Roller bearing

• US 20100086247A1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Brady
• Application Number:
  US12/287,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20100086247A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/470
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/225 Details of the ribs supporting the end of the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/585 of raceways, e.g. ribs to guide the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/605 with a separate retaining member, e.g. flange, shoulder, guide ring, secured to a race ring, adjacent to the race surface, so as to abut the end of the rolling elements, e.g. rollers, or the cage
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6651 in recesses or cavities provided in retainers, races or rolling elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6677 from radial inside, e.g. via a passage through the shaft and/or inner ring

Abstract

A bearing assembly includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of roller elements disposed between the inner ring and outer ring and spaced tangentially apart from each other by a cage. The inner ring includes a rib annulus. The rib annulus provides a flow of lubricating fluid around the rib face.

Claims

1. A bearing assembly comprising:

an inner ring;

an outer ring;

a plurality of roller elements disposed between said inner ring and outer ring and spaced tangentially apart from each other by a cage; and

wherein said inner ring comprises a rib annulus which provides a flow of lubricant annularly around a rib face.

2. The bearing assembly according to claim 1 wherein said outer ring is stationary.

3. A bearing inner ring comprising:

a cone;

a rib connectably engaged to said cone;

said rib having a rib inner diameter, a rib outer diameter, a rib first end, and an opposing rib second end connecting said rib inner diameter and rib outer diameter;

said rib second end defining a plurality of rib radial passageways, a rib face, and a rib annulus connecting said rib radial passageways and said rib face;

said rib face being axially displaced towards said cone from said rib radial passageways;

wherein engagement of said cone and said rib facilitates said rib annulus receiving and providing a flow of lubricant annularly around said rib face.

4. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein a rib radial passageway surface is detachably connected to said cone first end.

5. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein said rib face is between said rib outer diameter and said rib annulus.

6. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein said rib radial passageways have an arcuate cross section.

7. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein said rib radial passageways have a circular cross section.

8. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein a plurality of said rib radial passageways have a total volume less than a total volume of said rib annulus.

9. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein said cone inner diameter is aligned axially with said rib inner diameter.

10. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein said rib further comprises a rib dam.

11. The inner ring according to claim 10 wherein said rib dam is partially defined on one end by said rib face and the opposite end by a rib annulus front face.

12. The inner ring according to claim 10 wherein said rib dam has a radial base and a radial top, said radial base being radial distally greater than said radial top as measured from said rib inner diameter.

13. The inner ring according to claim 3 wherein said rib annulus further comprises a rib reservoir. provides an outlet for the

14. The inner ring according to claim 13 wherein said rib annulus further comprises a rib chamber defined by the volume of said rib reservoir subtracted from the volume of said rib annulus, wherein said rib chamber flow of lubricating fluid.

15. The inner ring according to claim 12 wherein the radial distance of said radial base equals approximately the radial depth of said rib reservoir.

16. A method for distributing lubricating fluid in an inner ring comprising:

supplying the lubricating fluid to a rib lubricating fluid collector;

distributing the lubricating fluid from said rib lubricating fluid collector to a plurality of rib radial passageways and then to a rib annulus;

filling a rib reservoir within said rib annulus with the lubricating fluid;

wherein the lubricating fluid exits said rib reservoir via a rib chamber when said rib reservoir becomes full; and

distributing the exiting lubricating fluid annularly around the rib face.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising flowing said exiting lubricating fluid over a rib top of a rib dam prior to distributing the lubricating fluid over the rib face.

18. The method according to claim 16 further comprising supplying a volume of lubricating fluid to the rib annulus which is approximately equal to the volume of the total volume of said rib radial passageways.