A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner and outer rings. The spacer device comprises a first roller element-contacting surface and a second roller element-contacting surface on opposite sides thereof. First and second roller-contacting surfaces are arranged to separate two adjacent roller elements in a tangential direction of the toroidal roller bearing when the spacer device is in use. Each of the first and second roller element-contacting surfaces has a concave shape adapted to conform to respective convex contacting surfaces of the roller elements. The spacer device comprises end members that have projections that extend outwards from first and second roller-contacting surfaces and which are arranged to extend at least partly over the ends of two adjacent roller elements when the spacer device is in use.

A flexible bearing including spacers is provided. The flexible bearing includes: an outer race including a rolling groove; an inner race arranged in the outer race and including a rolling trough corresponding the rolling groove to collectively define a loading passage; rolling elements arranged in the loading passage; and spacers each including a retention section for receiving and retaining the rolling elements. Two adjacent ones of the spacers are in contact engagement with each other with end faces thereof and the two end faces are respectively a concave surface and a convex surface. The concave surface and the convex surface of the spacers are allowed to undergo relative sliding so as to allow the spacers to adjust, with respect to each other, an angular position thereof during an operation of the flexible bearing in order to prevent the spacers from interfering with the outer race or the inner race.

A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner and outer rings. The spacer device comprises a first roller element-contacting surface and a second roller element-contacting surface on opposite sides thereof. First and second roller-contacting surfaces are arranged to separate two adjacent roller elements in a tangential direction of the toroidal roller bearing when the spacer device is in use. Each of the first and second roller element-contacting surfaces has a concave shape adapted to conform to respective convex contacting surfaces of the roller elements. The spacer device comprises end members that have projections that extend outwards from first and second roller-contacting surfaces and which are arranged to extend at least partly over the ends of two adjacent roller elements when the spacer device is in use.

A roller bearing comprises an outer ring, an inner ring, a plurality of rollers arranged between said outer ring and said inner ring; and a plurality of retainer segments having a plurality of column parts extending in a direction along a shaft so as to form a pocket for holding said roller. A connection part extends in a circumferential direction so as to connect the plurality of column parts, and continuously lined with each other in the circumferential direction between said outer ring and said inner ring, in which a corner of a circumferential end face is chamfered. Also provided is a spacer arranged between the circumferentially arranged first retainer segment and last retainer segment, wherein a chamfered part is provided at a corner of a circumferential spacer end face of the space. The roller bearing can be used in a main shaft support structure of a wind-power generator.

A roller bearing comprises an outer ring, an inner ring, a plurality of rollers arranged between said outer ring and said inner ring; and a plurality of retainer segments having a plurality of column parts extending in a direction along a shaft so as to form a pocket for holding said roller. A connection part extends in a circumferential direction so as to connect the plurality of column parts, and continuously lined with each other in the circumferential direction between said outer ring and said inner ring, in which a corner of a circumferential end face is chamfered. Also provided is a spacer arranged between the circumferentially arranged first retainer segment and last retainer segment, wherein a chamfered part is provided at a corner of a circumferential spacer end face of the space. The roller bearing can be used in a main shaft support structure of a wind-power generator.

A radial rolling bearing assembly is provided which includes first and second radial rolling bearings having respective bearing cups that include respective bearing races, respective radially extending flanges at first axial ends and respective bearing axial flanges with respective connector elements at the second axial ends. Respective cages hold rolling elements in the bearing cups that contact the races and define respective bearing support surfaces that can support, for example, a shaft or housing. A connector sleeve connects the first and second radial rolling bearings. The connector sleeve includes a first axial end with a first complementary connector that engages the first connector element, and a second axial end with a second complementary connector that engages the second connector element.

A separator 8 including a solid lubricant is disposed between adjacent rolling elements 7. Relative movement of the adjacent rolling elements 7 and the separator 8 in a direction of separating apart in a circumferential direction is restricted by restricting members 10, and the restricting members 10 are disposed at plural locations in the circumferential direction. A minute gap is provided between the adjacent restricting members 10, to allow relative movement therebetween. This can provide a solid-lubrication rolling bearing capable of stably preventing rotational locking and unintended disassembling of the bearing for a long period.

A separator 8 including a solid lubricant is disposed between adjacent rolling elements 7. Relative movement of the adjacent rolling elements 7 and the separator 8 in a direction of separating apart in a circumferential direction is restricted by restricting members 10, and the restricting members 10 are disposed at plural locations in the circumferential direction. A minute gap is provided between the adjacent restricting members 10, to allow relative movement therebetween. This can provide a solid-lubrication rolling bearing capable of stably preventing rotational locking and unintended disassembling of the bearing for a long period.

A ball bearing includes an outer ring having at two outer raceways and an inner ring having two inner raceways. A plurality of balls is disposed in each of the two inner and outer raceways. The plurality of balls include load bearing balls and spacer balls. The spacer balls are disposed between the load bearing balls. Each of the load bearing balls has a single point of contact with each of the two inner and outer raceways. The load bearing balls are preloaded between the outer ring and the inner ring at predetermined force.

A rolling bearing wherein the conventional cage is replaced by independent spacers, one per pair of neighbor rolling elements, each spacer is disposed and trapped between neighbor rolling elements, each spacer is supported on its neighbor rolling elements and is preventing them from coming into contact with each other, each spacer comprising, preferably, a case and a number of auxiliary rolling elements, resulting in rolling bearings having higher load capacity and reduced sliding friction, also a method to improve the conventional cylindrical roller bearings, the conventional ball bearings and the conventional thrust roller bearings.