Toroidal and thrust bearing assembly
AssigneeAktiebolaget Skf
InventorChristian Zang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a bearing assembly for supporting a shaft having a toroidal roller bearing arrangement. The bearing assembly includes a first set of rolling elements formed of toroidal roller elements arranged in a first row and interposed between an inner ring providing a first inner raceway and an first outer ring providing a first outer raceway, and a thrust bearing arrangement having a second set of rolling elements arranged in a second row. The rolling elements are in contact with and arranged to cooperate with a second inner raceway and a second outer raceway for supporting axial loads and for restricting axial movement of the shaft in relation to the first outer ring. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a bearing assembly for supporting a shaft.
Claims18
A bearing assembly for supporting a shaft, comprising:
- a toroidal roller bearing arrangement having a first set of rolling elements formed of toroidal roller elements arranged in a first row and interposed between an inner ring providing a first inner raceway and a first outer ring including a first outer raceway,
- wherein the first inner and outer raceways are in contact with the roller elements and are arranged to cooperate with the roller elements to allow for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the first outer ring,
- wherein the bearing assembly further includes a first thrust bearing arrangement having a second set of rolling elements arranged in a second row in contact with and arranged to cooperate with a second inner raceway and a second outer raceway for supporting axial loads and for restricting axial movement of the shaft in relation to the first outer ring.
(canceled)
A wind turbine arrangement comprising:
- a rotor shaft supporting wind turbine blades supported by a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly having;
- a toroidal roller bearing arrangement having a first set of rolling elements formed of toroidal roller elements arranged in a first row and interposed between an inner ring providing a first inner raceway and a first outer ring including a first outer raceway,
- wherein the first inner and outer raceways are in contact with the roller elements and are arranged to cooperate with the roller elements to allow for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the first outer ring,
- wherein the bearing assembly further includes a first thrust bearing arrangement having a second set of rolling elements arranged in a second row in contact with and arranged to cooperate with a second inner raceway and a second outer raceway for supporting axial loads and for restricting axial movement of the shaft in relation to the first outer ring.
A method for manufacturing a bearing assembly for supporting a shaft, comprising:
- providing a first set of rolling elements arranged for operation in a toroidal bearing arrangement,
- arranging the first set of rolling elements in a first row interposed between an inner ring comprising a first inner raceway and a first outer ring comprising a first outer raceway, wherein the first inner and outer raceways are configured to cooperate with the roller elements to allow for axial and angular displacement between the inner ring and the first outer ring, wherein the method further comprises:
- providing a thrust bearing arrangement comprising a second set of rolling elements, and
- arranging the second set of rolling elements in a second row, wherein the second set of rolling elements are arranged to cooperate with a second inner raceway and a second outer raceway for supporting axial loads and for restricting axial movement of the shaft in relation to the first outer ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.