Bearing support for a fluid bearing of a closed-cycle engine
AssigneeHyliion Holdings Corp.
InventorsAlex William Ariapad, Joshua Tyler Mook, Aigbedion Akwara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A linear electric machine includes a shaft, a piston assembly operably coupled with the shaft, a stator assembly supporting the shaft and housing a load device, and a bearing assembly supporting an end of the shaft. The bearing assembly includes a bearing housing, a fluid bearing within the bearing housing, and a bearing support defining a support surface engaged with the fluid bearing. The bearing housing includes an opening for receiving the shaft therethrough. Further, the support surface of the bearing support defines an arcuate profile to allow the fluid bearing to maintain alignment with the shaft as the shaft tilts during operation of the linear electric machine.
Claims17
A linear electric machine, comprising:
- a shaft;
- a piston assembly operably coupled with the shaft;
- a stator assembly supporting the shaft and housing a load device;
- and
- a bearing assembly supporting an end of the shaft, the bearing assembly comprising a bearing housing, a fluid bearing within the bearing housing, and a bearing support defining a support surface engaged with the fluid bearing, the bearing housing comprising an opening for receiving the shaft therethrough,
- wherein the support surface of the bearing support defines an arcuate profile to allow the fluid bearing to maintain alignment with the shaft as the shaft tilts during operation of the linear electric machine.
A bearing assembly, comprising:
- a bearing housing;
- a fluid bearing positioned within the bearing housing;
- and
- a bearing support defining a support surface engaged with the fluid bearing, the bearing housing comprising an opening for receiving a shaft therethrough,
- wherein the support surface of the bearing support defines an arcuate profile to allow the fluid bearing to maintain alignment with the shaft as the shaft tilts during operation,
- wherein the bearing assembly further comprises a bearing sleeve arranged radially exterior of the fluid bearing, the arcuate profile engaged with an exterior surface of the bearing sleeve.
A method of operating a closed-cycle engine having a cold side and a hot side of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- supporting a shaft of the closed-cycle engine via a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly having a bearing housing, a fluid bearing within the bearing housing, and a bearing support defining a support surface engaged with the fluid bearing, the support surface of the bearing support defining an arcuate profile;
- operating the shaft within the bearing assembly;
- and
- maintaining alignment of the fluid bearing with respect to the shaft by allowing tilting via the arcuate profile of the bearing support as the shaft tilts during operation of the closed-cycle engine, wherein allowing tilting via the arcuate profile of the bearing support as the shaft tilts reduces a bending moment reaction of the bearing assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.