WO2016096428A1 - Seal for a roller bearing having a wire cage - Google Patents
Seal for a roller bearing having a wire cage Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2016096428A1 WO2016096428A1 PCT/EP2015/078324 EP2015078324W WO2016096428A1 WO 2016096428 A1 WO2016096428 A1 WO 2016096428A1 EP 2015078324 W EP2015078324 W EP 2015078324W WO 2016096428 A1 WO2016096428 A1 WO 2016096428A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- seal
- cage
- roller bearing
- race
- wire
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/72—Sealings
- F16C33/76—Sealings of ball or roller bearings
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/72—Sealings
- F16C33/76—Sealings of ball or roller bearings
- F16C33/78—Sealings of ball or roller bearings with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members
- F16C33/7893—Sealings of ball or roller bearings with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members mounted to a cage or integral therewith
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/30—Parts of ball or roller bearings
- F16C33/46—Cages for rollers or needles
- F16C33/4605—Details of interaction of cage and race, e.g. retention or centring
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/30—Parts of ball or roller bearings
- F16C33/46—Cages for rollers or needles
- F16C33/4611—Cages for rollers or needles with hybrid structure, i.e. with parts made of distinct materials
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/30—Parts of ball or roller bearings
- F16C33/46—Cages for rollers or needles
- F16C33/50—Cages for rollers or needles formed of interconnected members, e.g. chains
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
- F16C33/30—Parts of ball or roller bearings
- F16C33/46—Cages for rollers or needles
- F16C33/54—Cages for rollers or needles made from wire, strips, or sheet metal
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
- F16J15/3204—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip
- F16J15/322—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip supported in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
- F16J15/3204—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip
- F16J15/3232—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip having two or more lips
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J15/00—Sealings
- F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
- F16J15/32—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings
- F16J15/3204—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip
- F16J15/3232—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip having two or more lips
- F16J15/3236—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings with at least one lip having two or more lips with at least one lip for each surface, e.g. U-cup packings
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C19/00—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement
- F16C19/22—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing rollers essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows, e.g. needle bearings
- F16C19/24—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing rollers essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows, e.g. needle bearings for radial load mainly
- F16C19/26—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing rollers essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows, e.g. needle bearings for radial load mainly with a single row of rollers
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C2226/00—Joining parts; Fastening; Assembling or mounting parts
- F16C2226/50—Positive connections
- F16C2226/70—Positive connections with complementary interlocking parts
- F16C2226/74—Positive connections with complementary interlocking parts with snap-fit, e.g. by clips
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C2300/00—Application independent of particular apparatuses
- F16C2300/10—Application independent of particular apparatuses related to size
- F16C2300/14—Large applications, e.g. bearings having an inner diameter exceeding 500 mm
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C2326/00—Articles relating to transporting
- F16C2326/10—Railway vehicles
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F16C2360/00—Engines or pumps
- F16C2360/31—Wind motors
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a seal for a roller bearing. More in particular, the present invention relates to a seal for roller bearings having a wire cage, for example a meandering wire cage.
- roller bearing cages may have various designs and can be made of metal or plastic, for example.
- German patent DE102008014552 B4 (SKF) discloses a wire cage of which the wire sections constitute a first ring, a second ring and pairs of elements extending between these rings.
- United States Patent US1389385 (Robson) discloses a much simpler design involving a single meandering wire which can be said to constitute an interrupted first ring, an interrupted second ring and elements extending between the interrupted rings so as to provide spaces for the rollers.
- the present invention provides a seal for a roller bearing cage, in particular a wire cage, which has a reduced friction. Accordingly, the present invention provides a seal for a roller bearing having an inner race, an outer race, and a cage having at least one wire part extending between the inner race and the outer race in a circumferential direction, characterized by at least female snap fitting for removably mounting the seal on the wire part of the cage.
- female snap fittings typically comprise two substantially flexible elements or tongues extending towards the object to be fitted to, the elements being spaced apart so as to define a space for receiving the object, each element having at least one protrusion facing the opposite element, such that when the object is forced between the elements and past the protrusions, the elements are temporarily pushed apart for passing the object.
- the protrusions are typically rounded or have sloping surfaces in both the insertion direction and the removal direction for letting the object pass. As a result, the object may be inserted and removed. When applied to a bearing seal, the seal may be easily installed but also easily removed for maintenance purposes.
- the snap fitting of WO 87/04502 mentioned above may be characterized as a male snap fitting, which is unsuitable for use with a wire cage.
- each snap fitting of the seal comprises a pair of flexible tongues.
- each snap fitting may also comprise a spacer element arranged between the flexible tongues.
- a spacer element serves to define the position of the object (here: the cage wire) when it is received between the tongues.
- the position of the seal relative to the cage is better defined.
- the design of the seal is made more flexible as the distance between the seal and the cage is primarily defined by the spacer, not by other parts. It will be understood that such a spacer element is not present in male seal snap fittings of the prior art.
- the seal of the present invention may advantageously comprise at least one serrated surface for sealing against an outer surface of the inner race and/or of the outer race.
- a serrated surface may be provided with sealing ribs.
- the sealing ribs do not rest against opposing inner surfaces of the races, as in US6217223 mentioned above, and the slight spacing between the seal and the races is not determined by the resilience of the seal material.
- the spacing element is designed for spacing the seal relative to the inner race and/or outer race such that the at least one serrated surface slidably seals against the respective race. That is, the small gap between the seal and the races is determined by the spacing member, thus allowing a very precise positioning of the seal and an excellent trade-off between sealing and friction.
- the seal is provided with at least two serrated surfaces, more preferably serrated surfaces extending over the entire circumference of the seal. Each serrated surface may comprise one or more sealing ribs, which preferably provide a circumferential seal.
- the seal of the present invention is preferably further provided with at least one circumferential element extending from the body of the seal so as to form a labyrinth seal together with one of the inner race and the outer race.
- the sealing action is further improved without increasing friction. It is preferred that the seal has at least two such circumferential elements for labyrinth sealing against both races.
- the seal of the present invention may be made of a suitable synthetic polymeric material, such as nylon, for example by injection moulding or by additive manufacturing (3D printing).
- the present invention further provides a roller bearing provided with a seal as described above.
- the seal of the present invention is particularly useful for a roller bearing having a wire cage.
- a non-limiting example of a wire cage is a cage comprising a meandering wire constituting an interrupted first ring, an interrupted second ring and connecting sections extending between the interrupted rings, the connecting sections defining spaces for receiving rollers of the roller bearing.
- Such a wire cage may be provided with a plurality of separators for separating the rollers from each other and for separating the connecting sections from the rollers.
- the separators are mounted on the connecting sections, that is, on those parts of the wire cage which extend between the first and the second (interrupted) ring. This avoids mounting the separators on the rings themselves which would require additional space around the rings for fastening means. In addition, by mounting the separators on the connecting sections, any forces exerted by the rollers on the separators are directly transferred to the cage, thus improving its stability.
- the present invention still further provides a wheel provided with a bearing as described above.
- the wheel may be designed for use in a train or a wind turbine, for example.
- Fig. 1 schematically shows, in a cross-sectional view, part of a roller bearing provided with a seal according to the present invention.
- Fig. 2 schematically shows, in a cross-sectional view, a seal according to the present invention in more detail.
- Fig. 3 schematically shows, in perspective, a seal according to the present invention mounted on a wire cage.
- the bearing 1 illustrated in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 comprises an inner race 2, an outer race 3, a (wire) cage 4, rollers 5 and a seal 7. Part of a separator 6 (see also Fig. 3) is also shown.
- the seal 7 is shown to be mounted on the wire cage 4 and to seal against outer surfaces of the races 2 & 3.
- the seal of the present invention is shown in more detail in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2, where the female snap fitting 73 comprises a pair of flexible tongues 72 extending from the seal body, each tongue having a rounded protrusion near one end, the protrusion facing the other tongue.
- the tongues are able to bend when an object, such as the cage wire (4 in Fig. 1), passes between them.
- the rounded shape of the protrusions allows the object to be removed when desired.
- the distance of the cage wire (4 in Fig. 1) from the body of the seal is defined by a spacer 71 which is located between the flexible tongues 72 and also extends from the seal body.
- a spacer 71 By providing a spacer 71, a very precise position of the seal relative to the wire cage may be achieved.
- the spacer 71 further allows the tongues 72 to be longer and therefore more flexible.
- the sealing is achieved by both a labyrinth seal, provided by circumferential elements 74 extending from the seal body, and by serrated surfaces 75.
- the elements 74 form a labyrinth seal together with inner surfaces of the inner race 2 and the outer race 3, while the serrated surfaces 75 slidably seal against outer surfaces of the inner race 2 and the outer race 3, as illustrated in Fig. 1.
- the serrated surfaces 75 comprise a number of circumferential serrations or sealing ribs, for example three, which may point slightly outwards.
- the seal may be provided with a groove 77 which locally provides a reduced thickness and therefore an increased flexibility, thus reducing friction
- the longitudinal or circumferential direction of the seal substantially coincides with the longitudinal direction of the wire cage element on which the seal is mounted. That is, in Figs. 1 and 2 both the seal 7 and the cage wire 4 extend perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing.
- the tongues 72 may be constituted by continuous circumferential protrusions, in which case the seal has a single snap fitting, or may form pairs of tongues which are circumferentially spaced apart, in which case the seal can have multiple snap fittings.
- the cage 4 is shown to be constituted by a meandering wire and provided with separators 6.
- the meandering wire is shown to constitute an interrupted first ring 41, an interrupted second ring 42 and connecting sections 43 extending between the two interrupted rings.
- the interrupted or partial rings 41 and 42 lie are parallel to each other, while the connecting sections 43 extend substantially perpendicularly relative to the planes of the rings.
- the meandering shape of the wire provides spaces for accommodating the rollers (not shown in Fig. 3). As can be seen in Fig. 3, any rollers are separated by the separators 6 which also space the meandering wire apart from the rollers.
- the seal of the present invention is preferably made of a synthetic polymeric material, such as nylon or UHMWPE, but may also be made of other materials. It may be made by injection molding or by additive manufacturing.
- the present invention is based upon the insight that the properties of a wire cage, such as a wire cage comprising a meandering wire, may advantageously be used to mount a seal on the wire.
- the present invention benefits from the further insight that the fittings used to mount a seal on a wire cage should preferably be releasable.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Rolling Contact Bearings (AREA)
Abstract
A seal (7) is provided for a roller bearing (1) having an inner race (2), an outer race (3), and a cage (4). The cage has at least one wire part which extends between the inner race (2) and the outer race (3) in a circumferential direction. The seal is provided with at least one female snap fitting for removably mounting the seal on the wire part of the cage (4). The seal may further comprise at least one serrated surface for sealing against the inner race (2) and/or the outer race (3), and at least one circumferential element extending from the body of the seal so as to form a labyrinth seal together with one of the inner race (2) and the outer race (3).
Description
Seal for a roller bearing having a wire cage
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seal for a roller bearing. More in particular, the present invention relates to a seal for roller bearings having a wire cage, for example a meandering wire cage.
Background of the Invention
It is well known to use a cage in roller bearings to retain the rollers during assembly and disassembly of the bearing, and to space the rollers apart during use of the bearing. Roller bearing cages may have various designs and can be made of metal or plastic, for example. German patent DE102008014552 B4 (SKF), for example, discloses a wire cage of which the wire sections constitute a first ring, a second ring and pairs of elements extending between these rings. United States Patent US1389385 (Robson) discloses a much simpler design involving a single meandering wire which can be said to constitute an interrupted first ring, an interrupted second ring and elements extending between the interrupted rings so as to provide spaces for the rollers.
An important advantage of a wire cage is that it can be manufactured relatively
inexpensively, especially the relatively simple meandering design. However, it has been found that conventional bearing seals are not suitable for mounting on a wire cage.
United States Patent US6217223 (SKF) discloses a cage-guided seal with an annular support body formed from sheet metal. Several tongues distributed along the circumference of the support body are punched out or cut out to form retention sections which can bend around the side ring of the cage. . The retention sections are provided with hooks which prevent an easy release. In addition, this type of seal requires a sheet metal base and therefore consists of at least two parts.
International patent application WO 87/04502 (Machinenfabrik Horst Kabus) discloses an injection moulded roller bearing cage having a groove for mounting a seal. To this end, the seal is provided with a circumferential protrusion shaped to fit in the cage groove. Such a seal cannot be mounted on a wire cage as a wire cage has no such groove.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to solve these and other problems of the prior art by providing a seal for a roller bearing cage, in particular a wire cage, which can be removed more easily.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a seal for a roller bearing cage, in particular a wire cage, which has a reduced friction.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a seal for a roller bearing having an inner race, an outer race, and a cage having at least one wire part extending between the inner race and the outer race in a circumferential direction, characterized by at least female snap fitting for removably mounting the seal on the wire part of the cage.
By providing snap fittings, in particular female (that is, receiving) snap fittings, the seal can both be easily mounted on and be easily removed from a wire cage. It will be understood that snap fittings have no hooks as in US6217223 mentioned above. Instead, female snap fittings typically comprise two substantially flexible elements or tongues extending towards the object to be fitted to, the elements being spaced apart so as to define a space for receiving the object, each element having at least one protrusion facing the opposite element, such that when the object is forced between the elements and past the protrusions, the elements are temporarily pushed apart for passing the object. The protrusions are typically rounded or have sloping surfaces in both the insertion direction and the removal direction for letting the object pass. As a result, the object may be inserted and removed. When applied to a bearing seal, the seal may be easily installed but also easily removed for maintenance purposes.
It is noted that the snap fitting of WO 87/04502 mentioned above may be characterized as a male snap fitting, which is unsuitable for use with a wire cage.
Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, each snap fitting of the seal comprises a pair of flexible tongues. Advantageously, each snap fitting may also comprise a spacer element arranged between the flexible tongues. Such a spacer element serves to define the position of the object (here: the cage wire) when it is received between the tongues. Using such a spacer element, the position of the seal relative to the cage is better defined. In addition, the design of the seal is made more flexible as the distance between the seal and the cage is primarily defined by the spacer, not by other parts. It will be understood that such a spacer element is not present in male seal snap fittings of the prior art.
The seal of the present invention may advantageously comprise at least one serrated surface for sealing against an outer surface of the inner race and/or of the outer race. A serrated surface may be provided with sealing ribs. In such an embodiment, the sealing ribs do not rest against opposing inner surfaces of the races, as in US6217223 mentioned above, and the slight spacing between the seal and the races is not determined by the resilience of the seal material. Instead, it is preferred that the spacing element is designed for spacing the seal relative to the inner race and/or outer race such that the at least one serrated surface slidably seals against the respective race. That is, the small gap between the seal and the races is determined by the spacing member, thus allowing a very precise positioning of the seal and an excellent trade-off between sealing and friction. Preferably, the seal is provided with at least two serrated surfaces, more preferably serrated surfaces extending over the
entire circumference of the seal. Each serrated surface may comprise one or more sealing ribs, which preferably provide a circumferential seal.
In addition to the serrated surfaces, the seal of the present invention is preferably further provided with at least one circumferential element extending from the body of the seal so as to form a labyrinth seal together with one of the inner race and the outer race. By providing a labyrinth seal in addition to the sealing of the serrated surfaces, the sealing action is further improved without increasing friction. It is preferred that the seal has at least two such circumferential elements for labyrinth sealing against both races.
The seal of the present invention may be made of a suitable synthetic polymeric material, such as nylon, for example by injection moulding or by additive manufacturing (3D printing).
The present invention further provides a roller bearing provided with a seal as described above. The seal of the present invention is particularly useful for a roller bearing having a wire cage. A non-limiting example of a wire cage is a cage comprising a meandering wire constituting an interrupted first ring, an interrupted second ring and connecting sections extending between the interrupted rings, the connecting sections defining spaces for receiving rollers of the roller bearing. Such a wire cage may be provided with a plurality of separators for separating the rollers from each other and for separating the connecting sections from the rollers.
In a bearing having such a wire cage, it is preferred that the separators are mounted on the connecting sections, that is, on those parts of the wire cage which extend between the first and the second (interrupted) ring. This avoids mounting the separators on the rings themselves which would require additional space around the rings for fastening means. In addition, by mounting the separators on the connecting sections, any forces exerted by the rollers on the separators are directly transferred to the cage, thus improving its stability.
The present invention still further provides a wheel provided with a bearing as described above. The wheel may be designed for use in a train or a wind turbine, for example.
Brief description of the drawings
The present invention will further be explained with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 schematically shows, in a cross-sectional view, part of a roller bearing provided with a seal according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 schematically shows, in a cross-sectional view, a seal according to the present invention in more detail.
Fig. 3 schematically shows, in perspective, a seal according to the present invention mounted on a wire cage.
Detailed description of embodiments
The bearing 1 illustrated in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 comprises an inner race 2, an outer race 3, a (wire) cage 4, rollers 5 and a seal 7. Part of a separator 6 (see also Fig. 3) is also shown. The seal 7 is shown to be mounted on the wire cage 4 and to seal against outer surfaces of the races 2 & 3.
The seal of the present invention is shown in more detail in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2, where the female snap fitting 73 comprises a pair of flexible tongues 72 extending from the seal body, each tongue having a rounded protrusion near one end, the protrusion facing the other tongue. The tongues are able to bend when an object, such as the cage wire (4 in Fig. 1), passes between them. The rounded shape of the protrusions allows the object to be removed when desired.
The distance of the cage wire (4 in Fig. 1) from the body of the seal is defined by a spacer 71 which is located between the flexible tongues 72 and also extends from the seal body. By providing a spacer 71, a very precise position of the seal relative to the wire cage may be achieved. The spacer 71 further allows the tongues 72 to be longer and therefore more flexible.
The sealing is achieved by both a labyrinth seal, provided by circumferential elements 74 extending from the seal body, and by serrated surfaces 75. The elements 74 form a labyrinth seal together with inner surfaces of the inner race 2 and the outer race 3, while the serrated surfaces 75 slidably seal against outer surfaces of the inner race 2 and the outer race 3, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The serrated surfaces 75 comprise a number of circumferential serrations or sealing ribs, for example three, which may point slightly outwards. To provide resilient pressure against the outer surfaces of the races, the seal may be provided with a groove 77 which locally provides a reduced thickness and therefore an increased flexibility, thus reducing friction
It is noted that in the seal of the present invention, the longitudinal or circumferential direction of the seal substantially coincides with the longitudinal direction of the wire cage element on which the seal is mounted. That is, in Figs. 1 and 2 both the seal 7 and the cage wire 4 extend perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing. The tongues 72 may be constituted by continuous circumferential protrusions, in which case the seal has a single snap fitting, or may form pairs of tongues which are circumferentially spaced apart, in which case the seal can have multiple snap fittings.
In the partial perspective view of Fig. 3, the cage 4 is shown to be constituted by a meandering wire and provided with separators 6. The meandering wire is shown to constitute an interrupted first ring 41, an interrupted second ring 42 and connecting sections 43 extending between the two interrupted rings. The interrupted or partial rings 41 and 42 lie are parallel to each other, while the connecting sections 43 extend substantially perpendicularly relative to the planes of
the rings. The meandering shape of the wire provides spaces for accommodating the rollers (not shown in Fig. 3). As can be seen in Fig. 3, any rollers are separated by the separators 6 which also space the meandering wire apart from the rollers.
The seal of the present invention is preferably made of a synthetic polymeric material, such as nylon or UHMWPE, but may also be made of other materials. It may be made by injection molding or by additive manufacturing.
The present invention is based upon the insight that the properties of a wire cage, such as a wire cage comprising a meandering wire, may advantageously be used to mount a seal on the wire. The present invention benefits from the further insight that the fittings used to mount a seal on a wire cage should preferably be releasable.
It will be understood that the description of the invention given above is not intended to limit the invention in any way. Singular nouns and the articles "a" and "an" are of course not meant to exclude the possibility of plurals.
It will further be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments mentioned above and that many additions and modifications are possible without departing for the scope of the invention as defined in the appending claims.
Claims
A seal (7) for a roller bearing (1) having an inner race (2), an outer race (3), and a cage (4) having at least one wire part (41) extending between the inner race (2) and the outer race (3) in a circumferential direction, characterized by at least one female snap fitting (73) for removably mounting the seal on the wire part (41) of the cage (4).
The seal according to claim 1, wherein each snap fitting (73) comprises a pair of flexible tongues (72).
The seal according to claim 2, wherein each snap fitting (73) further comprises a spacer element (71) arranged between the flexible tongues (72).
The seal according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one serrated surface (75) for sealing against an outer surface of the inner race (2) and/or of the outer race (3).
The seal according to claim 3 and 4, wherein the spacing element (71) is designed for spacing the seal relative to the inner race (2) and/or outer race (3) such that the at least one serrated surface (75) slidably seals against the respective race.
The seal according to claim 4 or 5, provided with at least two serrated surfaces (75) for sealing against each race (2, 3).
The seal according to any of the preceding claims, further provided with at least one circumferential element (74) extending from the body of the seal so as to form a labyrinth seal together with one of the inner race (2) and the outer race (3).
The seal according to claim 7, comprising at least two circumferential elements (74) for sealing against both races (2, 3).
9. The seal according to any of the preceding claims which is made of a synthetic polymeric material, such as nylon.
10. The seal according to any of the preceding claims which is made by additive manufacturing.
11. A roller bearing (1) provided with a seal (7) according to any of the preceding claims.
12. The roller bearing according to claim 11, wherein the cage (4) comprises a meandering wire constituting an interrupted first ring (41), an interrupted second ring (42) and connecting sections (43) extending between the interrupted rings, the connecting sections (43) defining spaces for receiving rollers (5) of the roller bearing.
13. The roller bearing according to claim 12, further comprising at least one separator (6) for separating the rollers (5) of the bearing, the at least one separator being mounted on a connecting section (43). 14. The roller bearing according to claim 13, wherein the at least one separator (6) is moveably mounted on the connecting section (43).
15. A wheel provided with a roller bearing according to any of claims 11-14.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB1422293.9 | 2014-12-15 | ||
GB1422293.9A GB2533555A (en) | 2014-12-15 | 2014-12-15 | Seal for a roller bearing having a wire cage |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2016096428A1 true WO2016096428A1 (en) | 2016-06-23 |
Family
ID=54754673
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2015/078324 WO2016096428A1 (en) | 2014-12-15 | 2015-12-02 | Seal for a roller bearing having a wire cage |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2533555A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2016096428A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10001172B2 (en) * | 2015-10-16 | 2018-06-19 | Aktiebolaget Skf | Bearing having a cage provided with a wire and a seal |
US10087991B2 (en) * | 2015-09-30 | 2018-10-02 | Aktiebolaget | Ball bearing comprising a cage provided with a wire and a seal |
CN113446319A (en) * | 2021-06-23 | 2021-09-28 | 人本股份有限公司 | Bearing seal assembly method and structure based on photosensitivity |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2383233A (en) * | 1944-10-11 | 1945-08-21 | Timken Roller Bearing Co | Cage for roller bearings |
DE2753340A1 (en) * | 1977-11-30 | 1979-05-31 | Daimler Benz Ag | Ball or roller bearing - has seal and cage formed as separate components which may be clipped together |
AT382217B (en) * | 1982-12-16 | 1987-01-26 | Steyr Daimler Puch Ag | ROLLER BEARING |
WO1987004502A1 (en) * | 1986-01-17 | 1987-07-30 | Maschinenfabrik Horst Kabus Gmbh | Injection-moulded cage for roller bearings |
US6217223B1 (en) * | 1998-03-27 | 2001-04-17 | Skf Gmbh | Cage-mounted seal used in rolling bearings |
DE102006036006A1 (en) * | 2006-08-02 | 2008-02-07 | Schaeffler Kg | Sealed rolling bearing |
EP2172665A1 (en) * | 2008-07-17 | 2010-04-07 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | Bearing structure and wind power generator |
EP2669540A1 (en) * | 2012-05-28 | 2013-12-04 | Jtekt Corporation | Rolling bearing cage consisting of a plurality of parts and rolling bearing with such a cage |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102008014552B4 (en) * | 2007-03-23 | 2011-02-03 | Ab Skf | Wire cage for roller bearings |
-
2014
- 2014-12-15 GB GB1422293.9A patent/GB2533555A/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2015
- 2015-12-02 WO PCT/EP2015/078324 patent/WO2016096428A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2383233A (en) * | 1944-10-11 | 1945-08-21 | Timken Roller Bearing Co | Cage for roller bearings |
DE2753340A1 (en) * | 1977-11-30 | 1979-05-31 | Daimler Benz Ag | Ball or roller bearing - has seal and cage formed as separate components which may be clipped together |
AT382217B (en) * | 1982-12-16 | 1987-01-26 | Steyr Daimler Puch Ag | ROLLER BEARING |
WO1987004502A1 (en) * | 1986-01-17 | 1987-07-30 | Maschinenfabrik Horst Kabus Gmbh | Injection-moulded cage for roller bearings |
US6217223B1 (en) * | 1998-03-27 | 2001-04-17 | Skf Gmbh | Cage-mounted seal used in rolling bearings |
DE102006036006A1 (en) * | 2006-08-02 | 2008-02-07 | Schaeffler Kg | Sealed rolling bearing |
EP2172665A1 (en) * | 2008-07-17 | 2010-04-07 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | Bearing structure and wind power generator |
EP2669540A1 (en) * | 2012-05-28 | 2013-12-04 | Jtekt Corporation | Rolling bearing cage consisting of a plurality of parts and rolling bearing with such a cage |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10087991B2 (en) * | 2015-09-30 | 2018-10-02 | Aktiebolaget | Ball bearing comprising a cage provided with a wire and a seal |
US10001172B2 (en) * | 2015-10-16 | 2018-06-19 | Aktiebolaget Skf | Bearing having a cage provided with a wire and a seal |
CN113446319A (en) * | 2021-06-23 | 2021-09-28 | 人本股份有限公司 | Bearing seal assembly method and structure based on photosensitivity |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2533555A (en) | 2016-06-29 |
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