Bearing cage segment, bearing cage and method for manufacturing the same

A bearing cage segment for a rolling-element bearing cage, comprising

• two circumferential bridges extending in a circumferential direction,
• at least one connecting bridge connecting the circumferential bridges in an axial direction, and
• at least one coupling device disposed in or on at least one of the two circumferential bridges, the at least one coupling device being configured to engage the bearing cage segment with at least one lamellar support ring having two adjacently-abutting and axially- or radially-biased ring halves, such that a pocket for accommodating a rolling element is formable by two bearing cage segments adjacently disposed on the at least one lamellar support ring in the circumferential direction, wherein the at least one coupling device includes a conduit defined in the bearing cage segment such that a cross-section of at least a portion of the conduit is enclosed in the bearing cage segments,
• wherein the conduit is configured to receive the at least one lamellar support ring in an interference-fit manner.

A method for manufacturing a bearing cage for a rolling element, comprising:

• providing at least one support ring formed as a lamellar ring and having two adjacently-abutting and axially- or radially-biased ring halves;
• providing a plurality of individual bearing cage segments for accommodating respective rolling elements in rolling element pockets formed by the bearing cage segments, wherein each of the bearing cage segments includes a coupling device configured to attach the bearing cage segments onto the at least one lamellar support ring, the coupling device including a conduit defined in the plurality of individual bearing cage segments such that a cross-section of at least a portion of the conduit is enclosed in the respective plurality of individual bearing cage segments;
• and
• disposing the plurality of bearing cage segments on the at least one lamellar support ring by receiving the at least one lamellar support ring through the conduit of each of the plurality of bearing cage segments, such that at least one pocket for accommodating a rolling bearing is formed by each two adjacently-disposed bearing cage segments,
• wherein receiving the at least one lamellar support ring through the conduit of each of the plurality of bearing cage segments comprises elastically expanding an open cross-section of the conduit of each of the plurality of bearing segments so as to form an interference fit between the at least one lamellar support ring and the plurality of bearing cage segments.