ROLLING BEARING

Abstract

The invention relates to a rolling bearing, in particular in the form of an open-center large rolling bearing, comprising a large number of rolling elements, which are held between at least two raceways, on which the rolling elements roll, wherein spacers are provided between the rolling elements, which spacers keep the rolling elements spaced apart from each other. According to the invention, at least one of the raceways has, in a center portion, an approximately groove-shaped longitudinal recess, in which support arms provided between the spacers run, which support arms reach around the rolling element between two adjacent spacers and support the adjacent spacers against each other in the running direction of the rolling elements.

Claims

1. A rolling bearing having a plurality of rolling elements (6) that are received between at least two raceways (4, 5) on which the rolling elements (6) roll off, wherein spacers (14) that space the rolling elements (6) apart from one another are provided between the rolling elements (6), characterized in that at least one of the raceways (4, 5) has an approximately groove-like longitudinal cutout (11, 12) in a center section (9, 10) in which longitudinal cutout (11, 12) support arms (17) run that are provided between the spacers (14), that each engage around the rolling element (6) between two adjacent spacers (14), and that support the adjacent spacers (14) against one another in the direction of running of the rolling elements (6).

2. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two raceways (4, 5) has a groove-like longitudinal cutout (11, 12) approximately centrally; and wherein supports arms (17) engage around a respective rolling element (6) between adjacent spacers (14) on oppositely disposed sides and support adjacent spacers (14) against one another in the direction of running of the rolling element (6).

3. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arms (17) each have a length that at least corresponds to the desired spacing of the axes of rotation of adjacent rolling elements (6).

4. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arms (17) form guide rails that extend in parallel with the direction of running of the rolling elements (6) and that project at the spacers (14) at the peripheral side.

5. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arms (17) are arranged centered and/or symmetrical with respect to a center plane of the spacers (14) that extends perpendicular to the direction of running of the rolling elements (6) through the center of the spacers (14) and project approximately equally far over oppositely disposed end faces of the respective spacer body.

6. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arms (17) are arranged eccentrically offset with respect to a center plane of the spacers (14) that extends perpendicular to the direction of running of the rolling elements (6) through the center of the spacers (14), in particular such that a support arm end terminates approximately flush with an end face of the respective spacer body and the oppositely disposed support arm end projects over the oppositely disposed end face of the spacer body.

7. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spacers (14) are configured as split and comprise a plurality of spacer parts, in particular two spacer halves, between two adjacent rolling elements (6); and wherein a splitting plane is arranged between the spacer parts approximately in parallel with a joint (7) between the raceways (4, 5).

8. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spacers (14) are configured as split and comprise a plurality of spacer parts, in particular two spacer halves, between two adjacent rolling elements (6); and wherein a splitting plane is arranged between the spacer parts approximately perpendicular to the direction of running of the rolling elements.

9. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plurality of spacer parts of a spacer are fixed to one another with shape matching.

10. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arms are molded integrally in one piece to the spacers and/or are rigidly connected to the spacers (14).

11. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spacers (14) comprise a half cage-like spacer structure (19) that has spacer sections (19a) that are arranged between a plurality of adjacent rolling element pairs and that are connected to one another by support arm sections (19b), with said support arm sections (19b) running in the longitudinal cutout (12) of a raceway (4, 5) and each engaging around a rolling element (6).

12. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 11, wherein the cage-like spacer structure (19) is approximately plate-like and is aligned approximately in parallel with the main force removal direction of the rolling elements (6).

13. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 11, wherein, in addition to the two cage-like spacer structure (19), spacer pieces (20) are provided between the rolling elements (6) that extend, in addition to the spacer sections (19a), between two respective adjacent rolling elements (6).

14. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 13, wherein the additional spacer pieces (20) are supported at and/or fastened to the cage-like spacer structure (19), in particular at its support arm sections (19b).

15. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 13, wherein the additional spacer pieces (20) are each formed as split and comprise a plurality of parts between two respective adjacent rolling elements (6) that are separated by a separation plane approximately perpendicular to the direction of running of the rolling elements (6).

16. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arms (17) have a thickness transversely to the direction of running of the rolling elements (6) that is greater than a clearance of a joint (7) between the raceway elements at the margins of the raceways (4, 5).

17. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rolling elements (6) are spherical and the raceways (4, 5) in the manner of half-shells nestle up to the spherical rolling elements (6).

18. A rolling bearing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rolling bearing (1) is configured as a four point contact bearing and has four raceway sections, preferably of quarter shell shape, in which the rolling elements (6) run; and wherein the groove-like longitudinal cutout (11, 12) and the spacers (14) received therein are provided in a raceway body between two raceway sections formed thereat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with respect to preferred embodiments and to associated drawings. There are shown in the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1: a schematic sectional view through a rolling bearing having spherical rolling elements, wherein the partial view (a) shows the arrangement of a conventional rolling element cage whose lateral margins are received in the joint between the raceways and shorten the raceways there, while the partial view (b) shows the groove-like longitudinal cutouts in center sections of the raceways and the support arms of the spacers running therein in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

[0029] FIG. 2: a schematic representation of a spacer that is configured in one piece in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, and that has symmetrically formed or centrally arranged support arms, wherein the partial view (a) shows a plan view and the partial view (b) shows a front view in a direction of view in parallel with the direction of running,

[0030] FIG. 3: a schematic representation of a spacer that is configured in one piece in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention and that has support arms formed eccentrically or offset, wherein the partial view (a) shows a plan view and the partial view (b) shows a front view in a direction of view in parallel with the direction of running,

[0031] FIG. 4: a schematic representation of a spacer that is configured in two pieces in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention and that has symmetrically formed support arms, wherein the partial view (a) shows a plan view and the partial view (b) shows a front view in a direction of view in parallel with the direction of running,

[0032] FIG. 5: a schematic representation of a spacer that is configured in two pieces in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, and that has symmetrically formed support arms, wherein the partial view (a) shows a plan view and the partial view (b) shows a front view in a direction of view in parallel with the direction of running, wherein the spacer is split in a plane perpendicular to the direction of running,

[0033] FIG. 6: a further embodiment of a spacer that represents a combination of a cage formed in half-shell shape and separate spacer pieces, wherein the partial view (a) shows a frontal view in the direction of running and in the installed state, the partial view (b) shows a side view of the assembled, combined spacer in an exploded view in part and in an installed representation in part; the partial view (c) shows a side view of the half cage; and the partial view (d) shows a perspective representation of the half cage; and

[0034] FIG. 7: a schematic sectional view in a plane through the two groove-like longitudinal cutouts in the center sections of the raceways that shows the arrangement of the support arms and their guidance in said longitudinal cutouts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] As FIG. 1 shows, the rolling bearing 1 can be configured as a pivot bearing and can have two bearing races 2, 3, for example in the form of an inner ring and an outer ring, wherein the bearing can be configured as an axial bearing or as a radial bearing or also as a mixed form that supports both axial forces and radial forces.

[0036] When configured as a linear bearing, corresponding bearing track elements that extend linearly and can, for example, be formed in a rail-like manner can be provided instead of the two bearing races 2, 3.

[0037] Only a rolling element row is shown in FIG. 1, wherein the bearing can naturally also be formed in multiple rows and can comprise one or more axial bearing rows and one or more radial bearing rows.

[0038] The mutually rotatable bearing races 2, 3 here each have a raceway 4 or 5 that face one another and are supported against one another by a row of rolling elements 6 that roll off on said raceways 4 and 5.

[0039] As FIG. 1 shows, the rolling elements 6 can be formed as spherical. The raceways 4 and 5 can accordingly each be formed as curved in the manner of half-shells to nestle up to the spherical rolling elements 6. Alternatively, four quarter shell-shaped raceways can also be provided in which the rolling elements 6 run when the bearing 1 is configured as a four point contact bearing. It is, however, understood that other rolling elements, for example cylindrical or barrel-shaped rolling elements, and the raceways 4 and 6 can then also be adapted to the rolling elements 6 in a correspondingly different manner.

[0040] The partial view (a) of FIG. 1 here shows the arrangement of a conventional rolling element cage that engages around the rolling elements 6 with lateral marginal webs in the joint 7 between the two raceways 4 and 5. To be able to receive the lateral marginal webs 8 of the rolling element cage that forms the spacers between the rolling elements 6, said joint 7 has to have a certain thickness between said bearing races 2 and 3 at the margins of the raceways 4 and 5, which has the result that the raceways 4 and 5 are shortened at their margins viewed in cross-sectionas FIG. 1 (a) shows, which can result in the initially explained problem of edge loading.

[0041] As FIG. 1 (b) shows, it is advantageous in accordance with an embodiment of the invention if the rolling elements 6 are no longer laterally engaged around in the region of said joint 7, but rather leave open said region of the joint 7 in the center sections 9 and 10 of the raceways 4 and 5 and the spacers, i.e. do not take up any space there so that the joint 7 can be formed considerably smaller. Said marginal shortening of the raceways 4 and 5 is hereby avoided and said problem of edge loading is accordingly mitigated.

[0042] To be able to engage around the rolling elements 6 in said center sections 9 and 10 of the raceways 4 and 5, a respective groove-like longitudinal cutout 11 and 12 is provided approximately centrally in said raceways 4 and 5, in which longitudinal cutouts 11 and 12 the support arms 13 of the spacers 14 can run by which the adjacent spacers 14 are supported against one another in the direction of running of the rolling elements 6.

[0043] If the partial views (a) and (b) of FIG. 1 are compared, it becomes clear that so-to-say the support plane of a conventional rolling element cage in which the support sections of the cage effective in the direction of running run was so-to-say tilted by approximately 90.

[0044] Said spacers 14 can here be formed separately from one another so that a separate spacer 14 is provided between every pair of adjacent rolling elements 6. It would nevertheless also be possible to provide a mutually connected spacer chain in the manner of a cage whose support arm sections at the marginal side run in said longitudinal cutouts 11 and 12 in the center sections 9 and 10 of the raceways 4 and 5.

[0045] As FIG. 2 shows, a respective spacer 14 can be formed in one piece and can comprise an approximately sleeve-shaped or cylindrical spacer body 15 at whose end faces respective reception cutouts 16 adapted to the rolling elements 6 are formed. If the rolling element 6 is spherical, said reception cutout 16 can be contoured at least approximately in spherical dome shape.

[0046] At the peripheral sides, the spacer 14 comprises support arms 17 extending in the direction of running of the rolling elements 6, wherein a respective one such support arm 17, and thus in total therefore two support arms 17, can advantageously be provided on oppositely disposed peripheral sides of the spacer 14.

[0047] Said support arms 17 can here extend in the manner of longitudinal webs or longitudinal rails in the manner of projections at the peripheral side so that the support arms 17 can run in the previously named longitudinal cutouts 11 and 12 in center sections 9 and 10 of the raceways 4 and 5 and are guided therein.

[0048] As FIG. 2 shows, the support arms 17 can be symmetrical and can project at the end face over the sleeve body 15 of the spacers 14, advantageously in each case so far that the ends of the support arms 17 come to lie in the region of the axes of rotation of the respective rolling elements 6. The length of the support arms 17 can substantially correspond to the desired split or spacing of two adjacent rolling elements when said spacing is measured from the center to the center of the rolling elements.

[0049] As FIG. 2 shows, the end sections of the support arms 17 can be formed as complementary to one another, for example slightly concave at the leading end and slightly spherical at the trailing end, so that the leading end of a support arm 17 of a first spacer comes in engagement with an exact fit with the trailing end of the support arm of a leading spacer.

[0050] As FIG. 3 shows, the support arms 17 can, however, also be formed asymmetrically or offset with respect to a center plane of the cylindrical spacer body 15.

[0051] An end section of a support arm 17 can, for example, terminate approximately flush with the spacer body 15 or its front face while the oppositely disposed support arm end projects over the oppositely disposed end face of the spacer 14. The length of the support arm 17 overall can here in turn correspond to the previously named split between adjacent rolling elements.

[0052] As FIG. 3 further shows, a spacer 14 can also be formed as split and can be composed of two spacer halves 14a and 14b. A split plane can here be aligned in parallel with the plane of the joint 7 between the raceways 4 and 5.

[0053] As FIG. 3 further shows, a spacer 14 can also be formed as split and can be composed of two spacer halves 14a and 14b. A split plane can here be aligned in parallel with the plane of the joint 7 between the raceways 4 and 5.

[0054] As FIG. 4 shows, such a split configuration of the spacers 14 can also have symmetrically configured and arranged support arms 13 that, in a similar manner as in the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2, project approximately equally far over the spacer body 15 at the end face. More precisely, the configuration of the support arms 17 is centered since the end sections of the support arms 17 can, in the aforesaid manner, be complementary to or different from one another, but exactly fitting one another.

[0055] As FIG. 5 shows, a spacer 14 can also be configured as split in a plane perpendicular to the direction of running of the rolling elements 6. In this case, the spacer halves so-to-say lie back to back, with each spacer half having a reception cutout 16 for a rolling element 6. In the previously described embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4, whose splitting plane is in parallel with the joint 7, each spacer half comprises two half reception cutouts 16.

[0056] As FIGS. 6 and 7 show, the spacers 14 can also comprise a cage-like spacer structure 19 that can be combined with additional spacer pieces 20. An approximately half shell-shaped half cage 19 can in particular be provided that engages around a plurality of or all of the rolling elements 6 at a peripheral side and has spacer sections 19a that project between adjacent rolling elements 6 and that are connected to one another by support arm sections 19b, with said support arm sections 19b laterally engaging around the rolling elements 6.

[0057] Said support arm sections 19b here run in the previously named longitudinal cutout 12 of the raceway 5 that can be provided in its center section 10. Said cage-like spacer structure 19 so-to-say forms a half cage whose lateral marginal section runs in said longitudinal cutout 12.

[0058] To also support the rolling elements 6 at the oppositely disposed side, that is not supported by the cage-like spacer structure 19, the additional spacer pieces 20 can be used that can, similar to the split spacers of the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5, be split in a plane perpendicular to the direction of running.

[0059] Said spacer pieces 20 can here each have a reception cutout 16 at the end face that nestles against a respective rolling element 6.

[0060] As FIGS. 6 and 7 show, the spacer pieces 20 can be supported at or fastened to bearing sections 19c at the half cage-like spacer structure 19. Said bearing sections 19c can, for example, be integrally molded in one piece to the cage-like spacer structure 19 and/or can be rigidly connected thereto and/or can, for example, form a reception contour in the form of a projection at which the spacer pieces 20 are fixable in a shape matched manner.