BEARING OUTER RACE OIL SUPPLY FOR THIN FILM FLUIDIC DAMPING

• US 20160238075A1
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Clark, Thomas E., Mundell, Eric Charles, Grogg, Gary L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,228,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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 33/581 integral with other parts, e.g. with housings or machine elements such as shafts or gear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/583 Details of specific parts of races
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6659 Details of supply of the liquid to the bearing, e.g. passages or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6677 from radial inside, e.g. via a passage through the shaft and/or inner ring
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/0237 involving squeeze-film damping

Abstract

An improved film damper oil delivery pathway from an oil reservoir to a thin film fluidic damper is provided. An oil supply tube may be configured to mate to a bearing outer race. The bearing outer race may comprise internal oil flow circuit(s) configured to supply oil from the oil tube to the thin film damper for improved bearing compartment designs.

Claims

1. A method of providing oil to a thin film damper comprising:

coupling a portion of the thin film damper to an oil supply via an internal oil flow circuit, wherein the internal oil flow circuit is at least partially formed internal to a bearing outer race, wherein the internal oil flow circuit comprises a bossed port configured to mate with the oil supply tube, wherein the bossed port and the bearing outer race are formed as an integral part.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal oil flow circuit is integral to the bearing outer race.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling an oil supply tube to the internal oil flow circuit, wherein the coupling is configured to couple the internal oil flow circuit to the oil supply.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the internal oil flow circuit comprises at least one of a port, bossed port and a plug configured to mate with the oil supply tube.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising positioning a seal between the oil supply tube and the internal oil flow circuit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an oil pump is configured to deliver oil from the oil supply to the thin film damper

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal oil flow circuit comprises a plurality of branching oil delivery pathways.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the bearing outer race is separate part from a bearing housing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the oil is supplied inboard of the thin film damper.

10. A bearing assembly comprising:

a thin film damper positioned at least partially between a bearing housing and a bearing outer race, wherein oil is supplied to the thin film damper via an internal oil flow circuit, wherein the internal oil flow circuit is integral to the bearing outer race, wherein the internal oil flow circuit comprises a bossed port configured to mate with the oil supply tube, wherein the bossed port and the bearing outer race are formed as an integral part.

11. The bearing assembly of claim 10, further comprising an oil supply tube configured to couple the internal oil flow circuit to an oil supply.

12. The bearing assembly of claim 11, wherein the internal oil flow circuit comprises at least one of a port, bossed port, and a plug configured to mate with the oil supply tube.

13. The bearing assembly of claim 12, further comprising a seal between the oil supply tube and the internal oil flow circuit.

14. The bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein an oil pump is configured to deliver oil from the oil supply to the thin film damper.

15. The bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein the internal oil flow circuit comprises a plurality of branching oil delivery pathways.

16. The bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein the bearing outer race is a separate part from the bearing housing.

17. The bearing assembly of claim 10, further comprising a rolling bearing.

18. The bearing assembly of claim 10, further comprising a bearing inner race.

19. The bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein the oil is supplied inboard of the thin film damper.

20. The bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein the bearing assembly is configured for aerospace applications.