Rolling-element bearing

Abstract

A rolling bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a plurality of cage segments separating circumferentially adjacent ones of the plurality of rolling elements. Each of the cage segments has an axial bridge portion and side plates at axially opposite ends of the bridge portion, each of the side plates having a convex end and a concave end circumferentially spaced from the convex end. The convex end of a first one of the side plates contacts the concave end of a second one of the side plates.

Claims

1. A rolling bearing comprising: at least one inner ring and at least one outer ring, wherein between the at least one inner ring and the at least one outer ring a number of rolling elements are arranged, wherein the rolling elements are held by a cage, wherein the cage is made of a number cage-segments including a first cage segment and a second cage segment, wherein each cage segment comprises two rolling element contact surfaces, wherein each cage segment includes at least one attachment element, wherein each cage segment includes in at least one axial end region a side plate partially covering an end side of one of the rolling elements, the side plate having a convex end edge and a concave end edge spaced from the convex end edge in a circumferential direction, and wherein the concave end edge of the side plate of the first cage segment non-interlockingly abuts the convex end edge of the side plate of the second cage segment.

2. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the convex end edge has a greater curvature than a curvature of the concave end edge.

3. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the contact surfaces lie in a region of the axis of the rolling element.

4. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, including a coupling element extending through the attachment elements, wherein the coupling element is a flexible, tensile-force-transmitting component.

5. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 4 wherein the coupling element is a cable.

6. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 5, wherein the at least one attachment element is configured as an eyelet, through which the coupling element is threaded, wherein the at least one attachment element is formed-on one-piece on the cage segment.

7. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the cage segment is configured as a one-part component.

8. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the cage segment includes at least one slip surface for slipping on a shoulder or a flange of a bearing ring.

9. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, including a coupling element configured to at least temporarily connect the cage segments via the attachment elements.

10. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein no portion of the side plate of the first cage segment lies axially adjacent the second cage segment.

11. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein no portion of the first cage segment lies axially adjacent the second cage segment.

12. A rolling bearing comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring; a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring; and a plurality of cage segments separating circumferentially adjacent ones of the plurality of rolling elements, each of the cage segments comprising an axial bridge portion and side plates at axially opposite ends of the bridge portion, the side plates overlying axial ends of the rolling elements, each of the side plates having a convex end and a concave end circumferentially spaced from the convex end, wherein the concave end of the side plate of the first cage segment non-interlockingly abuts the convex end of the side plate of the second cage segment.

13. The rolling bearing according to claim 12, wherein a curvature of the convex portion is greater than a curvature of the concave portion.

14. The rolling bearing according to claim 13, wherein each of the side plates includes an eyelet and including a cable extending through the eyelets to connect the cage segments together.

15. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 12, wherein no portion of the first one of the side plates lies axially adjacent the second cage segment.

16. The rolling-element bearing according to claim 12, wherein no portion of the first one of the side plates lies axially adjacent the second cage segment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are depicted in the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows, in perspective view, a section of a tapered roller bearing, depicted without bearing outer ring,

(3) FIG. 2 shows, in perspective view, an enlarged section of the tapered roller bearing according to FIG. 1, wherein only one cage section, comprised of three cage segments, is depicted with associated rolling elements.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a radial section through the tapered roller bearing without bearing outer ring, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows an embodiment slightly modified with respect to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) In the figures the inventive concept is illustrated for the use in a tapered roller bearing.

(7) In FIG. 1 a rolling-element bearing 1 in the form of a tapered roller bearing can be seen wherein the inner ring 2 and the cage 4 can be recognized; rolling elements 3 (tapered rollers) are held with the cage 4. Each tapered roller 3 has an axis a. The cage 4 is comprised of a number of cage segments 4, 4, 4 disposed sequentially in the circumferential direction U. The configuration of the cage segments 4, 4, 4 is best shown in FIG. 2.

(8) Each cage segment 4, 4, 4 has a bridge 19, which in the exemplary embodiment includes two guide elements 20. Each guide element has a contact surface 5 and a contact surface 6, which form respective congruent slip surfaces for the rolling elements 3 and thus guide them. A side plate 11, 11, 11, or 12, 12, 12 is disposed in each of the two axial end regions of the bridges 19. The side plates form slip surfaces for the end sides 10 of the rolling elements 3.

(9) Attachment elements 7 and 8 are formed-on on the side plates 11, 11, 11 and/or 12, 12, 12 in the axially outer-lying region, and indeed as eyelets, through which the coupling element 9 in the form of a cable can be guided (see FIG. 1), in order to hold together the entirety of the cage segments 4, 4, 4. Due to the flanges 17 and 18 of the inner ring 2 (for this purpose see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) a captive connection thus arises of inner ring, rolling elements, and cage.

(10) It is essential that each cage segment 4, 4, 4 respectively includes in its two axial end regions a side plate 11, 11, 11, or 12, 12, 12 partially covering the end side 10 of the rolling element 3, whereinfor this purpose see especially FIG. 2two side plates 11, 11, 11, or 12, 12, 12, successive in the circumferential direction U, can contact two adjacent cage segments 4, 4, 4 at contact surfaces 13 and 14 configured complementary to each other.

(11) Here the one contact surface 13 is embodied convex, the other contact surface 14 concave in a largely congruent manner, so that seen in the circumferential direction U a left end in FIG. 2 can enter in a corresponding right end. The convex design here is somewhat more strongly curved than the concave design, which can be seen in FIG. 2 at the contact situation of two side plates 11.

(12) It is thereby no longer possible that, due to too great a tension in cable 9 or due to corresponding load states in the rolling-element bearing, rolling elements 3 and cage segments 4, 4, 4 can be pushed together too strongly in circumferential direction U, so that a clamping of the rolling elements 3 is prevented.

(13) The preferred shoulder guiding provided of the cage 4 is depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. According to this each cage segment 4, 4, 4 has a slip surface 15 or 16 provided in the radially inner-lying end region, which is embodied to slip on a corresponding outer surface of the flange 17 or 18.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

(14) 1 Rolling-element bearing 2 Inner ring 3 Rolling element 4 Cage 4 Cage segment 4 Cage segment 4 Cage segment 5 Contact surface 6 Contact surface 7 Attachment element 8 Attachment element 9 Coupling element (cable) 10 End side of the rolling element 11 Side plate 11 Side plate 11 Side plate 12 Side plate 12 Side plate 12 Side plate 13 Contact surface 14 Contact surface 15 Slip surface 16 Slip surface 17 Shoulder/flange 18 Shoulder/flange 19 Bridge 20 Guide element U Circumferential direction A Axis of the rolling element