner direction and a radially outer direction, and second axial ends of the second plurality of arms each include a second one of a pocket or a protrusion, and
the first cage half and the second cage half are fastened to each other via engagement between the plurality of first retainers with the plurality of second retainers.

2. The bearing cage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cage half is formed from plastic and the second cage half is formed from metal.

3. The bearing cage assembly of claim 1 , wherein a quantity of the first plurality of rolling element pocket halves is equal to a quantity of the plurality of first retainers; and a quantity of the second plurality of rolling element pocket halves is equal to a quantity of the plurality of second retainers.

4. The bearing cage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first axial ends of the first plurality of arms each include a pocket, and the second axial ends of the second plurality of arms each include a protrusion dimensioned to be received within the pocket.

5. The bearing cage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first rim includes a plurality of recesses circumferentially aligned with the first plurality of arms, the plurality of recesses extending in a radially inward direction, the plurality of first retainers each being arranged within a respective recess of the plurality of recesses, the plurality of first retainers extending in a radially outward direction from the first rim.

6. The bearing cage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cage half and the second cage half are fastened to each other via a snap-fit connection.

7. The bearing cage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first retainers are integrally formed with the first cage half and the plurality of second retainers are integrally formed with the second cage half.

8. A bearing cage assembly comprising:
a first cage half formed from a first material, the first cage half including a first rim and a first plurality of arms extending from the first rim, adjacent arms of the first plurality of arms defining a rolling element pocket half of a first plurality of rolling element pocket halves, a plurality of first retainers defined between the first plurality of rolling element pocket halves;
a second cage half formed from a second material that is different from the first material, the second cage half including a second rim and a second plurality of arms extending from the second rim, adjacent arms of the second plurality of arms defining a rolling element pocket half of a second plurality of rolling element pocket halves, a plurality of second retainers defined between the second plurality of rolling element pocket halves,
the first cage half and the second cage half are fastened to each other via engagement between the plurality of first retainers with the plurality of second retainers,
wherein the first plurality of arms each include an angled surface that is angled at a first angle, the second plurality of arms of the second cage are angled radially outwardly from the second rim by a second angle, and the first angle and the second angle are within 10% of each other.

9. The bearing cage assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of fingers each extending from a respective arm of the second plurality of arms, the plurality of fingers having a narrower width than a width of the second plurality of arms.

10. The bearing cage assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first rim includes a plurality of recesses circumferentially aligned with the first plurality of arms, the plurality of first retainers each being arranged within a respective recess of the plurality of recesses, and the plurality of fingers each being dimensioned to be received within a respective one of the plurality of recesses.

11. The bearing cage assembly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of first retainers are formed as a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of fingers defining a plurality of pockets as the plurality of second retainers, and the plurality of pockets are each dimensioned to receive a respective one of the plurality of protrusions.

12. A bearing cage assembly comprising:
a first cage half formed from a first material, the first cage half including a plurality of first retainers defined between a first plurality of rolling element pocket halves;
a second cage half formed from a second material that is different from the first material, the second cage half including a plurality of second retainers defined between a second plurality of rolling element pocket halves, and
the first cage half and the second cage half are fastened to each other via engagement between the plurality of first retainers with the plurality of second retainers, wherein at least one of the plurality of first retainers or the plurality of second retainers are formed as openings in a radial direction having an enclosed perimeter.

13. The bearing cage assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first cage half is formed from plastic and the second cage half is formed from metal.

14. The bearing cage assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first cage half and the second cage half are fastened to each other via a snap-fit connection.

15. The bearing cage of assembly of claim 12 , wherein a first portion of the first cage half and a second portion of the second cage half each include angled surfaces relative to an axis of rotation of the bearing cage, and the angled surfaces abut each other in an assembled condition.

16. The bearing cage assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of first retainers are integrally formed with the first cage half and the plurality of second retainers are integrally formed with the second cage half.

17. The bearing cage assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of retainers are formed as protrusions and the second plurality of retainers are formed as the openings.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Roffe Dennis
• Heaton Michael
• Zhong Guihui

Classifications

• F16C2240/30

  Angles, e.g. inclinations · CPC title

• F16C2226/74

  with snap-fit, e.g. by clips · CPC title

• F16C43/06

  Placing rolling bodies in cages or bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/4641

  comprising two annular parts joined together · CPC title

• F16C33/4611

  with hybrid structure, i.e. with parts made of distinct materials · CPC title