Roller cage assembly for use in a bearing

Abstract

A roller-cage assembly for use in a bearing includes a cylindrical cage provided with a plurality of openings extending axially and spaced apart from one another circumferentially and a plurality of rollers, each of which is received in a corresponding one of the openings. Each opening is defined by a pair of oppositely disposed side guide surfaces and a pair of oppositely disposed end guide surfaces, whereby the distance between the pair of oppositely disposed side guide surfaces is larger than the diameter of the roller and the distance between the pair of opposite end guide surfaces is larger than the length of the roller, so that the roller may rotate freely within the opening. Also provided are at least a pair of oppositely disposed outer projections, which project oppositely from the pair of oppositely disposed side guide surfaces at their outermost locations, and at least a pair of oppositely disposed inner projections, which project oppositely from the pair of oppositely disposed side guide surfaces at their innermost locations, whereby the distance between the tips of each pair of the oppositely disposed inner and outer projections is smaller than the diameter of the roller. Thus, the roller is prevented from being undesirably removed from the cage radially by the inner and outer projections, axially by the pair of end guide surfaces, and circumferentially by the pair of side guide surfaces.