Combination elastomeric and ellipsoidal plain bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604244-B2
Application number	US-201715815143-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Nov 16, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A bearing assembly is for movably coupling first and second members, one being movable relative to the other. A plain bearing section includes an inner ring connectable with the first member and an outer convex bearing surface. An outer ring is disposed about the inner ring and has an inner concave bearing surface disposed against the inner ring bearing surface. The two bearing surfaces are formed such that one bearing surfaces slides against the other when the movable member displaces about a first axis and two bearing surfaces engage to prevent displacement between the two rings when the movable member displaces about a second axis. An elastomeric bearing section is disposed about the plain bearing section, is connected with the second member and formed such that at least a portion of the elastomeric bearing section flexes when the movable member angularly displaces about the second axis.

First claim

We claim:

1. A bearing assembly for movably coupling a first, inner member with a second, outer member, a movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member being angularly displaceable with respect to the other one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member about a first axis extending centrally through the first, inner member and about at least one second axis generally intersecting the first axis or skewed with respect to the first axis, the bearing assembly comprising:
an inner plain bearing section including an inner ring connectable with the first, inner member and having an outer convex, partially ellipsoidal bearing surface, and an outer ring disposed about the inner ring and having an inner concave, partially ellipsoidal bearing surface disposed against the inner ring bearing surface, the inner ring bearing surface and outer ring bearing surface each being configured such that one of the inner and outer ring bearing surfaces slides against the other one of the inner and outer ring bearing surfaces so that one of the inner and outer rings angularly displaces about the first axis extending centrally through the inner member whenever the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member angularly displaces about the first axis and each one of the inner and outer ring bearing ellipsoidal surfaces wedges against the other one of the inner and outer ring ellipsoidal bearing surfaces so as to prevent relative displacement between the inner and outer rings when the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member angularly displaces about the at least one second axis intersecting the first axis or skewed with respect to the first axis; and
an outer elastomeric bearing section disposed about the plain bearing section, connected with the second, outer member and configured such that at least a portion of the elastomeric bearing section flexes when the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member angularly displaces about the second axis.

2. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member is angularly displaceable about a plurality of separate second axes each generally intersecting the first axis or skewed with respect to the first axis, the plain bearing inner and outer rings being configured to angularly displace about each separate one of the second axes when the first, inner member displaces relative to the second, outer member about at least one of the second axes and the at least a portion of the elastomeric bearing being configured to flex when the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member angularly displaces about each one of the second axes.

3. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the inner ring of the plain bearing section has a central bore configured to receive a portion of the first member so as to connect the first member with the bearing assembly.

4. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein:
the outer ring includes a partially spherical body having opposing axial end faces, the concave inner surface extending generally axially between the end faces and defining an interior bore; and
the inner ring includes a partially ellipsoidal body disposed within the outer ring bore, the ellipsoidal body having two opposing axial ends and the inner ring central bore extending between the two axial ends.

5. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein the inner ring partially ellipsoidal body has two generally cylindrical end portions each extending outwardly from a separate one of the two opposing axial ends.

6. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein the inner ring is shaped such that planar cross-sections through the first axis are bounded by two curved line sections each having opposing end points and a middle point, each middle point is spaced by a first radial distance from a center point and each end point is spaced by a second, greater radial distance from the center point.

7. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the outer ring includes a partially spherical body having a concave inner surface and a liner layer disposed on the body inner surface and providing the bearing surface of the outer ring, the layer being formed of a material having a hardness substantially lesser than a hardness of the inner ring material.

8. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the elastomeric bearing section is formed as a laminated bearing including a plurality of alternating, substantially flexible laminae and substantially rigid laminae nested coaxially generally about a centerline.

9. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each flexible laminae is formed of an elastomeric material and each rigid laminae is formed of one of a metallic material and a rigid polymeric material.

10. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein at least one of the flexible laminae is at least one of compressed, extended and twisted relative to a pair of coaxially adjacent rigid laminae during flexure of the laminated bearing section.

11. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each one of the flexible and rigid laminae has an outside diameter, the plurality of laminae being arranged such that each one of the laminae is disposed within all of the other laminae having an outside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the one lamina.

12. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each one the flexible and rigid laminae is partially spherical.

13. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the elastomeric bearing portion includes a generally cylindrical body or at least two generally wedge-shaped body portions.

14. The bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the second, outer member has a bore and the bearing assembly is disposed within the second member bore.

15. A bearing assembly for movably coupling a first, inner member with a second, outer member, a movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member being angularly displaceable with respect to the other one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member about a first axis extending centrally through the first, inner member and about at least one second axis generally intersecting the first axis or skewed with respect to the first axis, the bearing assembly comprising:
an inner plain bearing section including an inner ring, the inner ring being connectable with the first, inner member and having an outer convex, partially ellipsoidal bearing surface, and an outer ring disposed about the inner ring and having an inner concave, partially ellipsoidal bearing surface disposed against the inner ring bearing surface, the inner ring bearing surface and outer ring bearing surface each being configured such that one of the inner and outer ring bearing surfaces slides against the other one of the inner and outer ring bearing surfaces so that one of the inner and outer rings angularly displaces about the first axis extending centrally through the inner member whenever the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member angularly displaces about the first axis and each one of the inner and outer ring ellipsoidal bearing surfaces wedges against the other one of the inner and outer ring ellipsoidal bearing surfaces so as to prevent relative displacement between the inner and outer rings when the movable one of the first, inner member and the second, outer member angularly displaces about the at least one second axis intersecting the first axis or skewed with res

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Riedl Daniel L
• James Lester John Temple
• Colton Michael Brett
• Curry William Andrew

Classifications

• F16C17/03

  with tiltably-supported segments, e.g. Michell bearings {(hydrostatic bearings with tiltably supported bearing pads F16C32/0666; made from a plurality of rods F16C33/26; with flexible leaves F16C17/024; hydrodynamic bearings with chambers F16C33/1075)} · CPC title

• F16C11/083

  by means of parts of rubber or like materials · CPC title

• F16C2326/43

  Aeroplanes; Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C27/35 Primary

  having elastomeric joints · CPC title

• F16C33/1075

  Wedges, e.g. ramps or lobes, for generating pressure · CPC title