Retaining system for rotor balancing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11828670-B2
Application number	US-202117314787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	May 7, 2021
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

An assembly of a rotating component and a rotationally stationary component includes a first bearing portion located at the rotating component and rotatable therewith, and a second bearing portion located at the rotationally stationary component. The second bearing portion is supported at the rotationally stationary component and rotatably with the rotating component when in contact with the first bearing portion. The first bearing portion and the second bearing portion define a single point contact therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly of a rotating component and a rotationally stationary component, comprising:
a first bearing portion disposed at the rotating component and rotatable therewith; and
a second bearing portion disposed at the rotationally stationary component, the second bearing portion supported at the rotationally stationary component and rotatably with the rotating component when in contact with the first bearing portion;
wherein the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion define a single point contact therebetween;
wherein when the first bearing portion contacts a contact surface of the second bearing portion, the second bearing portion rotates together with the rotating component.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first angular contact bearing installed to the rotationally stationary component and supportive of the second bearing portion, the angular contact bearing allowing for rotation of the second bearing portion relative to the rotationally stationary component.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is flat and planar.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the contact surface has a non-planar shape.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first bearing portion is one of a ball bearing or a conical bearing.

6. A system for balancing a rotor assembly, comprising:
an arbor to which a rotor assembly is installable, such that the arbor and rotor assembly are rotatable together about a central longitudinal axis;
a first axial restraint disposed at a first axial end of the arbor, the first axial restraint rotationally stationary and configured to limit axial travel of the arbor toward the first axial restraint during rotation of the arbor;
a first bearing assembly to operably connect the arbor to the first axial restraint, the first bearing assembly including:
a first arbor bearing portion disposed at the arbor; and
a first restraint bearing portion disposed at the first axial restraint;
wherein the first arbor bearing portion and the first restraint bearing portion are configured to define a single point contact therebetween.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first restraint bearing portion includes:
a first adapter installed to the first axial restraint; and
a first angular contact bearing installed to the first axial restraint and supportive of the first adapter, the first angular contact bearing allowing for rotation of the first adapter about the central longitudinal axis relative to the first axial restraint.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein when the first arbor bearing portion contacts a first contact surface of the first adapter, the first adapter rotates about the central longitudinal axis together with the arbor.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first contact surface is flat and planar.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the contact surface has a non-planar shape.

11. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first arbor bearing portion is one of a ball bearing or a conical bearing.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first axial restraint includes:
a first restraint base; and
a first restraint arm disposed at the central longitudinal axis and extending axially from the first restraint base toward the arbor;
wherein the first restraint bearing portion is installed to the first restraint arm.

13. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second axial restraint disposed at a second axial end of the arbor opposite the first axial end, the second axial restraint rotationally stationary and configured to limit axial travel of the arbor toward the second axial restraint during rotation of the arbor;
a second bearing assembly to operably connect the arbor to the second axial restraint, the second bearing assembly including:
a second arbor bearing portion disposed at the arbor; and
a second restraint bearing portion disposed at the second axial restraint;
wherein the second arbor bearing portion and the second restraint bearing portion are configured to define a single point contact therebetween.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second restraint bearing portion includes:
a second adapter installed to the second axial restraint; and
a second angular contact bearing installed to the second axial restraint and supportive of the second adapter, the second angular contact bearing allowing for rotation of the second adapter about the central longitudinal axis relative to the second axial restraint.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first axial restraint and the second axial restraint together limit travel of the arbor along the central longitudinal axis.

16. A method of operating a balancing system of a rotor assembly, comprising:
installing a rotor assembly to an arbor;
rotating the arbor and the rotor assembly together about a central longitudinal axis;
limiting axial travel of the arbor along the central longitudinal axis via a first axial restraint disposed at a first axial end of the arbor, the first axial restraint rotationally stationary and configured to limit axial travel of the arbor toward the first axial restraint during rotation of the arbor;
wherein a first bearing assembly is disposed between the arbor and the first axial restraint, the first bearing assembly including:
a first arbor bearing portion disposed at the arbor; and
a first restraint bearing portion disposed at the first axial restraint;
wherein the first arbor bearing portion and the first restraint bearing portion are configured to define a single point contact therebetween.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first restraint bearing portion includes:
a first adapter installed to the first axial restraint; and
a first angular contact bearing installed to the first axial restraint and supportive of the first adapter, the first angular contact bearing allowing for rotation of the first adapter about the central longitudinal axis relative to the first axial restraint.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein when the first arbor bearing portion contacts a first contact surface of the first adapter, the first adapter rotates about the central longitudinal axis together with the arbor.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Bedard Tim R
• Chrisikos James P
• Dube David P
• Sutliff Jeffrey W
• Walsh Diane D
• Tresser Jordan

Classifications

• G01M1/04 Primary

  Adaptation of bearing support assemblies for receiving the body to be tested · CPC title

• G01M1/045

  the body being a vehicle wheel · CPC title

• F01D5/027 Primary

  Arrangements for balancing (for balancing rotating bodies in general F16F15/32; for compensating imbalance G01M1/36) · CPC title

• F04D29/662

  Balancing of rotors (compensating imbalance G01M1/36) · CPC title

• G01M1/06

  Adaptation of drive assemblies for receiving the body to be tested · CPC title