# US 10,371,207 B2 · Roller bearings

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- Number: US 10,371,207 B2
- Document ID: US10371207B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/964,136
- Filed: 2018-04-27
- Published: 2018-12-06
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-02
- Assignees: Claverham Limited
- Applicants: Claverham Limited
- Inventors: Suat Bekircan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371207B2

## CPC

- F16C 33/366: {Tapered rollers, i.e. rollers generally shaped as truncated cones}
- F16C 33/6696: {with solids as lubricant, e.g. dry coatings, powder}
- F16C 19/26: with a single row of rollers
- F16C 19/364: {with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone}
- F16C 23/086: {forming a track for rolling elements}
- F16C 33/36: with bearing-surfaces other than cylindrical, e.g. tapered; with grooves in the bearing surfaces
- F16C 33/585: {of raceways, e.g. ribs to guide the rollers}
- F16C 33/541: {Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or roller retaining means}
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

A roller bearing comprises inner and outer rings defining a toroidal inner raceway rotatable about a bearing axis (A). A plurality of concave rolling elements is arranged in a single row between the outer and inner rings. Each of the plurality of concave rolling elements is a symmetrical cylindrical roller having circular ends, a roller axis passing through the center of the circular ends, and a concave side profile that extends continuously between the circular ends. The toroidal inner and outer raceways each have a convex race surface that continuously engages the concave side profile between the circular ends of each concave rolling element with a first radius and extends axially beyond the circular ends of each concave rolling element with a second radius that is less than the first radius.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A roller bearing comprising:
an inner ring defining a toroidal inner raceway rotatable about a bearing axis;
an outer ring defining a toroidal outer raceway rotatable about the bearing axis; and
a plurality of concave rolling elements arranged in a single row between the outer and inner rings;
wherein each of the plurality of concave rolling elements is a symmetrical cylindrical roller having circular ends, a roller axis passing through the centre of the circular ends, and a concave side profile that extends continuously between the circular ends, the roller axis being aligned with the bearing axis; and
wherein the toroidal inner and outer raceways each have a convex race surface that continuously engages the concave side profile between the circular ends of each concave rolling element with a first radius and extends axially beyond the circular ends of each concave rolling element with a second radius that is less than the first radius.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The roller bearing of claim 1, wherein each concave rolling element comprises:
a main portion wherein the concave side profile has a radius R that increases from a centre line of the single row of concave rolling elements towards the circular ends having a diameter 2r; and
an end portion wherein the concave side profile has a radius R that decreases until R=r.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The roller bearing of claim 1, comprising a cage ring comprising a plurality of cages to house the concave rolling elements between the outer and inner rings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The roller bearing of claim 3, wherein each cage follows the concave side profile of the concave rolling elements and has a thickness (z) defined circumferentially along the single row of concave rolling elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The roller bearing of claim 4, wherein the single row of concave rolling elements has a centre line passing circumferentially between the outer and inner rings, and the cage thickness (z) is a maximum at the centre line.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The roller bearing of claim 3, wherein the cage ring is made from steel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The roller bearing of claim 3, wherein the cages are impregnated or coated with a solid lubricant.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The roller bearing of claim 1, wherein the concave rolling elements make full contact with the race surfaces all the way along the concave side profile between the circular ends.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A method of assembling the roller bearing of claim 1, the method comprising:
assembling some of the plurality of concave rolling elements inside the outer ring to form an incomplete single row of concave rolling elements defining a circumferential gap;
arranging the axis of the inner ring substantially perpendicular to the axis of the outer ring and aligning the inner ring with the circumferential gap;
positioning the inner ring inside the outer ring with the axis of the inner ring aligned with a diameter of the outer ring;
assembling a remainder of the plurality of concave rolling elements in the circumferential gap inside the outer ring to form a complete single row of concave rolling elements; and
rotating the inner ring into the plane of the outer ring and aligning the axis of the inner ring with the axis of the outer ring.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the circumferential gap is at least as wide as the inner ring.