Rolling element bearing cage section, rolling-element bearing cage, and rolling-element bearing
AssigneeAktiebolaget Skf
InventorPadelis Katsaros
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rolling-element bearing cage section for a rolling-element bearing is configured to guide at least one rolling element between a first and a second rolling-element bearing ring of the rolling-element bearing. The rolling-element bearing cage section is configured to partially or completely receive the at least one rolling element prior to installation in the rolling-element bearing. The rolling-element bearing cage section includes a porous material adapted to absorb a lubricant and release the lubricant as a result of a centrifugal force acting on the lubricant during rotation of the rolling-element bearing cage section, thus allowing a liquid lubricant to be used in a rolling-element bearing without the need for complex seals.
Claims13
A rolling-element bearing cage for a rolling-element bearing, which is formed to guide at least one rolling element, during a movement thereof, between a first and a second rolling-element bearing ring of the rolling-element bearing,
- wherein the rolling-element bearing cage is formed to partially or completely receive the at least one rolling element prior to installation in the rolling-element bearing;
- wherein the rolling-element bearing cage comprises a porous material which is formed to absorb a lubricant and to release the lubricant again due to a centrifugal force acting on the lubricant during rotation of the rolling-element bearing cage;
- wherein the rolling-element bearing cage is configured to absorb collected lubricant when stationary, during a stoppage of the bearing;
- and
- wherein the porous material of the rolling-element bearing cage section is configured to absorb a volume of lubricant that exceeds a maximum volume of lubricant disposable between the first and second rolling-element bearing rings of the rolling-element bearing;
- and
- at least one seal disposed on an axial end of the rolling-element bearing, and wherein the rolling-element bearing cage extends at least substantially up to the seal.
A rolling-element bearing comprising:
- a first rolling-element bearing ring;
- a second rolling-element bearing ring;
- at least one rolling element disposed between the first rolling-element bearing ring and the second rolling-element bearing ring for allowing the first rolling-element bearing ring to rotate relative to the second rolling-element bearing ring;
- a rolling-element bearing cage for guiding the at least one rolling element;
- a first seal located proximate to a first axial side of the first rolling-element bearing ring and a first axial side the second rolling-element bearing ring;
- and
- a second seal located proximate to a second axial side of the first rolling-element bearing ring and a second axial side of the second rolling element bearing ring, the first and second axial sides of the first rolling-element bearing ring being at opposite axial extents of the first rolling element-bearing ring, and the first and second axial sides of the second rolling-element bearing ring being at opposite axial sides of the second rolling-element bearing ring,
- wherein the first rolling-element bearing ring comprises a first ring-shaped surface that extends axially from the first axial side of the first rolling-element bearing ring to the second axial side thereof, and the second rolling-element bearing ring comprises a second ring-shaped surface that extends axially from the first axial side of the second rolling-element bearing ring to the second axial-side thereof, wherein an interior volume is defined extending radially from an entirety of the first ring-shaped surface to an entirety of the second ring-shaped surface, and wherein a lubricating space comprises an entirety of the interior volume that is not occupied by any other components of the rolling-element bearing,
- wherein the rolling-element bearing cage is disposed within the interior volume and comprises a porous material configured to absorb lubricant from the lubricating space and to release the lubricant in response to a centrifugal force produced by rotation of the rolling element bearing cage, and wherein the porous material is configured to absorb a volume of lubricant that is greater than or equal to a total volume of the lubricating space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.