# US 2010/0163218 A1 · Split Bearing Assemblies, Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers and Related Methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0163218 A1 - Document ID: US20100163218A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/493,376 - Filed: 2009-06-29 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-27 - Assignees: Greene, Tweed of Delaware, Inc. - Inventors: Gary E. Gibson, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100163218A1 ## CPC - F16C 33/20: Sliding surface consisting mainly of plastics (F16C33/22 - F16C33/28 take precedence) - F16C 33/74: of sliding-contact bearings - F16J 15/3236: with at least one lip for each surface, e.g. U-cup packings - F16J 15/3268: Mounting of sealing rings - F16J 15/3272: the rings having a break or opening, e.g. to enable mounting on a shaft otherwise than from a shaft end - F16C 2208/02: comprising fillers, fibres - F16C 2208/04: Glass fibres - F16C 2208/10: Elastomers; Rubbers - F16C 2208/58: Several materials as provided for in F16C2208/30 - F16C2208/54 mentioned as option - F16C 2208/60: Polyamides [PA] - Y10T 29/4935: Heat exchanger or boiler making - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Bearing assemblies are provided that include a bearing having a split bearing body that includes a material such as a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least one recess configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly; and at least one rotary seal assembly comprising an energizing component. The bearing assemblies may further include at least two recesses and/or an energizing component that is an o-ring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bearing assembly comprising: (a) a bearing having: a split bearing body that comprises material chosen from a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least one recess configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly; and (b) at least one rotary seal assembly comprising an energizing component that comprises an elastomeric material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the energizing component is an o-ring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material is chosen from a nitrile rubber, a hydrogenated nitrile rubber, a fluoroelastomer, a tetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubber, a perfluoroelastomer, and copolymers thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bearing body comprises a material chosen from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, polyarylene ketones, polyamides, polyetherimides, polyetheramides, polysulfones, polyethersulfones, and derivatives and copolymers thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bearing assembly of claim 4, wherein the bearing body comprises a polyarylene ketone chosen from polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, and polyether ketone ketone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The bearing assembly of claim 4, wherein the bearing body comprises polytetrafluoroethylene or polyetherimide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, comprising at least two recesses configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bearing assembly of claim 7, comprising at least two rotary seal assemblies. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotary seal assembly is chosen from a split spring-energized seal assembly, a split rubber spring-actuated seal assembly or a split rotolip seal assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The bearing assembly of claim 9, wherein the split spring-energized seal assembly comprises: a seal assembly body having a first seal assembly body portion and a second seal assembly body portion, the first seal assembly body portion and the second seal assembly body portion each having a generally semi-circular cross-sectional configuration when viewed in an axial direction of the bearing assembly so that when the first and the second seal assembly body portions are joined to form the seal assembly body, they also form a generally circular cross-sectional configuration in the axial direction of the bearing assembly and wherein the seal assembly body portions are shaped so as to define a groove within each of the first and the second seal assembly body portions, wherein the grooves in the first and the second seal assembly body portions together are configured to meet in generally facing engagement; a spring element configured to be received within the grooves, the spring element having an opening configured so as to receive the energizing component, wherein the energizing component is that is sized so as to fit within the opening in the spring element within the grooves in the first and the second seal assembly body portions so as to form a ball-and-socket o-ring configuration within the split metal spring-energized seal assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one recess in the bearing body has an enlarged width, measured in the axial direction of the bearing assembly, that accommodates an enlarged joining area in the seal assembly body. ### Claim 12 A bearing assembly comprising: (a) a bearing having: a split bearing body that comprises material chosen from a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least one recess configured for receiving a split metal spring-energized seal assembly; and (b) at least one split metal spring-energized seal assembly, wherein each split metal spring-energized seal assembly comprises: a seal assembly body having a first seal assembly body portion and a second seal assembly body portion, the first seal assembly body portion and the second seal assembly body portion each having a generally semi-circular cross-sectional configuration when viewed in an axial direction of the bearing assembly so that when the first and the second seal assembly body portions are joined to form the seal assembly body, they also form a generally circular cross-sectional configuration in the axial direction of the bearing assembly and wherein the seal assembly body portions are shaped so as to define a groove within each of the first and the second seal assembly body portions, wherein the grooves in the first and the second seal assembly body portions together are configured to meet in generally facing engagement; a spring element configured to be received within the grooves, the spring element having an opening configured so as to receive an energizing component; and an energizing component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bearing assembly of claim 12, wherein the energizing component is an o-ring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The bearing assembly of claim 13, that is sized so as to fit within the opening in the spring element within the grooves in the first and the second seal assembly body portions so as to form a ball-and-socket o-ring configuration within the split metal spring-energized seal assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The bearing assembly of claim 13, wherein the o-ring comprises an elastomeric material chosen from a nitrile rubber, a hydrogenated nitrile rubber, a fluoroelastomer, a tetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubber, and a perfluoroelastomer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The bearing assembly of claim 12, wherein the bearing body comprises a material chosen from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, polyarylene ketone, polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, polyether ketone ketone, polyamides, polyetherimides, polyetheramides, polysulfones, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetherimide, polyethersulfones, and copolymers thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The bearing assembly of claim 12, comprising at least two recesses configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The bearing assembly of claim 12, comprising at least two rotary seal assemblies. ### Claim 19 A bearing assembly comprising: (a) a bearing having: a split bearing body that comprises material chosen from a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least one recess configured for receiving a split metal spring-energized seal assembly; and (b) at least one split metal spring-energized seal assembly. ### Claim 20 A bearing assembly comprising: (a) a bearing having: a split bearing body that comprises material chosen from a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least two recesses, each configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly; and (b) at least two rotary seal assemblies that comprise an energizing component. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The bearing assembly of claim 20, wherein the energizing component is an elastomeric o-ring. ### Claim 22 An air-cooled heat exchanger, comprising a bearing assembly that comprises: (a) a bearing having: a split bearing body that comprises material chosen from a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least one recess configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly; and (b) at least one rotary seal assembly that comprises an energizing component that comprises an elastomeric material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The air-cooled heat exchanger of claim 22, wherein the split bearing body has at least two recesses that are each configured for receiving a split metal spring-energized seal assembly. ### Claim 24 A method of manufacturing an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising providing to the air-cooled heat exchanger a bearing assembly that comprises: (a) a bearing having: a split bearing body that comprises material chosen from a composite or a thermoplastic; and at least one recess configured for receiving a rotary seal assembly; and (b) at least one rotary seal assembly that comprises an energizing component that comprises an elastomeric material. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the split bearing body has at least two recesses that are each configured for receiving a split metal spring-energized seal assembly.