Bearings – Rotary bearing – Antifriction bearing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-08
2004-06-01
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Antifriction bearing
C384S127000, C384S572000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742935
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to roller bearings and a roller chain incorporating the roller bearings.
Conventionally, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Sho. 62-4122 (Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. Hei. 4-78523) discloses a roller chain incorporating the roller bearings.
FIG. 22
is a cross-sectional view of the roller chain disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Sho. 62-4122. In the roller chain
1
shown in
FIG. 22
a plurality of rollers
4
for bearing are disposed on an outer periphery of a bush
3
whose both ends were connected to a pair of inner link plates
2
, a roller
5
is attached to the rollers
4
so as to surround the rollers
4
, and a thrust bearings receiving plate
6
is intervened in a space between the roller
5
and the inner link plate
2
. Further, a pair of outer link plates
7
is disposed outside the inner link plates
2
and the pair of outer link plates
7
is connected to each other by means of a pin
8
that penetrates the bush
3
. On the both ends of the roller
5
are integrally formed inward collars
5
a
, which hold and guide the rollers
4
. Further, the space between the roller
5
and the bush
3
is filled with a lubricant such as grease or the like. In the roller chain
1
, the roller
5
functions as an outer ring of the roller bearings, the plurality of rollers
4
function as a rolling body of the roller bearings and the bush
3
functions as an inner ring of the roller bearings. Therefore, the roller
5
, the rollers
4
and the bush
3
constitute the roller bearings.
As another conventional example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application, First Publication No. Hei. 2-7219 (Japanese Examined Utility Model Application, Second Publication No. Hei. 7-12327) discloses a roller chain incorporating the roller bearings.
FIG. 23
is a cross-sectional view of the roller chain disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application, First Publication No. Hei. 2-7219. In the roller chain
1
′ shown in
FIG. 23
a plurality of rollers
4
′ are disposed on an outer periphery of a bush
3
′ whose both ends were connected to a pair of inner link plates
2
′, a roller
5
′ is attached to the rollers
4
′ so as to surround the rollers
4
′, and a thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′ is intervened in a space between the roller
5
′ and the inner link plate
2
′. Further, a pair of outer link plates
7
′ is disposed outside the inner link plates
2
′ and the pair of outer link plates
7
′ is connected to each other by means of a pin
8
′ that penetrates the bush
3
′. The roller
5
′ has not inward collars
5
a
on the both ends of the roller
5
′ but the inner and outer peripheries of the roller
5
′ are straight. The rollers
4
′ are held and guided between a pair of thrust bearings receiving plates
6
′. Further, the space between the roller
5
′ and the bush
3
′ is filled with a lubricant such as grease or the like. In the roller chain
1
′, the roller
5
′ functions as an outer ring of the roller bearings, the plurality of rollers
4
′ function as a rolling body of the roller bearings and the bush
3
′ functions as an inner ring of the roller bearings. Therefore, the roller
5
′, the rollers
4
′ and the bush
3
′ constitute the roller bearings.
Further, conventionally the general roller bearing offers a retainer incorporating type and a retainer-unused type. The retainer that holds and guides the rollers generally has a pocket that holds and guides the whole each roller.
However, the roller chain
1
shown in
FIG. 22
has the following problems. That is,
(1) The rollers
4
are only accommodated between the roller (outer ring)
5
and the bush (inner ring)
3
, freely, and contact is generated between the rollers
4
. Accordingly, wear is generated whereby a smooth rotation of the roller
5
is suppressed.
(2) Collision noises are generated on the contact between the rollers
4
, and repeated impacts can generate a fatigue fracture.
(3) When a thrust load is applied to the roller
5
, a skew (the slanting of the rollers
4
with respect to the proper rotational axis) is generated, and the collar
5
a
rubs against the roller
4
. Accordingly, the rollers
4
are locked at an early stage, resulting in suppressing a smooth rotation of the roller
5
.
(4) By sliding of the inner side of the collar
5
a
in the both ends of the roller
5
on the end face of the roller
4
the collar
5
a
rubs against the roller
4
, resulting in suppressing a smooth rotation of the roller
5
.
(5) Since the inner side of the collar
5
a
is a difficult place to enhance the surface roughness and perform heat-treatment in its manufacturing, the productivity of the roller is low.
(6) Since the collars
5
a
,
5
a
are integrally formed on the both ends of the roller
5
, respectively, it is necessary to provide a clearance
5
c
(shown in an enlarged portion of
FIG. 22
) on a corner of a recess portion
5
b
in the roller
5
for preventing the interference of the roller
4
or for cutting and grinding the roller
5
. Accordingly, it takes much time to cut and grind the roller
5
and the productivity of the roller
5
is low.
(7) In the assembling of the rollers
4
and the roller
5
, the rollers
4
are previously installed in the recess portion
5
b
of the roller
5
and then they must be assembled. Thus, there is no flexibility and falling away of the roller
4
may be generated, which decreases the assembling capability.
The roller chain
1
′ shown in
FIG. 23
has the following problems. That is,
(8) Since the roller (outer ring)
5
′ has no an inward collar (
5
a
′) the contact area between the roller
5
′ and the thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′ is small and a thrust load applied to the roller
5
′ is locally received by the thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′. Thus, the wear of the thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′ tends to progress.
(9) Since the roller
5
′ and the thrust bearings plate
6
′ are completely independent of each other, the thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′ cannot limit a skew generated in the rollers
4
′ and the skew are easily generated.
(10) A gap is produced between the roller
5
′ and the thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′. Thus, a lubricant such as grease or the like easily leaks outside thereby to be exhausted so that the wear between the roller
5
′ and the thrust bearings receiving plate
6
′ rapidly progresses. Further, outside dust particles easily enters through the gap and the deterioration of lubricant and wear are promoted.
Further, in a general roller bearing in which the above-mentioned retainer was incorporated, the retainer has a pocket that holds and guides the whole each roller
4
. Accordingly, the following problems occur. That is,
(11) Since each pocket embraces the whole each roller
4
, the space between the rollers
4
is small, and since the retainer is complex the lubricant such as grease or the like cannot be uniformly held in the roller bearings and the lubricant holding amount is also small.
(12) The pocket that holds the whole each roller must be machined accurately and the production of the retainer is difficult and very expensive.
(13) Even each roller bearing using the same diameter, if the length of the roller is changed, needs a retainer having a pocket corresponding the changed length. Thus, a large number of types of the retainers must be kept and the parts management is no easy matter and costs a lot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide roller bearings in which there is no contact between the rollers, a lubricant can be sufficiently held, a skew is not generated easily, and the roller
Bucci David A.
Hansen Colby
Howson and Howson
Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
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