Nonlinear dynamic correlation between balls, cage and bearing rings of angular contact ball bearings at different number of balls and groove curvature radii

In this work, the dynamic model of cage and elastohydrodynamic lubrication model were merged into the existing nonlinear dynamic model of ball bearings to explore the nonlinear dynamic correlation between balls, cage and bearing rings in the bearing system. Subsequently, the number of balls was varied to study the sliding of the ball, interaction forces between bearing components, vibration of inner ring and cage whirl motion. Again, the effects of the combinations of inner and outer groove curvature radii on the dynamic stability and vibration of the bearing system were conducted. The obtained results suggest the wonderful dynamic stability of cage and the desired vibration of the bearing system can be achieved when the maximum number of balls is reduced by one, and outer groove curvature radius is close to the radius of the ball, while inner groove curvature radius is appropriately larger than the radius of the ball. These results provide the theoretical support for the structural size matching of ball bearings.