Angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016138648-A1
Application number	US-201514932257-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An angular contact self-aligning toroidal roller bearing comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, and a set of rolling elements formed of rollers arranged in an intermediate configuration between the inner and outer rings. Each roller is arranged to self orient in its axial direction in relation to the inner and outer rings in a loaded zone during operation. Furthermore, a method for determining dimensional parameters of structural members of an angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing and a method for manufacturing an angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing are described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing, comprising:
an inner ring; an outer ring; and a set of rolling elements formed of rollers arranged in an intermediate configuration between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein each roller has a curved raceway-contacting surface arranged for being in load carrying contact with a curved inner raceway of the inner ring and in load carrying contact with a curved outer raceway of the outer ring, wherein a contact angle between each roller and at least one of the inner raceway and outer raceway is inclined in relation to a bearing axis, wherein each roller is arranged to self orient in its axial direction in relation to the inner ring and the outer in a loaded zone during operation.

2 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein each roller is arranged to orient itself in its axial direction in relation to the inner and outer ring based upon changing running conditions of the bearing.

3 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the curvature of the curved raceway-contacting surface of each roller and the curvature of the inner raceway and the outer raceway are adapted to allow for self orientation of the rollers in the axial direction of the rollers.

4 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein
each roller having a roller transverse radius and a roller length, and a ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length, for each roller, is less than 12.

5 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein
each roller having a roller transverse radius and a roller length, and a ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length, for each roller, is less than 10.

6 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein
each roller having a roller transverse radius and a roller length, and a ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length, for each roller, is less than 8.5.

7 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein
each roller having a roller transverse radius and a roller length, and a ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length, for each roller, is less than 6 .

8 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein
each roller having a roller transverse radius and a roller length, and a ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length, for each roller, is less than 4 .

9 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , the outer raceway further comprising a transverse raceway radius and a circumferential raceway radius.

10 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 9 , wherein the transverse raceway radius is between 1.65 and 1.0 times the circumferential raceway radius.

11 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 9 , wherein the transverse raceway radius is between 1.62 and 1.02 times the circumferential raceway radius.

12 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 9 , wherein the transverse raceway radius is less than 1.0 times the circumferential raceway radius.

13 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 9 , wherein the transverse raceway radius is less than 1.02 times the circumferential raceway radius.

14 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the contact angle is between 10 and 45 degrees.

15 . The rolling element bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the contact angle is between 15 and 35 degrees.

16 . A method for determining dimensional parameters of structural members of an angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing for an application, the bearing having rolling elements formed of rollers arranged between an inner ring and an outer ring, the method comprising steps of:
receiving a first input representative of required load carrying characteristics associated with the application, and determining, based on the first input:
a contact angle for the angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing,
a first dimensional parameter representative of a transverse radius for the rollers, and
a second dimensional parameter representative of a roller length,
wherein the first and second dimensional parameter are determined based on a ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising a step of:
determining the ratio between the roller transverse radius and roller length, such that each roller is arranged to self orient in its axial direction in relation to the inner ring and the outer ring in a loaded zone during operation.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio, for each roller in the bearing, is less than 12.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio, for each roller in the bearing, is less than 10.

20 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio, for each roller in the bearing, is less than 8.5.

21 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio, for each roller in the bearing, is less than 6.

22 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio, for each roller in the bearing, is less than 4.

23 . The method according to any one of claim 16 , further comprising a step of:
specifying:
a transverse raceway radius of the outer raceway, and
a circumferential raceway radius of the outer raceway.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising specifying that the transverse raceway radius is between 1.65 and 1.0 times the circumferential raceway radius.

25 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising specifying that the transverse raceway radius is between 1.62 and 1.02 times the circumferential raceway radius.

26 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising specifying that the transverse raceway radius is less than 1.0 times the circumferential raceway radius.

27 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising specifying that the transverse raceway radius is less than 1.2 times the circumferential raceway radius.

28 . A method for manufacturing an angular contact self-aligning toroidal rolling element bearing, comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, and a set of rolling elements formed of rollers arranged in an intermediate configuration between the inner and outer rings, the method comprising a step of:
providing each roller with a curved raceway-contacting surface for being in load carrying contact with a curved inner raceway of the inner ring and in load carrying contact with a curved outer raceway of the outer ring, wherein the curvature of the raceway-contacting surface of each roller and the curvature of the inner and outer raceway is adapted such that each roller self orient in its axial direction in relation to the inner and outer rings.

Assignees

• Kellstrom Magnus
• Kullin Arne Lars Jonas
• Lofqvist Andreas
• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Kellstrom Magnus
• Kullin Arne Lars Jonas
• Lofqvist Andreas

Classifications

• F16C19/36 Primary

  with a single row of rollers · CPC title

• F16C23/08 Primary

  self-adjusting · CPC title

• F16C23/084 Primary

  sliding on a complementary spherical surface · CPC title

• F16C33/36

  with bearing-surfaces other than cylindrical, e.g. tapered; with grooves in the bearing surfaces · CPC title