Double butterfly cage for a ball bearing and method of fabricating a double butterfly cage for a ball bearing
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorGuihui Zhong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cage for a ball bearing, including: a first annular flange; a second annular flange; a plurality of ball retention segments; and a plurality of spaces. Each ball retention segment includes: a first portion fixedly connected to the first annular flange; a second portion fixedly connected to the second annular flange; and, a middle portion connecting the first portion and the second portion. Each space is circumferentially bounded by a respective pair of circumferentially adjacent ball retention segments, and arranged to receive a ball of the ball bearing. A cross-section, including the first annular flange, the second annular flange, and a ball retention segment of the plurality of ball retention segments, is in a shape of an M.
Claims13
A cage for a ball bearing, comprising:
- a first annular flange;
- a second annular flange;
- a plurality of ball retention segments, each ball retention segment including:
- a first portion including:
- a neck directly fixedly connected to the first annular flange;
- a first surface extending from the neck in a first circumferential direction around an axis of rotation of the cage;
- and,
- a first edge extending from the first surface at least partly in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction;
- a second portion fixedly connected to the second annular flange;
- and,
- a middle portion connecting the first portion and the second portion;
- and,
- a plurality of spaces, each space circumferentially bounded by a respective pair of circumferentially adjacent ball retention segments, and arranged to receive a ball of the ball bearing, wherein:
- a cross-section including the first annular flange, the second annular flange, and a ball retention segment of the plurality of ball retention segments is in a shape of an M;
- and,
- the first annular flange, the first surface, and the neck form a notch open in the first circumferential direction.
A cage for a ball bearing, comprising:
- a first annular flange forming a portion of the cage extending furthest in a first axial direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the cage;
- a second annular flange forming a portion of the cage extending furthest in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction;
- and,
- a plurality of ball retention segments, each ball retention segment including:
- a first portion including:
- a neck fixedly connected to the first annular flange;
- a first surface facing in the first axial direction;
- and,
- a second surface facing partly radially outwardly from the axis of rotation and facing partly in the second axial direction;
- a second portion fixedly connected to the second annular flange and including a surface facing partly radially outwardly from the axis of rotation and facing partly in the first axial direction;
- and,
- a middle portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and including a surface facing radially outwardly and connecting the first surface of the first portion and the surface of the second portion, wherein:
- the first annular flange, the neck, and the first surface of the first portion form a notch open in a first circumferential direction around the axis of rotation of the cage;
- and,
- the first annular flange, a first gap, the first portion, a second gap, the second portion, a third gap, and the second annular flange are sequentially aligned in the second axial direction;
- or,
- a line, in the second axial direction passes through in sequence the first annular flange, a first gap, the first portion, a second gap, the second portion, a third gap, and the second annular flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.