GENERATOR BALL BEARING SUPPORT

• US 20130193790A1
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Rittmeyer, Gregory Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,035,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/90
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2380/26 Dynamo-electric machines or combinations therewith, e.g. electro-motors and generators
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/045 with a radial flange to mount the housing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/077 between housing and outer race ring
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/04 Assembling rolling-contact bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/173 using bearings with rolling contact, e.g. ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1735 radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor H02K5/1737 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine

Abstract

A bearing support plate for use in a generator has a radially enlarged flange with a first cylindrical portion extending from the flange in one direction which will provide a bearing support for an outer race of a ball bearing, and a radially inner cylindrical portion extending in an opposed direction that will be away from the ball bearing relative to the flange. The flange is generally cylindrical but has a truncated portion over a circumferential extent. The first cylindrical portion is formed with radially enlarged portions with intermediate radially thinner portions. The flange includes bolt holes circumferentially aligned with the radially thinner portions.

Claims

1. A bearing support plate for use in a generator comprising:

a radially enlarged flange, a first cylindrical portion extending from the flange in one direction which will provide a bearing support for an outer race of a ball bearing, and a radially inner second cylindrical portion extending in an opposed direction that will be away from the ball bearing relative to the flange, said flange being generally cylindrical but having a truncated portion over a circumferential extent, and said first cylindrical portion being formed with radially enlarged portions and intermediate radially thinner portions, and said flange including bolt holes circumferentially aligned with said radially thinner portions.

2. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein said truncated portion extends for a circumferential extent over an angle of between 78 and 81°

measured from a center axis of said bearing support plate.

3. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are at least four of said bolt holes, at least four of said radially enlarged portions, and at least four of said radially smaller portions.

4. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein a ratio of an inner first radius of said first cylindrical portion to a second radius to the outer diameter of said first cylindrical portion at a radially thinner portion is between 0.88 and 0.89.

5. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 4, wherein said flange extends for an axial distance along a center axis of said bearing support plate, and a ratio of said first radius to said axial distance is between 8.75 and 9.12.

6. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 4, wherein a ratio of a third radius to an outer periphery at one of said radially enlarged portions compared to said second radius at one of said radially thinner portions is between 1.00 and 1.02.

7. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said radially enlarged portions is circumferentially aligned with said truncated portion.

8. The bearing support plate as set forth in claim 7, wherein said one of said radially enlarged portions extends for a circumferential extent about an angle between 63 and 67°

.

9. A bearing support plate for use in a generator comprising:

a radially enlarged flange, a first cylindrical portion extending from the flange in one direction which will provide a bearing support for an outer race of a ball bearing, and a radially inner second cylindrical portion extending in an opposed direction that will be away from the ball bearing relative to the flange, said flange being generally cylindrical but having a truncated portion over a circumferential extent, and said first cylindrical portion being formed with radially enlarged portions and intermediate radially thinner portions, and said flange including bolt holes circumferentially aligned with said radially thinner portions; and

said truncated portion extends for a circumferential extent over an angle of between 78 and 81°

measured from a center axis of said bearing support plate, there are at least four of said bolt holes, at least four of said radially enlarged portions, and at least four of said radially smaller portions, a ratio of an inner first radius of said first cylindrical portion to a second radius to the outer diameter of said first cylindrical portion at a radially thinner portion is between 0.88 and 0.89, said flange extends for an axial distance along a center axis of said bearing support plate, and a ratio of said first radius to said axial distance is between 8.75 and 9.12, a ratio of a third radius to an outer periphery at one of said radially enlarged portions to said second radius at one of said radially thinner portions is between 1.00 and 1.02, and one of said radially enlarged portions is circumferentially aligned with said truncated portion, said one of said radially enlarged portions extends for a circumferential extent about an angle between 63 and 67°

.

10. A generator comprising:

a generator rotor;

a generator stator;

a portion rotating with said rotor extending into a ball bearing, said ball bearing being associated with a bearing support plate, and there being a plurality of bolts securing an outer housing to a bolt receiving member, said bolt receiving member having an enlarged portion;

said bearing support plate including a radially enlarged flange, a first cylindrical portion extending from the flange in one direction to provide a bearing support for an outer race of said ball bearing;

a radially inner second cylindrical portion extending in an opposed direction away from said ball bearing relative to the flange, said flange being generally cylindrical but having a truncated portion over a circumferential extent, and said first cylindrical portion being formed with radially enlarged portions and intermediate radially thinner portions, and said flange including bolt holes circumferentially aligned with said radially thinner portions; and

said enlarged portion of said bolt receiving member extending into said truncated portion, and there being bolts extending through said bolt holes and into said bolt receiving member.

11. The generator as set forth in claim 10, wherein said truncated portion extends for a circumferential extent over an angle of between 78 and 81°

measured from a center axis of said bearing support plate.

12. The generator as set forth in claim 10, wherein there are at least four of said bolt holes, at least four of said radially enlarged portions, and at least four of said radially smaller portions.

13. The generator as set forth in claim 10, wherein a ratio of an inner first radius of said first cylindrical portion to a second radius to the outer diameter of said first cylindrical portion at a radially thinner portion is between 0.88 and 0.89.

15. The generator as set forth in claim 13, wherein a ratio of a third radius to an outer periphery at one of said radially enlarged portions compared to said second radius at one of said radially thinner portions is between 1.00 and 1.02.

16. The generator as set forth in claim 10, wherein one of said radially enlarged portions is circumferentially aligned with said truncated portion.

17. The generator as set forth in claim 16, wherein said one of said radially enlarged portions extends for a circumferential extent about an angle between 63 and 67°

.

14. The generator as set forth in claim 132, wherein said flange extends for an axial distance along a center axis of said bearing support plate, and a ratio of said first radius to said axial distance is between 8.75 and 9.12.

18. A method of assembling a generator comprising the steps of:

inserting a bearing support plate into a generator, with the bearing support plate having a radially enlarged flange, and a first cylindrical portion extending from the flange in one direction, and said first cylindrical portion moved to be outwardly of an outer race of a ball bearing in the generator to provide a bearing support, the bearing support plate having a radially inner second cylindrical portion extending in an opposed direction away from said ball bearing relative to the flange, said flange being generally cylindrical but having a truncated portion over a circumferential extent, and a bolt receiving member having an enlarged portion of the outer housing aligned with said truncated portion as said bearing support plate is moved into the generator, said first cylindrical portion being formed with radially enlarged portions and intermediate radially thinner portions, and said flange including bolt holes circumferentially aligned with said radially thinner portions, and moving bolts through said bolt holes and into said bolt receiving member.