Spherical bearing having an axially offset inner member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11686343-B2
Application number	US-202117504900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2021
Priority date	Oct 29, 2020
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A spherical bearing includes an inner member that has an exterior surface extending a first width between axial ends thereof and having a first central plane located equidistant between the axial ends. The spherical bearing includes an outer member with a inner surface having a maximum inside diameter at an apex plane and extending a second width between opposing ends thereof and having second central plane located equidistant between the ends thereof. The inner member is disposed in an interior area of the outer member. The first central plane is coplanar with the apex plane and is axially offset from the second central plane. One of the opposing axial ends of the inner member is located entirely in the interior area and axially inward from ends of the outer member when the inner member is angularly misaligned relative to the outer member at non-zero angles up to 7 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spherical bearing comprising:
an inner member arranged concentrically about a longitudinal axis thereof and having a spherical exterior surface facing radially outward away from the longitudinal axis and extending a first width between a first axial end and a second axial end thereof, the inner member having an inner member central plane located equidistant between the first axial end and the second axial end;
an outer member having a spherical inner surface facing radially inward towards the longitudinal axis and extending a second width between a receiving end and a retaining end thereof, the outer member having an outer member central plane located equidistant between the receiving end and the retaining end, the spherical inner surface defining an interior area and having a maximum inside diameter located at an apex plane, the inner member being disposed in the interior area of the outer member between the receiving end and the retaining end when the inner member is aligned relative to the outer member at a zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis;
the inner member central plane being coplanar with the apex plane and being axially offset from the outer member central plane towards the retaining end when the inner member is aligned relative to the outer member at the zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis; and
the first axial end of the inner member being located entirely in the interior area and axially inward from the receiving end when the inner member is angularly misaligned relative to the outer member at a non-zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the spherical inner surface has:
(a) a first slot formed therein, the first slot extending radially outward from the spherical inner surface away from the longitudinal axis and extending axially inward from the receiving end toward the retaining end and axially terminating between the outer member apex plane and the retaining end, and the first slot having a circumferential width that is greater than the first width of the inner member; and
(b) a second slot formed therein, the second slot extending radially outward from the spherical inner surface away from the longitudinal axis and extending axially inward from the receiving end toward the retaining end and axially terminating between the outer member apex plane and the retaining end, and the second slot having the same circumferential width as the first slot, the second slot being located opposite the first slot.

2. The spherical bearing of claim 1 , wherein the non-zero angle is up to 7 degrees.

3. The spherical bearing of claim 1 , wherein the inner member is removably disposed in the interior area of the outer member through the first slot and the second slot.

4. The spherical bearing of claim 1 , wherein the inner member comprises a composite material and the outer member comprises a metallic material.

5. The spherical bearing of claim 1 , wherein the spherical exterior surface slidingly engages the spherical inner surface.

6. The spherical bearing of claim 1 , further comprising a first lubricious liner secured to the spherical inner surface, the first lubricious liner slidingly engaging the spherical outer surface of the inner member.

7. The spherical bearing of claim 6 , wherein the inner member has a bore extending axially therethrough from the first axial end to the second axial end, the bore defining an inner bearing surface.

8. The spherical bearing of claim 7 , further comprising a second lubricious liner secured to the inner bearing surface.

9. The spherical bearing of claim 8 , further comprising a shaft extending into the bore, wherein the shaft is in at least one of axial and rotational sliding engagement with the second lubricious liner.

10. The spherical bearing of claim 7 , further comprising a shaft extending into the bore.

11. The spherical bearing of claim 10 , wherein the shaft is in at least one of axial and rotational sliding engagement with the inner bearing surface.

12. An assembly of a spherical bearing and a housing, the assembly comprising:
the housing extending axially from a housing receiving end to a housing retaining end thereof, the housing having a bearing receiving surface extending axially inward from the housing receiving end, the bearing receiving surface facing radially inward toward a longitudinal axis and terminating at an abutment surface that faces axially toward the housing receiving end, the and the abutment surface being formed on a lip extending radially inward from the housing proximate the retaining end;
the spherical bearing comprising an inner member arranged concentrically about the longitudinal axis thereof and having a spherical exterior surface facing radially outward away from the longitudinal axis and extending a first width between a first axial end and a second axial end thereof, the inner member having an inner member central plane located equidistant between the first axial end and the second axial end;
an outer member having a spherical inner surface facing radially inward towards the longitudinal axis and extending a second width between a receiving end and a retaining end thereof, the outer member having an outer member central plane located equidistant between the receiving end and the retaining end, the spherical inner surface defining an interior area and having a maximum inside diameter located at an apex plane, the inner member being disposed in the interior area of the outer member between the receiving end and the retaining end when the inner member is aligned relative to the outer member at the zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis;
the inner member central plane being coplanar with the apex plane and being axially offset from the outer member central plane towards the retaining end when the inner member is aligned relative to the outer member at a zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis;
the first axial end of the inner member being located entirely in the interior area and axially inward from the receiving end when the inner member is angularly misaligned relative to the outer member at a non-zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis;
the spherical bearing being positioned in the housing such that the retaining end of the outer member engages the abutment surface and the receiving end of the outer member is coplanar with the bearing receiving end of the housing; and
the second axial end of the inner member being located entirely in the housing and axially inward from the bearing retaining end of the housing when the inner member is angularly misaligned relative to the outer member at the non-zero angle measured relative to the longitudinal axis.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the non-zero angle is up to 7 degrees.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the spherical inner surface has:
(a) a first slot formed therein, the first slot extending radially outward from the spherical inner surface away from the longitudinal axis and extending axially inward from the receiving end toward the retaining end and axially terminating between the outer member apex plane and the retaining end, and the first slot having a circumferential width that is greater than the first width of the inner member; and
(b) a second slot formed therein, the second slot extending radially outward from the spherical inner surface away from the longitudinal axis and extending axially inward from the receiving end toward the retaining end and axially terminating between the outer member apex plane and the retaining end, and the second slot having the same circumfere

Assignees

• Roller Bearing Co America Inc

Inventors

• Voisine James
• Smith Bradley

Classifications

• F16C43/02

  Assembling sliding-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16C23/045 Primary

  for radial load mainly, e.g. radial spherical plain bearings · CPC title

• F16C23/043 Primary

  with spherical surfaces, e.g. spherical plain bearings · CPC title

• F16C17/105

  with at least one bearing surface providing angular contact, e.g. conical or spherical bearing surfaces · CPC title

• F16C2226/70

  with complementary interlocking parts · CPC title