# US 12,006,974 B2 · Sheet metal panel raceway including recesses > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,974 B2 - Document ID: US12006974B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/358,267 - Filed: 2021-06-25 - Published: 2022-01-06 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-02 - Assignees: Aktiebolaget Skf - Applicants: Aktiebolaget Skf - Inventors: Hans-Juergen Friedrich; Norbert Huhn; Thomas Kettner; Harald Metz; Alfred Radina; Jonas Schierling; Maximilian Soellner; Markus Volkmuth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006974B2 ## CPC - B23P 15/003: {bearings (see also F16C33/00)} - F16C 33/585: {of raceways, e.g. ribs to guide the rollers} - F16C 19/26: with a single row of rollers - F16C 33/588: {Races of sheet metal} - F16C 33/64: Special methods of manufacture - F16C 33/6614: {in recesses or cavities provided in retainers, races or rolling elements} - F16C 33/6651: {in recesses or cavities provided in retainers, races or rolling elements} - F16C 33/62: Selection of substances - F16C 2220/42: by working of thin-walled material such as sheet or tube - F16C 2226/36: by welding - F16C 2361/00: Apparatus or articles in engineering in general - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS ## Abstract A raceway element for a rolling-element bearing, the rolling-element bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements that are disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring. The raceway element is configured as an inner ring or as an outer ring, or is configured to be attachable to an inner ring or outer ring of the bearing, wherein at least one surface of the raceway element is configured as a raceway for the rolling elements. The raceway element is formed from a sheet metal panel having at least one recess formed in the surface configured as the raceway. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rolling-element bearing comprising: a first rolling-element bearing ring comprising a cylindrical raceway element formed from a sheet metal strip having a length and a width and bent into a cylinder such that a first longitudinal end of the strip meets a second longitudinal end of the strip at at least one joint, a surface of the strip forming a raceway of the first rolling-element bearing ring and the surface including at least one recess, a second rolling-element bearing ring, and a plurality of rolling elements between the first rolling-element bearing ring and the second rolling-element bearing ring, wherein the at least one joint includes a first joint and a second joint axially spaced from the first joint, the first joint having a first end at a first axial end of the cylindrical raceway element, and the second joint having a first end at a second axial end of the cylindrical raceway element, wherein the at least one recess comprises a first recess portion extending into the first end of the strip between a second end of the first joint and a second end of the second joint and a second recess portion extending into the second end of the strip between the second end of the first joint and the second end of the second joint, the first recess portion being contiguous with the second recess portion, and wherein the at least one recess is elongated with a longest dimension extending in a circumferential direction of the raceway element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess is configured as a lubricant reservoir. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the strip is materially bonded to the second end of the strip at the first joint and at the second joint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of rolling elements radially overlies the at least one recess, and wherein the first end of the strip is materially bonded to the second end of the strip at the first joint and at the second joint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess is located entirely in a cylindrical arc of X degrees of the raceway element, and wherein the remaining cylindrical arc of 360-X degrees of the raceway element is recess-free. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 5, wherein the at least one recess has a first recess end circumferentially spaced from a second recess end, and wherein the second end of the first joint and the second end of the second joint are located circumferentially between the first recess end and the second recess end. ### Claim 7 A rolling-element bearing comprising: a first rolling-element bearing ring comprising a cylindrical raceway element formed from a sheet metal strip having a length and a width and bent into a cylinder such that a first longitudinal end of the strip is materially bonded to a second longitudinal end of the strip at at least one joint, a surface of the strip forming a raceway of the first rolling-element bearing ring and the surface including at least one recess, a second rolling-element bearing ring, and a plurality of rolling elements between the first rolling-element bearing ring and the second rolling-element bearing ring, wherein a first axial end of the cylindrical raceway element lies in a first plane and a portion of a second axial end of the cylindrical raceway element lies in a second plane parallel to the first plane, wherein the at least one recess extends axially into the cylindrical raceway from the second plane, and wherein the at least one joint extends from the first axial end of the raceway to the first recess. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 7, wherein the at least one recess is elongated with a longest dimension extending in a circumferential direction of the raceway element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 7, wherein the at least one joint comprises no more than one joint. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 7, wherein the second axially end of the raceway includes no more than one recess and the first axially end of the raceway is recess-free. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of rolling elements radially overlies the at least one recess. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 7, wherein the at least one recess is elongated with a longest dimension extending in a circumferential direction of the raceway element, wherein the at least one joint comprises no more than one joint, wherein the first end of the strip is materially bonded to the second end of the strip, and wherein at least one of the plurality of rolling elements radially overlies the at least one recess. ### Claim 13 A rolling-element bearing comprising: a first rolling-element bearing ring comprising a cylindrical raceway element formed from an octagonal sheet metal strip having a length and a width and bent into a cylinder such that a first longitudinal end of the strip meets a second longitudinal end of the strip at at least one joint, a surface of the strip forming a raceway of the first rolling-element bearing ring and the surface including at least one recess, a second rolling-element bearing ring, and a plurality of rolling elements between the first rolling-element bearing ring and the second rolling-element bearing ring, wherein the at least one recess is elongated with a longitudinal direction extending obliquely to a circumferential direction of the raceway element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 13, wherein the first end of the strip is materially bonded to the second end of the strip at the at least one joint. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 13, wherein the at least one joint comprises a first joint extending axially inward from a first axially facing edge of the raceway element and a second joint extending axially inward from a second axially facing edge of the raceway element, and wherein the first joint is circumferentially offset from the second joint. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 15, wherein the first end of the strip is materially bonded to the second end of the strip at the first joint and at the second joint. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The rolling-element bearing according to claim 16, wherein the at least one recess includes a first recess having a first end at an end of the first joint and a second end at an end of the second joint.