Cylindrical bearing with thermally conductive members

A bearing assembly for supporting a pivotable member, the bearing assembly comprising:

• a laminated bearing including a generally cylindrical body having a central bore and being formed of a plurality of alternating, generally tubular elastomeric and metallic laminae nested coaxially about the central axis, each one of the elastomeric and metallic laminae having opposing axial ends, the plurality of metallic laminae including an inner set of substantially cylindrical laminae, an outer set of partially spherical laminae disposed about the inner set of cylindrical metallic laminae, and a transition metallic lamina disposed between the inner set of laminae and the outer set of laminae, the transition lamina having a substantially cylindrical inner circumferential surface and an at least partially spherical outer circumferential surface;
• and
• at least one thermally conductive member formed separately from the laminated bearing body and having an inner axial end attached directly to one of the two axial ends of the transition lamina and an opposing, outer axial end spaced axially from the laminated bearing body such that the conductive member is disposed entirely externally of the laminated body to provide a heat sink;
• wherein the at least one conductive member includes one of a generally cylindrical body and a generally arcuate body and has opposing inner and outer circumferential surfaces, each circumferential surface being exposed to ambient air to enable convective heat transfer from the conductive member.

A feathering hinge for a rotor assembly, the rotor assembly including at least one blade, the hinge assembly comprising:

• a generally cylindrical centering pin coupleable with the at least one rotor blade;
• a laminated bearing including a generally cylindrical body having a centerline and a central bore for receiving at least a portion of the pin, the body being formed of a plurality of alternating, generally tubular elastomeric and metallic laminae nested coaxially about the central axis such that the body is substantially solid, each one of the elastomeric and metallic laminae having opposing axial ends;
• and
• at least one thermally conductive member formed separately from the laminated bearing body and having an inner axial end attached directly to one of the two axial ends of one of the metallic laminae and an opposing, outer axial end spaced axially from the laminated bearing body such that the conductive member is disposed entirely externally of the laminated body to provide a heat sink for heat to flow generally axially from the coupled metallic laminae into the conductive member;
• wherein the at least one conductive member includes one of a generally cylindrical body and a generally arcuate body and has opposing inner and outer circumferential surfaces, each circumferential surface being exposed to ambient air to enable convective heat transfer from the conductive member.