Fluid Path Patents (Class 384/316)
  • Patent number: 11879499
    Abstract: A transmission shaft assembly for a rolling stand for use in a metal rolling mill. The transmission shaft assembly transmits lubricant through the assembly. The transmission shaft assembly includes a shaft having an outer periphery and defining a centrally positioned longitudinal opening extending from a first end to an opposed second end of the shaft. The shaft defines a plurality of internal passageways in the shaft. The transmission shaft assembly also includes a rotary distributor mounted on the outer periphery of the shaft. The shaft assembly provides a conduit for the lubricant through the plurality of internal passageways in the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Adriano Savio, Marcos Louredo Casado, Koldo Puyadena
  • Patent number: 11865621
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a gear assembly of a gearbox in a wind turbine includes providing a pin shaft of the gear assembly. The method also includes depositing material onto an exterior surface of the pin shaft of the gear assembly via an additive manufacturing process driven by a computer numerical control (CNC) device to form a bearing that circumferentially surrounds and adheres to the pin shaft. Further, the method includes providing a gear circumferentially around the bearing to form the gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hayden McgarityBashiri, Aaron Wertz, Kevin M. Vandevoorde, Raed Zuhair Hasan, Priyangu C. Patel, John P. Davis, Ganesh Raut
  • Patent number: 11512646
    Abstract: An air starter for starting a turbine engine that includes a housing, a turbine, an output shaft, and at least one bearing. The housing can define an interior where the turbine couples to the output shaft. A primary air flow path extends through the housing where air from the turbine can be exhausted through a primary outlet or a cooling outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Shiloh Montegomery Meyers, Subrata Nayak, Pradeep Hemant Sangli, David Allan Dranschak, Santosh Kumar Prasad, Marc David Zinger, Sharad Pundlik Patil, Harsha Sanjeewa Bulathsinghalage, Sumathi P
  • Patent number: 10316667
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for decreasing a thrust of a radial flow turbine. The apparatus includes a rotary shaft having an axial through-hole in the interior thereof, a rotor assembled in the rotary shaft and having a rotor hub and rotor blades formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a casing configured to isolate the rotary shaft and the rotor from the outside, and a shaft seal configured to maintain a seal between the rotary shaft and the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Korea Maritime University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: You Taek Kim, Do Yeop Kim, Jun Seong Kim
  • Patent number: 10247242
    Abstract: A bearing housing structure (101) comprises a support section (102) for supporting a bearing (117), a reception interface (103) for receiving lubrication grease, and grease channels (104-106) for conducting the lubrication grease to both sides of the bearing which are mutually opposite in the axial direction of the bearing. The bearing housing structure comprises exit conduits (107, 108) for allowing the lubrication grease to exit the bearing from the both sides of the bearing and a grease reservoir (109) for storing the lubrication grease exiting the bearing via one or more of the exit conduits. The bearing housing structure is capable of operating in different positions so that the axial direction of the bearing can be horizontal, vertical, or slanting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: DANFOSS MOBILE ELECTRIFICATION OY
    Inventors: Mikko Piispanen, Heikki Sallinen, Ville Naumanen
  • Patent number: 9371858
    Abstract: A down hole motor is used in the oil prospecting industry to drive drill bits for drilling the ground at great depths. The down hole motor (1) includes a drive shaft (5) held in the motor body (3) by an axial thrust bearing (6) and by a radial bearing (7). The radial bearing (7) is a tubular member whose interior surface is coated with an anti-abrasion layer (11) formed by laser-assisted facing directly inside an alloy steel radial bearing body (10). The thickness of the facing layer is then reduced by removing material by the use of a cutting tool. This produces a radial bearing (7) that is relatively insensitive to drilling mud and confers great reliability on the down hole motor (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: TECHNOGENIA
    Inventors: Didier Dezert, Guy Maybon
  • Patent number: 9343645
    Abstract: A power generating bearing assembly (100) comprises a bearing subassembly (120) retained by a bearing housing (110). During operation, friction and other factors increase a temperature of the bearing assembly (100). The housing (110) includes a bearing cooling passage system comprising a coolant supply port (130), a liquid cooling passage (134), and a coolant return port (138). The liquid cooling passage (134) is routed proximate the bearing subassembly (120) to remove heat therefrom. A thermo-generator cavity (180) is formed into the housing (110) between the coolant supply port (130) and the coolant return port (138). A Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG) (200) is inserted into the cavity (180), orienting a cold carrier side (220, 222) towards the supply port (130) and a hot carrier side (240) towards the return port (138). The Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG) (200) utilizes a temperature difference between the supply port (130) and the return port (138) to generated electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Frank Bartl, Andreas Clemens Van Der Ham
  • Patent number: 9022659
    Abstract: An arrangement to control the clearance of a sliding bearing is disclosed. A sliding bearing arrangement, of a direct driven wind turbine, comprises a bearing. The bearing comprises a first bearing shell and a second bearing shell, whereby the first bearing shell and the second bearing shell are arranged rotatable in respect to each other. A certain predetermined clearance is present between the first bearing shell and the second bearing shell, while the bearing is in rotation. A first circuit comprises a first fluid, while the first circuit is in thermal contact with the first bearing shell. A second circuit comprises a second fluid, while the second circuit is in thermal contact with the second bearing shell. The first circuit and the second circuit are coupled in a way that a difference in the temperature between the first bearing shell and the second bearing shell is compensated via the first and the second fluid, thus the clearance is kept within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bo Pedersen, Kim Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9022658
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic journal pad bearing is provided having several pads circumferentially distributed around the rotor of a large steam turbine with each pad mounted onto a platform separating the pad from a cylindrical cage in turn connected to the floor of a hall housing the turbine and having an interface between at least one of the several pads and the platform on which the at least one of the several pads is mounted is formed such as to include at least two areas with different curvatures to increase the stiffness of the interface in the event of a relative movement between the pad and the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Arnaud Buguin, Jacques Mizera
  • Patent number: 9004768
    Abstract: Cooling-enhanced bearing assemblies, apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly may include a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis. Each of the superhard bearing elements may have a bearing surface. The bearing assembly may further include a support ring that carries the plurality of superhard bearing elements. The support ring may include at least an upper surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface. A plurality of cooling features may be arranged on at least one of the upper surface, the inner surface, or the outer surface of the support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: US Synthetic Corporation
    Inventors: S. Barrett Peterson, Timothy N. Sexton
  • Patent number: 8961019
    Abstract: A bearing assembly comprising a frame; a rotating disc disposed in the frame, the rotating disc comprising a first set of inserts; and a fixed disc disposed in the frame, the fixed disc comprising a second set of inserts, the second set of inserts configured to interact with the first set of inserts, and a lip disposed adjacent the second set of inserts. Also, a bearing assembly comprising a frame; a rotating disc disposed in the frame, the rotating disc comprising a first set of inserts and at least one groove disposed axially above at least one of the inserts; and a fixed disc disposed in the frame, the fixed disc comprising a second set of inserts, the second set of inserts configured to interact with the first set of inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Konde, Srinivas Likki, James Layne Larsen, Dwayne P. Terracina, Andrew Grebe
  • Publication number: 20150043848
    Abstract: A rotary shaft and method for reducing non-uniform heating thereof are provided. The rotary shaft may include a tubular body having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. An outer surface of the tubular body may define a groove at least partially extending radially inward from the outer radial surface toward the longitudinal axis of the tubular body to define a depth thereof. The rotary shaft may include a thermal barrier at least partially disposed in the groove and configured to absorb at least a portion of heat generated from rotation thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventor: Glenn R. Grosso
  • Patent number: 8888371
    Abstract: Cooling-enhanced bearing assemblies, apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly may include a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis. Each of the superhard bearing elements may have a bearing surface. The bearing assembly may further include a support ring that carries the plurality of superhard bearing elements. The support ring may include at least an upper surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface. A plurality of cooling features may be arranged on at least one of the upper surface, the inner surface, or the outer surface of the support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: US Synthetic Corporation
    Inventors: S. Barrett Peterson, Timothy N. Sexton
  • Patent number: 8844396
    Abstract: An axle assembly for a vehicle including a first gear, and a second gear joined to a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis. The second gear engages the first gear. A bearing is disposed over the shaft distal the second gear. A housing is disposed about at least a portion of the shaft. The housing includes a first lubricant pathway spaced apart from a second lubricant pathway, wherein the first lubricant pathway routes lubricant towards the bearing and the second lubricant pathway routes lubricant away from the bearing. The first and second lubricant pathways are not in a position coplanar with a plane of rotation of the first gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Gary Myers, Joseph A. Rozman, Charles R. Pajtas, Shawn E. Bronner, Syed M. Akbari
  • Patent number: 8834028
    Abstract: A rotating assembly adapted for use in turbines and pumps is provided. The rotating assembly includes a shroud that rotates around a central axis and a disk seated in a recess in the shroud so that the disk rotates with the shroud, the disk being oriented perpendicular to the central axis. The rotating assembly also includes a stationary element in which at least one surface of the disk contacts a fluid so that when the fluid flows under pressure, the surface of the disk resists the generation of drag between the surface and the stationary element of the rotating assembly. A shroud is provided that includes a circular recess with a cavity on an outer perimeter extending away from the fixed assembly. A method of manufacturing a rotating assembly is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Energy Recovery, Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Winkler, Jeffrey Michael Calkins
  • Publication number: 20140248012
    Abstract: A sliding bearing 2 has a sliding surface 2a in sliding contact with an outer peripheral surface of a crankshaft 1 (rotating shaft) and a relief portion 4 formed along a circumferential direction on both axial end portions of the sliding surface 2a and retreated outward in a radial direction from the sliding surface 2a. The relief portion 4 is provided with a flat portion 4a formed on the axial end portion and a tapered portion 4b formed so as to become gradually deeper from the flat portion 4a toward a boundary portion between the relief portion 4 and the sliding surface 2a. A lubricant forms a disturbance or a swirl inside the tapered portion 4b and then, flows along the tapered portion 4b so as to form a high-pressure region W by a flow of the lubricant at a position of the flat portion 4a. A temperature of the lubricant can be rapidly raised and also, leakage of the lubricant can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hikita, Shinichi Kato, Yuichiro Kimura, Motoichi Murakami
  • Patent number: 8794846
    Abstract: Vertical motors having a thrust bearing and an oil deflector positioned in an oil sump in which the thrust bearing is located are disclosed. Oil flowing through the thrust bearing may be spread across the oil deflector and directed down along an inside surface of a wall of the oil sump to allow the oil to cool. The oil deflector may be polished sheet metal. In some embodiments, a plurality of fins may be arranged around an outside surface of the wall to provide additional heat exchange. A fan may additionally be provided to direct air flow between the plurality of fins to further facilitate the heat exchange. Methods of cooling a thrust bearing in a vertical motor are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Emam Hashish
  • Publication number: 20140185972
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a drilling tool. A radial bearing assembly for use in a drilling tool may include a bushing having a generally cylindrical body with an inner surface. The radial bearing assembly may also include a sleeve configured to couple to a rotatable shaft of the drilling tool and configured to rotate within the bushing. The sleeve has (i) a plurality of spiral projections extending laterally in a direction away from a longitudinal axis of the radial bearing assembly and (ii) a plurality of flow paths, where a flow path of the plurality of flow paths is defined between a pair of adjacent spiral projections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Ravikiran Kota, Somasundaram Valliyappan, Andrew Grebe
  • Patent number: 8757885
    Abstract: A bearing housing (1) of an exhaust-gas turbocharger, having a compressor-side housing flange (2), a central housing section (3) which is integrally connected to the housing flange (2) and in which is arranged a first partial section (4) of an oil chamber (5) which has an oil inlet (20) and an oil outlet (21), and a turbine-side housing section (6) which has a turbine-side housing flange (7) and in which is arranged a second partial section (8) of the oil chamber (5). The central and turbine-side housing sections (3, 6) are provided with an oil cooling duct (13; 13?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Hornbach, Martin Becker, Oliver Schumnig
  • Patent number: 8668388
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to bearing assemblies including one or more superhard bearing elements having one or more grooves formed in a bearing surface thereof, apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis. Each of the superhard bearing elements includes a bearing surface. At least one of the plurality of superhard bearing elements includes one or more grooves formed in the bearing surface thereof. The bearing assembly also includes a support ring that carries the superhard bearing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: US Synthetic Corporation
    Inventor: S. Barrett Peterson
  • Publication number: 20140008475
    Abstract: A gyratory cone crusher includes a first and a second crushing shell defining a crushing gap. The first crushing shell is arranged to gyrate around a vertical axis, in order to crush material entering the crushing gap, and is vertically supported by a thrust bearing including first and second bearing plates defining a spherical sliding interface. One of the bearing plates has one or more cooling and/or lubricating grooves at the sliding interface, each groove defining a channel, extending from the center of the sliding interface to the periphery thereof. In order to obtain a uniform distribution of grooves, the cooling/lubricating grooves are in the form of one or more spirals extending from the center of the sliding interface to the periphery thereof. The disclosure further relates to a bearing plate and a kit of bearing plates involving such a bearing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: SANDVIK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AB
    Inventors: Patrik Sjoberg, Mauricio Torres
  • Publication number: 20130142465
    Abstract: A bearing housing (1) of an exhaust-gas turbocharger, having a compressor-side housing flange (2), a central housing section (3) which is integrally connected to the housing flange (2) and in which is arranged a first partial section (4) of an oil chamber (5) which has an oil inlet (20) and an oil outlet (21), and a turbine-side housing section (6) which has a turbine-side housing flange (7) and in which is arranged a second partial section (8) of the oil chamber (5). The central and turbine-side housing sections (3, 6) are provided with an oil cooling duct (13; 13?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Johannes Hornbach, Martin Becker, Oliver Schumnig
  • Patent number: 8303185
    Abstract: A rotating machine is disclosed including a rotor, a stator, a radial bearing arranged for supporting radial forces between the rotor and the stator by mechanical contacts and a bearing housing. The bearing housing is provided in the stator or the rotor in direct mechanical contact with the radial bearing and the rotating machine further comprises a thermal energy exchanger, arranged in the bearing housing, and a thermal controller. The thermal energy exchanger is capable of providing both heat and cold, and the thermal controller is arranged to control the thermal energy exchange during operation of the rotating machine. The rotating machine is typically a large machine, such as a refiner. A method for vibration control of a rotating machine is also disclosed comprising measuring properties related to vibrational properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventor: Jan Laredius
  • Patent number: 8216117
    Abstract: A method for cooling a roller device, which has a right bearing housing, a left bearing housing, and a roller, which is rotatably supported by journals in the bearing housings, especially of strand guide rolls, roller table rollers, pinch rolls, support rolls, or driving rolls in continuous casting plants, in which a cooling medium cools the bearings mounted in the bearing housings and passes through an axial bore in the roller. The cooling medium enters the bearing housing of the roller device on one side, passes around the bearing mounted in this bearing housing, then flows through the axial bore in the roller to the other side, passes around the bearing mounted in the other bearing housing, and is then discharged from the roller device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Herbert Brotzki, Thomas Fest
  • Patent number: 8147145
    Abstract: An increase in the temperature of a sliding bearing can be suppressed, and it is possible to reduce the temperature of the bearing and prevent burning and damage. The bearing is divided in two and composed of a liner and a base metal. The liner is disposed on an inner circumferential side of the bearing, and the base metal is disposed on an outer circumferential side of the bearing. A lower liner of the bearing liner, which is located on a load-receiving side, has a cooling groove formed in an outer circumferential surface thereof and extending along a circumferential direction thereof. A lubricant is cooled in the cooling groove and supplied to reduce the temperature of a shaft-sliding surface of the bearing. The lubricant is supplied to the bearing, increases in temperature due to the cooling and has low viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Inoue, Makoto Hemmi, Kenta Suzuki, Hajime Toriya, Katsuhiro Murakami, Koji Kawai
  • Patent number: 7987599
    Abstract: An exemplary method for limiting movement of an outer race of a bearing cartridge includes positioning the bearing cartridge in a substantially cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis, an inner diameter exceeding an outer diameter of the outer race, a proximate end and a distal end; limiting axial movement of the outer race at the distal end of the cylindrical bore with a counterbore substantially coaxial to the cylindrical bore and having an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the outer race; limiting axial movement of the outer race at the proximate end of the cylindrical bore with a plate positioned substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis; and limiting rotation of the outer race with a pin positioned in a pin opening accessible via a lubricant drain. Various exemplary bearing cartridges, housings, assemblies, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Mavrosakis
  • Patent number: 7789567
    Abstract: A bearing assembly comprises an inner ring and an outer ring assembly having an upstream face and a downstream face. The outer ring assembly comprises an outer ring rotatably coupled to the inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements that resides between the inner ring and the outer ring. At least one flow bypass channel extends through the outer ring assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Giesler, Brent L. Bristol, Jeffrey D. Grout, Todd C. Garrod, David B. Tornquist
  • Publication number: 20100033870
    Abstract: Channels and gaps inside a bearing mechanism are filled with lubricating oil, and the lubricating oil is retained in a first tapered seal portion arranged radially outward of a sleeve, and a second tapered seal portion arranged between the shaft and an upper cap placed above the sleeve. An arrangement of groove-shaped recessed portions on an inner circumferential surface of the upper cap and raised portions on a lower surface of a top portion thereof contributes to increasing a channel cross-sectional area of a channel provided between the upper cap and the sleeve to connect the first tapered seal portion with the second tapered seal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Sekii, Kazuyoshi Saito, Hisaya Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7601110
    Abstract: A roller device, which includes a right bearing housing, a left bearing housing and a roller, which is rotatably supported by journals in the bearing housings in continuous casting plants. A cooling medium is passed through an axial bore in the roller, and bores, which form a closed cavity, are arranged around the bearings mounted in each of the bearing housings. A cooling medium inlet is provided in a first of the bearing housings, and a discharge bore for the cooling medium, which is arranged on the end face of a second of the bearing housings, is located next to the bearing cover so that the cooling medium flows into the inlet in the first bearing housing, through the axial bore in the roller and out the discharge bore in the second bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Herbert Brotzki, Thomas Fest
  • Patent number: 7363794
    Abstract: While a rotational die and a predetermined position of a lower mold in which the rotational die is provided can be set in a zero contact manner, operation of setting the rotational die in the predetermined position of the lower mold can be easily performed, and occurrence of problems such as insufficient rotation of the rotational die and breakage of support shafts is reduced. To realize this, in a structure of bearing for rotatably supporting, in a bearing hole, a pivot support shaft of a rotational die arranged in a press molding apparatus, an inner diameter of at least an upper side of the bearing hole with respect to a horizontal line passing through a center of the bearing hole is formed slightly larger than a diameter of the support shaft, and a space is provided between the pivot support shaft and the inner surface of the upper side of the bearing hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Yourbusiness Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadatoshi Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20080054212
    Abstract: A bearing assembly comprises an inner ring and an outer ring assembly having an upstream face and a downstream face. The outer ring assembly comprises an outer ring rotatably coupled to the inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements that resides between the inner ring and the outer ring. At least one flow bypass channel extends through the outer ring assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: William L. Giesler, Brent L. Bristol, Jeffrey D. Grout, Todd C. Garrod, David B. Tornquist
  • Patent number: 6966700
    Abstract: A method of lubricating and cooling a hydrodynamic plain bearing for a rotating element comprises the steps of supplying fresh, cold lubricant under pressure from a pressure chamber arranged upstream of a fixed gliding plane to a lubricating gap between the fixed gliding plane and the rotating element, the supply of fresh, cold lubricant being so controlled that an effective lubricating wedge is formed between the rotating element and the fixed gliding plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Gleitlagertechnik Weissbacher GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Weissbacher
  • Patent number: 6422754
    Abstract: A bearing assembly is provided which includes an annular support member and a plurality of thrust bearing elements coupled to and distributed about the face of the support member. The thrust bearing elements are adapted to receive and support an axial load of a rotating member such as a thrust collar on a shaft. An annular distribution ring is mounted to the face of the support member for restricting motion of the thrust bearing elements. A distribution passage is formed between the distribution ring and the support member in such a manner that the distribution passage carries fluid to and across each of the thrust bearing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Qimin J. Dong, Anthony Uliana
  • Patent number: 6264003
    Abstract: A bearing system includes a lubricant circulation apparatus to provide a continuous supply of a cooled lubricant fluid to a bearing device. The bearing device may be a hydrodynamic sleeve bearing having a bearing housing defining a sump for maintaining lubricant fluid therein. The bearing sump is in fluid communication with a reservoir which maintains a supply of lubricant. A pump communicates with the reservoir to draw a desired quantity of lubricant fluid therefrom and deliver it to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger uses an existing source of air from an operative pump motor to increase the air circulation through the cooling fins of the heat exchanger. The cooled lubricant is thereafter delivered to the bearing inlet and provides a cooler operating environment for the bearing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Qimin Dong, Jack Young
  • Patent number: 6109790
    Abstract: An improved lubricant cooling system for a sealed bearing section used in drilling with downhole motors comprises a radial bearing or bearings which preferably contain internal and external spiral grooves such that rotation of the central hollow shaft which supports the drillbit forces lubricant up the external grooves toward the upper seal and then back down in the internal grooves along the cooled hollow shaft which has drilling mud flowing through it. Similarly, the rotation of the hollow shaft forces lubricant through an internal spiral in a lower radial bearing or bearings until it reaches the lower seal at which time it is forced into the external spirals past the thrust bearings in the bearing section. This axial circulation effect allows the removal of heat efficiently from the lubricant by virtue of circulating drilling mud in the hollow shaft and in the outer annulus returning to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Pegasus International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gunther von Gynz-Rekowski, Tuong T. Le
  • Patent number: 5915843
    Abstract: A housing segment has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a cooling passage therebetween. The cooling passage has a uniform cross-sectional area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet and may be conveniently formed in a serpentine configuration with loops extending axially. The bearing housing may be mounted over a rolling element bearing to provide a fluid-cooled housed bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Ted Mattera
  • Patent number: 5707718
    Abstract: A porous-plastic bearing comprises a porous-plastic sliding bearing member which is formed by gathering a cluster of plastic particles each having a volume in the range of from about 0.004 mm.sup.3 to about 4 mm.sup.3 and sintering the cluster of plastic particles while setting its porosity at a selected value in the range of from about 10% to about 30%. Furthermore, the sliding bearing member comprises a plurality of plastic particles in any longitudinal or cross section. Pores formed within the sliding bearing member are impregnated with or filled with a lubricating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Home Appliance Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koei Matsukawa, Katsunori Sato, Toshihisa Imai
  • Patent number: 5651645
    Abstract: A generating head assembly for cutting or machining a surface on a workpiece and including a generating head mounted for relative rotation with the workpiece and with cutting or machining members having a radially advanced cutting or machining position for cutting or machining the surface of the workpiece and a radially retracted non-cutting on non-machining position; the generating head assembly includes an actuating structure for providing relative rotation between the generating head and the workpiece and a rotary motor mounted with the generating head; the rotary motor is selectively operable to rotate an actuating shaft relative to the generating head to actuate the cutting or machining members to their radially advanced and retracted positions without axial thrust loads being applied to the generating head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Walter W. Wawrzyniak
    Inventors: Walter W. Wawrzyniak, Thomas E. Wawrzyniak, Richard A. Habarth
  • Patent number: 5518321
    Abstract: A tilting pad type bearing device prevents the temperature elevation of the tilting pads, and heat sticking, and generation of unstable vibration concomitant with temperature elevation, and effectively utilizes lubricant oil to ensure a stable high performance. The tilting pad type bearing device is used for supporting a shaft through a plurality of tilting pads (2a to 2e) angularly movably supported at pins (3a to 3e) fixed to an inner circumference of a housing. An outer circumferential surface of each of the tilting pads (2a to 2e) and/or an inner circumferential surface of said housing (6) confronting the outer circumferential surface has a plurality of grooves (14a, 14b) in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of small diameter orifices (11a, 11b) for jetting lubricant oil directly to the grooves or the outer circumferential surface are arranged in said housing (6) or in oil supply pieces (4a to 4c) disposed between the adjacent tilting pads (2a to 2 e) in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Hata
  • Patent number: 5054583
    Abstract: A cooling and lubricating system for use with a bearing assembly comprises a bearing having inner and outer races with interposed bearing elements, a rotary element requiring lubrication journaled for rotation by the bearing, an axially extending hollow shaft in heat exchange relation with the inner race and mounting the same, and a centrifugal pump for causing a mist of oil from the area of the rotary element to pass between the races to lubricate the interfaces of the races and the interposed bearing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Jack A. Wrzyszczynski
  • Patent number: 5046920
    Abstract: A bearing cooling system for a water turbine having a rotatable shaft connected at one end to a movable blade portion and supported by a journal bearing and by a thrust bearing having a collar, comprises a heat pipe including a first container surrounding and spaced from the rotatable shaft and extending axially from a predetermined engaging position adjacent the one end of the shaft to the journal and thrust bearings. The thrust bearing engages the outer surface of the first container, and the shaft and thrust bearing and inner surface of the container define walls of a sealed first chamber surrounding a portion of the rotatable shaft and communicating with the journal and thrust bearings. The system is adapted to include a fluid contained in the first chamber for absorbing heat generated by the journal and thrust bearings. A second container is spaced from and surrounds a portion of the first container adjacent the one end of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izumi Higashi, Akio Adachi
  • Patent number: 4861252
    Abstract: A vibrating type concrete pipe making machine, in which very high frequencies of vibration and large inputs may be attained without excessive wear on the mold or shortened bearing life. It also includes lubricant and coolant systems which are combined into a single system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: International Pipe Machinery Corp.
    Inventor: Thomas D. Grau
  • Patent number: 4699524
    Abstract: Apparatus for providing supplementary cooling to the thrust bearing of a vertical shaft machine, without requiring an additional exterior pump and motor, has an oil conducting path formed by grooves in the engaging surfaces of an upper and a lower portion of each bearing shoe. The oil conducting path terminates at an opening on either side of the outer periphery of the shoe. A nozzle is mounted in each opening. The nozzle extends upwardly with a horizontally extending nose portion with the nozzle opening in the end. The nose portion is adjacent the outer periphery of the rotating bearing ring which the shoes support. The ring is mounted to the vertical shaft. The shoes and the ring are immersed in an oil bath. Rotation of the shaft and the ring moves the oil adjacent the periphery of the ring. The nozzles are oriented in opposite directions, preferably facing one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Canadian General Electric Company Limited
    Inventor: Duncan T. Bath
  • Patent number: 4644202
    Abstract: A pancake, d.c., brushless electric motor 10 and pump 32 in which the rotating parts of the pump 32 are integral with the rotor 18 of the motor 10. The motor and pump housing is hermetically sealed from the flow of the pumped fluid. A small portion of fluid is leaked through a seal 38 and acts to cool the motor 10 and to lubricate a sleeve bearing 24 which supports the rotor 18 on the motor's stationary shaft 26. The rotor 18 has permanent magnets 22 divided into two sets which lie on opposite sides of the poles of the stator coils 14 and, therefore, the magnetic thrust between stator and rotor is balanced out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph E. Kroy, Fritz C. Catterfeld
  • Patent number: 4580951
    Abstract: A wet motor pump has an armature located in a motor chamber. A shaft bushing with an internal bore rotatably supporting a shaft end portion of an armature shaft is located in an outlet housing having a bore and a bushing support for receiving the shaft bushing. The bushing, end portion of the armature shaft, the internal bore as well as an end wall passage of the outlet housing structure defines an end chamber wherein are provided an end chamber inlet passage and an end chamber outlet passage for communicating the end wall passage and the wet motor chamber. A pressure differential structure establishes a pressure differential between the end chamber inlet passage and the end chamber outlet passage, to cause a fluid flow into the end chamber inlet passage, to cool and lubricate the shaft bushing, and therefrom out of the end chamber outlet passage forming a cooling and lubrication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1986
    Assignee: Facet Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Carleton, James R. Locker, Harry W. Moore, III, David L. Williams
  • Patent number: 4527911
    Abstract: An oil transfer tube for a gas turbine engine lubrication system is fabricated with radial and axial passageways so that it permits oil to feed the bearing's fluid damper and distributes oil to the bearing itself. The transfer tube is easily removable without disrupting the adjacent assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1985
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Davis
  • Patent number: 4474483
    Abstract: In a hydrostatic bearing apparatus, a bearing bushing is formed at its internal surface with a plurality of circumferentially separate fluid pockets, into which pressurized fluid is conducted via respective throttle elements for rotatably supporting a spindle received in the internal surface, by means of static pressure generated in each of the fluid pockets. The bearing surface is further formed with a plurality of exhaust grooves, each of which extends in the axial direction of the bearing bushing between contiguous two of the fluid pockets. Pressurized fluid cooled by a cooler device is supplied to flow along the exhaust grooves in the axial direction of the bearing bushing, so that heated pressurized fluid in each fluid pocket is prevented from being carried by rotation of the spindle into another fluid pocket circumferentially next thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Suzuki, Akira Tsuboi, Kazuhiko Sugita
  • Patent number: 4455099
    Abstract: For a vertical shaft electric rotary machine comprising a pair of upper and lower vertical shafts extending from a rotor and rotatably supported by a bearing within an upper oil tank and a bearing unit within a lower oil tank respectively, a disclosed bearing lubricating system comprises an amount of a lubricating oil charged into each of the oil tanks, centrifugal pump means per se known and disposed around the bearing unit to pump the lubricating oil to an external oil cooler, an annular tub disposed below the centrifugal pump means to receive the lubricating oil from the oil cooler, a supply pipe with a flow rate control valve connected between the oil cooler and the upper oil tank and a return pipe connected between the upper and lower oil tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Shibasaki