Bearing arrangements

• US 10,174,788 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Fletcher, Paul, Wilson, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Phillip A
• Application Number:
  US15/408,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20170219009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/52 with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2233/00 Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/23 Gas turbine engines in general F02C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/08 self-adjusting
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/086 with magnetic means to preload the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0474 for rotary movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/02 Arrangements for equalising the load on a plurality of bearings or their elements

Abstract

A bearing arrangement comprising: a first bearing including a first inner race coupled to a rotatable component, a first outer race; and a plurality of first roller elements between the first inner race and the first outer race; a second bearing including a second inner race coupled to the rotatable component, a second outer race, and a plurality of second roller elements between the second inner race and the second outer race; a component, the first outer race being axially moveable relative to the component; and a member between the first bearing and the second bearing and arranged to provide an indirect first force on the first outer race to prevent the first roller elements from skidding when the first bearing and the second bearing receive a second force in a first direction, the second bearing being configured to transfer the second force to the component.

Claims

1. A bearing arrangement comprising:

a first bearing including a first inner race coupled to a rotatable component, a first outer race; and

a plurality of first roller elements between the first inner race and the first outer race;

a second bearing including a second inner race coupled to the rotatable component, a second outer race, and a plurality of second roller elements between the second inner race and the second outer race;

a component, the first outer race being axially moveable relative to the component; and

a member between the first bearing and the second bearing and arranged to provide an indirect first force on the first outer race to prevent the first roller elements from skidding when the first bearing and the second bearing receive a second force in a first direction, the second bearing being configured to transfer the second force to the component.

2. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member comprises a cavity configured to receive a fluid therein to provide the indirect first force on the first outer race.

3. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid is a liquid and the indirect first force is provided hydraulically.

4. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid is a gas and the indirect first force is provided pneumatically.

5. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member comprises an electromagnet configured to generate a magnetic field to magnetically repel the first outer race and provide the indirect first force.

6. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first outer race comprises a first protrusion extending radially outwards from the first outer race, and the component comprises a second protrusion extending radially inwards from the component.

7. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member is arranged to:

provide an indirect third force on the second outer race to prevent the second roller elements from skidding when the first bearing and the second bearing receive a fourth force in a second direction, the first bearing being configured to transfer the fourth force to the component.

8. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second outer race comprises a third protrusion extending radially outwards from the second outer race, and the component comprises a fourth protrusion extending radially inwards from the component.

9. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first bearing and the second bearing have a different mass and/or a different size.

10. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the member to vary the indirect first force on the first outer race.

11. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the member to increase the indirect first force on the first outer race in response to determining that the plurality of first roller elements are skidding.

12. A gas turbine engine comprising a bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1.

13. A mechanical or electro-mechanical system comprising a bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1.