# US 11,994,164 B2 · Bearing unit for an aircraft wheel

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- Number: US 11,994,164 B2
- Document ID: US11994164B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/764,735
- Filed: 2020-09-29
- Published: 2022-11-24
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-30
- Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Applicants: Airbus Operations Limited
- Inventors: Andrew Ramshaw
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994164B2

## CPC

- F16C 19/548: {in O-arrangement}
- B60B 27/0078: {characterised by the fixation of bearings}
- B64C 25/36: Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general
- F16C 19/383: {with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone}
- F16C 19/386: {in O-arrangement}
- F16C 19/52: with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions
- F16C 25/06: Ball or roller bearings
- F16C 33/6607: {Retaining the grease in or near the bearing}
- F16C 37/007: {of rolling bearings}
- B60B 3/00: Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body (non- metallic B60B5/00; wheel cover discs B60B7/00 {; disc wheels comprising rail-engaging elements B60B17/0006})
- B60B 3/08: with disc body formed by two or more axially spaced discs {(comprising rail-engaging elements formed by two or more axially spaced discs B60B17/0013)}
- B60Y 2200/51: Aeroplanes
- F16C 43/06: Placing rolling bodies in cages or bearings
- F16C 2229/00: Setting preload
- F16C 2326/02: Wheel hubs or castors
- F16C 2326/43: Aeroplanes; Helicopters
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

A packaged bearing unit is disclosed including an outer surface for receiving an aircraft landing gear wheel and an inner surface for receiving an axle. The unit may include first and second spaced-apart sets of tapered roller bearings, held between inner and outer raceways. There may be a bearing setting spacer which can be used when setting and pre-loading the bearings. The bearing unit may be a sealed unit which includes a pre-set amount of lubricant (grease) for lubricating the bearings. One or more sensors may be retained in a void between the sets of bearings.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft landing gear wheel packaged bearing unit, comprising:
an outer surface,
an inner surface,
an inner raceway,
an outer raceway,
wherein the outer surface receives an aircraft wheel and the inner surface receives an axle,
a first set of tapered roller bearings, and a second set of tapered roller bearings, spaced apart in an axial direction, each set of first and second tapered roller bearings being held between the inner raceway and the outer raceway,
a bearing setting spacer attached to the axle which when clamped in position dictates the separation in the axial direction of the first set of tapered roller bearings from the second set of tapered roller bearings, thus enabling the roller bearings of the bearing unit to be configured in a set position and pre-loaded,
a pre-set amount of lubricant for lubricating the first and second set of tapered roller bearings, the lubricant being retained within the bearing unit by one or more seals,
wherein the bearing setting spacer forms part of a clamping arrangement for clamping and preloading the first set of tapered roller bearings and the second set of tapered roller bearing in the set position, and
a fixing, separate from the clamping arrangement, comprising a first nut that secures the outer raceway to the inner surface of the wheel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The packaged bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the clamping arrangement further includes a second nut configured for retaining preloading and/or setting the first and second set of tapered roller bearings, and for securing the bearing unit to the axle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The packaged bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the bearing unit includes a void between the first set of tapered roller bearings and the second set of tapered roller bearings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The packaged bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the bearing unit includes one or more sensors.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The packaged bearing unit according to claim 1, further comprising one or more thermal barriers arranged to reduce the flow of heat energy from brakes associated with the wheel to one or more of the first and second set of tapered roller bearings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The packaged bearing unit according to claim 1, with the first and second set of tapered roller bearings are seated and under pre-load position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The packaged bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein the amount of pre-loading of the tapered roller bearings can be controlled independently of the mounting of the wheel on the axle of an aircraft landing gear.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An aircraft including a landing gear on the axle of which is mounted the bearing unit according to claim 1.