An improved roller bearing assembly is disclosed. The improved roller bearing assembly incorporates roller elements having an axially connected cage or spacer connection point which allows the use of a flexible corded or connected spacer assembly. This allows the use of less cage or spacer assembly material than traditional bearing cage designs. It also allows for easier assembly and disassembly of the roller bearing assembly and reduces parasitic drag or friction by reducing the size and cross-section of the cage or spacer assembly. Alternate embodiments incorporating magnets for electromagnetic interaction, vanes for fluid interaction, and offset configuration for the cage elements are also disclosed.

A method for manufacturing a bearing cage includes providing a bearing cage blank made from a metal plate, the cage blank including a cylindrical flange extending from a disk-shaped wall, punching a plurality of first openings through the cylindrical flange in a first direction to form a plurality of snap surfaces, and punching a plurality of second openings through the cylindrical wall in a second direction opposite the first direction to form a plurality of pockets. The second openings intersect at least two of the first openings, and punching the pockets removes a body of material from between the at least two of the first openings. Also a bearing cage formed by the method.

A method for manufacturing a bearing cage includes providing a bearing cage blank made from a metal plate, the cage blank including a cylindrical flange extending from a disk-shaped wall, punching a plurality of first openings through the cylindrical flange in a first direction to form a plurality of snap surfaces, and punching a plurality of second openings through the cylindrical wall in a second direction opposite the first direction to form a plurality of pockets. The second openings intersect at least two of the first openings, and punching the pockets removes a body of material from between the at least two of the first openings. Also a bearing cage formed by the method.

A bearing of which a load supporting position capable of being changed, including: a cylindrical housing comprising a hollow inner circumferential surface; one or more support members provided in the housing and disposed along a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface; a plurality of pin holes provided along an outer circumferential surface of the housing; and a rotation preventing pin coupled to a first pin hole of the plurality of pin holes and configured to prevent rotation of the housing.

In addition, threads are formed on inner circumferential surfaces of the pin holes and an outer circumferential surface of the rotation preventing pin to enable a pin hole and the rotation preventing pin to be easily coupled and decoupled.

A roller bearing assembly (100) including an outer cup (110) having a first end, a second end, a body (116) extending therebetween defining an outer raceway (118), a first flange (112) disposed on the first end of the body and a second flange (114) disposed on the second end of the body, a plurality of rollers (130), each roller including a first projection (134) extending along its longitudinal center axis, and a first retainer ring (140a) having a base side wall, an inner side wall and an outer side wall, the inner side wall and the outer side wall extending outwardly from the base wall, wherein the base wall of the first retainer ring is disposed adjacent an inner surface of the first flange and the first projection of each roller is rotatably disposed between the inner side wall and the outer side wall of the first retainer ring.

A roller bearing assembly (100) including an outer cup (110) having a first end, a second end, a body (116) extending therebetween defining an outer raceway (118), a first flange (112) disposed on the first end of the body and a second flange (114) disposed on the second end of the body, a plurality of rollers (130), each roller including a first projection (134) extending along its longitudinal center axis, and a first retainer ring (140a) having a base side wall, an inner side wall and an outer side wall, the inner side wall and the outer side wall extending outwardly from the base wall, wherein the base wall of the first retainer ring is disposed adjacent an inner surface of the first flange and the first projection of each roller is rotatably disposed between the inner side wall and the outer side wall of the first retainer ring.

Improved bearing roller elements are disclosed. Vanes are added to a ring-roller type element which allow fluids to flow through a bearing assembly in a controlled manner. The fluids can then provide convection cooling. The vaned ring-roller elements allow the creation of a pump, either as part of the bearing assembly's cooling system or as a dedicated device. The use of magnetic spokes in ring-roller type elements which can be used with or without the vanes which allows them to be driven by an electromagnetic field is also disclosed, as is the use of such magnetic elements in the bearing roller elements to allow electromagnetic braking and/or regenerative braking. A bearing assembly incorporating the roller elements in a ring configuration and using pre-load to produce additional benefits is also disclosed.

A speed change device comprising an inner race having an outer surface, an outer race having an inner surface, and set of orbital rollers including inner rollers in rolling contact with the outer surface of the inner race and outer rollers in rolling contact with the inner surface of the outer race.

Improved bearing roller elements are disclosed. A first disclosed improvement is the addition of vanes to a ring-roller type element which allows fluids (such as liquids or gases) to flow through the bearing assembly. The fluids can then provide convection cooling. With proper configuration, the use of such vaned ring-roller elements can even allow the creation of a pump, either as part of the larger apparatus' cooling system or as a dedicated device. A second disclosed improvement, which can be used in combination with the first or in isolation, is the use of magnetic spokes in ring-roller type elements which allows them to be driven by an electromagnetic field. The use of such magnetic elements in the bearing roller elements also allows electromagnetic braking and/or regenerative braking.

A bearing assembly incorporating the roller elements in a ring configuration and using pre-load to produce additional benefits is also disclosed.

In a bearing device 1, a plurality of columnar needle rollers 13 are provided. A cage 14 is provided in which the needle rollers 13 are arranged in parallel with each other along an axial direction R of a pin roller 9, so that the needle rollers 13 form a cylindrical configuration around the pin roller 9. The cage 14 has oppositely placed two rings 17 and a plurality of bridge pieces 18 bridged between the two rings 17, and having the bridge pieces 18 to rotatably accommodate the needle rollers 13 in order to achieve higher performances.