Bearing failure indicator

• US 8,087,832 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Blades, Paul, Burness, Richard John Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Charles, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US12/294,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090116777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 384/448, 384/519, 384/537, 384/540, 384/569, 384/583, 384/624
• US Class Current: 384/624
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/045 with at least a pair of arms pivoting relatively to at least one other arm, all arms being mounted on one pin crank-pins F16C11/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/38 with two or more rows of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/52 with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 23/086 forming a track for rolling elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/04 Bearings

Abstract

A bearing failure indication arrangement which has a bearing with an inner and outer races, a first part arranged to be attached in fixed relation to either the bearing inner race or bearing outer race, a failure indicator arranged in fixed relation to both the first part and either the bearing inner race or the bearing outer race, the failure indicator constructed so that if relative movement occurs between the first part and the bearing race to which it is attached, the failure indicator responds to the relative movement thereby indicating failure of the bearing.

Claims

1. A bearing failure indication arrangement, comprising:

a bearing having an inner race and an outer race;

a first part arranged to be attached in fixed relation to either the bearing inner race or bearing outer race;

a failure indicator arranged in fixed relation to the first part under normal operation of the bearing and arranged in fixed relation to the bearing race to which the first part is attached, the failure indicator adapted so that if relative movement occurs between the first part and the bearing race to which the first part is attached, the failure indicator responds to the relative movement thereby indicating failure of the bearing, wherein the failure indicator further includes a pointer which points outwardly from the bearing race and is adapted to respond to the relative movement by moving in relation to the first part.

2. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the failure indicator responds to the relative movement by deforming.

3. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the failure indicator is in the form of an annular ring that is adapted to engage with the bearing inner race or the bearing outer race.

4. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the failure indicator engages with the bearing inner race or the bearing outer race by means of a detent.

5. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first part is a hinge pin that is mounted in the bearing inner race.

6. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the failure indicator is in the form of an annular ring, the inner perimeter of which is adapted to engage with an outer surface of the hinge pin.

7. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the pointer is adapted to move and/or deform if the hinge pin moves in relation to the bearing inner race.

8. A bearing failure indication arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the failure indicator is fabricated from a material having properties selected so that the failure indicator responds to a specific torque being transmitted between the bearing inner and outer race.

9. A hinge pin incorporating at least one bearing failure indication arrangement claimed in claim 1.

10. An aircraft control surface incorporating a hinge pin as claimed in claim 9.