ROTRIB’10

The 11th International Conference on Tribology

November 4-6, 2010, IAŞI, ROMANIA

SOLUTION TO DESCRIBE THE INTERNAL

KINEMATICS IN BALL BEARINGS WITH 4 TO
6 CONTACT POINTS
Rezmires Daniel1), Bocanet Vasile1), Monfardini Alfredo2),
Racocea Cristina3) and Racocea Cezar3)

Keywords: rolling arced race ball bearings, internal kinematics, 2 to 6 point contact
ball bearings, spin and gyroscopic moment, ball equilibrium
ABSTRACT
The 4 to 6 contact point ball bearings, have the special inner and / or outer rings
geometry. Such bearings may operate simultaneous or consecutive with 2 to 6 contact
points while changing operating conditions. For ball bearings with up to 2 point
contacts, the control criteria of ball bearing under the inner or outer raceway is
unusable [3]. Recently SIRCA S.A [5], develops a new model of arched ball bearing
especially designated to improve the working performance of the actually 4 point
contact ball bearings [1,2,6,7]. The current paper presents the mathematical model to
describe the ball equilibrium of ball bearings with 2 to 6 contact points. The bearing
element kinematics has been solved taking into account a mixed control of the ball
between the bearing raceways, by the principle of power minimization considering the
gyroscopic and spin movement effect [3,4]. A computer code was developed for a
quasistatic analysis for this new model of ball bearing named 6PCBB as an expansion
of a SRB-4PCBB structure. The analysis is presented for ORR case, similarly
proceeding for IRR or IOE cases [4,8]. A 6PCBB structure is presented in figure 1.
Figure 1 presents the relative positions of the 6 raceways of an 4 to 6 contact points ball
bearing, pointing out the position of the raceway curvature centers (points Pidx) relative
to the ball mass center [1,2]. That new type of construction can achieve to 5 or 6
contact points simultaneously as function of the local clearance between the ball and
the raceways indexed as 2 and 5.
Under external applied loads or imposed rotations and translations for each ball
numbered by j=1 to Z, the contact angle varies form the initial value αidx to the
operating contact angles, βidx, as is presented in Fig 2. The Quasistatic parameters
produces an – ball angle- named βw (see Fig 2). The external loads produces
displacements of the mobile ring as is exemplified in Fig.3. implying displacements of

1)
S.C Sirca S.A. – Piatra Neamt
2)
S.C. Rima Spa – Italy
3)
Technical University Gheorghe Asachi of Iasi

1
Solution to Describe the Internal Kinematics in Ball Bearings With 4 to 6 Contact
Points
Rezmires Daniel, Bocanet Vasile, Monfardini Alfredo, Racocea Cristina and
Racocea Cezar

the ring the raceway curvature centres from their initial position to a final positions as
is exemplified in Fig.3.

Fig. 1 – Schematic view of a 2 to 6 Fig. 2 – Contact angles β1, Fig. 3 – Initial and
raceways from an ball bearing β2, β3, β4 and ball axis final positions of
with 6 contact points (6PCBB). attitude angle βw. curvature centres
The unitary mathematical analysis of different types of ball bearing with 2 to 6
point contacts is reached by using a matrix code. In this procedure all ball bearing types
are derived from the more general geometry of a 6 point contact ball bearing 6PCBB.
The matrix code for ORR case is given in Tables 1, where idx denotes the contact
points.
6PCBB idx sdux sduz sdx sdz
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 1 1 1
3 -1 1 -1 1
4 -1 -1 0 0
5 -1 -1 0 0
6 1 -1 0 0

Tab. 1: Matrix code for all ball bearings type

By particularization all ball bearing types can be founded. Under the effect of the
external load the inner ring(s) of the 6PCBB structure is (are) displaced. This
displacement produce at the ball-raceways interfaces a load distribution. The normal
load and the elastic deflection of each point contact between ball "j" and raceway "idx"
are given according with Hertz theory.
The present model uses this hypothesis and the criteria of minimum power
losses around the ball to deduce the direction of the ball angular rotational speed vector
(defined by angle βw in Fig. 2)

REFERENCES
[1] Rezmires D., 2003, “Theoretical and Experimental Research Regarding the
Dynamics of Spherical Roller Bearings”, Phd. Thesis.
[2] Rezmires D., Racocea CR., Racocea CC. – The Annals of University "Dunarea de
Jos" of Galati, Fascicle VIII, p.107-111, 2005