JPH07317774A - Holder made of metal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the inside edge of this holder from interfering with the other member such as an inner ring by enlarging the diameter of the maximum inscribed circle of the holder. CONSTITUTION:Translusent openings 12, 12 are provided in the intermediate parts pillars 9, 9 between adjacent pockets 8, 8. Not only the portions in which the pockets 8, 8 are formed but also the each portion in which the translucent openings 12, 12 are formed are bent equally. As a result, the diameter of the maximum inscribed circle of the holder 7a can be enlarged without protruding the intermediate parts of pillars 9, 9 inwardly in the radial direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The metal cage according to the present invention is
Used to hold rollers (including needles) in a roller bearing (including needle bearings) so that they can roll, or to hold rollers and sprags in a one-way clutch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a roller bearing as shown in FIG. 4 is incorporated in a rotation supporting portion of various mechanical devices. This roller bearing has an inner ring 2 whose outer peripheral surface is a cylindrical inner ring raceway 1.
And an outer ring raceway 3 having a cylindrical surface-shaped intermediate portion on the inner peripheral surface and inward flange-shaped collar portions 4 and 4 formed on both ends of the inner peripheral surface.
A plurality of rollers 6 and 6 rotatably provided between the inner ring raceway 1 and the outer ring raceway 3 and the rollers 6 and 6, respectively.
Each of the cages 7 is rotatably held in a state of being separated from each other in the circumferential direction.

The cage 7 is formed in a cage by rolling a strip-shaped metal plate such as a cold-rolled steel plate or a stainless steel plate into a cylindrical shape and welding both circumferential edges of the metal plate to each other. Prior to rolling the metal plate, a plurality of rectangular pockets 8 corresponding to the shapes of the rollers 6 are formed in the metal plate at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Further, pillars 9 and 9 (see FIGS. 5 to 7 described later) are provided between the pockets 8 and 8 that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction to partition the adjacent pockets 8 and 8.

In the roller bearing incorporating the retainer 7 as described above, for example, the inner ring 2 is externally fitted and fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, and the outer ring 5 is internally fitted and fixed on the inner peripheral surface of the housing, whereby the housing is formed. The rotating shaft is rotatably supported inside.
Although not shown, a similar retainer is also incorporated in the one-way clutch to hold a plurality of rollers and sprags that constitute the one-way clutch. Even in the case of roller bearings, the inner ring 2 may be omitted and the rolling surfaces of the rollers 6, 6 may be brought into direct contact with the inner ring raceway formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft.

[0005]

In the case of the cage incorporated in the roller bearing or the like as described above, the following inconvenience may occur depending on the specifications. That is, since the radial load to be supported by the roller bearing is large or the torque to be transmitted via the one-way clutch is large, the number of rollers and sprags to be held by the cage 7 is large, and the adjacent pockets 8, 8 If the distance between them is small, there is no particular problem.

On the other hand, when the radial load to be supported by the roller bearing is small or the torque to be transmitted through the one-way clutch is small, the number of rollers and sprags is reduced for the purpose of cost reduction. To do. In such a case, the number of pockets 8, 8 formed in the cage 7 is correspondingly reduced, and as a result, the distance between the adjacent pockets 8, 8 is increased.

On the other hand, the bending rigidity of the strip-shaped metal plate in which the pockets 8 and 8 are formed in advance is weak in the pockets 8 and 8 and is strong in the column portions 9 and 9. That is, the bending rigidity of the pockets 8 and 8 forming portion is the flange 1 that is out of the pockets 8 and 8.
In contrast to the section modulus E ₁₁ of the portions 1 and 11 (see FIG. 6 described later), the bending rigidity of the column portions 9 and ₉ is determined by the section modulus E 9 of each of the column portions 9 and 9. As is clear from the difference in the cross-sectional area of each part, E ₁₁ >> E ₉ , so that the pockets 8 and 8 forming portions have far lower flexural rigidity than the pillar portions 9 and 9.

Therefore, when the metal plate is rolled, the pillar portions 9 and 9 are not bent to the extent that the pockets 8 and 8 are bent. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, since the number of rollers and sprags to be held is small, the pockets 8 and 8 are previously formed as shown in FIG. 6 in order to make the cage 7 in which the interval between the adjacent pockets 8 and 8 is large. Band-shaped metal plate 1 formed by punching or the like
When 0 is rounded, the obtained cage 7 has a shape close to a polygonal cylinder, not a cylinder, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. That is, with the work of rolling, the pockets 8 and 8 are
The formed portion is deformed into an arc shape (curved surface shape), whereas the pillar portions 9 and 9 remain linear (flat plate shape).

The diameter of the inscribed circle of the cage 7 thus formed in the polygonal cylindrical shape becomes smaller than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the cage formed in the correct cylindrical shape. Also, the roundness of the cage 7 itself deteriorates. As a result, the inner peripheral surface of the retainer 7 and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 2 (FIG. 4) or the shaft (when the inner ring 2 is omitted) are likely to interfere with each other. If they interfere with each other, harmful abnormal noises and vibrations are generated along with the operation of various devices incorporating the roller bearing and the one-way clutch.
In a further significant case, the axial end edge of the cage 7 interferes with the inner ring 2 or the shaft, and the roller bearing and the one-way clutch cannot be assembled.

Such an inconvenience is caused by the width W of the columns 9, 9.
₉ becomes larger, the side part (straight line part) of the above polygonal cylinder
The larger the length, the more remarkable. For example, the width dimension W ₉ is more than twice the thickness dimension T ₁₀ of the metal plate 10 (W ₉
When ≧ 2T ₁₀ ), the above-mentioned abnormal noises and vibrations, and further, inconveniences such as improper assembly are likely to occur. The metal cage according to the present invention was invented in order to eliminate such inconvenience.

[0011]

The metal cage according to the present invention is a metal cage formed by rolling a strip-shaped metal plate into a cylindrical shape, like the conventional metal cage described above. ,
Prior to rolling the metal plate, pockets are formed on the inside of the metal plates for holding the rollers rotatably. Then, between adjacent pockets, there is a pillar portion having a width dimension that is at least twice the thickness dimension of the metal plate.

Particularly, in the metal cage according to the present invention,
A through hole having a length substantially the same as the length of the pocket is formed in the pillar portion.

[0013]

In the case of the metal cage according to the present invention constructed as described above, the bending rigidity of the through hole forming portion becomes equal to the bending rigidity of the pocket forming portion. Therefore, when the strip-shaped metal plate is rolled, not only the pocket forming portion but also the through hole forming portion is bent. As a result, the shape of the cage becomes close to a cylindrical shape, the diameter of the inscribed circle of the cage becomes large, and it becomes difficult for the inner peripheral surface of this cage and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring or shaft to interfere with each other.

[0014]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. In the metal cage according to the present invention, a strip-shaped metal plate is rolled into a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 1, and both ends of the metal plate in the circumferential direction are butt-welded together. In the metal plate 10 which constitutes this metal cage, rectangular pockets 8 and 8 for holding the rollers 6 and 6 rotatably inside the metal plate 10 prior to rolling the metal plate 10 are provided. A plurality of them are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The adjacent pockets 8 and 8 are partitioned by the pillar portions 9 and 9, respectively. The width dimension W 9 of each of the pillar portions 9, ₉ is at least twice the thickness dimension T of the metal plate 10 (W ₉ ≧ 2T).

Particularly, in the metal cage according to the present invention,
Rectangular through holes 12, 12 are formed in the circumferential intermediate portion of each of the pillar portions 9, 9, respectively. Each of these through holes 1
Width w ₁₂ over the circumferential direction of 2 and 12 is smaller than the width w ₈ over the circumferential direction of the pockets 8, 8 (w
₁₂ <w ₈ ). Therefore, the rollers 6, 6 cannot be held in the through holes 12, 12. However, each of these through holes 1
Length L ₁₂ of 2,12 is substantially the same as (L ₁₂ ≒ L ₈₎ and the length L ₈ of the pockets 8, 8.

Therefore, on both sides of the metal plate 10 in the width direction, the portions aligned with the pockets 8, 8 and the through holes 12,
The width widths w ₁₁ ,
Flange ₁₁ , _11a having _11a is formed. The cross-sectional area of each of the flanges ₁₁ and _{11a, that} is, the product of the thickness dimension T of the metal plate 10 and the width dimension w ₁₁ and w _11a (T
・ W ₁₁ and T ・ w _11a are almost the same (T ・ w ₁₁ ≈T ・ w)
_11a ). Therefore, each of these flanges 11, 11a
The section modulus E ₁₁ , E _11a and the bending rigidity per unit length are also substantially equal to each other.

Therefore, a strip-shaped metal plate 10 as shown in FIG.
Is rolled to form a retainer 7a as shown in FIGS.
Not only the pockets 8 and 8 forming portions, but also the through holes 12 and 12 forming portions bend in the same manner. As a result, the shape of the obtained cage 7a becomes close to a cylindrical shape, and the diameter of the inscribed circle of the cage 7a becomes large. Then, the inner peripheral surface of the cage 7a and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 2 (see FIG. 4) and the shaft are less likely to interfere with each other. This point will be described in more detail. In the following description, D ₂ is the diameter of the maximum inscribed circle of each of the pillar portions 9 and 9 in a part of the cage 7 and 7a that is rolled into a cylindrical shape, and D ₇ is the same in each of the pockets. The diameters of the maximum inscribed circles of the 8 and 8 formation portions are shown.

As in the above-described conventional structure shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the pillar portions 9 and 9 located between the adjacent pockets 8 and having the large width dimension W ₉ remain flat. In this case, the diameter D _MAX of the maximum inscribed circle of the cage 7 obtained by rolling the metal plate 10 is approximated by the following equation (1). D _MAX = (D ₂ ² −W ₉ ² ) ^{1/2 −−} (1) Then, the circularity α of the diameter of the cage 7 is approximated by the following equation (2). _{α = {D 7 - (D} 2 2 -W 9 2) 1/2} / 2 --- (2)

On the other hand, in the case of the structure of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the through holes 12, 12 are present at intermediate positions in the circumferential direction of the column portions 9, 9, and the through holes 12 are formed. , 12, the pillar portions 9 and 9 are bent in the same manner as the pocket 8 and 8 forming portions. Therefore, when the width dimension of the remaining portions ₁₃ and 13 remaining between the adjacent pockets 8 and 8 and the through holes 12 and 12 in some of the pillar portions 9 and 9 is W ₁₃ , The diameter D _MAX ′ of the maximum inscribed circle of the container 7a is approximated by the following equation (3). D _MAX ′ = (D ₂ ²⁻ W ₁₃ ² ) ^{1/2 −−} (3) Then, the circularity α ′ of the diameter of the cage 7a is approximated by the following equation (4). α ′ = {D ₇ − (D ₂ ² −W ₁₃ ² ) ^1/2 } / 2 −−− (4)

[0020] Since the W ₁₃ is a _{<W 9/2, D MAX} <D
_MAX ', α>α'. As you can see from this,
Through-holes 12, 1 are formed in the intermediate portions in the circumferential direction of the pillars 9, 9
In the case of the metal cage of the present invention in which No. 2 is formed, the maximum inscribed circle can be increased and the roundness can be improved (decreased) as compared with the conventional structure. As a result, it is possible to prevent the inner peripheral surface of the retainer 7a from interfering with the inner ring 2 (FIG. 4) and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft.

[0021]

Since the metal cage of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, it is possible to prevent harmful noise and vibration during operation of the roller bearing, the one-way clutch, etc. incorporating the cage. It can be prevented. Further, the cage does not interfere with other members to deteriorate the assemblability of the roller bearing or the one-way clutch.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a metal plate forming the cage shown in FIG. 1 in a state before being rolled.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a roller bearing in which a metal cage, which is a target of the present invention, is incorporated.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a metal plate forming the cage shown in FIG. 5 in a state before being rolled.

7 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Inner ring raceway 2 Inner ring 3 Outer ring raceway 4 Collar part 5 Outer ring 6 Rollers 7, 7a Retainer 8 Pocket 9 Column part 10 Metal plate 11, 11a Flange 12 Through hole 13 Remaining part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cage made of metal, which is formed by rolling a strip-shaped metal plate into a cylindrical shape, wherein rollers can be freely rolled inside the metal plate prior to rolling the metal plate. In a metal cage in which a pocket for holding is formed, and between adjacent pockets, there is a column portion having a width dimension that is at least twice the thickness dimension of the metal plate, A metal cage characterized in that a through hole having a length substantially the same as the length of the pocket is formed in the pillar portion.