Bearing assembly
AssigneeReliance Electric Company
InventorsHooshang Heshmat, Paul T. Gorski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved modular bearing assembly capable of operation for radial and thrust loads under starved and flooded lubricant conditions with low power losses. A journal bearing alone may be employed or journal and thrust bearings. Thrust bearings per se are also disclosed and claimed. Particular bearing characteristics are disclosed for preferred journal liner and thrust bearings.
Claims23
An improved bearing assembly comprising:
- (a) a housing, said housing defining a shaft receiving opening therethrough;
- (b) a liner received within said housing and defining a shaft receiving bore opening therethrough, said liner further defining an enlarged annulus at opposite ends of said bore opening, said liner further defining at least one lubricant delivery groove in communication with said bore opening and extending axially therealong, said at least one lubricant delivery groove having flow restrictor means at opposite ends of same, said bore opening having a length to diameter ratio of from about 0.87 to about 0.92, whereby said bearing will rotatingly support a shaft extending therethrough at various loads while experiencing low power losses under flooded or starved lubricant conditions.
An improved thrust bearing comprising a base, said base defining a bore opening therethrough and an annular oil groove therearound, said base further defining a thrust surface thereon, said thrust surface defining a plurality of thrust pads therearound, a radial oil groove located between adjacent thrust pads, and an oil bleeder located at an outer end of each oil groove and in communication therewith, said thrust pads having scalloped areas at opposite ends of same adjacent said radial grooves, whereby said thrust bearing when used in conjunction with a thrust runner is capable of bidrectional rotation and operates under both starved and flooded lubricant conditions with low power losses.
An improved bearing assembly comprising:
- (a) a housing, said housing defining a shaft receiving opening therethrough;
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- (b) a liner received within said housing and defining a shaft receiving bore opening therethrough, said liner further defining an enlarged annulus at opposite ends of said bore opening, said liner further defining at least one lubricant delivery groove in communication with said bore opening and extending axially therealong, said at least one lubricant groove having flow restrictor means at opposite ends of same, said liner further having at least one groove about an upper portion of same for receipt of a lubricant ring therein, said ring receiving groove being wider than the width of said ring and being in communication with said axially extending lubricant delivery groove, and
- (c) a lubricant ring partially received within said lubricant ring receiving groove whereby said bearing will rotatingly support a shaft extending therethrough at various loads while experiencing low power losses under flooded or starved lubricant conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.