Bearing cage with polygonal pockets
OwnerBrian LARSENinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball bearing includes an inner body having an inner raceway surface and a central axis and an outer body disposed about the inner body so as to define an annular space, the outer body having an outer raceway surface. A plurality of balls are disposed within the annular space and rollable simultaneously along the inner raceway surface and the outer raceway surface. A bearing cage is disposed within the annular space between the inner ring and the outer ring and having a plurality of pockets spaced circumferentially about the central axis. Each one of the plurality of balls is disposed within a separate one of the plurality of pockets and each pocket is defined by an enclosed polygonal surface.
Claims14
A ball bearing comprising:
- an inner body having an inner raceway surface and a central axis;
- an outer body disposed about the inner body so as to define an annular space, the outer body having an outer raceway surface;
- a plurality of balls disposed within the annular space and rollable simultaneously along the inner raceway surface and the outer raceway surface;
- and
- a bearing cage disposed within the annular space between the inner ring and the outer ring and having a plurality of pockets spaced circumferentially about the central axis, each one of the plurality of balls being disposed within a separate one of the plurality of pockets and each pocket being defined by an enclosed polygonal surface.
A ball bearing comprising:
- an inner ring having an inner race and a central axis;
- an outer ring disposed about the inner ring so as to define an annular space, the outer ring having an outer race;
- a plurality of balls;
- a bearing cage disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring and having a plurality of pockets spaced circumferentially about the central axis, each one of the plurality of balls being disposed within a separate one of the plurality of pockets and each pocket being defined by an enclosed polygonal surface, each polygonal surface having a plurality of corners such that a separate storage space is defined between each corner and the one of the plurality of balls disposed within the pocket defined by the polygonal surface;
- and
- a quantity of lubricant disposed within the annular space between the inner and outer rings, a portion of the quantity of lubricant being disposed within at least some of the storage spaces of each one of at least a portion of the plurality of pockets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.