Abstract: A tapered roller bearing comprises inner and outer and outer rings having raceways, a large flange surface and a small flange surface, tapered rollers between the raceways and each having large and small end faces at the ends, and a retainer for the tapered rollers. The average roughness of the large end faces and the large flange surface is 0.14 &mgr;m Ra or less. The radius of curvature of the large end faces is 75 to 85% of the roller reference radius, and the central angle of the contact positions between the tapered rollers and the large flange surface is {fraction (1/15)} to {fraction (1/10)} of the roller angle. The center of the contact surface between the tapered rollers and the raceways is offset toward the large end faces from the center of the rolling surfaces of the tapered rollers by 10% or less of the effective length of the tapered rollers.

Abstract: A tapered roller bearing is proposed which comprises an inner ring having a raceway on its outer peripheral surface, an outer ring having a raceway on its inner peripheral surface, a large flange surface and a small flange surface, tapered rollers rollably mounted between the raceway of the inner ring and the raceway of the outer ring and having a large end face at one end thereof and a small end face at the other end thereof, and a retainer for retaining the tapered rollers at regular spacings, wherein the average roughness R[=(Rr2+Rb2){fraction (1/2)}] of the roughness Rr of the large end faces of the tapered rollers and the roughness Rb of the large flange surface of the inner ring is 0.

Abstract: The boundary between the rolling surface 3a and the larger end surface 3b of a roller 3 and the boundary between the rolling surface 3a and the smaller end surface 3c are formed with rounded portions Rb and Rc, respectively. The rolling surface 3a and the rounded portion Rb associated with the larger end surface 3b are smoothly continuous with each other through a first arc R1, while the larger end surface 3b and the rounded portion Rb are smoothly continuous with each other through a second arc R2.