# US 9,038,238 B2 · Multi-piece bushing, support assembly and method of supporting a shaft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,238 B2 - Document ID: US9038238B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/918,470 - Filed: 2013-06-14 - Published: 2014-12-18 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-14 - Assignees: Aktiebolaget Skf - Applicants: Scott Michael Barth; David Afton Nelson - Inventors: Scott Michael Barth; David Afton Nelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038238B2 ## CPC - F16C 33/14: Special methods of manufacture; Running-in - F16C 33/046: {divided or split, e.g. half-bearings or rolled sleeves} - F16C 35/02: in the case of sliding-contact bearings - F16C 43/02: Assembling sliding-contact bearings - F16C 17/02: for radial load only - F16C 29/02: Sliding-contact bearings - F16C 2220/68: by electrical discharge or electrochemical machining - F16C 2220/82: by cutting - F16C 2223/04: by sizing, by shaping to final size by small plastic deformation, e.g. by calibrating or coining - Y10T 29/49668: Sleeve or bushing making - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A bushing is for supporting a movable cylindrical body within a housing, the housing having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface and an annular groove formed in the surface. The bushing includes a plurality of generally arcuate tube segments disposable within the groove and alignable circumferentially about the housing axis so as to form a generally tubular body configured to slidably support the cylindrical body. Preferably, each tube segment is formed of a generally rigid metallic material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bushing for supporting a movable cylindrical body within a housing, the housing having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface and an annular groove formed in the inner circumferential surface, the bushing comprising: a plurality of generally arcuate tube segments disposeable within the groove and alignable circumferentially about the central axis so as to form a generally continuous tubular body configured to slidably support the cylindrical body, wherein the plurality of tube segments includes a first segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends and faces generally toward the central axis, a second segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends and faces generally toward the central axis, and a third segment having two angled radial ends that extend generally obliquely between two axial ends and face generally away from the central axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein each tube segment is formed of a generally rigid metallic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein each tube segment has an inner circumferential surface section and the inner circumferential surface sections of all of the plurality of tube segments form a generally continuous inner circumferential bearing surface configured to slidably support the cylindrical body when the plurality of segments are disposed within the housing groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bushing as recited in claim 1 wherein each one of the tube segments has two opposing radial ends and two opposing axial ends, and each segment radial end being located generally adjacent to one of the radial ends of one of the other tube segments and each segment axial end being generally axially aligned with one of the two axial ends of each one of the other tube segments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bushing as recited in claim 4 wherein each one of the first and second segments having a first radial end adjacent to a first radial end of the other one of the first and second segments, and each one of the two angled radial ends of the third segment being generally juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bushing as recited in claim 5 wherein a first of the two angled radial ends of the third segment being oriented so as to generally mate with the angled radial end of the first segment, and a second of the two angled radial ends of the third segment being oriented so as to generally mate with the angled radial end of the second segment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The bushing as recited in claim 5 wherein the first radial end of one of the first and second segments has a projection and the first radial end of the other one of the first and second segments has a recess configured to receive the projection so as to interlock the first and second segments. ### Claim 8 A support assembly for supporting a movable cylindrical body, the assembly comprising: a housing having a central axis, an inner surface extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a bore for receiving at least a portion of the cylindrical body and an annular groove extending radially outwardly from the housing inner surface and circumferentially about the central axis; and a plurality of generally arcuate tube segments disposed within the annular groove and aligned circumferentially about the central axis so as to form a generally continuous tubular body configured to slidably support the cylindrical body, wherein the plurality of tube segments includes a first segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends, a second segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends, and a third segment having two angled radial ends that extend generally obliquely between two axial ends. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The support assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each tube segment is formed of a generally rigid metallic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The support assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each tube segment has an inner circumferential surface section, the inner circumferential surface sections of all of the plurality of tube segments forming a generally continuous bearing surface configured to slidably support the cylindrical body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The support assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the annular groove has an axial width and a radial depth and each of the plurality of tube segments has an axial width and a radial thickness, the axial width of each tube segment being lesser than the groove axial width such that all of the tube segments fit within the groove with clearance and the radial thickness of each tube segment is greater than the groove radial depth such that the bearing surface is spaced radially inwardly from the housing inner surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The support assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each one of the tube segments has two opposing radial ends and two opposing axial ends, each segment radial end being located generally adjacent to one of the radial ends of one of the other tube segments and each segment axial end being generally axially aligned with one of the two axial ends of each one of the other tube segments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The support assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein each one of the first and second segments having a first radial end adjacent to a first radial end of the other one of the first and second segments, the angled radial ends of the first and the seconds segments facing generally toward the central axis, and each one of the two angled radial ends of the third segment facing generally away from the central axis and being generally juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The support assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein one of the two angled ends of the third segment being oriented so as to generally mate with the angled radial end of the first segment and the other one of the two angled ends of the third segment being oriented so as to generally mate with the angled radial end of the second segment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The support assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein: the housing is oriented such that the central axis extends generally vertically; the annular groove has an inner circumferential surface spaced radially outwardly from the housing inner surface and two facing shoulder surfaces spaced axially apart and extending radially and generally horizontally between the groove inner surface and the housing inner surface, one of the two shoulder surfaces facing generally upwardly and providing a support surface; and the plurality of segments are installed within the groove by inserting the first segment into the groove such that one axial end of the first segment is disposed on the groove support surface, inserting the second segment into the groove such that one axial end is disposed on the groove support surface and the second segment first radial end is adjacent to the first segment first radial end, and inserting the third segment into the groove such that one axial end of the third segment end is disposed on the groove support surface and each third segment angled radial end is juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The support assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein the first radial end of one of the first and second segments has a projection and the first radial end of the other one of the first and second segments has a recess configured to receive the projection so as to interlock the first and second segments. ### Claim 17 A shaft assembly comprising: a movable shaft; a housing having a central axis, an inner surface extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a bore for receiving at least a portion of the shaft and an annular groove extending radially outwardly from the shaft and circumferentially about the axis; and a plurality of generally arcuate tube segments disposed within the annular groove and aligned circumferentially about the axis so as to form a generally continuous tubular bushing configured to slidably support the shaft, each tube segment being formed of a generally rigid metallic material, wherein the plurality of tube segments includes a first segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends, a second segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends, and a third segment having two angled radial ends that extend generally obliquely between two axial ends. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The shaft assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein each one of the tube segments has two opposing radial ends and two opposing axial ends, each segment radial end being located generally adjacent to one of the radial ends of one of the other tube segments and each segment axial end being generally axially aligned with one of the two axial ends of each one of the other tube segments. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The shaft assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein each one of the first and second segments having a first radial end adjacent to a first radial end of the other one of the first and second segments, the angled radial ends of the first and the seconds segments facing generally toward the central axis, and each one of the two angled radial ends of the third segment facing generally away from the central axis and being generally juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The shaft assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein: the housing is oriented such that the central axis extends generally vertically; the annular groove has an inner circumferential surface spaced radially outwardly from the housing inner surface and two facing shoulder surfaces spaced axially apart and extending radially and generally horizontally between the groove inner surface and the housing inner surface, one of the two shoulder surfaces facing generally upwardly and providing a support surface; the plurality of tube segments are installed within the groove by inserting the first segment into the groove such that one axial end of the first segment is disposed on the groove support surface, inserting the second segment into the groove such that one axial end is disposed on the groove support surface and the second segment first radial end is adjacent to the first segment first radial end, and inserting the third segment into the groove such that one axial end of the third segment end is disposed on the groove support surface and each third segment angled radial end is juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments; and the shaft is displaced generally vertically along the axis after the tube segments have been installed so as to be disposed within the bushing, thereby retaining the tube segments within the housing groove. ### Claim 21 A method of supporting a cylindrical body within a housing, the method comprising the steps of: forming an annular groove in an inner circumferential surface of the housing; providing a plurality of generally arcuate tube segments, wherein the plurality of tube segments includes a first segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends, a second segment having an angled radial end that extends generally obliquely between two axial ends, and a third segment having two angled radial ends that extend generally obliquely between two axial ends; and installing the tube segments within the annular groove such that the tube segments are aligned circumferentially about the central axis so as to form a generally tubular body configured to slidably support the cylindrical body. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the step of providing a plurality of tube segments includes providing a generally circular tube and cutting the tube into the plurality of segments such that each one of the plurality of tube segments has two opposing radial ends and two opposing axial ends. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method as recited in claim 22 wherein the housing groove has an inside diameter and the generally circular tube has an outside diameter approximately equal to the groove inside diameter. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the step of installing the plurality of tube segments includes arranging the segments such that each segment radial end is located generally adjacent to one of the radial ends of one of the other tube segments and each segment axial end is generally axially aligned with one of the two axial ends of each one of the other tube segments. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method as recited in claim 24 wherein each one of the first and second segments having a first radial end adjacent to a first radial end of the other one of the first and second segments, the angled radial ends of the first and the seconds segments facing generally toward the central axis, and each one of the two angled radial ends of the third segment facing generally away from the central axis and being generally juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method as recited in claim 25 wherein: the housing is oriented such that the central axis extends generally vertically; the annular groove has an inner circumferential surface spaced radially outwardly from the housing inner surface and two facing shoulder surfaces spaced axially apart and extending radially and generally horizontally between the groove inner surface and the housing inner surface, one of the two shoulder surfaces facing generally upwardly and providing a support surface; and the step of installing the tube segments includes inserting the first segment into the groove such that one axial end of the first segment is disposed on the groove support surface, inserting the second segment into the groove such that one axial end is disposed on the groove support surface and the second segment first radial end is adjacent to the first segment first radial end, and inserting the third segment into the groove such that one axial end of the third segment end is disposed on the groove support surface and each third segment angled radial end is juxtaposed with a separate one of the angled radial ends of the first and second segments.