Cage Structure Patents (Class 384/623)
  • Publication number: 20130182991
    Abstract: A plurality of cage bars of a cage is configured so as to project inward in the radial direction from an inner periphery of an annular portion and to be apart from each other in the circumferential direction. The radially inner side of each pocket defined by two cage bars adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and the annular portion is open in the radial direction. A concave portion is formed at a corner of the pocket, which is located at the radially outer side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: JTEKT CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8480309
    Abstract: The bearing cage for roller bearings has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of cage bars extending between the inner ring and the outer ring so as to form a plurality of pockets. At least one of the inner ring and the outer ring has a formed ring flange protruding inwardly into the pockets. The pockets have of least one curved end with a radius or a straight end with large radii so that the pockets extend under the ring flange. The formed ring flange provides radial guidance to the ends of the rolling elements, which also aids in reducing the possibilities of stress risers from forming, causing fatigue and ultimately failure of the bearing cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Marion Jack Ince
  • Patent number: 8408808
    Abstract: A retainer portion of a cage of a bearing has a plurality of spokes and web sections extending between an outer ring section and an inner ring section with a plurality of cavities formed on an annular side face of the retainer portion. The cavities communicate with socket portions formed in the retainer portion to provide lubrication to rotational elements of the bearing. A latch and catch mechanism secures like retainer portions together to form a cage of the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Baldor Electric Company
    Inventor: Christopher E. Hosmer
  • Patent number: 8408805
    Abstract: A rolling bearing embodied as a radial-axial rolling bearing which has a bearing sleeve in which rolling bodies designed for absorbing axial forces are arranged in pockets of an axial cage. The axial cage has, on its inner side, a centering bevel which is produced by deformation of the axial cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Winkler, Daniel Schneider
  • Patent number: 8388233
    Abstract: The invention relates to a first bearing arrangement (1) and a method for the manufacture thereof, with a first bearing ring (3) forming a structural unit (16) with a radially inwardly directed axial projection (11) with a radially outwardly directed resilient element (13) and a first running surface (5), and a second bearing ring (2) with a radially outwardly arranged axial projection (10) with a radially inwardly directed resilient element (12), with a second running surface (4), and a single-piece rolling body cage (6) which receives distributed over the circumference rolling bodies (8) which roll on the running surfaces (4, 5), wherein the rolling body cage (6) radially engages over the two resilient elements (12, 13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: James Kevin Brown
  • Patent number: 8336417
    Abstract: A chain for a motion transmission apparatus comprises a plurality of spacers and two links two links at both sides of the respective spacers for connecting spacers together. The spacers are equidistantly spaced from one another by a receiving space which is longitudinally asymmetrical and provided for holding rolling elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Po-Chuan Hsu, Yan-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 8182157
    Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly generally includes a cage and a plurality of rolling elements. The cage has first and second cage halves with each cage half having a respective radial segment with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings. Each opening has an opening perimeter. The cage halves are interconnected with portions of the radial segments circumferentially between the plurality of openings abutting along a given plane and the respective openings aligned to defined rolling element pockets. The rolling elements are positioned in the rolling element pockets such that a centerline of each rolling element lies in or in proximity to the given plane. A flange extends along at least a portion of each opening perimeter to retain the rolling elements within a respective one of the rolling element pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Koyo Bearings USA LLC
    Inventors: Charles W. Shattuck, David R. Torlai, Richard F. Murphy
  • Patent number: 8177438
    Abstract: A double row thrust roller bearing includes a pair of inner and outer cages arranged radially in two rows in separate coaxial relation, each cage including an annular inner peripheral wall, an annular outer peripheral wall, a plurality of pillar portions interconnecting the annular inner and outer peripheral walls at intervals in a circumferential direction thereof, and a plurality of pockets each formed between the adjacent pillar portions. Rollers are rotatably held and retained respectively in the pockets. The annular inner peripheral wall of the inner cage is guided by an annular flange formed at an inner peripheral edge of one race, and the annular inner peripheral wall of the outer cage is guided at an inner periphery thereof by the annular outer peripheral wall of the inner cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Waseda
  • Publication number: 20120076451
    Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly having a plurality of rollers positioned in a cage is provided. A first race washer is positioned on a first axial side of the rollers and the cage, with the first race washer including a first axially extending flange axially overlapping the cage and the rollers, and having at least one protrusion extending in a direction away from the cage. A first retention band including a first axially extending band and a first retaining flange that extends radially from the first axially extending band is provided. The first retention band has at least one recess or opening and is complementary in size to the first race washer flange and engagable thereon. Engagement is accomplished via the at least one protrusion on the first axially extending flange engaging the at least one recess or opening in the first retention band. The first retaining flange has a width that is sized to overlap a portion of the cage on a second axial side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: James Kevin Brown
  • Patent number: 8128293
    Abstract: In a thrust bearing, an axially outer end portion of each pin of a pin-type retainer is fixed to an outside ring by a weld, and a threaded shaft, formed at an axially inner end portion of each pin, is screwed into a threaded hole formed in an inside ring. An inner peripheral surface of the inside ring slides on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary shaft, whereby the rotation of the pin-type retainer is guided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiko Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8113719
    Abstract: A cage includes a radially inward-side annular plate, a radially outward-side annular wall, a plurality of pillar portions, and pockets formed in the pillar portions. Rollers are rotatably retained in the pockets. An inner peripheral surface of the radially outward-side annular wall is formed so as to be oblique toward a radially outward direction. A radially outward-side end surface of each of the rollers has a spherical surface shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Jtekt Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Waseda
  • Publication number: 20110274385
    Abstract: The axial roller bearing cage has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of alternating cage bars and roller pockets, which are formed between the inner ring and the outer ring. The roller pockets of the axial roller bearing cage extend along the entire length of the cage bars, accommodating rollers of maximum length, which also enables a compact cage design for a given roller length. The cage enhances the friction characteristics between the ends of the rollers and the cage bars. The ends of the rollers are supported on a centerline, which reduces frictional torque by reducing the length of the frictional moment arm on each roller, allowing for a symmetric loading. The ends of the rollers are also supported by the inboard smooth surface of the formed flanges of the connecting elements, which increases oil film development and allows the bearing to operate at higher speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventor: Eric S. NELSON
  • Publication number: 20110229067
    Abstract: The bearing cage with high speed features has a pocket with a first flange and a second flange which defines the outer boundaries of the pocket. The first flange and the second flange each have a plurality of inwardly directed protrusions facing each other. The protrusions are contactable at each end of rollers, which are arranged in the bearing cage. The protrusions can be dome shaped, creating a small area of contact between the rollers and protrusions. The point of contact between the rollers and the protrusions is at the center of the rollers, which reduces the relative speed between the ends of the pockets and the rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: James BROWN, Charles SCHWAB, Joseph GRIFFIN, Seth CLAUS
  • Patent number: 7963703
    Abstract: A thrust roller bearing including: a pair of races each of which has an annular plate; a cage interposed between the pair of races, formed by a single annular plate including a bent portion bent in an intermediate region in a radial direction of the cage such that a plurality of projecting portions to project in a thickness direction of the cage are formed on a first side and a second side of the cage, and a plurality of pockets stamped out in the thickness direction at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the cage; and a plurality of rollers received respectively in the pockets. At least two projecting portions are formed on each of the first side and the second side of the cage; and a plurality of race-contacting projection portions are arranged on a surface of at least one of the two projecting portions on at least one of the first side and the second side of the cage at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Takamizawa, Hiroshi Sato, Kanji Kawasaki, Masaki Toyama
  • Patent number: 7927022
    Abstract: Even when used at a high rotation speed, outside parts in relation to the radial direction of a cage 3, of the circumferential parts of a pocket 7 are kept from being worn away by outside end surfaces 21 of rollers 2. Moreover the rollers 2 are kept from sliding on the inside the pockets 7, to thereby stabilize the performance of rotation support parts. The outside end surface 21 of the roller 2 is made a ball convex surface, so that the center part of the outside end surface 21 can be freely in contact with the inner peripheral surface of a second outside cylindrical portion 14. In a condition with the rollers 2 displaced radially outward of the cage 3 due to centrifugal force, a PV value of a rubbing part between the outside end surface 21 and the opposite surface is kept low, and the wear of this rubbing part is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kadokawa, Makoto Hinohara, Syuuichi Tsubouchi, Noriyuki Takeo, Makoto Fujinami
  • Publication number: 20110069923
    Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly generally includes a cage and a plurality of rolling elements. The cage has first and second cage halves with each cage half having a respective radial segment with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings. Each opening has an opening perimeter. The cage halves are interconnected with portions of the radial segments circumferentially between the plurality of openings abutting along a given plane and the respective openings aligned to defined rolling element pockets. The rolling elements are positioned in the rolling element pockets such that a centerline of each rolling element lies in or in proximity to the given plane. A flange extends along at least a portion of each opening perimeter to retain the rolling elements within a respective one of the rolling element pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: KOYO BEARINGS USA LLC
    Inventors: Charles W. Shattuck, David R. Torlai, Richard F. Murphy
  • Patent number: 7896558
    Abstract: A thrust roller bearing comprises a plurality of rollers and a disk-shaped retainer having a plurality of pockets for holding the plurality of rollers and having an outer flange part bent in a rotation axis direction. The inner surface of the outer flange part forms the outer wall surface of the pocket and the outer wall surface of the pocket is processed by the ironing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kousuke Obayashi, Kazuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7878715
    Abstract: A cage of a thrust roller bearing includes: a pair of crank-shaped bent portions arranged in a circumferential direction of the cage; a pair of inner wall surfaces arranged in a radial direction of the cage; and a pocket for housing a roller defined by the pair of bent portions and the pair of inner wall surfaces and formed by punching the cage. Radially inner one of the inner wall surfaces is formed as a guiding surface for guiding a substantial roller PCD position of an end surface of the roller. Each of the pair of bent portions includes a first extended portion extending in one of cage thickness directions and a second extended portion extending in the other cage thickness direction. A roller retaining pawl for retaining the roller is provided at each of the first and second extended portions so as to protrude into the pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Jtekt Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kotani, Yoshihito Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20110011191
    Abstract: A ball-screw drive, which has a spindle nut arranged on a threaded spindle and an axial bearing which is arranged so as to act on the threaded spindle and which has a bearing part arranged so as to be rotatable relative to the threaded spindle. The bearing part is arranged so as to be captively retained on the threaded spindle by a captive retention means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Juergen OSTERLAENGER, Josef MIKO, Stefanie BAERTHLEIN
  • Patent number: 7866895
    Abstract: In the present cage, both pillar portions which face each other in a circumferential direction of a pocket have a plurality of bent portions which are alternately bent in a width direction, and each bent portion is provided with roller stopping portions protruding into the pocket. The bent portions are formed in a curved cross-sectional shape. Tip portions of the bent portions in the thickness direction of the cage are formed in a cross-sectional shape that becomes narrower toward the tips, and the tip portions are drawn in a state where they protrude into the pocket by plastic deformation working, thereby forming the roller stopping portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Atsunori Hayashi, Toshiyuki Atsumi
  • Patent number: 7845857
    Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly generally includes a cage and a plurality of rolling elements. The cage has first and second cage halves with each cage half having a respective radial segment with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings. Each opening has an opening perimeter. The cage halves are interconnected with portions of the radial segments circumferentially between the plurality of openings abutting along a given plane and the respective openings aligned to defined rolling element pockets. The rolling elements are positioned in the rolling element pockets such that a centerline of each rolling element lies in or in proximity to the given plane. A flange extends along at least a portion of each opening perimeter to retain the rolling elements within a respective one of the rolling element pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Koyo Bearings USA LLC
    Inventors: Charles W. Shattuck, David R. Torlai, Richard F. Murphy
  • Publication number: 20100303401
    Abstract: In a thrust bearing, an axially outer end portion of each pin of a pin-type retainer is fixed to an outside ring by a weld, and a threaded shaft, formed at an axially inner end portion of each pin, is screwed into a threaded hole formed in an inside ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiko TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 7837394
    Abstract: A cage includes cage pockets for retaining rollers at plural positions along a circumferential direction of an annular plate. A projection extending in thickness direction of the cage is formed at a central part in the circumferential direction on an inner face of the cage pocket to pivotally support the roller. The projection is provided with a chamfered portion (non-contact portion) formed by chamfering an edge in the thickness direction, and a flat portion (contact portion) that is brought into contact with an opposing central portion in the thickness direction on a roller end face of the roller seated in o the cage pocket. The flat portion has a flat length almost equivalent to a displaceable distance of the cage in the thickness direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Takamizawa
  • Publication number: 20100278473
    Abstract: A cage for roller bodies, for example axial bearings or flat guides, which is approximately W-shaped in the longitudinal cross-section, having side walls forming W-shaped limbs and webs connecting them, between which the roller bodies are accommodated. The profile of the webs is suitable for limiting the freedom of movement of the roller bodies to at least two degrees of freedom. Furthermore, the profile of the webs is designed such that the freedom of movement of the roller bodies can be limited in at least one additional degree of freedom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fugel, Alexander Reimchen
  • Publication number: 20100247020
    Abstract: A thrust roller bearing (21) comprises a plurality of rollers (23) and an annular retainer (11) having a plurality of pockets (14) for containing the rollers (23), not bent in a thickness direction and guided by the rollers. Each of first and second roller retaining parts (17a) and (17b) for retaining the roller (23) includes an arc-shaped curved line projecting toward the pocket in a cross section provided by cutting the retainer (11) by a plane containing the first and second roller retaining parts (17a) and (17b) and perpendicular to a center axis (30) of the roller (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventor: Rino Fukami
  • Patent number: 7758253
    Abstract: A thrust roller bearing comprises a plurality of cylindrical rollers each having a rolling surface on its side surface and a cage formed of a disk-shaped member having a hole formed in the center and comprising a plurality of pockets penetrating in a thickness direction for housing the rollers. The pocket has a plurality of stopper parts at a wall surface opposed to the rolling surface of said roller, and a plurality of guide parts between said adjacent stopper parts. When it is assumed that the distance between the outer wall surface of said pocket in the diameter direction and the guide part located on the outer side in the diameter direction of the two guide parts is L1 and the distance between the inner wall surface of said pocket in the diameter direction and the guide part located inner side in the diameter direction of the two guide parts is L3, it is satisfied that L1>L3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kousuke Obayashi, Kazuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7736066
    Abstract: A diameter dimension of a chamfer 11 which is formed on axial end faces of a cylindrical roller 8 which is retained in each pocket 7 of a cage 2 whose axial positioning is realized by a roller guide at a portion which lies closer to an outside diameter side thereof is made such that a central flat surface 9 which lies on an inside diameter side of the chamfer 11 is not exposed from an external surface of an outside diameter side flat plate portion 14. Then, a difference between a minimum value ?B of an amount by which the cylindrical roller 8 projects from the external surface of the outside diameter side flat plate portion 14 and a dimension W11 of the chamfer 11 with respect to a diameter direction thereof is made smaller than a thickness T2 of the cage 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Ryosuke Yamada, Kouji Kobayashi, Azusa Otani
  • Patent number: 7707723
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a roller thrust bearing having a plurality of rows of rollers, the bearing featuring reduced differential slip, reduced friction and wear, and increased longevity without flaking. The method includes forming a cage to accommodate the rollers, crowning the rollers, and arranging the rollers in pockets such that the rollers held by a pocket have respective end surfaces in direct contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Tamada, Kikuo Maeda, Tomoaki Kawamura, Hirokazu Nakashima, Takumi Fujita, Mitsuo Sasabe
  • Patent number: 7637670
    Abstract: A cage of a thrust roller bearing is formed of an annular plate material and has a plurality of pockets to house rollers on surface which intersect with a bearing rotation axis. A first roller contact part comprising a first roller stopper to prevent the roller from escaping upward and a first roller guide surface to guide a roller rotation on its processed surface, and a second roller contact part comprising a second roller stopper to prevent the roller from escaping downward and a second roller guide surface to guide the roller rotation on its processed surface are provided on a wall surface of the pocket opposed to an outer periphery of the roller. In addition, a non-contact part retreating from the roller contact part is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Oishi
  • Publication number: 20090285518
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axial rolling bearing having a cage which contains rolling bodies that are arranged between two running disks. The running disks each have a radial section that forms a raceway and an axially aligned collar which adjoins the raceway. The collars are aligned opposite to one another and overlap in the axial direction. The radially outer disk has a larger diameter than the radially inner running disk. According to the invention, the radial and the axial extent of the two collars of the running disks and the cage are coordinated with one another in such a way that, between them, a labyrinth seal, composed of a plurality of gaps, is formed, and the cage is guided on the collar of the radially inner running disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fugel, Stefanie Gumbmann, Andreas Kirschner, Sebastian Kroener, Alexander Reimchen
  • Publication number: 20090041402
    Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly generally includes a cage and a plurality of rolling elements. The cage has first and second cage halves with each cage half having a respective radial segment with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings. Each opening has an opening perimeter. The cage halves are interconnected with portions of the radial segments circumferentially between the plurality of openings abutting along a given plane and the respective openings aligned to defined rolling element pockets. The rolling elements are positioned in the rolling element pockets such that a centerline of each rolling element lies in or in proximity to the given plane. A flange extends along at least a portion of each opening perimeter to retain the rolling elements within a respective one of the rolling element pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: TIMKEN US CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles W. Shattuck, David R. Torlai, Richard F. Murphy
  • Publication number: 20080118198
    Abstract: A strength of a machined cage for a cylindrical roller bearing is increased without reducing a bearing life. An integral machined cage for a cylindrical roller bearing includes: a pair of side plates (42, 44); a plurality of columns (46), which are arranged in a circumferential direction, for connecting the pair of side plates (42, 44); pockets (48) formed between the adjacent columns (46); and relief portions (50) provided at four corners of each of the pockets (48), in which as viewed from a section perpendicular to an axis of the cage, the columns (46) have side surfaces each constituting a circular arc shape, and the relief portions (50) are in parallel to the side surfaces of the columns (46).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Yukihisa Tsumori, Takuya Ozu
  • Publication number: 20080025661
    Abstract: A thrust roller bearing comprises a plurality of cylindrical rollers each having a rolling surface on its side surface and a cage formed of a disk-shaped member having a hole formed in the center and comprising a plurality of pockets penetrating in a thickness direction for housing the rollers. The pocket has a plurality of stopper parts at a wall surface opposed to the rolling surface of said roller, and a plurality of guide parts between said adjacent stopper parts. When it is assumed that the distance between the outer wall surface of said pocket in the diameter direction and the guide part located on the outer side in the diameter direction of the two guide parts is L1 and the distance between the inner wall surface of said pocket in the diameter direction and the guide part located inner side in the diameter direction of the two guide parts is L3, it is satisfied that L1>L3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Kousuke Obayashi, Kazuyuki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20070280575
    Abstract: A thrust roller bearing comprises a plurality of rollers and a disk-shaped retainer having a plurality of pockets for holding the plurality of rollers and having an outer flange part bent in a rotation axis direction. The inner surface of the outer flange part forms the outer wall surface of the pocket and the outer wall surface of the pocket is processed by the ironing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Kousuke Obayashi, Kazuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7273318
    Abstract: A thrust needle roller bearing and a method for manufacturing the bearing with improved lubricant circulating ability, reduced drilling abrasion of the cage, and improved durability of the bearing has a plurality of needle rollers and two annular cages. Each of the cages is formed with a plurality of pockets. Each pocket has a radial length longer than the height of the roller. The two annular cages hold the needle rollers by sandwiching them between the cages within roller holding portions formed in the pockets. The radial length of each of the roller holding portions of the cages is formed shorter than the height of the roller. The two cages are assembled by folding them as a unit so that both the portions of the unit on either radially outer and inner side of the roller holding portions have their axial thickness smaller than that of the roller holding portions. The two cages are secured to one another at both their radially outermost and innermost end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hayashi, Kousuke Obayashi, Shinji Oishi
  • Patent number: 7273319
    Abstract: There is provided a roller thrust bearing providing reduced differential slip, free of significant friction and wear, and providing increased longevity against flaking. The present invention provides a thrust bearing in the form of a roller thrust bearing including at least two radially arranged rows of rollers and a cage holding the rollers, the rollers including at least one roller crowned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Tamada, Kikuo Maeda, Tomoaki Kawamura, Hirokazu Nakashima, Takumi Fujita, Mitsuo Sasabe
  • Publication number: 20070206894
    Abstract: A cage of a thrust roller bearing includes: a pair of crank-shaped bent portions arranged in a circumferential direction of the cage; a pair of inner wall surfaces arranged in a radial direction of the cage; and a pocket for housing a roller defined by the pair of bent portions and the pair of inner wall surfaces and formed by punching the cage. Radially inner one of the inner wall surfaces is formed as a guiding surface for guiding a substantial roller PCD position of an end surface of the roller. Each of the pair of bent portions includes a first extended portion extending in one of cage thickness directions and a second extended portion extending in the other cage thickness direction. A roller retaining pawl for retaining the roller is provided at each of the first and second extended portions so as to protrude into the pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kotani, Yoshihito Nakashima
  • Patent number: 7134794
    Abstract: A thrust needle roller bearing includes a plurality of needle rollers, and an annular retainer having a plurality of pockets for retaining the needle rollers. The plurality of pockets accommodate the needle rollers arranged in multiple rows shifted from each other in a radial direction of the retainer, and the retainer is made of synthetic resin. The thrust needle roller bearing is light, can reduce friction between the retainer and the needle rollers, and has high durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Kousuke Obayashi
  • Patent number: 7114854
    Abstract: An object is to provide a cage and a thrust roller bearing with improved oil passage performance of a lubricating oil in the inside of a bearing while holding a needle roller in a stable manner so as to ensure excellent durability. The thrust roller bearing includes a needle roller and a cage holding the needle roller in pockets for accommodating the same. A length La of a roller holding portion provided in the pocket is set to be within a range of 30% to 80% of a length in a radial direction of the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hayashi, Kousuke Obayashi, Shinji Oishi
  • Patent number: 7033083
    Abstract: A support structure carries a thrust load of a transmission which includes a torque converter having an impeller and a turbine opposite to each other with a stator therebetween. A thrust needle roller bearing having needle rollers arranged in two rows is provided at, at least one of places respectively between the stator and the impeller and between the stator and the turbine. The support structure carrying a thrust load of the transmission, a method of manufacturing the support structure and the thrust needle roller bearing are thus obtained, with an improvement in inflow and outflow of a lubricating oil, a reduction of the differential slip of the needle rollers, and an improvement in strength durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kousuke Obayashi, Tetsuya Hayashi, Shinji Oishi
  • Patent number: 6942593
    Abstract: A toroidal-type continuously variable transmission has: an input shaft; an input side disk and an output side disk respectively disposed on the outer periphery of the input shaft, the input side disk including a first cam surface; and a loading cam device interposed between the input side and output side disks and comprising: a loading cam including a second cam surface and rotatable together with the input shaft; a plurality of rollers interposed rollably between the first cam surface and the second cam surface; and a retainer, the retainer including a retainer main body having a circular-shaped fitting hole, and inside-diameter side projecting portions disposed on a retainer main body for maintaining the attitude of the retainer main body, wherein inside diameters of portions of the fitting hole corresponding to the inside-diameter side projecting portions are larger than that of the remaining portions of the fitting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nishii, Masami Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6883970
    Abstract: A thrust bearing includes an annular first retainer, an annular second retainer and a plurality of rollers. The first retainer and second retainer are secured together to form a bearing cage. Each retainer has a circular outer sidewall, a concentric circular inner sidewall, and a web that extends between the outer sidewall and the inner sidewall. The web has a planar interior surface with a plurality of openings each adapted to accommodate a radiused portion of one of the rollers. The use of a web with a planar interior surface, without dividers, provides two advantages. The design leaves a maximum amount of room for rollers in the bearing which increases the bearing's capacity. The assembled cage allows for better lubricant flow to lubricate the bearing and wash potentially abrasive particles away from the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: 598992 Saskatchewan Ltd.
    Inventor: Wayne Horley
  • Patent number: 6752535
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved thrust bearing for extreme service applications through the use of a novel bearing cage assembly and improved surface design of the external face of the circular inside sidewall of the bearing cage assembly and race components. The novel bearing cage assembly allows for an increase in the quantity and size of the roller elements contained within the bearing cage, compared to others known in the art, which substantially increases the thrust bearings' load capacity. Moreover, the employment of a smooth curved surface on the external face of the circular inside sidewall of the bearing cage assembly and race components effectively eliminates any sharp edges and corners which could otherwise damage the rotating shaft. Thus, the combination of these two features substantially increases the load capacity, wear and durability of the thrust bearing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Precision Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Darryl D. Krochak
  • Publication number: 20040091193
    Abstract: A support structure carries a thrust load of a transmission which includes a torque converter having an impeller and a turbine opposite to each other with a stator therebetween. A thrust needle roller bearing having needle rollers arranged in two rows is provided at, at least one of places respectively between the stator and the impeller and between the stator and the turbine. The support structure carrying a thrust load of the transmission, a method of manufacturing the support structure and the thrust needle roller bearing are thus obtained, with an improvement in inflow and outflow of a lubricating oil, a reduction of the differential slip of the needle rollers, and an improvement in strength durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kousuke Obayashi, Tetsuya Hayashi, Shinji Oishi
  • Publication number: 20040037484
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved thrust bearing for extreme service applications through the use of a novel bearing cage assembly and improved surface design of the external face of the circular inside sidewall of the bearing cage assembly and race components. The novel bearing cage assembly allows for an increase in the quantity and size of the roller elements contained within the bearing cage, compared to others known in the art, which substantially increases the thrust bearings' load capacity. Moreover, the employment of a smooth curved surface on the external face of the circular inside sidewall of the bearing cage assembly and race components effectively eliminates any sharp edges and corners which could otherwise damage the rotating shaft. Thus, the combination of these two features substantially increases the load capacity, wear and durability of the thrust bearing components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventor: Darryl D. Krochak
  • Publication number: 20030198423
    Abstract: A thrust bearing includes an annular first retainer, an annular second retainer and a plurality of rollers. The first retainer and second retainer are secured together to form a bearing cage. Each retainer has a circular outer sidewall, a concentric circular inner sidewall, and a web that extends between the outer sidewall and the inner sidewall. The web has a planar interior surface with a plurality of openings each adapted to accommodate a radiused portion of one of the rollers. The use of a web with a planar interior surface, without dividers, provides two advantages. The design leaves a maximum amount of room for rollers in the bearing which increases the bearing's capacity. The assembled cage allows for better lubricant flow to lubricate the bearing and wash potentially abrasive particles away from the rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: 598992 Saskatchewan Ltd.
    Inventor: Wayne Horley
  • Patent number: 6619850
    Abstract: A roller retainer assembly for an axial-thrust bearing comprising first and second annular retainer plates. At least one roller pocket extends through each annular plate. The first second annular retainer plates are interconnected such that the at least one first roller pocket is substantially circumferentially aligned with the at least one second roller pocket with the inner and outer radial edges of the opposed pockets offset from one another. As such, the first pocket defines a first fluid passage gap through the first annular plate between the roller and the first outer edge and the second pocket defines a second fluid passage gap through the second annular plate between the roller and the second inner edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Joseph F. Kenney, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030077018
    Abstract: A power roller bearing for rotatably supporting a power roller of a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, having: an inner ring; an outer ring; a plurality of balls respectively interposed between the inner and outer rings; and, a retainer for holding the balls therein, wherein the retainer includes a plurality of pockets for storing the balls therein at equi-distant positions in the peripheral direction of the retainer, and the inner peripheral portions of the pockets are respectively formed of elastic material that, when the power roller rotates, allows the balls to shift from the equi-distant positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kato, Hisashi Machida, Masayoshi Shimizuya
  • Patent number: 6520888
    Abstract: A loading cam apparatus for a toroidal type continuously variable transmission includes: a first cam surface formed to have concave and convex portions thereon along a circumferential direction thereo, a second cam surface formed to have concave and convex portions thereon along a circumferential direction thereof and to oppose to the first cam surface along an axial direction thereof, a plurality of rolling elements sandwiched between the first cam surface and the second cam surface, and a retainer for holding the plurality of rolling elements in a freely rotatable state. The retainer includes a retainer main body of a circular annular shape, and pockets provided at outer periphery portions of the retainer main body for holding the plurality of rolling elements, respectively. The retainer main body is formed by carbonitriding material of iron system with a carbon concentration in a range from 0.02 to 0.20 wt % both inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoh, Kiyoshi Okubo, Nobuo Goto, Makoto Fujinami, Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 6360574
    Abstract: A fillet rolling tool for deep rolling journal fillets is provided. The tool includes a housing assembly having a cavity. A backup roller having an annular groove is disposed in the cavity and is rotatably supported by the housing assembly. A work roller is received in the annular cavity for deep rolling journal fillets. At least one cage, construction from a polymer material, has an arcuate recess that receives the work roller. The cage includes an outer wall that defines a portion of the arcuate recess. Preferably the polymer is a thermal plastic such as a high density polyethylene. Most preferably, the polymer is an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The polymer of the present invention has a ductility, an impact strength, and a wear resistance that is superior to those of bronze. Accordingly, the polymer cage of the present invention does not fracture as easily as bronze under the lateral forces of the fillet rolling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Hegenscheidt-MFD Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene Vodopyanov