# US 11,441,603 B2 · Bearing arrangement

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- Number: US 11,441,603 B2
- Document ID: US11441603B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/793,556
- Filed: 2020-02-18
- Published: 2020-08-27
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-21
- Assignees: Safran Landing Systems UK LTD
- Applicants: Safran Landing Systems UK Limited
- Inventors: Ian Robert Bennett
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441603B2

## CPC

- F16C 21/00: Combinations of sliding-contact bearings with ball or roller bearings, for exclusively rotary movement (F16C17/24, F16C19/52 take precedence)
- B64C 25/34: wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies
- B64C 25/36: Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general
- F16C 11/045: {with at least a pair of arms pivoting relatively to at least one other arm, all arms being mounted on one pin (crank-pins F16C11/02)}
- F16C 19/502: {with rolling elements in rows not forming a full circle}
- F16C 33/306: {Means to synchronise movements}
- F16C 17/02: for radial load only
- F16C 2326/43: Aeroplanes; Helicopters
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS

## Abstract

A bearing arrangement having: a first element having an inner race and a first bearing surface; a second element, pivotable relative to the first element about a first axis, and having an outer race and a second bearing surface that cooperates with the first bearing surface to form a plain bearing. The bearing arrangement also includes a roller element disposed between the inner and outer races to form a rolling bearing. The inner and outer races are arcuate and subtend an angle of less than 360° about the first axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft landing gear comprising:
a bogie beam;
a shock strut coupled to the bogie beam by a bogie pivot pin, and
a bearing assembly coupled to the bogie beam and the shock strut, the bearing assembly comprising:
a first element having:
an inner race, and
a first bearing surface,
a second element, pivotable relative to the first element about a first axis, the second element comprising:
an outer race, and
a second bearing surface, which is configured to cooperate with the first bearing surface to form a plain bearing, and
a roller element disposed between the inner race and the outer race to form a rolling bearing,
wherein the inner race and the outer race are arcuate and subtend an angle of less than 360° about the first axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer races subtend an angle of not more than 180° about the axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first element is a journal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second element is a lug.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface are arcuate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first bearing surface and the inner race form a continuous surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the rolling bearing and the plain bearing are offset in a direction along the first axis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The bearing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tape coupled to the inner race or to the outer race, and at least partially encircling the roller element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the roller element comprises a toothed gear, arranged to engage a corresponding toothed surface of the inner race and/or the outer race.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the roller element is a first roller element and the bearing arrangement further comprises a second roller element coupled to the first roller element by a cage such that the roller elements maintain a fixed spacing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The bearing arrangement of claim 10, wherein the cage extends from a first cage end to a second cage end, and the inner race and the outer race each subtends an angle at the first axis which is greater than an angle subtended by the first cage end and the second cage end.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The bearing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the inner race and the outer race extend along the first axis further than the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface extend along the first axis.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The aircraft landing gear of claim 1, wherein:
the first element is the bogie pivot pin;
the second element is a lug of the shock strut; and
the inner race is disposed on an upper side of the bogie pivot pin when the landing gear is deployed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The aircraft landing gear of claim 1, wherein:
the first element is the bogie pivot pin;
the second element is a lug of the bogie beam; and
the inner race is disposed on a lower side of the bogie pivot pin when the landing gear is deployed.