BEARING

Abstract: A needle roller bearing is arranged with a reduced frinction between a retainer and the remainder of the bearing construction. The retainer (A) is formed of a ring-shaped connecting member and a plurality of roller suppoters (2) which are formed integrally with the connecting member (1) therewithin at longitudinally middle points thereof. The roller supporters (2) are disposed with equal distances therebetween to provide spaces (R) for rotatably supporting needle rollers (B). The retainer (A) is supported at the ring-shaped connecting member (1) by an annular groove (5) formed in the outer race (C)

Description: The present invention relates to a bearing according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a bearing is known from the teachings of the US-A-2,365,154. The bearing disclosed there comprises two retainers, and therefore, the forces applied to an exerted by these two retainers with respect to the rollers and the shaft will be different from each other, resulting in undue running and possible jamming of the bearing. Further, employment of two or more retainers involves a difficult and troublesome task, i.e., the notches must ber so provided in the retainers that the notches in one retainer will be in exact alignment with those in the other so as to adequately hold the rollers therein. In addition, the retainers themselves must be provided in exact alignment with each other to adequately hold the rollers. The further prior art is shown in Fig. 4, where needle rollers b are rotatably held within a generally annular retainer a having a side wall a1 , the rollers b being disposed circumferentially with proper distances therebetween and protruding in radial direction outwardly from the outer circumferential surface and inwardly from the inner circumferential surface of the retainer a . The assembly of the rollers b and the retainer a is combined with an outer race c and an inner race d so that the surfaces of the rollers are rotatably in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outer race c and the outer circumferential surface of the inner race d . With the prior art bearing above-mentioned, since the retainer is provided with the side wall a1, the outer race c which supports the retainer a therein tends to be large in size. Also, the side wall a1 tends to impose a frictional drag on the inner surface of the outer race. Further, even if the inner race d is eliminated, the needle rollers b cannot directly contact a shaft. The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems and is to provide a compact bearing of this type by carefully arranging the structure of the retainer. For achieving the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention employs a bearing as characterized in claim 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of a retainer; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a prior art bearing. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a bearing according to the present invention comprises an outer race C, a retainer A which is rotatably supported within the outer race C, and a plurality of needle rollers B rotatably supported by the retainer A . The retainer A includes a ring-shaped connecting member 1 and a plurality of elongate rollers supporters 2. The elongate roller supporters 2 are connected integrally with the ring-shaped connecting member 1 therewithin. The roller supporters 2 are connected to the ring-shaped connecting member 1 substantially at longitudinally middle points thereof. The roller supporters 2 are extending in parallel to an axis of the ring-shaped connecting member 1 with equal distances therebetween to provide spaces R for rotatably supporting needle rollers B therein. The rolling surfaces of the needle rollers B are protruding somewhat from the spaces R inwardly and outwardly in radial direction of the ring-shaped connecting member 1. This assembly of the needle rollers B and the retainer A is combined with the outer race C and an inner race D so that the protruded rolling surfaces of the rollers B are rotatably in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the outer race C and the outer circumferential surface of the inner race D. The retainer A shown in Fig. 2 is formed of synthetic resin. The spaces R are defined by arcuate opposite surfaces 2a and 2a of adjacent roller supporters 2 for supporting the needle rollers B rotatably. The outer race C is formed by fitting a small-diameter race 4 into a large-diameter race 3 having a generally L-shaped cross section, side walls 3a and 4a of these races forming an annular groove 5 for supporting the retainer A while also forming a narrow annular groove 6 by circumferential walls 3b and 4b for supporting the ring-shaped connecting member 1 of the retainer A . It should be noted that the longitudinal dimension of the roller supporters are shorter than that of of the needle rollers so that the roller supporters 2 do not touch the circumferential walls 3b and 4b. On the outer circumference of the inner race D formed is an annular protrusion 7 which is in loose insertion engagement with the aforementioned annular groove 5 to contact with the rolling surfaces of the needle rollers B. Additionally, the numeral 8 denotes an injection path of grease leading to the annular groove 6. Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. In Fig. 3, short side walls 3a′ and 4a′ are formed in an outer race C′, and the rolling surfaces of the needle rollers B supported by the retainer A are protruding inwardly from an annular groove 5′. Thus the needle rollers B rotate while they are in direct contact with a shaft 9 inserted into the retainer A. As described above, with a bearing according to the present invention, a retainer includes a ring-shaped connecting member and a plurality of elongate roller supporters connected to the connecting member therewithin at longitudinally middle points thereof and needle rollers are supported in spaces between roller supporters; therefore bearings can be arranged in a compact size, and the annular groove in which the ring-shaped connecting member is supported can be effectively utilised as a grease basin.

Claims: A bearing comprising an outer race (C) through which a shaft (9) extends, a retainer (A) which is rotatably supported within said outer race (C), and a plurality of needle rollers (B) rotatably supported by said retainer (A), said retainer (A) having a ring-shaped connecting member (1) and a plurality of roller supporters (2) integrally connected to said connecting member (1) on a radially inner side thereof and disposed with equal distances therebetween to define spaces (R) for supporting said plurality of needle rollers (B) therewithin, said ring-shaped connecting member (1) being coaxially rotatably supported in said outer race (C), CHARACTERIZED IN THAT a single ring-shaped connecting member is provided only, and said plurality of roller supporters (2) are elongated members extending sideways beyond said ring-shaped connecting member (1) in parallel to an axis of said ring-shaped connecting member (1) and being connected to said ring-shaped connecting member (1) at longitudinally middle points of said elongate roller supporters. A bearing according to Claim 1, wherein rolling surfaces of said needle rollers (B) are in direct contact with said shaft (9). A bearing according to Claim 1, wherein said bearing further includes an inner race (D) provided between said shaft (9) and said rollers (B).

Inventors: TANAKA, KOICHI
Applicants: CHUBU BEARING KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F16C33
IPC codes: F16C33