US 9,022,662 B2Granted

Retainer made of synthetic resin for use in ball bearing and ball bearing

AssigneeNtn Corporation

InventorsChiharu Ito, Hikaru Ishida

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A retainer of synthetic resin is provided in such a way that abnormal heat generation in a bearing and wear of the retainer due to interference between the retainer and balls are less likely to arise while the bearing is rotating at a high speed. A retainer (5) of synthetic resin includes two annular members (10) made of synthetic resin and facing each other in the axial direction, the annular members defining therebetween a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets (11) in which respective balls (4) are received. Concave spherical surfaces (23) are formed at the circumferential ends of the respective pockets (11) so as to extend along the outer peripheries of the balls (4), and cylindrical surfaces (22) are formed at the axial ends of the respective pockets (11).

Claims21

Dependent claims

A retainer of synthetic resin for use in a ball bearing, the retainer comprising:

first and second annular members (10) made of synthetic resin and facing each other in an axial direction,
the annular members being configured to define therebetween a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets (11), each of the pockets (11) being configured to receive a ball (4) so that the balls (4) are arranged circumferentially spaced apart along a pitch circle (p), each of the pockets (11) having two circumferential ends along a circumferential direction of the annular members (10), and each of the pockets (11) having two axial ends along an axial direction of the annular members (10),
wherein a concave spherical surface (23) is formed at each of the circumferential ends of each of the pockets (11), so that the concave spherical surfaces are arranged to extend along outer peripheries of the balls (4), and
wherein a cylindrical surface (22) is formed at each of the axial ends of each of the pockets (11), at least at portions of each of the pockets (11) located radially inwardly of the pitch circle (p) so as to extend in a radial direction of the retainer,
wherein the first annular member (10) comprises first abutment surfaces (14), and the second annular member (10) comprises second abutment surfaces (14), such that the first abutment surfaces are configured to be in surface contact with the second abutment surfaces, respectively,
wherein each of the first abutment surfaces (14) has first and second ends,
wherein each of the second abutment surfaces (14) has first and second ends,
wherein a protruding wall (19) protrudes from the first end of each of the first abutment surfaces and from the first end of each of the second abutment surfaces,
wherein a fitting recess (20) is formed at the second end of each of the first abutment surfaces and at the second end of each of the second abutment surfaces,
wherein the protruding walls (19) of the first abutment surfaces (14) are configured so as to be fitted into the fitting recesses (20), respectively, of the second abutment surfaces (14), and the protruding walls (19) of the second abutment surfaces (14) are configured so as to be fitted into the fitting recesses (20), respectively, of the first abutment surfaces (14), so that an abutment line (21) of the first and second annular members (10) is formed at each of the circumferential ends of each of the pockets on an inner wall of each of the pockets,
wherein, for each of the pockets (11), the abutment lines (21) are offset from an axial center of the pocket (11), and
wherein the first annular member (10) has the same shape as the second annular member (10).

9 more elements

A retainer of synthetic resin for use in a ball bearing, the retainer comprising:

two annular members (10) made of synthetic resin and facing each other in an axial direction,
the annular members being configured to define therebetween a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets (11), each of the pockets (11) being configured to receive a ball (4) so that the balls (4) are arranged circumferentially spaced apart along a pitch circle (p), each of the pockets (11) having two circumferential ends along a circumferential direction of the annular members (10), and each of the pockets (11) having two axial ends along an axial direction of the annular members (10),
wherein a concave spherical surface (23) is formed at each of the circumferential ends of each of the pockets (11), so that the concave spherical surfaces are arranged to extend along outer peripheries of the balls (4),
wherein a cylindrical surface (22) is formed at each of the axial ends of each of the pockets (11), at least at portions of each of the pockets (11) located radially inwardly of the pitch circle (p) so as to extend in a radial direction of the retainer,
wherein each of the pockets (11) has a radially inner end, and a grease reservoir (25) is formed at the radial inner end of each of the pockets (11), and
wherein the grease reservoirs (25) are formed in such a way as to avoid the abutment lines (21) of the two annular members (10).

3 more elements

A retainer of synthetic resin for use in a ball bearing, the retainer comprising:

two annular members (10) made of synthetic resin and facing each other in an axial direction,
the annular members being configured to define therebetween a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets (11), each of the pockets (11) being configured to receive a ball (4) so that the balls (4) are arranged circumferentially spaced apart along a pitch circle (p), each of the pockets (11) having two circumferential ends along a circumferential direction of the annular members (10), and each of the pockets (11) having two axial ends along an axial direction of the annular members (10),
wherein a concave spherical surface (23) is formed at each of the circumferential ends of each of the pockets (11), so that the concave spherical surfaces are arranged to extend along outer peripheries of the balls (4), and
wherein a cylindrical surface (22) is formed at each of the axial ends of each of the pockets (11), at least at portions of each of the pockets (11) located radially inwardly of the pitch circle (p) so as to extend in a radial direction of the retainer,
wherein each of the pockets (11) has a radially inner end, and a grease reservoir (25) is formed at the radial inner end of each of the pockets (11), and
wherein the annular members (10) are each provided with grease-guiding slant faces (26) on an inner periphery thereof, wherein the slant faces are each inclined in a direction in which grease can be guided to a corresponding one of the grease reservoirs (25) when centrifugal force acts on the grease.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/126,524Filed 14 Jun 2012
Priority: JP 2011-14173627 Jun 2011
Published: US 2014/0112608 A124 Apr 2014
Granted: 5 May 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

F16C 33/38
Parts of ball or roller bearings: ball cages
F16C 19/06
For radial load mainly: with a single row or balls
F16C 33/303
Parts of ball or roller bearings: of hybrid bearings, e.g. rolling bearings with steel races and ceramic rolling elements
F16C 33/32
Parts of ball or roller bearings: balls