Toroid separator with lubricant channels for ball bearings

Abstract

A separator is provided for a ball bearing including inner and outer rings and a plurality of balls disposed between the inner and outer rings. The separator includes an annular body having a centerline, opposing first and second axial ends spaced apart along the centerline, an inner circumferential surface defining a central pocket sized to receive one of the plurality of balls and an outer circumferential surface defining an outer perimeter. A plurality of inner axial channels extend radially outwardly from the inner circumferential surface and a plurality of outer axial channels extend radially inwardly from the outer circumferential surface, each inner axial channel and each outer axial channel being configured to contain lubricant. Preferably, both the inner and outer axial channels are spaced circumferentially about the centerline and each channel extends entirely axially between the first and second axial ends of the annular body.