Roller bearing device and method of lubricating roller bearing

Abstract

A bearing device includes a lubricating device that supplies a lubricant to a first lubricating path when a rotating speed of an inner ring member is detected to be no more than a predetermined speed and supplies the lubricant to the first lubricating path and a second lubricating path when the rotating speed of the inner ring member is detected to be higher than the predetermined speed, the lubricating device including a changeover valve that controls a supply of the lubricant to the first and second lubricating paths according to the rotating speed of the inner ring member.

1 . A bearing device comprising:
 an inner ring member through which a shaft is passed and which is supported rotatably about an axis of the shaft and includes an inner ring raceway surface;   an outer ring member arranged concentrically with the inner ring member and including an outer ring raceway surface;   a plurality of rollers arranged rollably between the inner ring raceway surface and the outer ring raceway surface;   first and second lubricating paths through which lubricant is supplied to at least one of the inner ring raceway surface and the outer ring raceway surface; and   a lubricating device that supplies the lubricant to the first lubricating path when a rotating speed of the inner ring member is detected to be no more than a predetermined speed and supplies the lubricant to the first and second lubricating paths when the rotating speed of the inner ring member is detected to be higher than the predetermined speed, said lubricating device comprising a changeover valve that controls a supply of the lubricant to the first and second lubricating paths according to the rotating speed of the inner ring member.   
   
   
       2 . The bearing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating device further comprises:
 a rotation detector for detecting the rotating speed of the inner ring member; and   a controller for controlling the changeover valve according to the rotating speed of the inner ring member detected by the rotation detector.