Spacer device, toroidal roller bearing and method
AssigneeAktiebolaget Skf
InventorMagnus Kellstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing includes an inner ring with an inner ring raceway and an outer ring with an outer ring raceway. The toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring. The spacer device comprises at least one centering element that is arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use. The at least one centering element is arranged to make contact with at least one of one point or a region of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use, whereby the spacer device is centered on the one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway.
Claims12
A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing having an inner ring with an inner ring raceway and an outer ring with an outer ring raceway, wherein the toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring, the spacer device comprising:
- at least one centering element arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, the at least one centering element having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, a middle point of the at least one centering element being at a longitudinal location that is halfway between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end,
- wherein a portion of the at least one centering element is arranged to make contact with at least one of a point or a region of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use, the portion of the at least one centering element having a longitudinal location between the first and second longitudinal ends of the at least one centering element and which generally overlaps the middle point, the portion of the at least one centering element being the only surface of the at least one centering element that contacts the inner ring or the outer ring,
- a first part and a second part connected by a connecting element that extends in between the adjacent roller elements in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, and the at least one centering element is attached to the connecting element,
- wherein the spacer device is centered on the one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway, the at least one centering element is independently axially moveable over the connecting element in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements relative to the first part and the second part of the spacer device.
A spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing having an inner ring with an inner ring raceway and an outer ring with an outer ring raceway, wherein the toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring, the spacer device comprising:
- a first part and a second part connected by a connecting element that extends in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use,
- at least one centering element attached to the connecting element and arranged to extend in between adjacent roller elements in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use,
- wherein the at least one centering element is arranged to make contact with at least one of a point or a region of one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use,
- wherein the spacer device is centered on the one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway, and
- wherein longitudinally outermost surfaces of the at least one centering element are arranged at a distance in the longitudinal direction from longitudinally innermost surfaces of the first part and the second part, respectively, when the spacer device is mounted in the toroidal roller bearing, wherein the distance corresponds to half a maximum axial displacement of the toroidal roller bearing.
A method for manufacturing a spacer device for roller elements of a toroidal roller bearing, the toroidal roller bearing having:
- an inner ring with an inner ring raceway;
- and
- an outer ring with an outer ring raceway,
- wherein the toroidal roller bearing allows for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the outer ring,
- the method comprising steps of:
- providing the spacer device with a first part and a second part connected by a connecting element that extends in between adjacent roller elements in a longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, the spacer device further comprising at least one centering element attached to the connecting element and that is arranged to extend in between the adjacent roller elements in the longitudinal direction of the roller elements when the spacer device is in use, wherein longitudinally outermost surfaces of the at least one centering element are arranged at a distance in the longitudinal direction from longitudinally innermost surfaces of the first part and the second part, respectively, when the spacer device is mounted in the toroidal roller bearing, wherein the distance corresponds to half the maximum axial displacement of the toroidal roller bearing;
- and
- providing the at least one centering element with a surface arranged to make contact with at least one of a first point or a region of one of an inner ring raceway or an outer ring raceway of the toroidal roller bearing when the spacer device is in use,
- whereby the spacer device will be centered on the one of the inner ring raceway or the outer ring raceway when the spacer device is in use.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.