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.

In one example, a bearing or transmission has an outer race that extends circumferentially about a central axis. An inner race is disposed within the outer race and extends circumferentially about the central axis so as to be coaxial with the outer race. A plurality of load-bearing rolling elements are disposed between the inner race and the outer race, and are spaced circumferentially from one another so as to not contact one another. A plurality of separator rolling elements are disposed within the outer race. Each separator rolling element is disposed between a respective pair of the load-bearing rolling elements such that the separator rolling element is in rolling contact with the load-bearing rolling elements of the respective pair. The load-bearing and separator rolling elements form a contiguous ring.

An anti-friction bearing includes a pair of rotatable tracks, a pair of extension members removably securely mounted to one of the pair of tracks, spaced load-carrying rolling members rotatably engageable between the two tracks, and individual spacers disposed to roll on the surfaces of the pair of extensions members. Each of the individual spacers is engageable with and cooperatively separates an adjacent pair of the rolling elements. All of the components of the bearing are disposed in corresponding pure rolling contact, i.e., without sliding, relative one another.

A bearing assembly, for example a thrust bearing assembly including first and second rings is provided with alternating high and low modulus rolling elements. The low modulus rolling elements have a greater diameter than the high modulus rolling elements so as to initially bear a relatively greater percentage of applied loads.

An automotive propulsion system, a final drive assembly, and a bearing assembly are disclosed. The ball bearing assembly includes a bearing race structure having an inner race and an outer race, where the outer race is disposed concentrically about the inner race. A number of rotatable bearing elements (e.g., balls) are disposed between the inner race and the outer race. The bearing race structure has a plurality of threads extending therefrom (from either the outer race or the inner race). The bearing race structure is connected by the plurality of threads to an adjacent structure to prevent relative movement of the bearing race structure with respect to the adjacent structure.

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 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.

The spacer for rolling bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and at least one row of angular contact rollers disposed between raceways provided on the rings. The spacer comprises two opposite faces 17 having a concave profile adapted to the rollers, at least one of said faces comprising two contact surfaces 17a, 17b with the associated roller and a concave recess 17c extending between said contact surfaces and directed outwards towards said roller.

The spacer for rolling bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and at least one row of angular contact rollers disposed between raceways provided on the rings. The spacer comprises two opposite faces 17 having a concave profile adapted to the rollers, at least one of said faces comprising two contact surfaces 17a, 17b with the associated roller and a concave recess 17c extending between said contact surfaces and directed outwards towards said roller.

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.