Abstract:
A method to produce a cage for a rolling bearing, wherein the method comprises steps of: providing an elongated metal profile comprising a first and second distant ends, wherein the metal profile is essentially ring-shaped, subsequently joining the first and second ends of the metal profile to thereby form a closed ring, forming in the closed ring a plurality of openings on at least one axial side face of the ring, wherein the openings are meant to receive at least one rolling element of the rolling bearing, and wherein the forming of the openings is made by drilling from the axial side face of the ring. Furthermore, the invention regards a cage and a rolling bearing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This is a National Stage application claiming the benefit of International Application Number PCT/SE2013/000018 filed on 6 Feb. 2013 (Feb. 6, 2013), which claims the benefit of Sweden Patent Application 1200092-3 filed on 14 Feb. 2012 (Feb. 14, 2012), both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    Embodiments herein relate generally to a bearing component, a method of manufacturing the bearing component, and a bearing comprising the bearing component. More particularly the embodiments herein relate to a flange connected to a cage cup. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A bearing may be defined as a device to allow constrained relative motion between two or more parts, typically a rotation or a linear movement. There are several types of bearings, such as e.g. a roller bearing and a ball bearing. A bearing comprises different components, such as an inner ring and an outer ring, rolling elements and a cage for retaining the rolling elements. The inner and outer rings comprise raceways on which the rolling elements roll. The rolling element may be for example a ball, a cylindrical roller, a needle roller, a tapered roller, a spherical roller, a toroidal roller etc. The rolling elements are located in the cage. The cage keeps the rolling elements at an appropriate distance from each other, it keeps the rolling elements evenly distributed around the circumference, it guides the rolling elements in the unloaded zone and it retains the rolling elements. 
         [0004]    Cages may have different design and are made of different materials depending on the purpose of the bearing. A cage may be made from an element such as a metal strip and formed as a ring. The cage may be provided with a plurality of pockets evenly distributed around the circumference of the ring for receiving the rolling elements. One peripheral side edge of the ring may be bent outwardly or inwardly so as to define a lip or a flange. Bending of the ring requires use of complicated and expensive drawing tools. The size of the metal strip requires a substantially large amount of material, since the metal strip needs to be big enough so that the peripheral edge can be bent. When bending the metal strip, there is a risk of applying a too large force so that the metal strip breaks. Another way of manufacturing a bearing cage is to draw and drill a cage out from a massive piece of material, which leads to large amounts of scrap, i.e. not very cost effective. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    An object of embodiments herein is therefore to obviate at least one of the above disadvantages and to provide an improved bearing component. 
         [0006]    According to a first aspect, the object is achieved by a bearing component comprising a first cage cup formed from at least one first element configured to receive rolling elements. The bearing component further comprises a first flange which is formed from at least one second element and connected to a periphery of the first cage cup. 
         [0007]    According to a second aspect, the object is achieved by a bearing comprising the bearing component. 
         [0008]    According to a third aspect, the object is achieved by a method for manufacturing a bearing component. A first cage cup is formed from at least one first element configured to receive rolling elements. A first flange is formed from at least one second element. Then, the first flange is connected to a periphery of the first cage cup. 
         [0009]    Since the first flange is a separate component connected to the first cage cup, an improved bearing component is provided. 
         [0010]    Embodiments herein afford many advantages, of which a non-exhaustive list of examples follows: 
         [0011]    Since the bearing component is comprised of two parts, the first cage cup and the first flange which are connected together, the embodiments herein provides an advantage when it comes to manufacturing. Connecting the two parts together can be done without any need of expensive tools. Thus, lowering the manufacturing costs. Since no expensive tools are necessary for manufacturing the bearing component, another advantage is that more tailored bearing components can be made without a high cost. 
         [0012]    Another advantage is that the bearing component requires less material compared to known bearing components. 
         [0013]    A further advantage is that by connecting the first flange to the first cage cup the bearing component has a very good stiffness, which makes the bearing component stable and robust. 
         [0014]    Furthermore, since the first flange is a separate component connected to the first cage cup it provides an advantage of freedom in the design of the bearing component. For example, the first flange may have a different thickness than the first cage cup, it can be made of a different material than the first cage cup, it can have a different surface than the first cage cup etc. 
         [0015]    The embodiments herein are not limited to the features and advantages mentioned above. A person skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The embodiments herein will now be further described in more detail in the following detailed description by reference to the appended drawings illustrating the embodiments and in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1   a - b  are schematic drawings illustrating an embodiment of the cage cup, the flange and the bearing component. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2   a - c  are schematic drawings illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component comprising two flanges. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component comprising a guide ring. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component comprising a laminated cage cup. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component comprising two spaced apart cage cups. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10   a - b  are schematic drawings illustrating an embodiment of the bearing component comprising two cage cups. 
           [0027]      FIG. 11   a - d  are schematic drawings illustrating embodiments of the bearing component. 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart illustrating embodiments of a method for manufacturing the bearing component. 
       
    
    
       [0029]    The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the dimensions of certain features may have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity. Emphasis is instead placed upon illustrating the principle of the embodiments herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    The embodiments herein relates to a bearing component comprising a flange connected to a cage cup. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates an embodiment of the bearing component  100 . The bearing component  100  comprises a first cage cup  101 . The first cage cup  101  is made of at least one first element. The first element may be in the form of a strip or a string, and it may be formed as e.g. a ring by connecting the ends of the strip together using any suitable connecting means. The first element may be made of a polymer or a metal such as for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. The first cage cup  101  may have for example a tapered form or a cylindrical form. A tapered form is used in the following as an example and the first cage cup  101  is referred to as having a tapered surface. The periphery of the first cage cup  101  has a first side edge  101   a  and a second side edge  101   b.  When using the tapered example, the first side edge  101   a  has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the second edge  101   b.    
         [0032]    The first cage cup  101  may comprise a plurality of spaced apart pockets  105  which are configured to receive rolling elements (not shown). The pockets  105  may be evenly or unevenly distributed around the circumference of the first cage cup  101 . The pockets  105  may be premade, or made in a later state. The size of the pockets  105  are depending on the size of the rolling elements. The rolling elements may be for example a ball, a cylindrical roller, a needle roller, a tapered roller, a spherical roller, a toroidal roller etc. 
         [0033]    The bearing component  100  further comprises a first flange  107 . The first flange  107  is formed from at least a second element. In one embodiment, the first flange  107  is made from one continuous second element. In another embodiment, the first flange  107  is made from a plurality of elements. The second element may be in the form of a strip or a string, and it may be formed as a ring or a circular disk. The circular disc may be flat. The flat circular disc is used as an example in the following. The second element may be made of a polymer or a metal such as for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. The flat circular disk has a third side edge  107   a  and a fourth side edge  107   b.  The diameter of the third side edge  107   a  is smaller than the diameter of the fourth side edge  107   b.    
         [0034]    The first flange  107  is connected to periphery of the first cage cup  101 , as seen to the right in  FIG. 1 . When using the tapered example, the first flange  107  is connected at its fourth side edge  107   b  to the first side edge  101   a  at the periphery of the first cage cup  101 . Thus, the diameter of the fourth side edge  107   b  corresponds to the diameter of the first side edge  101   a.    
         [0035]    The first flange  107  is connected to the periphery of the first cage cup  101  using different types of suitable connecting techniques. In one embodiment, the first flange  107  is welded to the first cage cup  101 . The welding may be continuous  108 , as illustrated with the thick line in the bearing component  100  in  FIG. 1 , or the welding may be dot welding  109 , illustrated with small circles in the bearing component  100  in  FIG. 1 . In another embodiment, the first flange  107  is screwed to the first cage cup  101 . The first flange  107  may also be glued to the first cage cup  101 . In some embodiments, the first flange  107  may be connected to the first cage cup  101  using clips such as snap fit clips. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 1   b,  below the dotted horizontal line, profiles of the first cage cup  101 , the first flange  107  and the bearing component  100  are exemplified. The left most profile represents the profile of the first cage cup  101  and is exemplified with an inclined profile. The middle profile represents the profile of the first flange  107  and is exemplified with a vertical profile. The right profile represents the profile of the bearing component  100 , i.e. when the first flange  107  is connected to the first cage cup  101 . As seen from the right profile, there is an angle A between the plane of the first flange  107  and the first cage cup  101 , i.e. the tapered surface. The angle A may be of different values. Some examples of the angle A are illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a - c . In  FIG. 2   a , the angle A between the first flange  107  and the first cage cup  101  is approximately 90 Ë. In  FIG. 2   b , the angle A between the first flange  107  and the first cage cup  101  is approximately 60 Ë. In  FIG. 2   c , the angle A between the first flange  107  and the first cage cup  101  is approximately 30 Ë. In some embodiments, the first cage cup  101  has the same thickness as the first flange  107 , as exemplified in  FIG. 2   a . In some embodiments, the first cage cup  101  has a different thickness than the first flange  107 , as exemplified in  FIG. 2   b . For example, the first cage cup  101  may be thicker than the first flange  107  if the cage cup  101  needs to be stronger than the first flange  107 . It gives a freedom when it comes to the design depending on which bearing the bearing component  100  is to be comprised in. Furthermore, different applications of the bearing may also influence the design of the bearing component  100 , e.g. different load conditions, temperature, rotational velocity etc. 
         [0037]    The first flange  107  and the first cage cup  101  may be made of the same material , or they may be made of different materials. Examples of materials are a polymer or a metal, for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. 
         [0038]    The diameter of the first cage cup  101  may be within a range from a few centimetres up to several meters. For example, the diameter of the first cage cup  101  may be equal to greater than 0.5 m. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross section of an example bearing  300 . The bearing  300  may be for example a ball bearing or a rolling bearing, a spherical roller bearing, a tapered roller bearing or a cylindrical roller bearing. The bearing  300  comprises an inner ring  301  and an outer ring  303 . The bearing  300  comprises rolling elements  305  positioned between the inner ring  301  and the outer ring  303 . The first cage cup  101  is positioned so that the rolling elements  305  can be located in the pockets  105  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ). The first flange  107  is connected to the periphery of the first cage cup  101 . As seen from  FIG. 3 , the first flange  107  may prevent the rolling elements  305  from falling out of the bearing  300 . The first flange  107  may also function as a guidance of the cage  100  to the inner ring  301 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the bearing component  100  where the first flange  107  comprises a plurality of windows  401 . The windows  401  may be distributed evenly around the first flange  107  and they may be of any suitable size. When the first flange  107  comprises windows  401 , less material is necessary to manufacture the first flange  107  and the whole bearing component  100  thereby has a low weight. In some embodiments, the windows  401  may have a size so that they are configured to receive rolling elements  305 . In that case, the first flange  107  may be seen as a second cage cup. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the bearing component  100 . In this embodiment, the third side edge  107   a  is toothed. The toothed third side edge  107   a  requires a smaller amount of material in the manufacturing of the first flange  107 , and the whole bearing component  100  thereby has a lower weight compared to a continuous first flange  107 . In some embodiments, each tooth is comprised of one element, and in another embodiment, the first flange  107  is made from only one element, e.g. a metal strip, where the teeth are for example cut out by using a laser. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the bearing component  100 . The bearing component  100  is seen when it is located in the bearing  100 . Only the inner ring  301  and the outer ring  303  are shown for the sake of simplicity. The bearing component  100  in this embodiment comprises the first flange  107  and a second flange  110 . The second flange  110  is formed from at least one third element. In some embodiments, the second flange  110  is formed from a plurality of third elements, i.e. the second flange  110  comprises several segments connected together. The third element may be in the form of a strip or a string. The third element may be made of a polymer or a metal such as for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. The second flange  110  is connected to the periphery of the first cage cup  101 , i.e. to the first side edge  101   a.  The first flange  107  and the second flange  110  are connected together at the first side edge at the periphery of the first cage cup  101  so as to extend in different directions. The angle B between the first flange  107  and the second flange  110  may have any suitable value. When the bearing component  100  comprises two flanges, the first flange  107  and the second flange  110 , the bearing component  100  has a sealing function. 
         [0043]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of the bearing component  100  comprising a guide ring  113 . The guide ring  113  is formed from at least one fourth element. The third element may be in the form of a strip or a string. The third element may be made of a polymer or a metal such as for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. The guide ring  113  is connected to the periphery of the first cage cup  101 , i.e. at the second side edge  101   b.  The first side edge  101   a  is located on one side and the second side edge  101   b  is located on the opposite side of the first cage cup  101 . The guide ring may have any suitable length and thickness, and may be made of for example stainless steel. The task of the guide ring  113  is to guide the rolling elements  305  in the bearing  300 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of the bearing component  100  where the first cage cup  101  is a laminated cage cup comprised of two thin elements laminated together. By laminating two thin elements, a thicker and stronger first cage cup  101  is obtained. Even though  FIG. 8  shows two elements laminated together, the first cage cup  101  may comprise more than two elements laminated together, e.g. three, four or five elements laminated together. The number of elements laminated together depends on the function of the bearing component  100 . The elements may be in the form of a strip or a string, formed as a ring. 
         [0045]    The elements may be made of a polymer or a metal such as for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. 
         [0046]      FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of the bearing component  100  wherein the first cage cup  101  is formed from at least two first elements. The at least two first elements are spaced apart with an air gap  114  between them. The at least two first elements are connected at a first end thereof and connected together at a second end thereof. The air gap  114  may function as a lubricant reservoir. 
         [0047]      FIG. 10   a  illustrates an embodiment of the bearing component  100  comprising the first cage cup  101  and a second cage cup  115 . The second cage cup  115  is formed from at least one fifth element and configured to receive the rolling elements  305 . The fifth element may be in the form of a strip or a string, and it may be formed as a ring. The fifth element may be made of a polymer or a metal such as for example stainless steel, copper, brass or iron. The second cage cup  115  is connected to the first cage cup  101  with an angle C between them. The first cage cup  101  may be connected to the second cage cup  115  by means of for example a welding spot, a screw, a pin or a clip. The first flange  107  may be connected to the first cage cup  101  and the second flange  110  may be connected to the second cage cup  115 . Thus, the second flange  110  may have different possible locations. In one embodiment, the second flange  110  is connected to the first cage cup  101 , as exemplified in  FIG. 6 . In another embodiment, the second flange  110  is connected to the second cage cup  115 , as exemplified in  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 10   b  illustrates the first cage cup  101  connected to the second cage cup  115  seen from above. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 11   a - d  illustrates four different examples of how the bearing component  100  may be in connected with the inner ring  301  or the outer ring  303 . In  FIG. 11   a,  the first flange  107  is in contact with the inner ring  301 , and at a point relatively close to the end of the inner ring  301 . In  FIG. 11   b , the first flange  107  is contact with the inner ring  301  at a point in the middle of the inner ring  301 . In  FIG. 11   c , the first flange  107  is contact with the outer ring  303  at a point relatively close to the end of the outer ring  303 . In  FIG. 11   d , the first flange  107  is contact with the outer ring  303  at a point in the middle of the outer ring  303 . 
         [0049]    The first cage cup  101  and the second cage cup  115  may be a spherical roller bearing cage cup, a tapered roller bearing cage cup or a cylindrical roller bearing cage cup. 
         [0050]    The method for manufacturing the bearing component will now be described with reference to the flow chart in  FIGS. 12 . The method comprises the following steps, which steps may be performed in any suitable order: 
         [0051]    Step  1201   
         [0052]    The first cage cup  101  is formed from at least one first element configured to receive the rolling elements  305 . 
         [0053]    In some embodiments, the first cage cup  101  comprises a plurality of spaced pockets  105  configured to receive rolling elements  305 . In some embodiments, the pockets  105  are milled pockets, punched pockets or drilled pockets. 
         [0054]    In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the first cage cup  101  is equal to or greater than 0.5 m. 
         [0055]    Step  1202   
         [0056]    The first flange  107  is formed from at least one second element. 
         [0057]    Step  1203   
         [0058]    The first flange  107  is connected to the periphery of the first cage cup  101 . 
         [0059]    The first cage cup  101  may comprise a tapered surface and the first flange  107  is disk formed. The first flange  107  is connected to the first cage cup  101  so as to form the angle A between 0 Ë and 360 Ë between the plane of the first flange  107  and the tapered surface. 
         [0060]    The first flange  107  may be connected to the first cage cup  101  by means of at least one of continuous welding, spot welding, screwing, gluing and clipping 
         [0061]    In some embodiments, the first cage cup  101  is formed from at least two first metal strips. The at least two first elements are spaced apart and connected at a first end thereof and connected together at a second end thereof. 
         [0062]    Step  1204   
         [0063]    In some embodiment, the second flange  110  is formed from at least one third element. 
         [0064]    Step  1205   
         [0065]    In some embodiment, the second flange  110  is connected to the periphery of the first cage cup  101 , and the first flange  107  is connected to the second flange  110  at the periphery of the first cage cup  101  so as to extend in different directions. 
         [0066]    Step  1206   
         [0067]    In some embodiments, the guide ring  113  is formed from at least one fourth element. 
         [0068]    Step  1207   
         [0069]    In some embodiments, the guide ring  113  is connected to one side edge, i.e. the second side edge  101   b,  of the periphery of the first cage cup  101 . The first flange  107  is connected to the opposite side edge, i.e. the first side edge  101   a.    
         [0070]    Step  1208   
         [0071]    In some embodiments, the second cage cup  115  is formed from at least one fifth element configured to receive the rolling elements  305 . The first flange  107  is connected between the first cage cup  101  and the second cage cup  115 . 
         [0072]    In some embodiments, the second cage cup  115  comprises a plurality of spaced pockets  105  configured to receive the rolling elements. 
         [0073]    In some embodiments, the first element, the second element, the third element, the fourth element and the fifth element have the same or different thickness. 
         [0074]    In some embodiments, the first element, the second element, the third element, the fourth element, the fifth element are made of the same or different material. The material may be for example a metal or a polymer. In some embodiments, the first element is a first strip, the second element is a second strip, the third element is a third strip, the fourth element is a fourth strip and the fifth element is a fifth strip. 
         [0075]    In some embodiments, the first cage cup  101  and the second cage cup  115  is a spherical roller bearing cage cup, a tapered roller bearing cage cup or a cylindrical roller bearing cage cup. 
         [0076]    Step  1209   
         [0077]    In some embodiments, at least one of the first flange  107  or the second flange  110  is in contact with at least one of the inner ring  301  and the outer ring  303  of the bearing  300 . 
         [0078]    The embodiments herein are not limited to the above described preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limiting the scope of the embodiments, which is defined by the appending claims. 
         [0079]    It should be emphasized that the term comprises/comprising when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. It should also be noted that the words a or an preceding an element do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. 
         [0080]    It should also be emphasised that the steps of the methods defined in the appended claims may, without departing from the embodiments herein, be performed in another order than the order in which they appear in the claims.