High-speed bearing with grooved and cylindrical races

A high-speed shaft assembly comprising:

• a shaft formed of a first material and having a central axis;
• an outer member formed of a second material and disposed about the shaft, at least one of the shaft and the outer member being rotatable about the central axis, the second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material such that at least one of the shaft and the outer member is displaceable along the central axis relative to other one of the shaft and the outer member at temperatures greater than 120° Celsius and at temperatures less than −18° Celsius;
• at least one bearing inner ring disposed about and coupled with the shaft, the inner ring having an outer circumferential surface and an annular groove extending inwardly from the outer surface and providing an inner race;
• a bearing outer ring disposed about the at least one inner ring and coupled with the outer member, the outer ring having a cylindrical inner circumferential surface providing an outer race;
• and
• a plurality of balls disposed between the inner and outer races so as to rotatably couple the inner and outer rings, each ball being displaceable axially along the outer race during relative axial displacement of the shaft and the outer member;
• wherein the at least one inner ring is a first bearing inner ring providing a first inner race, the plurality of balls is a first set of balls and one of:
• the shaft assembly further comprises a second bearing inner ring disposed about and coupled with the shaft, the second inner ring having an outer circumferential surface and annular groove extending inwardly from the outer surface and providing a second inner race and a second set of balls disposed between the second inner race and the outer race;
• and
• the inner ring includes another annular groove spaced axially from the annular groove and the shaft assembly further comprises another plurality of balls disposed within the other annular groove and rollable circumferentially and axially along the outer race.

A high-speed shaft assembly comprising:

• a shaft formed of a first material and having a central axis;
• an outer member formed of a second material and disposed about the shaft, at least one of the shaft and the outer member being rotatable about the central axis, the second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material such that at least one of the shaft and the outer member is displaceable along the central axis relative to other one of the shaft and the outer member at temperatures greater than 120° Celsius and at temperatures less than −18° Celsius;
• a bearing inner ring disposed about and coupled with the shaft, the inner ring having an outer circumferential surface providing a cylindrical inner race;
• a bearing outer ring disposed about the inner ring and coupled with the outer member, the outer ring having an inner circumferential surface and an annular groove extending into the inner surface and providing an outer race;
• and
• a plurality of balls disposed between the inner and outer races so as to rotatably couple the inner and outer rings, each ball being displaceable axially along the cylindrical inner race during relative axial displacement of the shaft and the outer member;
• wherein each one of the bearing inner ring and the bearing outer ring are heat treated to prevent substantial dimensional changes between negative seventy-three degrees Celsius (−73° C.) and three hundred fifteen degrees Celsius (315° C.).