Bearings with visually distinct wear indicators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11549554-B2
Application number	US-202016850865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2020
Priority date	Apr 16, 2020
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

Bearings with visually distinct wear indicators are disclosed. An example bearing disclosed herein includes a movable portion, a race to receive the movable portion along a first surface to thereby permit movement of the movable portion within the race, and a liner disposed on the first surface of the race, the liner having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer disposed on top of the second layer, the first layer visually distinctive from the second layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a connecting rod; and
a bearing, including:
a movable portion;
a race to receive the movable portion along a first surface to thereby permit movement of the movable portion within the race;
a liner disposed on the first surface, the liner having a first void extending at least partially therethrough; and
an abradable pin disposed in the first void, the abradable pin including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer disposed on top of the second layer, the first layer visually distinctive from the second layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first layer or the second layer comprise polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first layer comprises a first polytetrafluoroethylene dyed a first color and the second layer comprises a second polytetrafluoroethylene dyed a second color.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first layer corresponds with a level of wear indicating the bearing has exceeded a first wear threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first wear threshold corresponds to the bearing having exceeded half of a service life.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the abradable pin further includes a third layer visually distinctive from the first layer and the second layer, the third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a thickness of the first layer corresponds with a first level of wearing indicating the bearing has exceeded a first wear threshold and a thickness of the third layer corresponds with a second level of wearing indicating the bearing has exceeded a second wear threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rod couples a gas turbine engine to an aircraft.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a first photoluminescence property and the second layer has a second photoluminescence property different than the first photoluminescence property.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a first visual pattern and the second layer has a second visual pattern different than the first visual pattern.

11. A bearing comprising:
a movable portion
a race to receive the movable portion along a first surface to thereby permit movement of the movable portion within the race;
a liner disposed on the first surface of the race, the liner having a first void extending at least partially therethrough; and
an abradable pin disposed in the first void, the abradable pin includes a first layer and a second layer, the first layer disposed on top of the second layer, the first layer visually distinctive from the second layer.

12. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein the liner further includes a plurality of voids, the plurality of voids including the first void, the plurality of voids evenly distributed radially about the race.

13. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the first layer corresponds with a level of wear indicating the bearing has exceeded a wear threshold.

14. The bearing of claim 13 , wherein the wear threshold corresponds to the bearing having exceeded half of a service life.

15. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first layer or the second layer comprise polytetrafluoroethylene.

16. The bearing of claim 15 , wherein the first layer comprises a first polytetrafluoroethylene dyed a first color and the second layer comprises a second polytetrafluoroethylene dyed a second color.

17. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein the first layer has a first photoluminescence property and the second layer has a second photoluminescence property different than the first photoluminescence property.

18. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein the first layer has a first visual pattern and the second layer has a second visual pattern different than the first visual pattern.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Schelfaut Timothy Leo
• Joseph Thomas P
• Metz Anthony M
• Coleman Jonathan E

Classifications

• F16C41/008 Primary

  Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means · CPC title

• F16C33/206

  with three layers · CPC title

• F16C2208/32

  Polytetrafluorethylene [PTFE] (F16C2208/58 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01B5/06

  for measuring thickness · CPC title

• G01B5/003

  Measuring of motor parts · CPC title