Patent 7828485 was granted and assigned to JTEKT on November, 2010 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The clearance between the outer peripheral surface of an annular portion of a cage and the inner peripheral surface of each of rib portions of outer-ring split pieces is set to be smaller than the clearance between the radial end surface of a projection portion of the cage and the inner peripheral surface of each of body portions of the outer-ring split pieces. When a centrifugal force due to engine rotation acts upon the cage, the inner peripheral surface of each of the rib portions of the outer-ring split pieces touches the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion of the cage before the inner peripheral surface of each of the body portions of the outer-ring split pieces touches the radial end surface of the projection portion of the cage. Thus, the radial displacement of the cage can be prevented in good time.