Surface textured rollers

• US 8,123,413 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tambe, Nikhil Subhashchandra, Ahuja, Munishwar, Gowda, Hombe
• Primary Examiner(s): Pilkington, James
• Application Number:
  US12/649,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 384/284, 384/565, 384566-568, 384/619
• US Class Current: 384/565
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/10 using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/50 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/60 Structure; Surface texture
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/26 with a single row of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2240/40 Linear dimensions, e.g. length, radius, thickness, gap
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2240/44 Hole or pocket sizes
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/31 Wind motors in general F03D
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts in general F16H57/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/34 Rollers; Needles
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/585 of raceways, e.g. ribs to guide the rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6651 in recesses or cavities provided in retainers, races or rolling elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19642 Directly cooperating gears

Abstract

A surface textured roller and a surface textured rolling element bearing comprising a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof is presented. The plurality of micropores may have a geometry selected from a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, and a cone. The surface textured rollers may be used, for example, in a gear box and/or a wind turbine drivetrain.

Claims

1. A surface textured roller comprising:

a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof formed in an array, each of the micropores having a geometry including a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, a cone, or combinations thereof, the plurality of micropores adapted to enhance elastohydrodynamic lubrication of the surface textured roller,

wherein the array is a substantially uniformly spaced array in the surface of the surface textured roller, and

wherein at least one of the micropores has the diamond shaped geometry, the diamond shaped geometry including a substantially polygonal perimeter on the surface of the surface textured roller.

2. A surface textured roller according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of micropores comprise the diamond shaped geometry.

3. A surface textured roller according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of micropores comprise a combination of diamond shaped and hemisphere shaped geometries.

4. A surface textured roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller has a dimpled surface and the roller is selected from the group consisting of a cylindrical roller, a spherical roller, and a taper roller.

5. A surface textured roller according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of micropores are adapted to undergo a volume change in response to a pressure being exerted upon the surface textured roller.

6. A surface textured roller according to claim 5, wherein a volume of at least one of the plurality of micropores is reduced in response to the pressure being exerted upon the surface textured roller.

7. A surface textured roller according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of micropores comprise a combination of cone shaped and hemisphere shaped geometries.

8. A surface textured rolling element bearing comprising:

an outer race;

an inner race; and

a plurality of rollers between the outer race and the inner race, the plurality of rollers having a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof formed in an array, each of the micropores having a geometry including a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, a cone, or combinations thereof, the plurality of micropores adapted to enhance elastohydrodynamic lubrication of the rollers,

wherein the array is a substantially uniformly spaced array in the surface of the rollers, and

wherein at least one of the micropores has the diamond shaped geometry, the diamond shaped geometry including a substantially polygonal perimeter on the surface of the rollers.

9. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of micropores comprise the diamond shaped geometry.

10. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of micropores comprise a combination of diamond shaped and hemisphere shaped geometries.

11. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of rollers have a dimpled surface and are selected from the group consisting of a cylindrical roller, a spherical roller, and a taper roller.

12. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of micropores are adapted to undergo a volume change in response to a pressure being exerted upon the surface textured roller.

13. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 12, wherein a volume of at least one of the plurality of micropores is reduced in response to the pressure being exerted upon the surface textured roller.

14. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of micropores comprise a combination of cone shaped and hemisphere shaped geometries.

15. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the inner race includes a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof, the plurality of micropores having at least a geometry selected from at least one of the group consisting of a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, and a cone, and combinations thereof.

16. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8, wherein the outer race includes a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof, the plurality of micropores having a geometry selected from at least one of the group consisting of a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, and a cone, and combinations thereof.

17. A surface textured rolling element bearing according to claim 8 additionally comprising a cage.

18. A gearbox comprising:

a gearbox including a gear set disposed within the gearbox, the gear set including at least two gears meshing with one another; and

a surface textured roller element bearing supporting the gear set, the surface textured roller element bearing comprising;

an outer race;

an inner race; and

a plurality of rollers between the outer race and the inner race, the plurality of rollers having a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof formed in an array, each of the micropores having a geometry including a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, a cone, or combinations thereof, the plurality of micropores adapted to enhance elastohydrodynamic lubrication of the rollers,

wherein the array is a substantially uniformly spaced array in the surface of the rollers, and

wherein at least one of the micropores has the diamond shaped geometry, the diamond shaped geometry including a substantially polygonal perimeter on the surface of the rollers.

19. A gearbox according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of micropores have a depth of approximately 5 micrometers (μ

m) to approximately 10 μ

m.

20. A wind turbine comprising:

a rotor;

a generator operable to generate power;

a gearbox provided between the rotor and the generator, the gearbox including a gear set disposed within the gearbox, the gear set including at least two gears meshing with one another; and

a surface textured rolling element bearing supporting the gear set, the surface textured rolling element bearing comprising;

an outer race;

an inner race; and

a plurality of rollers between the outer race and inner race, the plurality of rollers having a plurality of micropores in a surface thereof formed in an array, each of the micropores having a geometry including a hemisphere, a diamond shape, an ellipsoid, a cone, or combinations thereof, the plurality of micropores adapted to enhance elastohydrodynamic lubrication of the rollers,

wherein the array is a substantially uniformly spaced array in the surface of the rollers, and

wherein at least one of the micropores has the diamond shaped geometry, the diamond shaped geometry including a substantially polygonal perimeter on the surface of the rollers.