Bearing with electric insulators and thermal conductor

An insulated bearing assembly for coupling a shaft with an outer member, the housing having an inner surface defining a bore, the bearing assembly comprising:

• an inner race disposeable upon the shaft and having an inner circumferential surface and two opposing axial ends;
• an outer race disposed about the inner race and having an outer circumferential surface and two opposing axial ends;
• a plurality of rolling elements disposed between and rotatably coupling the inner and outer races;
• a generally annular ceramic insulator having an inner surface disposed against the outer surface of the outer race and an opposing outer surface disposed against the bore inner surface;
• and
• a polymeric retainer member having at least one generally annular portion disposed against one axial end of the outer race and at least one axial portion extending from the annular portion and coupled with the ceramic insulator so as to retain the ceramic insulator coupled with the outer race such that the insulator member inner surface is juxtaposed with the outer race outer surface.

An insulated bearing assembly for coupling a shaft with an outer member, the shaft having an outer circumferential surface and the outer member having an inner surface defining a bore, the bearing assembly comprising:

• an inner race disposeable upon the shaft and having an inner circumferential surface and two opposing axial ends;
• an outer race disposed about the inner race and having an outer circumferential surface and two opposing axial ends;
• a plurality of rolling elements disposed between and rotatably coupling the inner and outer races;
• a generally annular ceramic insulator having an outer surface disposed against the inner surface of the inner race and an opposing inner surface disposeable about the shaft outer surface;
• and
• a polymeric retainer member having at least one generally annular portion disposed against one axial end of the inner race and at least one axial portion extending from the annular portion and coupled with the ceramic insulator so as to retain the ceramic insulator coupled with the inner race such that the insulator outer surface is juxtaposed with the inner race inner surface.

A method of fabricating an insulated bearing assembly for coupling a shaft and an outer body, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an inner race disposeable upon the shaft, an outer race disposed about the inner race and having an outer circumferential surface and opposing axial end surfaces, a plurality of rolling elements disposed between and rotatably coupling the inner and outer races, a generally annular ceramic insulator having opposing inner and outer surfaces and opposing first and second circumferential ends, and a polymeric member having at least one generally annular portion and at least one axial portion extending from the annular portion;
• placing the polymeric member on the outer race such that the at least one generally annular end is disposed against one of the outer race axial ends and the at least one axial portion is disposed upon the outer race outer surface;
• positioning the ceramic insulator about the outer surface such that the ceramic insulator inner surface is juxtaposed against the outer race outer surface and the polymeric member axial portion is disposed between the insulator first end and the insulator second end;
• and
• applying heat to the polymeric member such that the at least one annular portion adheres to the outer race axial end and the at least one axial portion adheres to the outer race outer surface and to the insulator first and second ends such that the insulator is coupled with the outer race.