A method of assembling a multi-row thrust bearing cage is disclosed. The method includes providing an inner cage and an outer cage, the inner cage including a first retainer and a first alignment guide, and the outer cage including a second retainer and a second alignment guide. The method includes positioning the inner cage and the outer cage relative to each other such that the first alignment guide is circumferentially aligned with the second alignment guide. The method also includes inserting the inner cage relative to the outer cage such that the first retainer of the inner cage engages with the second retainer of the outer cage and the inner cage is retained with the outer cage.

A cage segment defines a single pocket of a multipart rolling-element bearing cage and includes first and second circumferentially spaced side walls connected by first and second end walls. The first and second side walls and the first and second end walls are formed by at least one sheet metal segment connected at at least one joint.

A method of forming a bearing cage segment includes determining a path of a periphery of the bearing cage segment along a metal sheet, punching a plurality of openings in the metal sheet inside the path to form a plurality of pockets separated by a plurality of bridges and separating the bearing cage segment from the metal sheet at the path. The separating includes laser cutting first and second joint edges at a first end of the row and third and fourth joint edges at a second end of the row, where the first joint edge is spaced from the second joint edge in a length direction of the bridges and the third joint edge is spaced from the fourth joint edge in the length direction of the bridges.

A cage segment defines a single pocket of a multipart rolling-element bearing cage and includes first and second circumferentially spaced side walls connected by first and second end walls. The first and second side walls and the first and second end walls are formed by at least one sheet metal segment connected at at least one joint.

A roller bearing for rotationally mounting a high-speed shaft, such as a shaft for a turbocharger, includes a cage. The cage has two rings and a plurality of connecting elements and cavities for the rolling bodies. The connecting elements extend axially between the cage rings, and the cavities are located between the connecting elements. The cage is made from a metallic material and is formed according to a shaping method, wherein two tangentially adjacent ends of the cage are interconnected in a material fit.

A bearing cage for retaining rolling elements of a rolling element bearing, the bearing cage constructed from a sheet metal element. The cage having at least one cage pocket configured to receive at least one rolling element. The at least one cage pocket is formed by two abutting cage bars that extend axially between a first and a second axially displaced ring element. At least one of the cage bars includes a first portion. The first portion is constructed by folding a part of the sheet metal element such that the first portion extends in a radial direction of the cage and such that an axially extending fold is provided on the cage bar. A rolling element bearing and a method of producing the bearing cage is also provided.

A sheet metal bearing cage segment includes first and second ring sections, bridges connecting the ring sections to form pockets for rolling elements and a circumferentially facing joint edge configured to be connected to another circumferentially facing joint edge. The joint edge is disposed such that it will be located in one of the bridges after the joint edge is connected to the another circumferentially facing joint edge.

A sheet-metal bearing cage segment has a first ring section, at least one second ring section and a plurality of bridges connecting the first ring section and the at least one second ring section to each other such that a pocket for receiving at least one rolling element is formed between each circumferentially adjacent pair of the bridges. The first and/or second ring section includes at least one recess on the radially inner side and/or the radially outer side.

A sheet metal bearing cage segment includes a first ring section, at least one second ring section, and a plurality of bridges connecting the first and second ring sections to each other and defining a plurality of pockets between the bridges. The bearing cage segment includes first and second circumferentially directed joint edges, the first joint edge is configured to connect to the second joint edge of the bearing cage segment or to a second joint edge of another sheet metal bearing cage segment, and the first joint edge includes at least one body of welding material projecting from the joint edge. The body of welding material may be pressed against the second joint edge while leaving a gap between the joint edges, and the welding material can be liquified by a resistance welding process to connect the joint edges.

A bearing cage segment of a sheet metal cage includes first and second sheet metal ring sections and bridges therebetween defining a plurality of pockets for receiving rolling elements. A first circumferential joint edge of the segment is configured to connect to a second circumferential joint edge of the segment or to a second joint edge of another segment, and the first joint edge includes at least one alignment element, such as a projection or contour, that is configured to align the first joint edge radially, axially and/or circumferentially against the second joint edge which may include a complementary alignment element such as a recess or complementary contour.