Active Preload Control for Rolling Element Bearings

• US 20090263062A1
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hanks, James, Smith, Dennis Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/476
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/163 with angular contact
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/525 related to temperature and heat, e.g. insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/542 with two rolling bearings with angular contact
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/08 self-adjusting
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/061 mounting a plurality of bearings side by side
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 37/007 of rolling bearings

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the preload of duplex rolling element bearings systems under various temperatures is described. A spacer or a plurality of spacers may be located adjacent to the rings of the duplex rolling element bearings. The spacer or spacers may be heated or cooled to increase or decrease the axial dimension of the spacer or spacers. Changing the axial dimension of the spacers changes the preload of the duplex rolling element bearing system. The preload of the system may be estimated by receiving an input from a sensor or sensors located on the duplex rolling element bearings system. The sensor may be a temperature sensor or a force transducer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a preload of a preloaded duplex bearing system, comprising:

a shaft, wherein a rotational axis is located along an axis of the shaft;

a plurality of rolling element bearings, the rolling element bearings each comprising;

an inner ring;

an outer ring; and

a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the one of the outer ring and inner ring rotate around the rotational axis;

at least one sensor;

at least one spacer, wherein the at least one spacer is adjacent to at least one of the outer rings or the inner rings;

a controller, having a control logic, wherein the controller receives at least one input from the at least one sensor, and wherein the controller sends at least one output based on the at least one input from the at least one sensor; and

a heat transfer mechanism, wherein the heat transfer mechanism transfers heat to or from the at least one spacer upon receipt of an output from the controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a force transducer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer mechanism comprises:

at least one heat-conducting mount, wherein the at least one heat-conducting mount is composed of a thermally conductive material, and wherein the at least one heat-conducting mount is in thermal communication with the at least one spacer; and

at least one thermoelectric coupling in thermal communication with the at least one heat-conducting mount, the at least one thermoelectric coupling comprising;

a thermoelectric circuit, wherein the thermoelectric circuit transfers heat from the at least one heat-conducting mount upon receipt of a first voltage, and wherein the thermoelectric circuit transfers heat to the heat-conducting mount upon receipt of a second voltage, wherein the second voltage has an opposite sign to the first voltage, and wherein the first or second voltage is applied across the thermoelectric circuit based on at least one out output of the controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer mechanism comprises:

at least one resistive heating element in thermal communication with the at least one spacer, wherein the at least one resistive heating element transfers heat to the at least one spacer upon receipt of at least one output from the controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

at least one switching relay, wherein the at least one switching relay receives at least one input from the at least one sensor, and wherein the switching relay provides an output from the controller to the heat transfer mechanism upon receipt of at least one input from the at least one sensor having a value above or below a setpoint.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a processing unit; and

data storage for storing at least the control logic, wherein the control logic estimates the preload of the duplex bearing system based on the at least one input from the at least one sensor, wherein the control logic determines that heat should be transferred to or from the at least one spacer, and wherein the control logic instructs the controller to send at least one output to the heat transfer mechanism.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one spacer comprises a single spacer located between the outer rings of two rolling element bearings, wherein the inner rings of the rolling element bearing system rotate with the shaft around the rotational axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one spacer comprises two spacers located along an outer face of the outer rings of two rolling element bearings, and wherein the inner rings of the rolling element bearing system rotate with the shaft around the rotational axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one spacer comprises a single spacer located between the inner rings of two rolling element bearings, and wherein the inner rings of the rolling element bearing system are fixed to the shaft, and wherein the outer rings rotate around the rotational axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one spacer comprises two spacers located along an outer face of the inner rings of two rolling element bearings, and wherein the inner rings of the rolling element bearing system are fixed to the shaft, and wherein the outer rings rotate around the rotational axis.

12. A method for controlling the preload of a rolling element bearing system, the method comprising:

providing a shaft, wherein a rotational axis is located along an axis of the shaft;

providing a plurality of rolling element bearings, the rolling element bearing comprising;

an inner ring;

an outer ring; and

a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the one of the outer ring and inner ring rotate around the rotational axis;

sensing the preload of the preloaded duplex bearing system using at least one sensor;

providing at least one spacer, wherein the at least one spacer is adjacent to at least one of the outer rings or the inner rings;

providing a heat transfer mechanism in thermal communication with the sensor;

receiving at least one input from the at least one sensor; and

causing the heat transfer mechanism to transfer heat to or from the at least one spacer based on the at least one input from the at least one sensor.

13. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor is a force transducer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor.

15. The method of claim 13, the heat transfer mechanism further comprising:

at least one heat-conducting mount, wherein the at least one heat-conducting mount is composed of a thermally conductive material, and wherein the at least one heat-conducting mount is in thermal communication with the at least one spacer; and

at least one thermoelectric coupling in thermal communication with the at least one heat-conducting mount, the at least one thermoelectric coupling comprising;

a thermoelectric circuit, wherein the thermoelectric circuit transfers heat from the at least one heat-conducting mount upon receipt of a first voltage, and wherein the thermoelectric circuit transfers heat to the heat-conducting mount upon receipt of a second voltage, wherein the second voltage has a opposite sign to the first voltage.

16. The method of claim 13:

wherein the heat transfer mechanism further comprises at least one resistive heating element in thermal communication with the at least one spacer; and

wherein instructing the heat transfer mechanism to transfer heat to or from the at least one spacer based on the at least one input from the at least one sensor further comprises instructing the at least one resistive heating element to transfer heat to the at least one spacer.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein providing at least one spacer further comprises:

providing a single spacer between one of the outer rings or the inner rings of two rolling element bearings.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein providing at least one spacer further comprises:

providing two spacers between one of the outer rings or the inner rings of two rolling element bearings.

19. An apparatus for controlling the preload of a preloaded duplex bearing system, comprising:

a shaft, wherein a rotational axis is located along an axis of the shaft;

a plurality of rolling element bearings, the rolling element bearing comprising;

an inner ring;

an outer ring; and

a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the one of the outer ring and inner ring rotate around the rotational axis;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor senses the preload of the preloaded duplex bearing system;

a spacer located between one of the outer rings or inner rings;

a controller, having a control logic, wherein the controller receives at least one input from the at least one sensor;

at least one heat-conducting mount, wherein the at least one heat-conducting mount is composed of a thermally conductive material, and wherein the at least one heat-conducting mount is in thermal communication with the at least one spacer; and

at least one thermoelectric coupling in thermal communication with the at least one heat-conducting mount, the at least one thermoelectric coupling comprising;

a thermoelectric circuit, wherein the thermoelectric circuit transfers heat from the at least one heat-conducting mount upon receipt of a first voltage, and wherein the thermoelectric circuit transfers heat to the heat-conducting mount upon receipt of a second voltage, wherein the second voltage has an opposite sign to the first voltage, and wherein the first or second voltage is applied across the thermoelectric circuit based on at least one out output of the controller, wherein the control logic instructs the controller to send at least one voltage to the at least one thermoelectric coupling based on the at least one input from the at least one sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the sensor is a force transducer.