Bearing assembly with inner ring

An inner ring for a bearing assembly, the inner ring comprising:

• an outer surface defining an inner race extending between two circumferential shoulders;
• an inner surface concentric with the outer surface and located radially inwardly thereof, the inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial slots defined therein each having a flat axially extending bottom wall, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced partial circumferential slots defined therein each intersecting one of the axial slots and extending circumferentially therefrom around a respective portion of a circumference of the inner surface;
• the inner ring having shoulder radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding one of the shoulders;
• the inner ring having race radial holes extending therethrough each from a respective one of the circumferential slots to a corresponding corner of the inner race;
• and
• the radial holes being circumferentially offset from the axial slots.

A method of lubricating a bearing assembly having a cage member retaining a plurality of bearing elements, the method comprising:

• circulating a lubricating fluid axially along an inner surface of an inner ring of the bearing assembly following a plurality of distinct first paths;
• circulating the lubricating fluid circumferentially from the first paths along the inner surface following a plurality of distinct second paths;
• circulating the lubricating fluid radially from some of the second paths through the inner ring directly to shoulders defined in an outer surface of the inner ring and receiving the cage member;
• and
• circulating the lubricating fluid radially from the remaining second paths through the inner ring directly to corners of an inner race defined in the outer surface and receiving the bearing elements.