DE102017114304A1 - Rolling Element - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rolling element cage, comprising a cage body (2) with at least one radial opening (3, 12) and a guide element (4) inserted into the aperture (3, 12) and containing a lubricant conductive hollow structure (5).

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a Wälzkörperkäfig, comprising a cage body with at least one radial opening, and it is particularly advantageous in ball bearing cages feasible.

Background of the invention

Roller bearings are known to comprise mostly an inner and an outer ring and a plurality between these two rings rolling Wälzköper, which are usually performed in a Wälzköperkäfig. This Wälzkörperkäfig has a plurality of openings or pockets, in each of which a rolling element engages and in which it is guided. Rolling bearing cages can be formed from sheet metal. However, massive cages (brass) and plastic cages (injection molding) are common. Depending on the design and pocket geometry, the lubricant inflow to certain areas (guide board, rolling elements) is impeded or impeded. It is important to improve the lubricant supply to particularly lubricating critical areas.

Important is usually a lubricant supply of the rolling elements. This is it for JP 2008-128404 A known to provide a corresponding radial bore at a web of the Wälzkörperkäfigs, the two axial side rings or side cheeks of the cage with each other, can pass through the lubricant to the rolling elements. The Wälzkörperkäfig course, a plurality of such webs, wherein in at least one of these webs, a corresponding bore is provided. The lubricating effect is thereby only limited improved.

Object of the invention

The invention is based on the object to provide a comparison with the prior art further developed Wälzkörperkäfig that allows improved lubrication guidance.

Description of the invention

To achieve this object, a Wälzkörperkäfig is provided according to the invention, comprising a cage body with at least one radial opening and an inserted into the opening, a lubricant conductive hollow structure exhibiting guide element.

According to the invention, the rolling element cage has at least one, usually a plurality of radial apertures, for example round bores which form pockets in which the here e.g. spherical rolling elements are added. According to the invention, at least one opening, preferably of course all openings, is provided, each with a guide element for a lubricant inserted in it. This guide element has a corresponding hollow structure, which allows targeted guidance and supply of the lubricant to a point at which a lubricant flow is required. Also, this is because a targeted guidance is provided, a continuous supply of lubricant achieved.

This means that with the guide elements provided on the cage or a defined, targeted supply of lubricant to just the places or areas is required, which require lubrication.

For this purpose, this has or each guide element on a corresponding hollow structure, which will be described in detail below. In order to form this hollow structure, that is to say to manufacture or structure the guide element accordingly, an expedient development of the invention provides that the guide element is a component made of plastic and / or metal produced by 3D printing. By means of such a 3D printing production, ie a layered structure of the guide element to be produced, it is possible to form various, virtually arbitrary structures, thus also corresponding hollow structures such as channels or the like, which makes it possible to use one for the purpose according to the invention, namely the lubricant supply, form correspondingly designed hollow structure.

With regard to the arrangement of such a guide element, different embodiments are conceivable. According to a first alternative embodiment, the guide element may be inserted into a rolling body receiving opening. This means that the guide element is inserted directly into the opening serving as a pocket for the rolling body guide. In this case, the rolling element is guided on the guide element itself, so then not only the properties of the lubricant supply, but also appropriate leadership properties.

Alternatively, it is possible to use the guide element in an adjacent to a rolling body receiving opening. This opening has in this case only the function of receiving the guide element, no guiding function is added to it, so it is not a case receiving a rolling element. Nevertheless, a defined supply of lubricant into the rolling body area is possible, according to the invention, this opening is provided adjacent to such a pocket-like, the rolling body receiving opening.

The guide element itself can have various shapes, ultimately depending on the geometry of the opening, in which it is used, in the case of a pocket-like, rolling element guide opening then of course also depending on the geometry of the rolling elements themselves. The guide element may have a ring shape, a square frame shape, a rectangular shape or a cylindrical shape. The opening is designed accordingly, so that the guide element can be used positively and non-positively.

A central element of the guide element is the hollow structure. This has according to the invention at least one lubricant channel, which opens at one or at two sides of the element. If the lubricant channel opens on two sides, then the lubricant enters at one end of the channel and at the other end, the outlet end naturally being assigned to the region to which the lubricant is to be defined. If the lubricant channel opens only on one side of the element, the lubricant channel is preceded by a corresponding lubricant collection geometry, which is subsequently switched on, for example in the form of a collecting groove or collecting recess or the like. Also, the hollow structure in this section as a collection structure, for example, a grid-like, executed, as will be discussed below.

The lubricant channel itself can open either on a side directed in the circumferential direction and on a side of the guide element directed in the radial direction, that is to say virtually on two non-parallel, ultimately mutually perpendicular sides, then it runs angled or bent. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that it opens at two opposite radial sides, that is, that it runs in a straight line through the guide element.

It is furthermore conceivable that a plurality of lubricant channels opening out on the same or on different sides are provided, that is to say that the hollow structure therefore has not just one but several lubricant channels. These can be arranged offset around the circumference of the guide element, but ultimately have comparable orientations.

According to an expedient development of the invention, it is provided that the hollow structure is a lattice structure which is open towards at least one side of the guide element. This lattice structure, which can also be produced in a simple manner with complex shaping by the 3D printing in particular, constitutes a lubricant collection structure as it were, and it can be configured correspondingly large in area and larger in volume, so that a sufficient volume of lubricant can be accommodated in it, which then immediately can be performed in the lubricant channel, which preferably opens naturally to this grid structure. In this case, therefore, the lubricant channel opens only in one guide element side, after it opens with the other end to the lattice structure.

In addition to the Wälzkörperkäfig itself, the invention further relates to a rolling bearing comprising at least one rolling element of the type described.

list of figures

• 1 eine Perspektivansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Wälzkörperkäfigs einer ersten Ausführungsform,
• 2 eine vergrößerte Perspektivansicht eines Leitelements,
• 3 eine Schnittansicht durch das Leitelement entlang der Linie III-III,
• 4 eine Perspektivansicht eines Leitelements einer zweiten Ausführungsform,
• 5 eine Perspektivansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Wälzkörperkäfigs einer zweiten Ausführungsform,
• 6. eine Perspektivansicht eines weiteren Leitelements,
• 7 eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie VII-VII aus 6,
• 8 eine Perspektivansicht eines Wälzkörperkäfigs einer dritten Ausführungsform mit unterschiedlichen Leitelementen,
• 9 eine Schnittansicht durch ein Leitelement entlang der Linie IX-IX in 8,
• 10 eine Schnittansicht durch ein Leitelement entlang der Linie X-X,
• 11 eine Perspektivansicht eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Wälzkörperkäfigs,
• 12 eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie XII-XII in 11,
• 13 eine weitere Ausgestaltung eines erfindungsgemäßen Wälzkörperkäfigs mit zusätzlichen Durchbrechungen und darin eingesetzten Leitelementen,
• 14 eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie XIV-XIV,
• 15 eine weitere Perspektivansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Wälzkörperkäfigs mit länglichen, rechteckigen Durchbrechungen und eingesetzten Leitelementen, und
• 16 eine Schnittansicht durch ein Leitelement entlang der Linie XVI-XVI.

The inventively embodied Wälzkörperkäfig is explained in more detail below in several preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Showing:

• 1 a perspective view of a rolling element cage according to the invention of a first embodiment,
• 2 an enlarged perspective view of a guide element,
• 3 a sectional view through the guide along the line III - III .
• 4 a perspective view of a guide element of a second embodiment,
• 5 a perspective view of a rolling element cage according to a second embodiment of the invention,
• 6 , a perspective view of another guide element,
• 7 a sectional view along the line VII - VII out 6 .
• 8th a perspective view of a rolling element cage of a third embodiment with different vanes,
• 9 a sectional view through a guide element along the line IX - IX in 8th .
• 10 a sectional view through a guide element along the line X - X .
• 11 a perspective view of another Wälzkörperkäfigs invention,
• 12 a sectional view along the line XII - XII in 11 .
• 13 a further embodiment of a Wälzkörperkäfigs invention with additional openings and guide elements inserted therein,
• 14 a sectional view along the line XIV - XIV .
• 15 a further perspective view of a Wälzkörperkäfigs invention elongated, rectangular openings and inserted guide elements, and
• 16 a sectional view through a guide element along the line XVI - XVI ,

Detailed description of the drawings

1 shows a Wälzkörperkäfig invention 1 made of metal or sheet metal. The cage body 2 has a plurality of openings 3 in, in, as with most in 1 each shown a guide element 4 is used. The breakthroughs 3 are round, also the guiding elements 4 are thus performed annular and positive and non-positive in the respective opening 3 fixed. They preferably have the same thickness as the cage body 2 , Each guide element 4 The purpose of the targeted guidance of lubricant to a defined delivery point, which is specifically supplied with lubricant. For this purpose, each guide element has a hollow structure 5 on, as in particular the sectional view according to 3 can be seen. Each guide element 4 - And this applies to all the guide elements described in the following examples 4 - Is made of metal or plastic, but in any case in a 3D printing process, which allows the formation of even complex structures or geometries.

As 3 can be seen, includes the hollow structure 5 on the one hand, a grid structure 6 , which, based on the mounting position, on the outside, that is positioned on the outer circumference. This grid structure 6 formed by corresponding lattice-forming walls or ridges that can be readily manufactured in 3D printing, serves as a collection structure for externally supplied or pending lubricant. The grid structure 6 follows a reservoir 14 which is optional. About the grid structure 6 is collected via a capillary lubricant and in the reservoir 14 saved.

The hollow structure 5 further comprises at least one lubricant channel 7 who with his intake 10 on the one hand at the reservoir 14 opens, with the lattice structure 6 and optionally the reservoir 14 in the example shown around the entire circumference of the guide element 4 runs. At this mouth of the lubricant channel 7 at the reservoir 14 Can the lubricant in the lubricant channel 7 penetration. The lubricant channel 7 flows, see the 2 and 3 , with its outlet 11 on the inside 8th of the guiding element 4 , So in the area in which the rolling elements, here a ball, on the guide element 4 rests after the guide element 4 ultimately forms a pocket in which the rolling element is received or guided.

This makes it possible, on the one hand on the outside pending or supplied lubricant in the hollow structure 5 on the other hand, but also targeted to promote in the actual, to be lubricated area in contact with the rolling element and the lubricant channel 7 to deliver there. Preferably, the lubrication channel is designed so that centrifugal forces support the flow direction. Because as a result of the bend with the course of the lubricant channel 7 The lubricant is driven by the centrifugal forces supportive through the channel.

The guiding elements 4 For example, from the outside into the corresponding openings 3 inserted respectively pressed in and fixed in it. They ultimately serve to guide the rolling elements, thus forming the corresponding pocket.

Although 2 only one lubricant channel 7 shows, it is of course conceivable, with the same configuration of the hollow structure or the lattice structure 6 several lubricant channels 7 to provide distributed around the circumference, see for example 4 , There are a total of four lubricant channels, for example 7 although only three can be seen in this view. The lubricant channels 7 are preferably equidistant offset around the circumference. This makes it possible at several points specifically over the annular lattice structure 6 to supply collected lubricants to the rolling contacts.

5 shows a further embodiment of a Wälzkörperkäfigs invention 1 , wherein like reference numerals are used for the same components. This also includes a cage body 2 with a variety of openings 3 , in each case a guide element 4 is used.

Unlike the embodiment according to 1 Here are the guiding elements 4 , which are similar in structure to the guide elements according to the 2 or 4 are used the other way round, that is, that here is the lattice structure 6 on the inside or the inner circumference of the cage body 2 is positioned. The respective lubricant channel 7 still flows on the inner circumference of the guide element 4 , So in the circumferential direction relative to the cage body 2 ,

In this embodiment of the invention, the lubricant is virtually collected on the inner circumference, which is particularly simple after prevailing centrifugal forces in operation, the lubricant virtually in the lattice structure 6 drive and through the lubricant channel 7 promote to the delivery point. So here's the grid structure 6 provided on the inside of the cage.

The 6 and 7 show an embodiment of a guide element 4 , which is also a hollow structure 5 has, but these only from a lubricant channel 7 consists. This lubricant channel 7 , see the sectional view according to 7 , opens on the one hand on a radial outside 9 , Wherein this mouth can be on the inside or outside, depending on the desired arrangement of the guide element 4 in the cage body 2 , The other mouth is located in the circumferential direction on the inside 8th respectively on the inner circumference of the guide element 4 that is, the inlet 10 radial and the outlet 11 is circumferentially oriented. Out 7 becomes particularly clear that the lubricant channel 7 from the inlet 10 to the outlet 11 rejuvenated. This is also, albeit to a lesser extent, because of the lubricant channel 7 is significantly shorter, in the previously described embodiments of the case. There, as described, the canal inlet opens 10 at the grid structure 6 while the duct outlet 11 on the inside respectively the inner circumference 8th of the guiding element 4 empties.

The 8-10 show a further embodiment of a Wälzkörperkäfigs invention 1 with cage body 2 and a variety of openings 3 and therein used guide elements 4 ,

These guiding elements 4 again each have a corresponding hollow structure 5 comprising a hollow lattice structure encircling the entire circumference annularly 6 that, see 8th , again, similar to in 5 , on the inner circumference of the cage body 2 is positioned so that, via the centrifugal force in operation, the lubricant in the lattice structure 6 is pressed.

Furthermore, the hollow structure comprises 5 two different lubricant channels 7a . 7b , as shown in the sectional views according to the 9 and 10 are shown.

The lubricant channel 7a corresponds to the lubricant channel 7 out 3 , that is, in that area where the respective lubricant channel 7a runs, the cross-sectional geometry of the mold corresponds, as already in 3 shown. The lubricant channel 7a flows with his inlet 10a at the grid structure 6 and with its outlet 11a on the inner peripheral surface 8th ,

On the other hand, the lubricant channel extends 7b , please refer 10 , radially from the inner lattice structure 6 to the outside 9 of the guiding element 4 and flows there. His inlet 10b opens at the grid structure, the outlet 11b in radial extension on the outside 9 , This makes it possible, on the one hand, via the lubricant channel 7a To promote lubricant in the Wälzkontaktbereich, but on the other hand via the lubricant channel 7b also grease in the area between the cage 1 and an outer ring, not shown in detail.

The 11 and 12 finally show an embodiment of a Wälzkörperkäfigs invention 1 with a cage body 2 and a plurality of openings 3 , which are not provided here with a guide element. Rather, these openings form 3 immediately the pockets for the rolling elements.

Adjacent to the openings 3 are further breakthroughs 12 provided in the form of simple holes in each of which a guide element 4 is used. These breakthroughs 12 are adjacent to the corresponding openings 3 ,

Each guide element 4 has a cylindrical shape corresponding to the shape of the aperture and includes a hollow structure 5 comprising a grid structure 6 that also on the inner circumference of the cage body 2 is positioned. The hollow structure 5 further includes a lubricant channel 7 which extends radially here and visible on the outside of the cage body 2 empties. Here, too, a transport of the lubricant takes place from the inside to the outside, after the lubricant via the centrifugal forces also here in the inner region of the lattice structure 6 pressed and over this and the lubricant channel 7 is conveyed radially outward. Both centrifugal forces and capillary effects are used here.

13 shows a Wälzkörperkäfig 1 with cage body 2 and several openings 3 for receiving the rolling elements, wherein also adjacent to the openings 3 additional breakthroughs 12 are provided in the form of holes, in turn, in each case a guide element 4 is used. Each of these cylindrical guide elements 4 again has a hollow structure 5 but here as a simple, radially extending channel 7 is executed, which tapers radially outwardly in diameter. Again, there is a lubricant transport from the inside out.

15 and 16 Finally, show a final embodiment of a rolling element cage 1 with cage body 2 and breakthroughs 3 for receiving the rolling elements, also here balls.

Adjacent to the openings 3 Here are corresponding openings 13 provided in a rectangular shape, in each of which also a rectangular guide element 4 is used.

The guiding element 4 is also here with a hollow structure 5 executed, comprising a lattice structure 6 that are, see 15 , over the entire length of the guide element 4 extends and here on the inside of the cage body 2 is arranged.

The lead structure 5 further includes two lubricant channels 7 , on the one hand, on the lattice structure 6 on the other hand on the radially outer side of the guide element 4 , Here too, therefore, a transport of the lubricant takes place from the inside to the outside, via the lubricant channels 7 there is a defined, position-specific lubricant delivery.

Of course, it would also be conceivable to promote the lubricant in the area within the cage body 2 the guiding elements 4 to arrange the corresponding embodiments also vice versa, if necessary.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Roller body cage

2

cage body

3

perforations

4

vane

5

hollow structure

6

lattice structure

7

lubricant channel

7a

lubricant channel

7b

lubricant channel

8th

Inside of the guide

9

Radial outside

10

inlet

10a

inlet

10b

inlet

11

outlet

11a

outlet

11b

outlet

12

perforations

13

perforations

14

reservoir

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• JP 2008128404 A [0003]

Claims (10)

Rolling element cage, comprising a cage body (2) with at least one radial opening (3, 12) and a guide element (4) inserted into the opening (3, 12) and containing a lubricant conducting hollow structure (5). Rolling cage after Claim 1 , characterized in that the guide element (4) is a manufactured by 3D printing component made of plastic and / or metal. Rolling cage after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the guide element (4) in a rolling body receiving opening (3) or in an adjacent to a rolling body receiving opening provided opening (12) is inserted. Rolling cage after Claim 3 , characterized in that the guide element (4) has an annular shape, a quadrangular frame shape, a rectangular shape or a cylindrical shape. Rolling element cage according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hollow structure (5) has at least one lubricant channel (7) which opens at one or at two sides (8, 9) of the guide element (4). Rolling cage after Claim 5 , characterized in that the lubricant channel (7) opens at a circumferentially directed side (8) and at a radially directed side (9) or at two opposite radial sides. Rolling cage after Claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that a plurality of the same or on different sides opening lubricant channels (7) are provided. Rolling element cage according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hollow structure (5) comprises or is a lattice structure which is open towards at least one side of the guide element (4). Wälzkörperkäfig after one of Claims 5 to 7 and Claim 8 , wherein the lubricant channel (7) opens only on one side, characterized in that the lubricant channel (7) opens at the lattice structure (6). Rolling bearing, comprising at least one Wälzkörperkäfig (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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