JP2009008214A - Thrust roller bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To assemble a raceway ring and a retainer by a small force in a non-separate type thrust roller bearing. <P>SOLUTION: When the retainer 2 and the raceway ring 3 are assembled with forming four caulking parts 8a-8d which bulge toward the inside of a radial direction R from the upper end of the circumference wall 7 of the bottomed cylindrical shape raceway ring 3 at a forming angle α (α=90°) while keeping an equal angular interval around an axial line 3a of the raceway ring 3, and by arranging two cutout parts 11a, 11b through which the caulking parts 8a-8d can pass in an axial direction at the outer circumference edge 9 of the retainer 2 at an arrangement angle β (β=90°), the retainer 2 and the raceway ring 3 are relatively rotated after each of the cutout parts 11a, 11b is made to pass through either of two caulking parts 8a, 8b of the raceway ring 3 while elastically deforming the retainer 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a thrust roller bearing.

  Thrust roller bearings have a cage that rotatably holds a plurality of rollers whose rotation axes are arranged radially, and a bottomed cylindrical shape with a raceway surface that receives each roller held by the cage at the bottom. And a bearing ring.

  For thrust roller bearings used in transmission parts of vehicles (automobiles), considering the convenience of assembling to the housing and shaft, the cage where the rollers are arranged and the raceway ring will not come off. (Which is called “non-separable”). As shown in FIG. 8, in the conventional non-separable thrust roller bearing 50, a plurality of portions of the peripheral wall portion of the race 51 are caulked inward in the radial direction, and each caulking portion 52 is formed. Yes. Then, the cage 53 is press-fitted into the race 51 by bringing the outer peripheral edge of the cage 52 into contact with the caulking portion 52 and causing elastic deformation. As the above-described technique, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1 or 2. A processing method for forming the caulking portion 52 on the peripheral wall portion of the race 51 is referred to as “staking”.

As described above, in the non-separable type thrust roller bearing 50, it is necessary to press-fit the cage 53 into the race 51 in advance and assemble them together. Since the assembly of the bearing ring 51 and the cage 53 requires a force, it is necessary to perform the assembly with a small force.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-180218 JP 2002-98156 A

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to enable assembly of a bearing ring and a cage with a small force in a non-separable thrust roller bearing.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

The present invention for achieving the above-mentioned problems
A cage for holding a plurality of rollers having rotation axes arranged radially;
A thrust roller bearing having a cylindrical shape with a bottom, housing the retainer inside a peripheral wall portion, and including a race ring that receives the plurality of rollers on a raceway surface formed on an inner surface of the bottom wall portion. And
A plurality of caulks formed by caulking from the outer side of the peripheral wall portion to the inner side so as to bulge inward in the radial direction and to be positioned on the inner side of the outer peripheral edge of the retainer. While the portions are formed at predetermined angular intervals in the circumferential direction,
On the outer peripheral surface of the cage, a cutout portion that is notched inward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface and allows the caulking portion to pass in the axial direction has a smaller number of arrangements than the number of caulking portions formed in the circumferential direction. Formed into
By aligning the notch portion of the cage and the caulking portion of the raceway ring, after the cage is accommodated in the raceway ring, both are relatively rotated around the axis of the raceway ring, and the peripheral wall portion The cage is prevented from coming out of the opening of the raceway ring by disposing all of the caulking portions in correspondence with non-notched portions not having the notched portion of the cage.

  The present invention is configured as described above. For this reason, when the cage and the race are assembled, the caulking portion of the race and the notch of the cage are aligned in the circumferential direction. The number of notch portions is less than the number of caulking portions. Moreover, the notch can pass through the portion where the caulking portion is formed in the axial direction. As a result, the cage and the bearing ring can be assembled with a small force.After the assembly, the cage and the bearing ring can be relatively rotated, and the cage ring of the cage ring is not cut off. Since the forming portions are arranged correspondingly, the retainer is prevented from coming out of the opening of the raceway ring.

  When the number of caulking portions is X (where X ≧ 2), the number Y of the notch portions is given by Y = [X / 2] (where [] is a Gaussian symbol) X-Y) The not-not-formed portions are arranged correspondingly across the caulking portions corresponding to the number of pieces, and the corresponding caulking portions of the Y notch portions are aligned and passed in the axial direction, while the axis line The cage and the bearing ring can be relatively rotated around each other, and the caulking portion and the notch-non-forming portion can be arranged correspondingly.

  When the number of formation of the caulking portion of the bearing ring and the number of arrangement of the notch portions of the cage satisfy the above relationship, the number of formation of the caulking portion of the race ring is always 2 of the number of arrangement of the notch portions of the cage. More than double. Thereby, it can prevent reliably that a holder | retainer slips out of the opening of a bearing ring, with the assembly property of a bearing ring and a holder maintained favorable.

  The caulking portions are preferably arranged at equiangular intervals around the axis of the raceway.

  As a result, when the cage and the bearing ring are assembled, the notch portion of the cage can be aligned with any caulking portion, so there is no need to select a specific caulking portion. Assembly with the bearing ring can be facilitated.

  Further, when a plurality of the notches are provided, the smaller angle among the notches formed adjacent to each other around the axis of the raceway ring may be the same as the angle formed by the crimped portions. desirable.

  When the bearing ring and the cage are assembled and rotated relative to each other, all the notches of the cage can be arranged corresponding to the caulking portions of the race rings. As a result, the cage and the race can be assembled with a smaller force.

  Then, at least one of the caulking portion and the notch portion may be arranged at unequal angular intervals around the axis of the raceway.

  Even in this case, the effect of making it difficult for the retainer to come out from the opening of the raceway ring is obtained without impairing the assembling property between the retainer and the raceway ring by the notch portion of the retainer.

  Examples of the present invention will be described. 1A is a plan view of a thrust roller bearing 101 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a front sectional view thereof, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line ZZ in FIG. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the thrust roller bearing 101 of the first embodiment of the present invention includes a cage 2 that holds a plurality (16 in the case of this embodiment) of rollers (needle rollers 1), And a raceway ring 3 that accommodates the cage 2. The retainer 2 is provided with pockets 4 for radially arranging and accommodating the axial lines 1a of the needle rollers 1 at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. The needle rollers 1 accommodated in the respective pockets 4 are rotatable within the pockets 4.

  The race 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the race 3 is formed by bending a thin metal plate into a bottomed cylindrical shape. A raceway surface 6 for receiving each needle roller 1 is formed on the inner surface of the bottom wall portion 5 of the raceway ring 3 (the bottom face portion of the raceway ring 3). In addition, a peripheral wall portion 7 that rises in an orthogonal state from the bottom wall portion 5 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the bottom wall portion 5. A cage 2 in which each needle roller 1 is held is accommodated inside the peripheral wall portion 7.

  Four caulking portions 8 are formed at the upper end portion of the peripheral wall portion 7 at an equiangular interval with a forming angle α (an angle formed between the caulking portions 8, α = 90 °) around the axis 3 a of the raceway ring 3. Is formed. Each caulking portion 8 is described as 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d in order. Each caulking portion 8a to 8d has the same function as the caulking portion 52 in the conventional thrust roller bearing 50 (see FIG. 8). That is, each caulking portion 8 bulges inward in the radial direction, and is disposed so as to overlap with the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2 accommodated inside the peripheral wall portion 7 of the raceway ring 3. As a result, the cage 2 and the race 3 are held in a non-separated state.

  On the outer peripheral surface 9 a of the cage 2, two cutout portions 11 having an arc shape in a plan view have a small arrangement angle β (of the angle formed by the cutout portions 11) with the axis 3 a of the raceway ring 3 as the center. Are arranged at a certain angle). Each notch part 11 is described as 11a, 11b. The notches 11a and 11b are formed over the entire height of the outer peripheral surface (see FIG. 2). Here, the arrangement angle β of the notches 11a and 11b is 90 °, which is equal to the formation angle α of the caulking portions 8a to 8d. And the curvature of notch parts 11a and 11b is a little larger than the curvature of the internal peripheral surface of caulking part 8a-8d. For this reason, the cage 2 and the bearing ring 3 are relatively rotated around the axis 3 a of the bearing ring 3, and the notch portions 11 a and 11 b of the cage 2 and the two caulking portions 8 a and 8 b of the bearing ring 3 are Are aligned in the circumferential direction, the two caulking portions 8a and 8b of the raceway ring 3 are arranged in the nearest portion outside the radial direction in the notches 11a and 11b of the cage 2 ((a) of FIG. 3). reference). In other words, the overlapping state between the caulking portions 8a and 8b of the race 3 and the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2 is released at the notches 11a and 11b. The other two caulking portions 8c and 8d of the raceway ring 3 are arranged so as to overlap with a portion of the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2 where the notches 11a and 11b are not provided (notch-non-formed portion 12). Is done.

  Next, an operation when the cage 2 is assembled to the race 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the retainer 2 and the bearing ring 3 are relatively rotated above the bearing ring 3, so that the notches 11 a and 11 b of the retainer 2 and the bearing ring are rotated. 3 and the two caulking portions 8a and 8b are aligned in the circumferential direction. Next, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the cage 2 is inclined with respect to the bottom wall portion 5 of the bearing ring 3, and one end portion of the outer peripheral edge portion 9 (in the case of FIG. 3). , The lower end portion) is passed under the remaining two caulking portions 8c and 8d of the race 3. Then, the other end portion (the upper end portion in the case of FIG. 3) of the cage 2 is pushed toward the bottom wall portion 5 of the raceway ring 3 with one end portion of the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2 as a fulcrum. Since the notches 11a and 11b of the cage 2 and the caulking portions 8a and 8b of the raceway ring 3 are aligned in the circumferential direction, the cage 2 is merely elastically deformed at the outer peripheral edge 9 and remains as it is. Pushed in. Thereby, the operator can assemble the cage 2 and the race 3 with a smaller force than in the case of the conventional thrust roller bearing 50.

  Even if the cage 2 accommodated inside the peripheral wall portion 7 of the raceway ring 3 is left as it is, two notch forming portions 12 of the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2 and the two caulking portions of the raceway ring 3 are used. Since 8c and 8d are arranged in an overlapping state, the possibility that the cage 2 will come out of the opening of the raceway ring 3 is small. However, all the caulking portions 8a to 8d of the raceway ring 3 and the outer peripheral edge portion of the cage 2 are obtained by relatively rotating the cage 2 and the raceway ring 3 in an arbitrary direction around the axis 3a of the raceway ring 3. Nine notched portions 12 can be arranged in an overlapping state. Thereby, it can prevent reliably that the holder | retainer 2 slips out of the opening of the track ring 3. FIG.

  Here, the relationship between the formation number X of the caulking portion 8 of the bearing ring 3 and the arrangement number Y of the notch portion 11 of the cage 2 will be described. In order to prevent the cage 2 assembled to the bearing ring 3 from being pulled out, three or more caulking portions 8 are formed at equal angular intervals of the forming angle α around the axis 3 a of the bearing ring 3. It is desirable. Then, it is desirable that the arrangement number Y of the cutout portions 11 at that time is a value obtained by dividing the formation number X of the caulking portions 8 by 2 and truncating the portion after the decimal point. That is, Y = [X / 2] ([] indicates a Gaussian symbol). For example, when the formation number X of the caulking portion 8 is 4 (X = 4), the arrangement number Y of the notch portions 11 is 2 (Y = [4/2] = 2). The remaining number ((Y−X)) of caulking portions 8 of the races 3 are arranged so as to overlap the notched portion 12 of the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2. This means that the notched portions 12 of the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the cage 2 are always arranged in an overlapping state with the number of caulking portions 8 that is twice or more the number n of the notched portions 11 arranged. Yes. Thereby, it becomes difficult for the retainer 2 to come out of the race 3.

  Furthermore, when two or more notches 11 are provided, it is desirable that the arrangement angle β of the notches 11 is the same as the formation angle α (α = 360 ° / X) of the caulking portion 8. In this case, all the notches 11 can be aligned with any of the caulking portions 8 in the circumferential direction by relatively rotating the cage 2 and the race 3 around the axis 3 a of the race 3. As a result, the retainer 2 and the bearing ring 3 can be assembled with a small force without impairing the prevention of the retainer 2 and the bearing ring 3 from coming off.

  In the thrust roller bearing 102 of the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the number X of the caulking portions 8 of the raceway ring 3 is 3 (X = 3). That is, three caulking portions 8 are formed at the upper end portion of the peripheral wall portion 7 of the bearing ring 3 with an equiangular interval at the forming angle α (α = 360 ° / 3 = 120 °) about the axis 3a of the bearing ring 3. Formed. And the arrangement number Y of the notch part 11 of the holder | retainer 2 is 1 (Y = [3/2] = 1).

  In the thrust roller bearing 103 of the third embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the number X of the caulking portions 8 of the bearing ring 3 is 6 (X = 6). That is, six caulking portions 8 are formed at the upper end portion of the peripheral wall portion 7 of the bearing ring 3 with an equiangular interval at a forming angle α (α = 360 ° / 6 = 60 °) about the axis 3a of the bearing ring 3. Formed. And the number Y of arrangement | positioning of the notch part 11 of the holder | retainer 2 is 3 (Y = [6/2] = 3), and those arrangement | positioning angles (beta) are 60 degrees.

  In the thrust roller bearings 101 to 103 of each of the above-described embodiments, the retainer 2 accommodated inside the peripheral wall portion 7 of the bearing ring 3 can be removed simply by forming the notch portion 11 in the outer peripheral edge portion 9 of the retainer 2. Without compromising prevention, the cage 2 and the race 3 can be assembled with a small force. In other words, since the caulking portion 8 of the bearing ring 3 may have a shape as it is, the present invention can also be implemented for an existing thrust roller bearing.

  The thrust roller bearings 101 to 103 of each of the above-described embodiments are cases where the caulking portions 8 are provided at equiangular intervals with the formation angles α, α, α on the peripheral wall portion 7 of the raceway ring 3. . In the thrust roller bearings 101 and 103 according to the first and third embodiments, the notches 11 are disposed at the outer peripheral edge 9 of the cage 2 at the arrangement angles β and β and the adjacent notches 11 are small. This is a case where the angle is set to be the same as the angles α and α of the caulking portions 8. However, as in the thrust roller bearing 104 of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the formation angles may be provided at unequal angular intervals (α and α ′).

(A) is a top view of the thrust roller bearing 101 of 1st Example of this invention, (b) is front sectional drawing similarly. It is a ZZ line expanded sectional view of (a) of Drawing 1. (A) is a top view of the state which crimped part 8a, 8b of the holder | retainer 2, and the notch parts 11a, 11b of the bearing ring 3 were aligned in the circumferential direction, (b) is a sectional side view of (a). (A) is a top view of the state which inserted the outer peripheral edge part 9 of the holder | retainer 2 inside the surrounding wall part 7 of the bearing ring 3, (b) is a sectional side view of (a). (A) is a top view of the thrust roller bearing 102 of 2nd Example of this invention, (b) is front sectional drawing similarly. (A) is a top view of the thrust roller bearing 103 of 3rd Example of this invention, (b) is front sectional drawing similarly. (A) is a top view of the thrust roller bearing 104 of 4th Example of this invention, (b) is front sectional drawing similarly. (A) is a top view of the conventional thrust roller bearing 50, (b) is also a front sectional view.

Explanation of symbols

101-104: Thrust roller bearing
1: Needle roller
1a: Spinning axis
2: Cage
3: Raceway
3a: Axis (Axis of race)
5: Bottom wall
6: Track surface
7: Perimeter wall
8, 8a-8d: Caulking part
9: Outer peripheral edge (outer peripheral edge of cage)
9a: outer peripheral surface (outer peripheral edge of cage)
11, 11a, 11b: Notch
X: Number of formations
Y: Number of arrangement
α, α ': Formation angle
β: Arrangement angle

Claims (4)

A cage for holding a plurality of rollers having rotation axes arranged radially;
A thrust roller bearing having a cylindrical shape with a bottom, housing the retainer inside a peripheral wall portion, and including a race ring that receives the plurality of rollers on a raceway surface formed on an inner surface of the bottom wall portion. And
A plurality of caulks formed by caulking from the outer side of the peripheral wall portion to the inner side so as to bulge inward in the radial direction and to be positioned on the inner side of the outer peripheral edge of the retainer. While the portions are formed at predetermined angular intervals in the circumferential direction,
On the outer peripheral surface of the cage, a cutout portion that is notched inward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface and allows the caulking portion to pass in the axial direction has a smaller number of arrangements than the number of the caulking portions formed in the circumferential direction. Formed into
By aligning the notch portion of the cage and the caulking portion of the raceway ring, after the cage is accommodated in the raceway ring, both are relatively rotated around the axis of the raceway ring, and the peripheral wall portion The thrust is characterized in that the retainer is prevented from slipping out of the opening of the raceway ring by disposing all the caulking portions of the retainer in correspondence with the not-not-formed portions not having the notches. Roller bearing.   When the number of caulking portions is X (where X ≧ 2), the number Y of the notch portions is given by Y = [X / 2] (where [] is a Gaussian symbol) X-Y) The not-not-formed portions are arranged correspondingly across the caulking portions corresponding to the number of pieces, and the corresponding caulking portions of the Y notch portions are aligned and passed in the axial direction, while the axis line The thrust roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein the cage and the race are relatively rotated around each other, and the caulking portion and the notched portion are arranged in correspondence with each other.   When a plurality of the notches are provided, the smaller one of the angles formed by the notches adjacent to each other around the axis of the raceway is the same as the angle formed by the crimped portions. The thrust roller bearing according to claim 1 or 2.   3. The thrust roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the caulking portion and the notch portion is arranged at an unequal angular interval around an axis of the raceway ring.

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