An outer ring case includes an annular guide groove housing an end of each of a plurality of inner rollers. A groove width representing a radial length of the guide groove is greater than a diameter of each inner roller. A radius representing a distance from a bearing axis to an inner wall face of the guide groove that is radially outer is smaller than a distance from the bearing axis to an axial center of each of rollers plus a radius of each inner roller.

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.

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.

A bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements (26) spaced around a three-hundred and sixty degree circumferential extent of the bearing. An odd, non-singular number of high-points are positioned as near to evenly as possible about the circumferential extent of the bearing, the high-points defined by locations at which rolling elements with the largest diameters are positioned. An odd, non-singular number of low-points are positioned as near to evenly as possible about the circumferential extent of the bearing, the low-points defined by locations at which rolling elements having the smallest diameters are positioned. The odd, non-singular number of high-points is the same as the odd, non-singular number of low-points, and each low-point is positioned as near to evenly as possible between two adjacent high-points.

A bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements (26) spaced around a three-hundred and sixty degree circumferential extent of the bearing. An odd, non-singular number of high-points are positioned as near to evenly as possible about the circumferential extent of the bearing, the high-points defined by locations at which rolling elements with the largest diameters are positioned. An odd, non-singular number of low-points are positioned as near to evenly as possible about the circumferential extent of the bearing, the low-points defined by locations at which rolling elements having the smallest diameters are positioned. The odd, non-singular number of high-points is the same as the odd, non-singular number of low-points, and each low-point is positioned as near to evenly as possible between two adjacent high-points.

A method for assembling a tapered roller bearing includes providing a first rolled-on surface element having a raceway and an axial end surface and mounting a plurality of tapered rollers separated by a plurality of bearing cage segments or by a plurality of roller spacers on the raceway, where each of the plurality of tapered rollers has a frustoconical rolling surface and a circular end surface meeting at a junction. Also placing at least one assembly ring around the plurality of tapered rollers to hold the plurality of tapered rollers against the first rolled-on surface element, and moving a second rolled-on surface element coaxially toward the first rolled-on surface element such that a portion of the second rolled-on surface element contacts the at least one assembly ring and pushes the at least one assembly ring axially off the plurality of tapered rollers.

A method for assembling a tapered roller bearing includes providing a first rolled-on surface element having a raceway and an axial end surface and mounting a plurality of tapered rollers separated by a plurality of bearing cage segments or by a plurality of roller spacers on the raceway, where each of the plurality of tapered rollers has a frustoconical rolling surface and a circular end surface meeting at a junction. Also placing at least one assembly ring around the plurality of tapered rollers to hold the plurality of tapered rollers against the first rolled-on surface element, and moving a second rolled-on surface element coaxially toward the first rolled-on surface element such that a portion of the second rolled-on surface element contacts the at least one assembly ring and pushes the at least one assembly ring axially off the plurality of tapered rollers.

An anti-friction radial bearing has an inner track, an outer track, a pair of extension members, load-carrying rolling members, and double coaxial, cylindrical individual spacers. Each of the extension members has an internal cylindrical hoop surface and is securely mounted to at least one of the inner and outer tracks. The rolling members are equidistantly spaced and rotatably engageable with the inner and outer tracks. The spacers are disposed in pure rolling contact at their ends with the internal cylindrical hoop surfaces of the extension members. Each of the spacers is positioned in pure rolling contact between a corresponding adjacent pair of the rolling members.

A driveline configured to connect a wind turbine rotor and a wind turbine generator has a planetary gear unit having a planet carrier rotatably supported relative to a housing part by at least one rolling-element bearing. The rolling-element bearing includes at least one inner ring and least one outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements are disposed between the at least one inner ring and the at least one outer ring. The rolling element bearing further includes a spacer element disposed between adjacent pairs of the plurality of rolling elements, the spacer elements each having first and second running surfaces for guiding first and second ones of the plurality of rolling elements, and, apart from the spacer elements, a region between the bearing rings includes no cage elements.

A driveline configured to connect a wind turbine rotor and a wind turbine generator has a planetary gear unit having a planet carrier rotatably supported relative to a housing part by at least one rolling-element bearing. The rolling-element bearing includes at least one inner ring and least one outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements are disposed between the at least one inner ring and the at least one outer ring. The rolling element bearing further includes a spacer element disposed between adjacent pairs of the plurality of rolling elements, the spacer elements each having first and second running surfaces for guiding first and second ones of the plurality of rolling elements, and, apart from the spacer elements, a region between the bearing rings includes no cage elements.