A Simplified Model of Cage Motion in Angular Contact Bearings Operating in the EHD Lubrication Regime

Abstract

An analytical model describing the in-plane motions of a bearing cage is developed for angular contact bearings operating in the EHD lubrication regime. The ball-cage impacts are treated as impulse forces imparted to the cage. The model is developed on the basis that during ball-cage impact, energy is transmitted to the cage at the ball-cage interface by friction, whereas, cage energy is dissipated at the ball-race interfaces as a result of the ball being caused to translate along its EHD film by the cage. Numerical computations using the model indicate that the level of ball-cage friction, lubricant viscosity, and extent of ball-race lubrication are significant factors in determining the conditions for which the cage motions may be stable or unstable. The predicted trends concerning the stability of the cage motions conform qualitatively to observed experimental results.