# US 2021/0277950 A1 · Hybrid bearing assembly with rolling elements and plain bearing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277950 A1 - Document ID: US20210277950A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/186,521 - Filed: 2021-02-26 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-30 - Assignees: Roller Bearing Company of America, Inc. - Applicants: Roller Bearing Company of America, Inc. - Inventors: Scott McNeil; Scott Crossman; David Coombe; Jay Phoenix - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277950A1 ## 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 9/02: Mounting or supporting thereof - B64C 9/16: at the rear of the wing - F16C 11/0614: {the female part of the joint being open on two sides} - F16C 23/086: {forming a track for rolling elements} - F16C 33/201: {Composition of the plastic} - F16C 33/6696: {with solids as lubricant, e.g. dry coatings, powder} - F16C 39/02: using mechanical means - F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls - F16C 19/183: {with two rows at opposite angles} - F16C 19/26: with a single row of rollers - F16C 23/02: Sliding-contact bearings - F16C 2208/32: Polytetrafluorethylene [PTFE] (F16C2208/58 takes precedence) - F16C 2240/12: Force, load, stress, pressure - 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 assembly includes an outer race having an inner surface defining a concave contour and an inner race positioned in the outer race. The inner race has an inner surface defining a bore therethrough and an outer surface defining at least one groove circumscribing the outer surface. A plurality of rolling elements is rollably located in the groove and is in rolling contact with the inner surface of the outer race. A lubricious liner has an inner liner-surface and an exterior liner-surface, the exterior liner-surface being disposed on the inner surface defining the bore. The lubricious liner has a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface relative to the exterior liner-surface in response to a force applied thereto. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) comprising: an outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) having an inner surface (26) defining a concave contour; an inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) positioned in the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414), the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) having an inner surface (18) defining a bore (22) therethrough and an outer surface (20) defining at least one groove (17) circumscribing the outer surface (20); a plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) rollably located in the at least one groove (17) and in rolling contact with the inner surface (26) of the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414); and characterized by: a lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) having an inner liner-surface (36A) and an exterior liner-surface (36B), the exterior liner-surface (36B) being disposed on the inner surface (18) defining the bore (22), the lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) having at least one of: a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface (36A) relative to the exterior liner-surface (36B) in response to a force applied thereto; and a coefficient of friction of a magnitude sufficient to prevent relative motion between the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and a shaft (23) extending through the bore (22) of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) during a first operating condition and to allow relative motion between the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and the shaft (23) during a second operating condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1, wherein the outer surface (20) of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) comprises a plurality of grooves (17) in which the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) is located. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 2, wherein the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) is selected from a group consisting of spherical rollers, convex rollers, concave rollers and cylindrical rollers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1, further comprising a seal (30, 130, 230, 330, 430) secured to the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) and positioned across the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) to engage a surface of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1, wherein the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) and the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, tungsten steel, and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1, wherein the lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) comprises PTFE. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 7, wherein the PTFE is in fiber form and woven with a fabric selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, glass fiber, carbon fiber, nylon, aramid material, and combinations of the foregoing materials. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 8, wherein the fabric is set in a thermosetting resin or thermoplastic resin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1 wherein the concave contour of the inner surface (26) of the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) allows for the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) to be misaligned relative to the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) by up to about 45 degrees. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) of claim 1 wherein a shaft is disposed in the bore of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and the shaft is misaligned relative to the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) by up to about 15 degrees. ### Claim 12 A flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft, comprising: an arm (42); a connecting rod (44) pivotally connected to the arm (42) and pivotally connectable to a flap (54); and a bearing assembly (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) positioned on the arm and connectable to a wing of the fixed wing aircraft, the bearing assembly comprising, an outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) having an inner surface (26) defining a concave contour; an inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) positioned in the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414), the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) having an inner surface (18) defining a bore (22) therethrough and an outer surface (28) defining at least one groove (17) circumscribing the outer surface (28); a plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) rollably located in the at least one groove and in rolling contact with the inner surface (26) of the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414); and characterized by a lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) having an inner liner-surface (36A) and an exterior liner-surface (36B), the exterior liner-surface (36B) being disposed on the inner surface (18) defining the bore (22), the lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) having at least one of: a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface (36A) relative to the exterior liner-surface (36B) in response to a force applied thereto, and a coefficient of friction of a magnitude sufficient to prevent relative motion between the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and a shaft extending through the bore of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) during a first operating condition and to allow relative motion between the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) and the shaft during a second operating condition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 12, further comprising a seal secured to the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) and positioned across the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) to engage a surface of the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412). ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 12, wherein the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 12, wherein the outer race (14, 114, 214, 314, 414) and the inner race (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, tungsten steel, and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 12, wherein the lubricious liner (36, 136, 236, 336, 436) comprises PTFE. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 16, wherein the PTFE is in fiber form and woven with a fabric selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, glass fiber, carbon fiber, nylon, aramid material, and combinations of the foregoing materials. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 17, wherein the fabric is set in a thermosetting resin or thermoplastic resin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The flap hinge arm (40) of a fixed wing aircraft of claim 17, wherein the plurality of rolling elements (16, 116, 216, 316, 416) is selected from a group consisting of spherical rollers, convex rollers, concave rollers and cylindrical rollers.