Wheel bearing with improved cage
AssigneeThe Timken Company
InventorsMark Joki, Thomas J. Rybkoski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved cage is provided for a roller bearing for use in a hub assembly, for example. The cage includes roller pockets which fully entrap the roller in the cage, to maintain the radial and axial position of the roller in the cage. Additionally, the bearing for the hub assembly is formed in part by the hub. One of the inner races is formed integrally with the hub. These constructions allow for the cage/roller assembly to be installed in the outboard position of the hub prior to the hub and hub seal being installed in the hub assembly.
Claims35
In a hub assembly for coupling a road wheel to the suspension system of an automotive vehicle, said hub assembly comprising a housing;
- a hub;
- and a bearing assembly located between the housing and the hub for enabling the hub to rotate with minimal friction relative to the housing about an axis X;
- the improvement comprising said bearing assembly;
- said bearing assembly comprising:
- an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of rollers positioned between said inner and outer races;
- and a cage for maintaining the positions of said rollers relative to each other in said bearing;
- said cage comprising a large end ring, a small end ring, and a plurality of bridges spaced about said cage;
- said large and small end rings and said bridges defining a plurality of pockets which receive said rollers;
- said cage further comprising a large end member at said large end ring which engages said roller and a small end member at said small end ring which engages said roller;
- said large end ring, small end ring, bridges, large end members, and small end members defining pockets which are sized and shaped to fully entrap said rollers to prevent said rollers from escaping from said cage in a radial or axial direction.
A hub assembly for coupling a road wheel to the suspension system of an automotive vehicle, said hub assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a hub;
- and a bearing assembly located between the housing and the hub for enabling the hub to rotate with minimal friction relative to the housing about an axis X;
- the hub including a spindle that extends into the housing and into the bearing assembly;
- the bearing assembly including an inboard and an outboard inner race, an inboard and an outboard outer race, and an inboard and an outboard row of rollers positioned between said inner and outer races;
- at least one of said inner races being integrally formed on said hub.
A roller bearing assembly comprising:
- an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of rollers positioned between said inner and outer races;
- and a cage for maintaining the positions of said rollers relative to each other in said bearing;
- said cage comprising a large end ring, a small end ring, and a plurality of bridges spaced about said cage;
- said large and small end rings and said bridges defining a plurality of pockets which receive said rollers;
- said cage further comprising a large end member at said large end ring which engages said roller and a small end member at said small end ring which engages said roller;
- said large end ring, small end ring, bridges, large end members, and small end members defining pockets which fully entrap said rollers.
A cage for a roller bearing having a plurality of rollers;
- the cage comprising:
- a large end ring, a small end ring, and a plurality of bridges spaced about said cage;
- said large and small end rings and said bridges defining a plurality of pockets sized to receive rollers;
- said bridge having a radial inner surface and side walls, said small end ring having a radial inner surface and a radial outer surface;
- a large end member at said large end ring and a small end member at said small end ring, said large and small end ring members being sized to retain a roller's axial position in said cage;
- and
- a bottom restraint which extends radially inwardly from said bridge radial inner surface;
- said bottom restraint having a radial inner surface spaced radially inwardly of said small end ring radial inner surface and side walls;
- the respective side walls of said bottom restraints and bridges in combination defining a grooves which are sized and shaped to radially restrain at least an axial end of a roller in said cage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.