Spacer device, toroidal roller bearing & method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016131184-A1
Application number	US-201514931900-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing includes an inner ring with an inner ring raceway and an outer ring with an outer ring raceway. The toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring. The spacer device comprises at least one centering element that is arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use. The at least one centering element is arranged to make contact with at least one of one point or a region of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use, whereby the spacer device is centered on the one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing having an inner ring with an inner ring raceway and an outer ring with an outer ring raceway, wherein the toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring, the spacer device comprising:
at least one centering element arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, wherein the at least one centering element is arranged to make contact with at least one of one point or a region of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use, wherein the spacer device is centered on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway.

2 . The spacer device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering element is arranged to make contact with one of a point or a region at the centre of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use.

3 . The spacer device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering element is arranged to make contact with one of at least two points or at least two regions on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use.

4 . The spacer device according to claim 3 , wherein the centering element is arranged to make contact with one of at least two points or at least two regions on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway, wherein the one of at least two points or at least two regions are located an axial distance apart when the spacer device is in use.

5 . The spacer device according to claim 1 , the centering element further comprising a surface having a shape that is adapted to conform to a surface of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway with which it is to make contact when the spacer device is in use.

6 . The spacer device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first part and a second part connected by a connecting element that extends in between adjacent roller elements in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, and the at least one centering element is attached to the connecting element.

7 . The spacer device according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinally outermost surfaces of the centering element are arranged at a distance in the longitudinal direction from the longitudinally innermost surfaces of the first part and the second part when the spacer device is mounted in the toroidal roller bearing.

8 . The spacer device according to claim 7 , wherein the distance corresponds to half a maximum axial displacement of the toroidal roller bearing.

9 . The spacer device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering element is axially moveable in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements.

10 . A toroidal roller bearing, having:
an inner ring with an inner ring raceway; an outer ring with an outer ring raceway; and a spacer device comprising at least one centering element arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, wherein the toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the at least one centering element is arranged to make contact with at least one of one point or a region of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use, wherein the spacer device is centered on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway.

11 . A method for manufacturing a spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing, the toroidal roller bearing having:
an inner ring with an inner ring raceway; and an outer ring with an outer ring raceway, wherein the toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring, the method comprising steps of: providing the spacer device with at least one centering element that is arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use; and providing the at least one centering element with a surface arranged to make contact with at least one of one point or a region of one of an inner ring raceway or an outer ring raceway of the toroidal roller bearing when the spacer device is in use, whereby the spacer device will be centered on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of providing the centering element with a surface that is arranged to make contact with the centre of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of providing the centering element with a surface that is arranged to make contact with one of at least two points or at least two regions on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of providing the centering element with a surface that is arranged to make contact with one of at least two points or at least two regions on one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway,
wherein the one of at least two points or at least two regions are located an axial distance apart when the spacer device is in use.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of providing the centering element with a surface having a shape that is adapted to conform to a surface of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway with which it is to make contact when the spacer device is in use.

16 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of manufacturing the spacer device to comprise a first part and a second part connected by connecting element that extends in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use,
whereby the at least one centering element is attached to the connecting element.

17 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of ensuring that the longitudinally outermost surfaces of the centering element are arranged at a distance in a longitudinal direction from longitudinally innermost surfaces of the first part and the second part when the spacer device is mounted in the toroidal roller bearing.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the distance corresponds to half the maximum axial displacement of the toroidal roller bearing.

19 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of arranging the centering element to be axially moveable in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements.

Assignees

• Kellstrom Magnus
• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Kellstrom Magnus

Classifications

• F16C19/40 Primary

  with loose spacing bodies between the rollers · CPC title

• F16C43/06

  Placing rolling bodies in cages or bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/3706 Primary

  with concave surfaces conforming to the shape of the rolling elements, e.g. the spacing bodies are in sliding contact with the rolling elements · CPC title

• F16C23/08

  self-adjusting · CPC title

• F16C33/664

  Retaining the liquid in or near the bearing · CPC title