Separator for rolling element bearings

Abstract

A separator for rolling elements of a bearing includes a body formed of a composite material and having a central pocket sized to receive one of a plurality of rolling elements, a first contact end to contact one adjacent rolling element and an opposing, second contact end to contact another adjacent rolling element. The composite material includes a mixture of a polymer base, reinforcing fibers and a lubricant, preferably, polyetherimide, short strand carbon fibers and molybdenum disulfide. The separator body is sized such that a first distance between a pocket centerline and the first contact end establishes a desired spacing distance between the rolling element within the pocket and the one adjacent one rolling element and a second distance between the centerline and the second contact end establishes a desired spacing distance between the rolling element within the pocket and the other adjacent rolling element.