Journal bearing and method of facilitating hydrodynamic oil flow, load capacity and optimization of bearing performance

• US 8,657,714 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ghanime, George Hanna, Hallman, Darren Lee, Twist, Christina Paige
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US13/630,116
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 475/159
• US Class Current: 475/159
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/02 for radial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts in general F16H57/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/1055 from radial inside, e.g. via a passage through the shaft and/or inner sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/1065 Grooves on a bearing surface for distributing or collecting the liquid

Abstract

A journal bearing for use in an epicyclical gearbox including a journal pin, a journal bearing body into which the journal pin is disposed and at least one lubricating fluid inlet. The lubricating fluid inlet is configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate at least one 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 journal pin and the journal bearing body during the high pressure event. In an embodiment, the journal pin is configured to mimic 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. 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 journal bearing body having a fixed arc shaped and subject to deformation under a high pressure event;

a journal pin disposed in the journal bearing body; and

at least one lubricating fluid inlet,

wherein the fluid inlet is configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate at least one 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 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 1, wherein the journal pin comprises a non-circular journal pin 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.

4. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the lubricating fluid inlet is configured axially extending relative to the journal pin and proximate a high pressure point exerted upon the journal pin.

5. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the lubricating fluid inlet is configured circumferentially extending about a portion of the journal pin and proximate a high pressure point exerted upon the journal pin.

6. The journal bearing of claim 1, further comprising a cooling fluid inlet configured to provide for an input of a cooling fluid proximate a non-loaded arc portion of the journal bearing.

7. The journal bearing of claim 1, wherein the journal bearing body includes a first high pressure point and a second high pressure point.

8. The journal bearing of claim 7, further comprising a first lubricating fluid inlet configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate the first high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body during a high pressure event.

9. The journal bearing of claim 7, further comprising a second lubricating fluid inlet configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate the second high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body during a high pressure event.

10. 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, a journal pin disposed at least partially within the journal bearing body, and at least one lubricating fluid inlet; and

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

wherein the at least one lubricating fluid inlet of each of the plurality of journal bearings is configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion of the journal bearing body, proximate 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 journal pin and the journal bearing body during the high pressure event.

11. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 10, wherein the high pressure event is in response to a rotational drive force imparted on the journal bearing body.

12. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 10, wherein the journal pin comprises a non-circular journal pin configured to mimic the fixed arc shape of the 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 10, wherein the at least one lubricating fluid inlet is configured axially extending relative to the journal pin and proximate a high pressure point exerted upon the journal pin.

14. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 10, wherein the at least one lubricating fluid inlet is configured circumferentially extending about a portion of the journal pin and proximate a high pressure point exerted upon the journal pin.

15. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 10, further comprising an additional fluid inlet configured to provide for an input of a cooling fluid proximate a non-loaded arc portion of the journal bearing.

16. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 10, wherein the journal bearing body includes a first high pressure point and a second high pressure point.

17. The epicyclical gearbox of claim 16, further comprising a first lubricating fluid inlet configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate the first high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body during a high pressure event and a second lubricating fluid inlet configured to provide for an input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion proximate the second high pressure point exerted upon the journal bearing body during a high pressure event.

18. 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 journal pin proximate the fixed arc journal bearing body; and

providing an input lubricating fluid flow within the fixed arc journal bearing body at an lubricating fluid inlet, the lubricating fluid inlet configured to provide for the input of a lubricating fluid in a loaded arc portion of the journal bearing body, proximate 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 journal pin and the journal bearing body during the high pressure event.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the high pressure event is in response to a rotational drive force imparted on the fixed arc journal bearing body.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the journal pin comprises a non-circular journal pin 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.