Bearing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024117843-A1
Application number	US-202318545211-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2023
Priority date	Oct 29, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A rotational coupling including a bearing assembly including a first race rotatably coupled to a second race, wherein the first race is configured to receive a plurality of first fasteners to couple the first race and the bearing assembly to a fluid supply. The rotational coupling also including a connection flange coupled to the second race and configured to receive a plurality of second fasteners to couple the connection flange to the second race. The second race includes a first side facing the connection flange and a second side opposite the first side and facing the first race, wherein the second race includes at least one access aperture configured to enable access to the plurality of first fasteners from the first side to removably couple the bearing assembly to the fluid supply.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A rotatable fluid coupling for a fluid discharge device, the rotatable fluid coupling comprising:
a bearing including a first member rotatably coupled with a second member; and a fastener configured to couple the first member with a fluid supply conduit, wherein the second member comprises an opening to access the fastener for installation and removal of the bearing, and the first member and the second member define an inner volume and are sealed with each other, the inner volume defining a flow path for a fluid from the fluid supply conduit to the fluid discharge device.

2 . The rotatable fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first member is an outer race of the bearing and the second member is an inner race of the bearing, the rotatable fluid coupling further comprising:
a connection flange coupled to the inner race and configured to receive a plurality of fasteners to couple the connection flange to the inner race, wherein the inner race includes an annular protrusion that radially extends over the outer race, the annular protrusion including a first side facing the connection flange and a second side opposite the first side and facing the outer race, wherein the inner race includes a plurality of the opening to enable access to a plurality of the fastener that couple the outer race with the fluid supply conduit from the first side to removably couple the bearing to the fluid supply conduit.

3 . The rotatable fluid coupling of claim 2 , wherein the inner race includes a groove extending around a periphery of the first side configured to accept a sealing member.

4 . The rotatable fluid coupling of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fasteners that couple the connection flange to the inner race and the plurality of fasteners that couple the outer race with the fluid supply conduit both extend in a same direction and comprise tool interface portions configured to be access from a same side of the rotatable fluid coupling.

5 . The rotatable fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein a cavity configured to receive a seal is formed between the first member, the second member, and a first side of the fluid supply conduit.

6 . The rotatable fluid coupling of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of ball bearings configured to facilitate rotation of the first member relative to the second member.

7 . The rotatable fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first fasteners are received in a plurality of first apertures in the fluid supply conduit and a plurality of second apertures in the first member, and wherein the second member includes a plurality of third apertures configured to accept the plurality of second fasteners to couple a connection flange with the second member.

8 . A bearing assembly, comprising:
a first member comprising a plurality of first apertures to receive a plurality of first fasteners to couple the first member to a first flange; a second member rotatably coupled to the first member and defining a fluid flow pathway through the second member, the second member comprising: a top side; a bottom side facing the first member; a plurality of second apertures to receive a plurality of second fasteners to couple the second member to a second flange; and a plurality of access apertures to enable access to and removal of the plurality of first fasteners from the top side while the first member is coupled to the first flange and the second member is coupled to the first member.

9 . The bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein a cavity configured to receive a seal is formed between the first member, the second member, and the first flange.

10 . The bearing assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of ball bearings configured to facilitate rotation of the first member relative to the second member.

11 . The bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second member includes a groove extending around a periphery of the first side configured to receive a seal.

12 . The bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the plurality of access apertures are configured to align with a first portion of the plurality of first apertures based on the second member being at a first rotational position relative to the second member; and the plurality of access apertures are configured to align with a second portion of the plurality of first apertures based on the second member being at a second rotational position relative to the first member.

13 . The bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first member includes an annular projection configured to be received by the second member and align the second member relative to the first member.

14 . The bearing assembly of claim 13 , wherein the annular projection extends upward and is received in an annular groove formed in a bottom of the second member.

15 . A fluid discharge assembly, comprising:
a fluid discharge device; and an oscillating monitor coupled with the fluid discharge device, the oscillating monitor comprising:
a housing; and
a rotational coupling removably coupled with the housing to allow for rotation of the fluid discharge device relative to the housing, the rotational coupling having a fluid conduit to provide fluid to the fluid discharge device through the fluid conduit.

16 . The fluid discharge assembly of claim 15 , wherein the rotational coupling comprising a first member rotatably coupled with a second member, the first member coupled with the fluid discharge device, the second member coupled with the housing.

17 . The fluid discharge assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of ball bearings between the first member and the second member.

18 . The fluid discharge assembly of claim 15 , wherein the rotational coupling comprises a plurality of apertures to access fasteners for decoupling at least one of (i) the rotational coupling from the housing or (ii) a first member of the rotational coupling from a second member of the rotational coupling.

19 . The fluid discharge assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a drive shaft coupled with the rotational coupling to facilitate rotation of the oscillating monitor relative to the housing.

20 . The fluid discharge assembly of claim 15 , wherein the oscillating monitor is fixedly coupled with the fluid discharge device to cause rotation of the fluid discharge device responsive to rotation of the oscillating monitor.

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Maas Jr Karl
• Staszak Adam

Classifications

• F16C35/045 Primary

  with a radial flange to mount the housing · CPC title

• A62C31/02

  Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing · CPC title

• A62C31/28

  Accessories for delivery devices, e.g. supports · CPC title

• F16C19/06

  with a single row or balls · CPC title

• F16C33/586

  outside the space between the races, e.g. end faces or bore of inner ring · CPC title