Patent ID: 7703986

Claim:
A synthetic resin retainer comprising two annular members made of a synthetic resin, each of said annular members having a plurality of hemispherical pockets formed in a side surface thereof to be brought into abutment with the side surface of the other annular member, said hemispherical pockets being arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of each of said annular members, each of said annular members further including joint portions each disposed between adjacent ones of said hemispherical pockets, each of said joint portions having an engaging hole having an engaging shoulder formed on an inner periphery thereof, and an engaging claw having a hook at a free end thereof, said engaging claws of each of said annular members being configured to be engaged in the respective engaging holes formed in the other of said annular members and to have said hook of each of said engaging claws engage the engaging shoulder of the corresponding engaging hole, thereby joining said annular members together, wherein said engaging claws and said engaging holes are configured so as to satisfy a relation such that a gap is present between each engaging claw and the engaging hole into which said each engaging claw is inserted in a diametrical direction of the retainer in the initial stage of assembly of the retainer, and said gap decreases to zero or less upon completion of assembly of the retainer, and such that, with said hooks in engagement with the respective engaging shoulders, the free ends of said engaging claws do not protrude from the respective engaging holes upon the completion of assembly of the retainer.