Journal bearing for use in epicyclical gearbox and method of facilitating hydrodynamic oil flow in the journal bearing

• US 8,491,435 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ghanime, George Hanna, Hallman, Darren Lee, Sun, Changjie
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US13/218,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 475/156, 475/346, 384/322
• US Class Current: 475/159
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/02 for radial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/18 with floating brasses or brushing, rotatable at a reduced speed F16C17/03, F16C17/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/1075 Wedges, e.g. ramps or lobes, for generating pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/28 with gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/085 Bearings for orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0479 Gears or bearings on planet carriers

Abstract

A journal bearing for use in an epicyclical gearbox including a non-circular shaped journal pin and a journal bearing body into which the non-circular shaped journal pin is disposed. The non-circular shaped journal pin configured to mimic the shape of the non-cylindrical shaped journal bearing body at least at a high pressure point exerted upon the non-cylindrical shaped journal bearing body during a high pressure event, thereby permitting a free flow of a lubricating fluid there between the non-circular shaped journal pin and the journal bearing body during the high pressure event. An epicyclical gearbox including the journal bearing and method of facilitating a hydrodynamic oil flow in the planet gear journal bearing.

Claims

1. A journal bearing for use in an epicyclical gearbox, the journal bearing, comprising:

a non-circular shaped journal pin; and

a journal bearing body into which the non-circular shaped journal pin is disposed,

wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin mimics the shape of the journal bearing body at least at a high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body during a high pressure event, thereby permitting a free flow of a lubricating fluid there between the non-circular shaped journal pin and the journal bearing body during the high pressure event.

2. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the high pressure event is in response to a rotational drive force imparted on the journal bearing body.

3. The journal bearing of claim 2, wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin comprises a flat portion positioned proximate the high pressure point.

4. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the journal bearing body comprises a lemon-shaped fixed arc journal bearing body.

5. The journal bearing of claim 4, wherein the journal pin includes a plurality of shaped arc portions positioned proximate a plurality of high pressure points exerted on the lemon-shaped fixed arc journal bearing body thereby mimicking the shape of the lemon-shaped fixed arc journal bearing body.

6. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the journal bearing body comprises a pressure dam shaped fixed arc journal bearing body.

7. The journal bearing of claim 6, wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin comprises a pressure dam shaped portion positioned proximate a high pressure point exerted on the pressure dam shaped fixed arc journal bearing body thereby mimicking the shape of the pressure dam shaped fixed arc journal bearing body.

8. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the journal bearing body comprises a multi-lobed fixed arc journal bearing body.

9. The journal bearing of claim 8, wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin comprised a multi-lobed fixed arc shape thereby mimicking the shape of the multi-lobed fixed arc journal bearing body.

10. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the journal bearing body comprises a pivoted-pad fixed arc journal bearing body.

11. The journal bearing of claim 10, wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin includes a plurality of arced cutouts positioned proximate at least one high pressure point exerted on the pivoted-pad fixed arc journal bearing body thereby mimicking the shape of the pivoted-pad fixed arc journal bearing body.

12. An epicyclical gearbox, comprising:

a sun gear;

a plurality of planet gears positioned about the sun gear and in meshing relationship therewith;

a plurality of journal bearings, each rotatably supporting one of the plurality of planet gears, each of the plurality of journal bearings configured to include a journal bearing body having a fixed arc shape and subject to deformation under a high pressure event and a non-circular journal pin disposed at least partially within the journal bearing body; and

a planet carrier configured in fixed relationship with each of the plurality of non-circular journal pins,

wherein each of the plurality of non-circular journal pins is configured to mimic the fixed arc shape of each journal bearing body thereby permitting a free flow of a lubricating fluid there between during the high pressure event.

13. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 12, wherein the high pressure event is in response to a rotational drive force imparted on the journal bearing body.

14. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 12, wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin comprises a flat portion positioned proximate the high pressure point.

15. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 12, wherein the journal bearing body comprises a lemon-shaped fixed arc journal bearing body and the non-circular shaped journal pin includes a plurality of shaped arc portions positioned proximate a plurality of high pressure points exerted on the lemon-shaped fixed arc journal bearing body thereby mimicking the shape of the lemon-shaped fixed arc journal bearing body.

16. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 15, wherein the shaped journal bearing body comprises a pressure dam shaped fixed arc journal bearing body and the non-circular shaped journal pin comprises a pressure dam shaped portion positioned proximate a high pressure point exerted on the pressure dam shaped fixed arc journal bearing body thereby mimicking the shape of the pressure dam shaped fixed arc journal bearing body.

17. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 12, wherein the shaped journal bearing body comprises a multi-lobed fixed arc journal bearing body and the non-circular shaped journal pin comprised a multi-lobed fixed arc shape thereby mimicking the shape of the multi-lobed fixed arc journal bearing body.

18. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 12, wherein the shaped journal bearing body comprises a pivoted-pad fixed arc journal bearing body and the non-circular shaped journal pin includes a plurality of arced cutouts positioned proximate at least one high pressure point exerted on the pivoted-pad fixed arc journal bearing body thereby mimicking the shape of the pivoted-pad fixed arc journal bearing body.

19. A method of facilitating a hydrodynamic oil flow in a planet gear journal bearing, the method comprising:

providing a fixed arc journal bearing body;

disposing a non-cylindrical shaped journal pin proximate the fixed arc journal bearing body; and

providing an input lubricating fluid flow within the fixed arc journal bearing body,

wherein the non-circular shaped journal pin is configured to mimic the shape of the fixed arc journal bearing body at least at a high pressure point exerted upon the fixed arc journal bearing body during a high pressure event, thereby permitting a free flow of the input lubricating fluid there between the non-circular shaped journal pin and the fixed arc journal bearing body during the high pressure event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the high pressure event is in response to a rotational drive force imparted on the non-cylindrical shaped journal bearing body.