Hybrid bearing assembly with rolling elements and plain bearing

Abstract

A bearing assembly includes an outer race having an inner surface defining a concave contour and an inner race positioned in the outer race. The inner race has an inner surface defining a bore therethrough and an outer surface defining at least one groove circumscribing the outer surface. A plurality of rolling elements is rollably located in the groove and is in rolling contact with the inner surface of the outer race. A lubricious liner has an inner liner-surface and an exterior liner-surface, the exterior liner-surface being disposed on the inner surface defining the bore. The lubricious liner has a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface relative to the exterior liner-surface in response to a force applied thereto.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) comprising:
 an outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) having an inner surface ( 26 ) defining a concave contour;   an inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) positioned in the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ), the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) having an inner surface ( 18 ) defining a bore ( 22 ) therethrough and an outer surface ( 20 ) defining at least one groove ( 17 ) circumscribing the outer surface ( 20 );   a plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) rollably located in the at least one groove ( 17 ) and in rolling contact with the inner surface ( 26 ) of the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ); and characterized by:   a lubricious liner ( 36 ,  136 ,  236 ,  336 ,  436 ) having an inner liner-surface ( 36 A) and an exterior liner-surface ( 36 B), the exterior liner-surface ( 36 B) being disposed on the inner surface ( 18 ) defining the bore ( 22 ), the lubricious liner ( 36 ,  136 ,  236 ,  336 ,  436 ) having at least one of:
 a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface ( 36 A) relative to the exterior liner-surface ( 36 B) in response to a force applied thereto; and 
 a coefficient of friction of a magnitude sufficient to prevent relative motion between the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) and a shaft ( 23 ) extending through the bore ( 22 ) of the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) during a first operating condition and to allow relative motion between the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) and the shaft ( 23 ) during a second operating condition. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface ( 20 ) of the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) comprises a plurality of grooves ( 17 ) in which the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) is located. 
     
     
         3 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) is selected from a group consisting of spherical rollers, convex rollers, concave rollers and cylindrical rollers. 
     
     
         4 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal ( 30 ,  130 ,  230 ,  330 ,  430 ) secured to the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) and positioned across the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) to engage a surface of the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ). 
     
     
         5 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. 
     
     
         6 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) and the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, tungsten steel, and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. 
     
     
         7 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricious liner ( 36 ,  136 ,  236 ,  336 ,  436 ) comprises PTFE. 
     
     
         8 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 7 , wherein the PTFE is in fiber form and woven with a fabric selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, glass fiber, carbon fiber, nylon, aramid material, and combinations of the foregoing materials. 
     
     
         9 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 8 , wherein the fabric is set in a thermosetting resin or thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         10 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1  wherein the concave contour of the inner surface ( 26 ) of the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) allows for the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to be misaligned relative to the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) by up to about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) of  claim 1  wherein a shaft is disposed in the bore of the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) and the shaft is misaligned relative to the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) by up to about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . A flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft, comprising:
 an arm ( 42 );   a connecting rod ( 44 ) pivotally connected to the arm ( 42 ) and pivotally connectable to a flap ( 54 ); and   a bearing assembly ( 10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) positioned on the arm and connectable to a wing of the fixed wing aircraft, the bearing assembly comprising,
 an outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) having an inner surface ( 26 ) defining a concave contour; 
 an inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) positioned in the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ), the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) having an inner surface ( 18 ) defining a bore ( 22 ) therethrough and an outer surface ( 28 ) defining at least one groove ( 17 ) circumscribing the outer surface ( 28 ); 
 a plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) rollably located in the at least one groove and in rolling contact with the inner surface ( 26 ) of the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ); and characterized by 
 a lubricious liner ( 36 ,  136 ,  236 ,  336 ,  436 ) having an inner liner-surface ( 36 A) and an exterior liner-surface ( 36 B), the exterior liner-surface ( 36 B) being disposed on the inner surface ( 18 ) defining the bore ( 22 ), the lubricious liner ( 36 ,  136 ,  236 ,  336 ,  436 ) having at least one of:
 a modulus of compression of a magnitude sufficient to allow misalignment of the inner liner-surface ( 36 A) relative to the exterior liner-surface ( 36 B) in response to a force applied thereto, and 
 a coefficient of friction of a magnitude sufficient to prevent relative motion between the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) and a shaft extending through the bore of the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) during a first operating condition and to allow relative motion between the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) and the shaft during a second operating condition. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 12 , further comprising a seal secured to the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) and positioned across the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) to engage a surface of the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ). 
     
     
         14 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. 
     
     
         15 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 12 , wherein the outer race ( 14 ,  114 ,  214 ,  314 ,  414 ) and the inner race ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) are made from a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, tungsten steel, and corrosion resistant nitrided steel. 
     
     
         16 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 12 , wherein the lubricious liner ( 36 ,  136 ,  236 ,  336 ,  436 ) comprises PTFE. 
     
     
         17 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 16 , wherein the PTFE is in fiber form and woven with a fabric selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, glass fiber, carbon fiber, nylon, aramid material, and combinations of the foregoing materials. 
     
     
         18 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 17 , wherein the fabric is set in a thermosetting resin or thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         19 . The flap hinge arm ( 40 ) of a fixed wing aircraft of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements ( 16 ,  116 ,  216 ,  316 ,  416 ) is selected from a group consisting of spherical rollers, convex rollers, concave rollers and cylindrical rollers.