Bearing inner race with sleeve and integrated puller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416246-B2
Application number	US-202318340443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2023
Priority date	Jun 23, 2023
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A bearing assembly for a turbomachine includes a bearing inner race, a bearing outer race located radially outwardly from the bearing inner race, and one or more bearing elements located radially between the bearing inner race and the bearing outer race. A bearing sleeve is positioned radially inboard of the bearing inner race and is configured for engagement with a rotating component. The bearing sleeve includes a sleeve body located radially between the bearing inner race and the rotating component, and a puller feature extending from the sleeve body at a first axial end of the bearing sleeve. The puller feature is configured for application of a removal force thereto to remove the bearing from an installed position in the turbomachine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing and shaft assembly of a turbomachine, comprising:
a bearing inner race;
a bearing outer race disposed radially outwardly from the bearing inner race;
one or more bearing elements located radially between the bearing inner race and the bearing outer race; and
a bearing sleeve disposed radially inboard of the bearing inner race and configured for engagement with a shaft supporting a rotor of the turbomachine, the bearing sleeve including:
a sleeve body disposed radially between the bearing inner race and the rotor shaft;
a puller feature extending from the sleeve body at a first axial end of the bearing sleeve, the puller feature configured for application of a removal force thereto to remove the bearing from an installed position in the turbomachine; and
a locating protrusion extending from the sleeve body and engageable with the bearing inner race to axially locate the bearing sleeve relative to the bearing inner race, the locating protrusion positioned axially between the puller feature and the bearing inner race;
wherein the locating protrusion axially abuts the bearing inner race so that a channel is defined by the puller feature, the bearing inner race, and the locating protrusion.

2. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first axial end of the bearing sleeve is further configured for application of an installation force thereto to install the bearing into the installed position.

3. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the puller feature is a sleeve flange extending radially outwardly from the sleeve body.

4. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bearing sleeve is press fit between the rotor and the bearing inner race.

5. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bearing sleeve is a full unitary ring.

6. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the puller feature is formed integral to the sleeve body.

7. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the bearing inner race and the bearing outer race are full unitary rings.

8. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bearing elements are one or more spherical balls or cylindrical rollers.

9. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
one or more rotating shafts;
one or more turbines operably connected to the one or more rotating shafts;
one or more bearing assemblies, each bearing assembly supportive of a corresponding shaft of the one or more rotating shafts, a bearing assembly of the one or more bearing assemblies, including:
a bearing inner race;
a bearing outer race disposed radially outwardly from the bearing inner race;
one or more bearing elements located radially between the bearing inner race and the bearing outer race; and
a bearing sleeve disposed radially inboard of the bearing inner race and engaged with the corresponding shaft, the bearing sleeve including:
a sleeve body disposed radially between the bearing inner race and the corresponding shaft;
a puller feature extending from the sleeve body at a first axial end of the bearing sleeve, the puller feature configured for application of a removal force thereto to remove the bearing from an installed position in the turbomachine; and

a locating protrusion extending from the sleeve body and engageable with the bearing inner race to axially locate the bearing sleeve relative to the bearing inner race, the locating protrusion positioned axially between the puller feature and the bearing inner race;
wherein the locating protrusion axially abuts the bearing inner race so that a channel is defined by the puller feature, the bearing inner race, and the locating protrusion.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the first axial end of the bearing sleeve is further configured for application of an installation force thereto to install the bearing into the installed position.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the puller feature is a sleeve flange extending radially outwardly from the sleeve body.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the bearing sleeve is press fit between the shaft and the bearing inner race.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the bearing sleeve is a full unitary ring.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the puller feature is formed integral to the sleeve body.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the bearing inner race and the bearing outer race are full unitary rings.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the one or more bearing elements are one or more spherical balls or cylindrical rollers.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Sanzari Lorenzo
• Lefebvre Guy

Classifications

• F16C35/073

  between shaft and inner race ring · CPC title

• F16C35/062

  Dismounting of ball or roller bearings · CPC title

• F05D2240/54

  Radial bearings · CPC title

• F05D2230/72

  Maintenance · CPC title

• F01D25/162

  Bearing supports · CPC title