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Abstract

Bearing with housing (5) and means for rotatably guiding shafts (1) with a shaft collar (4) and elements for damping (2) of vibrations, wherein the elements for damping (2) are arranged between the guide means (3) and the housing (5), characterized in that the damping elements (2) are arranged on the side facing away from the shaft collar (4) between guide means (3) and a cover (5a) of the housing (5) and the damping effect is adjustable by changing the preload of the damping elements (2) in the bearing housing (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a bearing according to the features of claim 1.

[0002] It is generally known that plain or roller bearings are used to support rotating shafts in machines or systems. These can be used for radial guidance of a shaft and / or for supporting axial forces.

[0003] To prevent vibrations or the transmission of structure-borne noise, it is known to install structure-borne noise damping elements between the foundation and the bearing. For this purpose, the bearing housings are, for example, placed on rubber blocks or connected to the foundation via hydraulic resonance dampers.

[0004] The damping behavior of bearings installed in this way can be changed by replacing the damping elements and therefore requires the complex disassembly of the entire bearing.

[0005] From US 6,875,067 B2 is in Fig. 3 discloses a supported propeller shaft with a shaft collar, in which forces are exerted on the shaft collar and thus on the propeller shaft by means of hydraulic actuators arranged within a bearing.

[0006] From DE-OS 25 02 801, an axial sliding bearing according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, which comprises tilting segments for compensating eccentric propeller thrust. A disc spring or flexible support is arranged between the base and the base body of these segments, and the spring preload of this spring can be adjusted according to the operating conditions. A disadvantage is that changing the spring element, which is fixed in the base body by a circlip or snap ring, requires removing the tilting segments from the bearing and disassembling them further.

[0007] The object of the invention is to create a structure-borne sound and vibration damping bearing that does not require disassembly of the bearing in order to change its damping behavior.

[0008] This problem is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0009] In a bearing according to the invention, optimal structure-borne noise isolation can be achieved by arranging elastomeric elements between the inner bearing parts and the bearing housing.

[0010] The damping behavior of a bearing according to the invention can be changed advantageously and simply by exchanging the elastomer elements with different Shore hardnesses and preloads within a wide adjustment range, without requiring complex disassembly of the bearing housing. Exchanging the damping elements results in an advantageously large range of adjustment options.

[0011] A bearing designed according to the invention is advantageously easy to assemble and disassemble and has an advantageously compact design.

[0012] Bearings according to the invention can be used particularly advantageously in yachts, naval vessels or submarines.

[0013] Further advantages arise from the subclaims in conjunction with the description.

[0014] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the schematic drawing: Fig. Figure 1 shows an exemplary axial sliding bearing designed according to the invention.

[0015] Out of Fig.Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a bearing housing 5, which is rigidly connected to an unspecified foundation, i.e., it is firmly attached without the interposition of vibration-damping materials. A shaft 1 with a shaft collar 4 runs through the bearing housing 5 and is supported on both sides by sliding shoes 3. Preferably, several sliding shoes 3 are provided on both sides of the shaft collar 4, arranged circularly around the shaft 1 and guided axially within the bearing housing 5.

[0016] Forces acting on the shaft from left to right are transmitted via the shaft collar 4 to the sliding shoes 3 arranged to the right of the shaft collar 4, whereby an oil film is built up between the sliding shoes 3 and the shaft collar 4 to separate the surfaces in a generally known manner, for example hydrodynamically or hydrostatically. Forces acting on the shaft in the opposite direction are transmitted from the sliding shoes 3, which are arranged to the left of the shaft collar 4, to the bearing housing 5.

[0017] The sliding shoes 3 transmit the support force via damping elements 2 into the bearing housing 5. The damping elements 2 are each arranged on the side facing away from the shaft collar 4 between the sliding shoe 3 and the bearing housing 5. The damping elements 2 are preferably made of an elastomer material and can be pre-tensioned differently in the bearing housing 5, thereby allowing the damping effect to be adjusted to predefinable values.

[0018] Furthermore, the damping elements 2 can be replaced with elements with different Shore hardnesses, which also allows the damping effect to be specifically adjusted.

[0019] By combining damping elements of specific Shore hardnesses with different preloads, the damping effect can be changed over a wide adjustment range, and optimal structure-borne noise isolation between the bearing inner parts (sliding shoes) and the bearing housing can be achieved for many applications.

[0020] The damping elements 2 can be replaced via covers 5a, which are screwed onto the bearing housing 5 from the outside and can be easily removed. The bearing itself does not need to be removed for this purpose.

[0021] The bearing according to the invention dampens vibrations in the axial direction and interrupts the structure-borne sound transmission of drive noise.

[0022] Bearings according to the invention are particularly advantageous for supporting shafts, especially propeller shafts, of ships such as yachts, naval vessels or ships used for military purposes or submarines.

[0023] The invention is not limited to axial sliding bearings, but can also be applied to radial sliding bearings and, in principle, to corresponding rolling bearings.

[0024] The essential core of the present invention lies in damping drive vibrations directly at the point where they are introduced into a bearing. For this purpose, the bearing's guide elements – such as sliding surfaces, sliding shoes, or raceways of rolling elements – are connected to the bearing housing via the interposition of vibration-damping material layers.

[0025] Furthermore, hydraulic damping can be achieved by interposing a hydraulic unit 6 connected in a ring line. Reference symbol list 1 wave 2 damping elements 3 gliding shoe 4 wave-shaped collar 5 bearing housings 5a Lid 6 Hydraulic unit

Claims

[1] Bearing with housing (5) and means for rotatably guiding shafts (1) with a shaft collar (4) and elements for damping (2) vibrations, wherein the elements for damping (2) are arranged between the guiding means (3) and the housing (5), characterized by , that the damping elements (2) are arranged on the side facing away from the shaft collar (4) between guide means (3) and a cover (5a) of the housing (5) and that the damping effect is adjustable by changing the preload of the damping elements (2) in the bearing housing (5). [2] Bearing according to claim 1, characterized by , that the damping elements (2) can be manufactured from an elastomeric material. [3] Bearings according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the damping effect can be adjusted by replacing the damping elements (2) with damping elements made of an elastomer material with a different Shore hardness. [4] Bearings according to any of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the damping elements can be replaced without disassembling the bearing. [5] Bearings according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the bearing is a plain bearing whose sliding surfaces are supported against the bearing housing (5) via damping elements (2). [6] Bearings according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the bearing is an axial sliding bearing, whose sliding shoes (3) are supported on the bearing housing (5) via damping elements (2). [7] Bearings according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by its use on ships such as yachts, naval vessels or submarines. [8] Bearings according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that an additional hydraulic unit (6) is provided for further damping.

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