Bearing damper having coiled wire
AssigneeFlorida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
InventorAlfred P. Matheny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bearing damper includes a coiled wire wrapped around projections formed on an outer race of the bearing, and supported by a casing having projections extending toward the coiled wire. Projections on the outer race are aligned with recesses on the casing, while projections on the casing are aligned with recesses in the outer race so that the coiled wire can flex between the projections that support the wire and provide a damping function. The coiled wire is formed of a plurality of strands. Flexing of the wire causes adjacent strands to rub and dissipate energy from the vibrations. The tension in the coiled wire can be adjusted in order to vary the damping capability of the bearing damper.
Claims13
A bearing damper comprising:
- A bearing support;
- An outer race of a bearing;
- A plurality of inward extending projections on the bearing support, the inward extending projections forming recesses between adjacent inward extending projections;
- A plurality of outward extending projections on the outer race, the outward extending projections forming recesses between adjacent outward extending projections;
- The inward extending projections being aligned over the recesses on the outer race;
- The outward extending projections being aligned over the recesses on the bearing support;
- and,
- A coiled wire supported by the inward extending projections and the outward extending projections under tension.
A process for damping a bearing comprising the steps of:
- Securing one end of a coil wire to a bearing support;
- Securing the opposite end of the coil wire to an outer race such that the coil wire is held in tension;
- and,
- Supporting the coil wire between the bearing support and the outer race such that as radial displacement of the outer race with respect to the bearing support produces a change in the tension of the coil wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.