BEARING ARRANGEMENT

• US 20130149141A1
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: SINIAWSKI, Richard Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/693,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20130149141A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/229
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/16 Arrangement of bearings; Supporting or mounting bearings in casings bearings per se F16C
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/164 Flexible supports; Vibration damping means associated with the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/26 with a single row of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/525 related to temperature and heat, e.g. insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/23 Gas turbine engines in general F02C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 27/045 with a fluid film, e.g. squeeze film damping
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6677 from radial inside, e.g. via a passage through the shaft and/or inner ring

Abstract

A bearing arrangement 2 comprising an outer race 10, a shaft 4 arranged to rotate with respect to the outer race 10 thereby defining an axis of rotation 8 of the shaft 4. The shaft 4 and the outer race 10 are arranged to define a region of overlap between the shaft 4 and the outer race 10 along the axis of rotation. An inner race 12 is disposed between the outer race 10 and the shaft 4 in the region of overlap and coupled for rotation with the shaft 4, the inner race 12 and the shaft 4 defining an annular reservoir 40 between them for accommodating radial expansion of the shaft 4 or radial displacement of the shaft 4 with respect to the axis of rotation 8.

Claims

1. A bearing arrangement comprising:

a stationary component;

a rotary component arranged to rotate with respect to the stationary component thereby defining an axis of rotation of the rotary component, the rotary component and the stationary component being arranged to define a region of overlap between the rotary component and the stationary component along the axis of rotation; and

an intermediate component disposed between the stationary component and the rotary component in the region of overlap and coupled for rotation with the rotary component, the intermediate component and the rotary component defining an annular reservoir between them for accommodating radial expansion of the rotary component or radial displacement of the rotary component with respect to the axis of rotation.

2. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary component defines a bearing axis, the intermediate component having an axis of rotation which is arranged to extend parallel with the bearing axis, and the annular reservoir being arranged to accommodate radial expansion or radial displacement of the rotary component such that the axis of rotation of the intermediate component remains parallel with the bearing axis during use.

3. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate component and the rotary component are supported for rotation by the stationary component.

4. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular reservoir is filled with a fluid.

5. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fluid provides a film about the rotary component by which the rotary component is supported.

6. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the depth of the film varies to accommodate the radial expansion or the radial displacement of the rotary component.

7. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the amount of fluid in the reservoir is varied to adjust the depth of the film.

8. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fluid is a liquid.

9. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fluid is a pressurised fluid.

10. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary component is disposed radially outwardly of the rotary component with respect to the axis of rotation.

11. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the stationary component is an outer race and the intermediate component is an inner race, wherein rolling elements are disposed between the outer race and the inner race.

12. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rotary component is a shaft supported for rotation by the inner race.

13. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary component is disposed between a second stationary component and the rotary component, the stationary component being coupled to the second stationary component to prevent rotation of the stationary component with respect to the second stationary component, the stationary component and the second stationary component defining a second annular reservoir between them for accommodating radial expansion of the stationary component or radial displacement of the stationary component with respect to the axis of rotation.

14. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second stationary component is disposed radially outwardly of the stationary component with respect to the axis of rotation.

15. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second stationary component is a hub structure for supporting the stationary, intermediate and rotary components.

16. A bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second annular reservoir is filled with a fluid.

17. A turbine comprising a bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotary component is a driveshaft of the turbine.

18. An engine comprising a bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, the engine having an engine axis, wherein the rotary component is a driveshaft of the engine, the intermediate component has an axis of rotation which is arranged to extend parallel with the engine axis, and the annular reservoir is arranged to accommodate radial expansion or radial displacement of the rotary component such that the axis of rotation of the intermediate component remains parallel with the engine axis during use.

19. An engine as claimed in claim 18, wherein the stationary component is a first race and the intermediate component is a second race, and rolling elements are disposed between the first race and the second race.