Ribbon cage and manufacturing method thereof

摘要

Characteristics of joint sections using rivets 11a that join flat sections 12a, 12b of a pair of cage elements are improved regardless of differences in the volumes of the rivets 11a. A head section 16a and a crimped section 19a of a rivet 11a comprise flange sections 23a, 23b and convex sections 24a, 24b. The inside surfaces of the flange sections 23a, 23b press against the outside surfaces of the flat sections 12a, 12b. The convex sections 24a, 24b have a truncated cone shape with the maximum diameter being on the flange section 23a, 23b side. The diameter d24 of the apex of the convex sections 24a, 24b is equal to or less than the inner diameter R15 of circular holes 15, and the outer diameter D23 of the flange sections 23a, 23b is equal to or greater than the outer diameter D24 of the bottom section of the convex sections 24a, 24b. Furthermore, the amount of protrusion L23 that the flange sections 23a, 23b protrude from the convex sections 24a, 24b is equal to or less than two times the thickness T23 in the axial direction of the flange sections 23a, 23b.

主权项

1. A ribbon cage comprising:
a pair of cage elements each having a circular-ring shape and comprising plural flat sections having circular holes and plural semi-circular shaped sections that are alternatively arranged in a circumferential direction, such that, with the pair of cage element assembled together, inside surfaces of the flat sections face each other, the circular holes of the flat sections that face each other are aligned with each other, and pockets for holding balls are formed between inside surfaces of the semi-circular shaped sections that face each other; and plural rivets joining the pair of cage elements and, with the pair of cage elements assembled, each of the plural rivets comprising a rod section that is inserted through an aligned pair of the circular holes, and a head section and a crimped section that are formed on oppositely-disposed end sections of the rod section, such that the plural rivets hold the flat sections of the pair of cage elements between the head sections and the crimped sections of the plural rivets; the head section and the crimped section of each of the plural rivets each comprising a flange section having an inside surface, an outside surface, and an outer diameter that is larger than an inner diameter of each of the circular holes, the flange section pressing an outside surface of the flat sections by the inside surface of the flange section, and a truncated cone shaped convex section formed on the outside surface of the flange section and having an apex, a bottom section, and an outer diameter that becomes smaller going away from the outside surface of the flange section, an outer diameter of the apex of the convex section being equal to or less than the inner diameter of each of the circular holes, and an outer diameter of the flange section being equal to or greater than an outer diameter of the bottom section of the convex section, and the flange section protruding further outward than the convex section in a radial direction of the rivet, with an amount of protrusion being two times or less a thickness of the flange section in an axial direction of the rivet.