RADIAL ROLLER BEARING, IN PARTICULAR A CYLINDRICAL OR NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING COMPRISING HOLLOW ROLLERS CONSISTING OF A SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY AND ACTING AS SPACERS
The invention relates to a radial roller bearing (1), in particular a cylindrical or needle roller bearing. Said bearing essentially consists of an outer bearing ring (2) and an inner bearing ring (3), in addition to a number of rolling bodies (4) that are located between the bearing rings (2, 3) and that roll along races (9, 10) of the outer (2) and inner bearing ring (3), said races being delimited laterally by two respective continuous rims (5, 6 and 7, 8). The rolling bodies are guided in relation to one another by rollers that are spaced at uniform intervals. According to the invention, the rollers are formed by individual hollow rollers (11) consisting of a shape memory alloy, each of said rollers being located between two rolling bodies (4). The cross-section of the rollers is deformed during the assembly of the radial roller bearing (1) to fit the dimensions of the free space (12) between one rim (6) of the outer bearing ring (2) and a rim (8) of the inner bearing ring (3) and the rollers can be introduced into the radial roller bearing (1) through the free space (12) between said rims (6, 8) of the bearing rings (2, 3). After introduction into the radial roller bearing (1) and once they have reached a specific temperature, the rollers independently regain their original shape.