Bearing assembly with inner ring
First Claim
1. A bearing assembly comprising:
- an outer ring having an inner surface including an outer race;
an inner ring concentric with and surrounded by the outer ring, the inner ring havingan outer surface including two axially spaced apart shoulders and an inner race defined between the shoulders, the inner race being complementary to the outer race, andan inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial slots with a flat bottom wall defined therein, the inner surface also having a plurality of circumferentially spaced partial circumferential slots defined therein each intersecting one of the axial slots and extending circumferentially therefrom, andthe inner ring further having shoulder radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding one of the shoulders, and race radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding corner of the inner race, the radial holes being circumferentially offset from the axial slots;
a cage member received between the outer and inner rings and abutting the shoulders of the inner ring; and
a plurality of bearing elements supported by the cage member and received between the outer race and the inner race, the bearing elements allowing relative rotational motion between the outer and inner rings.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inner ring for a bearing assembly with an inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial slots defined therein each having a flat axially extending bottom wall and a plurality of circumferentially spaced partial circumferential slots defined therein each intersecting one of the axial slots and extending circumferentially therefrom around a respective portion of a circumference of the inner surface, shoulder radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding one of the shoulders, and race radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding corner of the inner race. The radial holes are circumferentially offset from the axial slots. A bearing assembly and a method of lubricating such an assembly are also discussed.
72 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A bearing assembly comprising:
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an outer ring having an inner surface including an outer race; an inner ring concentric with and surrounded by the outer ring, the inner ring having an outer surface including two axially spaced apart shoulders and an inner race defined between the shoulders, the inner race being complementary to the outer race, and an inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial slots with a flat bottom wall defined therein, the inner surface also having a plurality of circumferentially spaced partial circumferential slots defined therein each intersecting one of the axial slots and extending circumferentially therefrom, and the inner ring further having shoulder radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding one of the shoulders, and race radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding corner of the inner race, the radial holes being circumferentially offset from the axial slots; a cage member received between the outer and inner rings and abutting the shoulders of the inner ring; and a plurality of bearing elements supported by the cage member and received between the outer race and the inner race, the bearing elements allowing relative rotational motion between the outer and inner rings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An inner ring for a bearing assembly, the inner ring comprising:
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an outer surface defining an inner race extending between two circumferential shoulders; an inner surface concentric with the outer surface and located radially inwardly thereof, the inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial slots defined therein each having a flat axially extending bottom wall, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced partial circumferential slots defined therein each intersecting one of the axial slots and extending circumferentially therefrom around a respective portion of a circumference of the inner surface; the inner ring having shoulder radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding one of the shoulders; the inner ring having race radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding corner of the inner race; and the radial holes being circumferentially offset from the axial slots. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of lubricating a bearing assembly having a cage member retaining a plurality of bearing elements, the method comprising:
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circulating a lubricating fluid axially along an inner surface of an inner ring of the bearing assembly following a plurality of distinct first paths; circulating the lubricating fluid circumferentially from the first paths along the inner surface following a plurality of distinct second paths; circulating the lubricating fluid radially from some of the second paths through the inner ring directly to shoulders defined in an outer surface of the inner ring and receiving the cage member; and circulating the lubricating fluid radially from the remaining second paths through the inner ring directly to corners of an inner race defined in the outer surface and receiving the bearing elements. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification