Rolling Bearing Damping Cage With Nested Support for Tight Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compressed fluid film bearing damping devices are bulky, making them unsuitable for integration in narrow spaces such as internal gearboxes of aircraft propulsion assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A damping device for rolling bearings featuring an annular support with radially extending teeth that interlock with a cage, allowing the annular support to be positioned within the cage's inter-stanchion gaps, reducing the overall size while maintaining effective fluidic damping through a circumferential compressed fluid film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cage structure with radially deformable stanchions is used to form a fluidic damping cavity, then the damping device achieves effective compressed fluid film damping, but the axial dimension becomes almost three times greater than the bearing axial dimension, making it too bulky for integration in narrow spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The annular support with teeth is nested within the cage structure, with teeth extending radially through inter-stanchion openings. This nesting allows the damping cavity to be formed within the existing cage envelope rather than requiring additional axial space, reducing the overall axial dimension while maintaining the fluidic damping function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a primarily axial arrangement (traditional cage extending axially) to a radial arrangement (teeth extending radially through inter-stanchion openings). This dimensional change allows the damping cavity to be formed in the radial direction within the cage structure, significantly reducing the axial dimension while preserving damping effectiveness
2Reliability
If the annular support is designed with a large radial dimension to ensure proper fluidic damping cavity formation, then effective compressed fluid film is achieved, but the device cannot be integrated in narrow spaces such as internal gear boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The annular support is positioned within the cage structure, with teeth nested in the inter-stanchion openings. This nesting confines the damping cavity within the cage's existing radial envelope, preventing radial protrusion while maintaining sufficient cavity volume for effective compressed fluid film damping
Solution Approach 2:
The teeth of the annular support are positioned locally within the inter-stanchion openings at specific radial locations, creating localized fluidic damping zones. This localized approach provides effective damping where needed while minimizing the overall radial dimension of the device, enabling integration in narrow spaces
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables a compact damping device with equivalent or reduced axial and radial dimensions compared to traditional designs, facilitating integration in constrained spaces while maintaining effective damping performance.
Implementation Method 1
compressed fluid film bearing damping is a well-known technique in the field of turbine engines
Implementation Method 2
the ring and the annular support form radially therebetween a fluidic damping cavity capable of forming a circumferential compressed fluid film
Data Source
AI summary
A device for damping a rolling bearing includes a support and a radially flexible cage. The cage includes a ring provided in order to be mounted on the periphery of a rolling bearing. The radial flexibility of this cage results from the structure thereof which is perforated by oblique posts connecting the ring to an attachment annulus of this cage. The support includes a plurality of teeth each extending radially through a respective inter-post opening of the cage. The ring and the support form, radially between one another, a fluid damping cavity suitable for forming a compressed fluid film. The device allows a controlled radial movement of the ring, the latter being radially limited by the support, while having a limited footprint.