US4226484A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bearing retainer
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1978-12-20
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Granted: 1980-10-07
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Expires: 1998-12-20
Abstract
Abstract A ball bearing having a metal inner and outer ring, each ring having at least one land, and the bearing having metal balls disposed between the rings to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces. A ball bearing retainer disposed between the rings of the bearing, the retainer comprising rigid members supporting a soft, flexible, highly porous annular body having ball pockets for receiving the bearing balls, and having at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof. The ball pockets are sized to have an interference fit with the balls, and the projection is made to be in contact with at least one land of the inner or outer ring. The annular body is made of a porous foamlike material capable of absorbing up to eighty percent by volume of a liquid lubricant, such as oil, and being capable of supplying a suitably large fraction of the stored lubricant to the bearing.
Inventors
- 👤 Franklyn A. Glassow
- 👤 Arthur C. Cunningham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:43
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C33/00; F16C33/30; F16C33/38; F16C33/44; F16C33/3806; F16C33/3831; F16C33/66; F16C33/6637; F16C33/664; F16C33/6648; F16C19/00; F16C19/02; F16C19/04; F16C19/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S384/00; Y10S384/90; Y10S384/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A ball bearing retainer comprising: an annular body of open pore microporous foamlike material for storing lubricant, said annular body having a plurality of openings therein for receiving bearing balls and at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof for contacting at least one circumferential surface of a bearing ring, said openings being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing balls, said projection being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing ring.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
A ball bearing retainer comprising: an annular body of open pore microporous foamlike material for storing lubricant, said annular body having a plurality of openings therein for receiving bearing balls and at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof for contacting at least one circumferential surface of a bearing ring, said openings being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing balls, said projection being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing ring.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
A ball bearing retainer comprising: an annular body of open pore microporous foamlike material for storing lubricant and rigidizing means combined with said body for maintaining the dimensional integrity thereof, said annular body having a plurality of openings therein for receiving bearing balls and at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, for contacting at least one circumferential surface of a bearing ring, said openings being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing balls, said projection being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
92 words
A ball bearing retainer comprising: an annular body of open pore microporous foamlike material for storing lubricant and rigidizing means combined with said body for maintaining the dimensional integrity thereof, said annular body having a plurality of openings therein for receiving bearing balls and at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, for contacting at least one circumferential surface of a bearing ring, said openings being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing balls, said projection being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
A ball bearing retainer comprising: an annular body of open pore microporous foamlike material for storing lubricant and rigidizing means combined with said body for maintaining the dimensional integrity thereof, said annular body having a plurality of openings therein for receiving bearing balls and at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, for contacting at least one circumferential surface of a bearing ring said openings being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing balls, said projection being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing ring, said foamlike material comprising an open pore microporous nitrile elastomeric foam having a Shore A hardness of between 20 and 60.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
113 words
A ball bearing retainer comprising: an annular body of open pore microporous foamlike material for storing lubricant and rigidizing means combined with said body for maintaining the dimensional integrity thereof, said annular body having a plurality of openings therein for receiving bearing balls and at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, for contacting at least one circumferential surface of a bearing ring said openings being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing balls, said projection being sized to have an interference fit with said bearing ring, said foamlike material comprising an open pore microporous nitrile elastomeric foam having a Shore A hardness of between 20 and 60.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A ball bearing including an inner and an outer ring with bearing balls therebetween to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces, and including a retainer for receiving and separating said balls, said retainer being made of a resilient, flexible foamlike material and having at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, said retainer having interference fits with said bearing balls and said projection having an interference fit with one of said rings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
A ball bearing including an inner and an outer ring with bearing balls therebetween to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces, and including a retainer for receiving and separating said balls, said retainer being made of a resilient, flexible foamlike material and having at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, said retainer having interference fits with said bearing balls and said projection having an interference fit with one of said rings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
115 words
A ball bearing including an inner and an outer ring with bearing balls therebetween to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces, and including a retainer for receiving and separating said balls, said retainer being made of a resilient, flexible foamlike material and having at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, said retainer having interference fits with said bearing balls and said projection having an interference fit with one of said rings, said foamlike material being capable of storing up to about 80 percent by volume of a lubricant, and from which a large fraction of lubricant stored therein is retrievable, said material having a Shore A hardness of between 20 to 60.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
115 words
A ball bearing including an inner and an outer ring with bearing balls therebetween to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces, and including a retainer for receiving and separating said balls, said retainer being made of a resilient, flexible foamlike material and having at least one projection on at least one circumferential surface thereof, said retainer having interference fits with said bearing balls and said projection having an interference fit with one of said rings, said foamlike material being capable of storing up to about 80 percent by volume of a lubricant, and from which a large fraction of lubricant stored therein is retrievable, said material having a Shore A hardness of between 20 to 60.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
101 words
A ball bearing comprising: a metal inner ring having at least one land; a metal outer ring having at least one land; metal balls therebetween to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces; and an annular flexible bearing ball retainer having openings for receiving and separating said balls, and having at least one projection projecting from at least one circumferential surface thereof; said openings of said annular bearing ball retainer being sized to have an interference fit with said balls; said projection being in contact with at least one of said lands so as to have an interference fit with the land diameter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
101 words
A ball bearing comprising: a metal inner ring having at least one land; a metal outer ring having at least one land; metal balls therebetween to form load bearing metal-to-metal interfaces; and an annular flexible bearing ball retainer having openings for receiving and separating said balls, and having at least one projection projecting from at least one circumferential surface thereof; said openings of said annular bearing ball retainer being sized to have an interference fit with said balls; said projection being in contact with at least one of said lands so as to have an interference fit with the land diameter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-10-07 | 1984-04-07 | 1984-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-10-07 | 1988-04-07 | 1988-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-10-07 | 1992-04-07 | 1992-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |