JP2009287737A - Method for manufacturing rolling bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a rolling bearing having an area partitioned between a pair of raceway members filled with solid lubricant composed of precursor without causing various problems due to heating in curing reaction of the precursor. <P>SOLUTION: Fixtures 20, 21, at least part of at least one of which is formed out of material capable of transmitting specific energy ray, are fitted in openings 18, 19 of an area 2 partitioned between the pair of the raceway members 3, 4. The solid lubricant 8 is formed by applying energy ray through the fixtures 20, 21 to make the precursor 22 react to be cured under a condition where the precursor 22 reacting to be cured by irradiating the area 2 with the energy ray. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for manufacturing a rolling bearing including a pair of race members and a plurality of rolling elements, and in which a region partitioned between the race members is filled with a solid lubricant.

  Usually, for lubrication of a rolling bearing including a pair of raceway members and a plurality of rolling elements, a lubricant such as lubricating oil or grease filled in a region defined between the raceway members is used. However, the lubricant is ineffective against the intrusion of water or dust into the area. Therefore, the region may be filled with a solid lubricant (solid lubricant) made of a mixture of resin and lubricant. While the solid lubricant functions as a seal member that prevents intrusion of water, dust, or the like in a state where it is filled in the region, it exhibits good lubricity due to the action of the lubricant contained therein.

  The solid lubricant is prepared by, for example, filling the region with a mixture of a lubricant and a thermoplastic resin powder or a mixture of a lubricant and a thermosetting resin (both having fluidity) as a precursor. Heating and sintering the thermoplastic resin powder or curing reaction of the thermosetting resin, the surfaces of the pair of track members facing the region (track surface) and the surfaces of a plurality of rolling elements Etc., and a complicated three-dimensional shape filling the region.

Examples of the thermoplastic resin include a high melting point thermoplastic resin that has excellent oil resistance and does not melt at the use temperature of the rolling bearing, such as ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, and examples of the thermosetting resin include thermosetting polyurethane. It is done.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-193639

  When manufacturing a conventional rolling bearing using a solid lubricant, the rolling bearing filled with the solid lubricant precursor is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin or a temperature at which the thermosetting resin undergoes a curing reaction. There is a need. However, since both of these temperatures are high temperatures of 150 ° C. or higher, the raceway surface of the raceway member and the surface of the rolling element, which have been previously set to a predetermined hardness through a quenching process or the like, are tempered in the heating step, and the surface hardness thereof There is a problem that the temperature of quenching needs to be set higher to prevent the temperature from decreasing.

In addition, since it takes a long time to cool the resin after it is heated to 150 ° C. or higher for baking or curing reaction, the productivity of the rolling bearing is also lowered.
An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for manufacturing a rolling bearing in which a region defined between a pair of raceway members is filled with a solid lubricant without causing the above-described various problems due to heating. .

The present invention includes a pair of race members (3) and (4) that partition an annular region (2) between each other, and a plurality of rolling elements (5) that are arranged in the region and roll relative to both race members. Of the rolling bearing (1) in which the region is opened between a pair of raceway members in two directions facing away from each other with the rolling element interposed therebetween, and the region is filled with a solid lubricant (8). A method,
At least a part of at least one of the openings (18) and (19) is formed of a material capable of transmitting a specific energy ray, and a treatment for defining the shape of the surface of the solid lubricant facing both the openings. A step of fitting the tools (20) and (21), and filling a precursor (22) that becomes a solid lubricant by a curing reaction by irradiation of the energy rays in a region defined by both jigs;
And a step of forming a solid lubricant by irradiating energy rays through a portion made of a material capable of transmitting energy rays in the jig to cause a curing reaction of the precursor. Item 1). The alphanumeric characters in parentheses represent corresponding components in the embodiments described later.

  According to the present invention, as a precursor of the solid lubricant, for example, by using a material that undergoes a curing reaction by irradiation with a specific energy beam such as an ultraviolet ray or an electron beam, the precursor is cured by simply irradiating the energy beam. Thus, since the solid lubricant can be formed, the step of heating the entire rolling bearing to a high temperature of, for example, 150 ° C. or more can be eliminated when the solid lubricant is formed.

  Therefore, in the manufacturing process of the rolling bearing, there is no possibility that the raceway surface of the raceway member and the surface of the rolling element, which have been set to a predetermined hardness through a quenching process or the like in advance, are tempered and the surface hardness thereof is reduced, and this is prevented. Therefore, it is not necessary to set the quenching temperature higher. In addition, a heating process requiring a long time is omitted, and the curing reaction of the precursor by the polymerization reaction of the curable resin proceeds in an extremely short time, so that the productivity of the rolling bearing can be improved.

  Moreover, in this invention, in the state divided into the outside by the jig | tool fitted by each opening of the two directions which turn back on both sides of a rolling element of the area | region divided between a pair of track members The solid filler is formed by curing reaction of the precursor filled in the region, and the shape of the surface of the solid lubricant facing both openings is defined to a predetermined shape by a jig. For this reason, the shape and amount of the solid lubricant filled in the region can always be kept constant.

Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the shape and amount of the solid lubricant from varying, affecting the rotational torque of the rolling bearing, and preventing the amount of the solid lubricant from being insufficient and reducing the lubrication performance. In addition, it is possible to further improve the productivity of the rolling bearing by omitting the step of adjusting the shape and amount by removing excess solid lubricant by polishing or the like.
In the case where the jig is not used, for example, in a state where one opening of a region partitioned between a pair of track members is previously closed by incorporating a seal member, the precursor is poured into the region through the other opening, Next, it is considered that the precursor is irradiated with energy rays through the other opening to cause a curing reaction.

  However, in that case, the amount of precursor to be poured and the shape of the solid lubricant on the other opening side are likely to vary, and in the case where the variation occurs, the above-described various problems are caused. Since the surface of the rolling element is mirror-finished to ensure good rolling, the precursor can be cured and reacted in most parts of the region by reflection of energy rays on the mirror surface, but the surface of the sealing material is Since it is formed of rubber or the like that does not reflect energy rays, there is a possibility that the precursor may not be sufficiently subjected to a curing reaction particularly in the shadowed portion of the rolling element.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, for example, at least a part (preferably the whole) of both of the pair of jigs can be formed of a material that can transmit energy rays, and the energy rays of both jigs can be transmitted. By irradiating energy rays through the portion, the shadowed portion can be eliminated, and all the precursors in the region can be cured.
At least a part of at least one of the pair of jigs may be formed of a material that does not transmit energy rays. In this case, the surface of the portion that faces the region is a mirror surface that can reflect the energy rays. (Claim 2). As a result, it is possible to eliminate the shadowed portion by reflecting the energy rays on the mirror surface and to favorably cure all the precursors in the region.

  As a precursor of the solid lubricant, it is considered that a solid lubricant is formed by a rapid and good curing reaction upon irradiation with energy rays, and that a good lubricity is imparted to the formed solid lubricant. Then, it is preferable to use a mixture of a lubricant and a curable resin that undergoes a curing reaction upon irradiation with energy rays.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rolling bearing 1 according to an embodiment manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention. The rolling bearing 1 includes an inner ring 3 and an outer ring 4 as a pair of race members that define an annular region 2 between them, and a plurality of rolling elements that are arranged in the region 2 and roll with respect to the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4. As a ball 5, a cage 7 disposed in the region 2 and having a pocket 6 for holding each ball 5, a continuous solid lubricant 8 filled in the region 2, and a solid lubricant 8 sandwiched therebetween A pair of annular seal members 9 and 10 which are arranged on both sides, are fixed to the outer ring 4 and are in sliding contact with the inner ring 3 are provided.

The solid lubricant 8 is filled in the region 2 defined by the pair of seal members 9 and 10 between both the wheels 3 and 4 so as to be almost full. A gap is formed between each of the seal members 9 and 10 and the solid lubricant 8. FIG. 2 is a front view of the rolling bearing 1 with the seal members 9 and 10 removed. Referring to FIG. 2, the entire solid lubricant 8 is continuously formed.
Referring to FIG. 1, in this example, a lubricant film 11 is formed on the surfaces of inner ring 3, outer ring 4, ball 5, and cage 7 in contact with solid lubricant 8. Although not shown, a lubricant film 11 is also formed on the raceway surface 12 of the inner ring 3 and the raceway surface 13 of the outer ring 4. A lubricant film 11 is formed between the pocket 6 and the ball 5 in a state where the solid lubricant 8 is avoided.

Thereby, the rotational torque of the rolling bearing 1 can be significantly reduced. In addition, the step of rotating the rolling bearing 1 immediately after forming the solid lubricant 8 by curing reaction of the precursor to peel the solid lubricant 8 from each part constituting the rolling bearing 1 can be omitted.
In order to form the lubricant film 11, the surface of each part is lubricated by, for example, immersing the rolling bearing 1 before filling the region 2 with the precursor that becomes the solid lubricant 8 in the lubricant. In the state where the agent film 11 is formed, the precursor may be filled in the region 2 and allowed to undergo a curing reaction.

Each seal member 9, 10 has an annular core metal 14 and an annular rubber body 15 baked on the core metal 14. Each seal member 9, 10 is fixed by fitting its outer peripheral portion into a groove portion 16 formed on both end surfaces of the outer ring 4, and its inner peripheral portion is elastically applied to the concave surface portion 17 formed on both end surfaces of the inner ring 3. In contact.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one step of the production method of the present invention. With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, in the manufacturing method of this example, the inner ring 3, the outer ring 4, the balls 5, and the cage 7 are assembled to constitute the rolling bearing 1, and the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4 of the rolling bearing 1 are configured. The jigs 20 and 21 are fitted into the two-way openings 18 and 19 facing the back of the ball 5 in the annular region 2 partitioned by the above-mentioned two regions, respectively.

In addition, the partitioned region 2 is filled with a precursor 22 that is the basis of the solid lubricant 8. It is necessary to fill the precursor 22 so as not to cause a gap as much as possible between the jigs 20 and 21.
Therefore, for example, in the figure, the lower jig 21 is fitted into the opening 19 and the opening 19 is closed, and after a predetermined amount of the precursor 22 is injected into the region 2, the upper jig 20 is moved under reduced pressure. The jig 20 is fitted to the opening 18 while initially tilting with respect to the opening 18 so that no bubbles remain even under normal pressure.

Also, a hole for removing air bubbles is provided in a part of the jig 20 and the hole is closed after the jig 20 is fitted into the opening 18 or a predetermined amount or more of the precursor 22 is injected into the region 2. Alternatively, the jig 20 may be fitted together while the excess precursor 22 overflows from the opening 18.
In the jigs 20 and 21, the surface facing the region 2 is a shaping surface for defining the shape of the surface facing both the openings 18 and 19 of the solid lubricant 8 to the shape shown in FIG. 1, for example. , At least part of at least one is formed of a material capable of transmitting a specific energy ray. Referring to FIG. 2, jigs 20 and 21 are formed in an annular shape corresponding to both openings 18 and 19.

For example, when the specific energy rays to be irradiated are ultraviolet rays, examples of materials having ultraviolet transparency that form the jigs 20 and 21 include glass and plastic.
Referring to FIG. 3, for example, at least a part (preferably the whole) of the upper jig 20 in the drawing is formed of the glass, plastic or the like, and the jigs 20, 21 are formed in the openings 18, 19 as described above. When the ultraviolet lamp 23 arranged outside the jig 20 (upward in the figure) is turned on in a state where the region 2 is filled with the precursor 22, ultraviolet rays generated thereby are transmitted through the jig 20 to the region. 2 is irradiated mainly on the precursor 22 above the ball 5.

  At this time, at least a part (preferably the whole) of the lower jig 21 is similarly formed of glass, plastic or the like, and an ultraviolet lamp 23 is also arranged on the lower side as shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure. When the lamps are simultaneously turned on, the ultraviolet rays generated thereby are irradiated to the precursor 22 mainly below the balls 5 in the region 2 through the jig 21. Therefore, the solid lubricant 8 can be formed by curing the precursors 22 in the region 2 almost simultaneously.

The ultraviolet lamp 23 may be formed to a size that can irradiate the entire annular openings 18 and 19 simultaneously, or may be formed to a size that can irradiate only a part of the openings 18 and 19. In the latter case, for example, the whole of the openings 18 and 19 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays by rotating the rolling bearing 1 around its central axis 24.
Alternatively, the ultraviolet lamp 23 may be disposed only on the upper side, and after first irradiating ultraviolet rays only on the opening 18 side, the rolling bearing 1 may be turned upside down to irradiate the opening 19 side with ultraviolet rays.

Further, a reflection plate that can reflect ultraviolet rays may be disposed under the opening 19 so that the ultraviolet rays that have gone out through the jig 21 are returned to the region 2. Also in this case, the solid precursor 8 can be formed by curing the precursors 22 in the region 2 almost simultaneously.
The jig 21 may be formed of a material that does not transmit ultraviolet light, for example, metal. In that case, if the surface desired in the region 2 of the jig 21 is a mirror surface that can reflect ultraviolet rays, the ultraviolet ray irradiated from the upper ultraviolet lamp 23 through the jig 20 is similarly a mirror surface of the raceway surface 12 of the inner ring 3. It can be reflected in the region 2 together with the raceway surface 13 of the outer ring 4 and the surface of the ball 5 so as to reach the shadowed portion under the ball 5. Therefore, the solid precursor 8 can be formed by curing the precursors 22 in the region 2 almost simultaneously.

After the solid lubricant 8 is formed, the rolling bearing 1 is completed when the jigs 20 and 21 are removed from the openings 18 and 19. Further, as described above, when the rolling bearing 1 to be used in the above process is immersed in a lubricant in advance, the solid lubricant 8 formed in the above process and each part constituting the rolling bearing 1 are interposed between them. A lubricant film 11 can be formed.
Examples of the precursor 22 on which the solid lubricant 8 is based include a mixture of a lubricant and a curable resin that undergoes a curing reaction upon irradiation with energy rays. Of these, lubricating oil and grease can be used as the lubricant. Lubricating oils include mineral oils, synthetic hydrocarbon oils (eg poly α olefin oils (PAO)), silicone oils, fluorine oils, ester oils (diester oils, polyol ester oils, etc.), ether oils (alkyl diphenyl ether oils, etc.), paraffin oils Mineral oil and the like. Lubricating base oils can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of the grease include those containing the lubricating oil and a thickener. Examples of the thickener include a soap-based thickener, a urea-based thickener, an organic thickener, an inorganic thickener, and the like. And various conventionally known thickeners.
Among these, soap-type thickeners include metal soap-type thickeners such as aluminum soap, calcium soap, lithium soap and sodium soap, mixed soap-type thickeners such as lithium-calcium soap and sodium-calcium soap, aluminum Complex thickeners such as complex, calcium complex, and lithium complex sodium complex are listed, and lithium soap such as lithium stearate is particularly preferable.

Examples of the urea thickener include polyurea, and examples of the organic thickener include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and sodium terephthalate. Further, examples of the inorganic thickener include organic bentonite, graphite, silica gel and the like.
If necessary, solid lubricants such as fluororesins (PTFE, etc.), molybdenum disulfide, graphite, polyolefin waxes (including amides, etc.), extreme pressures of phosphorus or sulfur are added to the lubricating oil or grease. An antioxidant such as an agent, tributylphenol, methylphenol, a rust inhibitor, a metal deactivator, a viscosity index improver, an oily agent, and the like may be added.

  Among the curable resins, the ultraviolet curable resin that undergoes a curing reaction upon irradiation with ultraviolet rays includes an oligomer or monomer as a resin precursor, and a photopolymerization initiator that causes the oligomer or monomer to undergo a polymerization reaction upon irradiation with ultraviolet rays. Is mentioned. In addition, for the ultraviolet curable resin, a photopolymerization accelerator, a colorant (pigment, dye, etc.), a polymerization inhibitor, an antifoaming agent, a coupling agent, a solvent, a thixotropic agent, a polymer, a filler, Various additives such as a leveling agent may be contained.

Among the above, the oligomer mainly constitutes the main skeleton of the resin. The monomer mainly functions as a polymerizable diluent and adjusts the fluidity and viscosity of the precursor 22 and adjusts the degree of polymerization and the degree of crosslinking of the resin. As the oligomer or monomer, radically polymerizable ones and cationic polymerizable ones are mainly used.
Among these, examples of the radical polymerizable oligomer include epoxy acrylate, carboxyl group-modified epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyester acrylate, and copolymer acrylate. Examples of the radical polymerizable monomer used in combination with the oligomer include monofunctional to hexafunctional acrylates.

  Examples of the radical polymerizable photopolymerization initiator that causes a polymerization reaction of the radical polymerizable oligomer or monomer by irradiation with ultraviolet rays include benzophenone-based, acetophenone-based, thioxanthone-based, and phosphine oxide-based photopolymerization initiators. Examples of the radical polymerizable photopolymerization accelerator for promoting the polymerization reaction include tertiary amines.

On the other hand, examples of the cationic polymerizable oligomer or monomer include alicyclic epoxy resins, glycidyl ether epoxy resins, urethane vinyl ethers, polyester vinyl ethers, oxetane compounds and the like.
Examples of the cationic polymerizable photopolymerization initiator that polymerizes the cationic polymerizable oligomer or monomer by irradiation with ultraviolet rays include sulfonium salts and iodonium salts. Examples of the cationic polymerizable photopolymerization accelerator for promoting the polymerization reaction include anthracene and thioxanthone photopolymerization accelerators.

In addition, as the curable resin that undergoes a curing reaction upon irradiation with ultraviolet rays, a resin that includes a modified product of silicone resin and a photocuring agent that causes the silicone resin modified product to undergo a curing reaction upon irradiation with ultraviolet rays can be used. As the silicone resin-modified product, a radical curable type, a cationic curable type, or a composite type thereof is used.
Among these, examples of the radical curable silicone resin-modified product include acrylic-modified polysiloxane and mercapto-modified polysiloxane. Examples of the radical curable photocuring agent for causing the radical curable silicone resin-modified product to undergo a curing reaction include the radical polymerizable photopolymerization initiators exemplified above.

Examples of the cationic curable silicone resin-modified product include epoxy-modified polysiloxane. Examples of the cation curable photocuring agent for curing the cation curable silicone resin-modified product include aromatic onium salts.
Examples of the composite-type silicone resin-modified product include mercapto / deacetone curable silicone and acrylic / dealcohol curable silicone.

  The blending ratio of the lubricant and the curable resin in the precursor 22 of the solid lubricant 8 is not particularly limited, but the ratio of the curable resin to the total amount of the precursor 22 is 10% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less. preferable. If the ratio of the curable resin is less than the above range, the solid lubricant 8 having sufficient strength may not be formed. If the ratio exceeds the above range, the amount of the lubricant is insufficient and the solid lubricant is good. Lubricity may not be imparted.

  As described above, the rolling bearing of the present invention can be suitably used in an environment in which water, dust or the like easily enters, for example, in steel applications. In addition, for example, it can be used as a bearing for a power transmission device such as a gear device using a lubricant containing fine particles such as buffer particles for the purpose of shock absorption and reduction of backlash. In this case, it is possible to maintain good lubrication while preventing the rolling bearing from being locked due to the intrusion of the fine particles.

  The configuration of the rolling bearing manufacturing method of the present invention is not limited to the example described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

It is sectional drawing of the rolling bearing which concerns on one Embodiment manufactured by the manufacturing method of this invention. It is a front view of a rolling bearing in the state where a seal member was removed. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows 1 process of the manufacturing method of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1: rolling bearing, 2: area, 3: inner ring (track member), 4: outer ring (track member), 5: ball (rolling element), 8: solid lubricant, 18, 19: opening, 20, 21: treatment Ingredient 22: Precursor

Claims (3)

2 including a pair of raceway members partitioning an annular region between each other and a plurality of rolling elements arranged in the region and rolling with respect to both raceway members, the region facing away from the rolling body 2 A method of manufacturing a rolling bearing having an opening between a pair of raceway members in a direction and having the region filled with a solid lubricant,
A step of fitting a jig formed of a material capable of transmitting a specific energy ray at least one part of the solid lubricant to define the shape of the surface of the solid lubricant facing both the openings, respectively; When,
Energy is passed through a portion of the jig made of a material capable of transmitting energy rays in a state where the region partitioned by both jigs is filled with a precursor that becomes a solid lubricant through a curing reaction by irradiation of the energy rays. And a step of forming a solid lubricant by irradiating a wire to cause the precursor to undergo a curing reaction.   2. The rolling according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of at least one of the jigs is made of a material that does not transmit energy rays, and a surface of the portion facing the region is a mirror surface that can reflect the energy rays. Manufacturing method of bearing.   The method of manufacturing a rolling bearing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a mixture of the lubricant and a curable resin that undergoes a curing reaction upon irradiation with energy rays is used as the solid lubricant precursor.

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