Rolling Bearing Damping Cage With Nested Support for Tight Spaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rolling bearings with fluid damping devices are bulky, making them unsuitable for integration in narrow spaces, such as internal drive housings of aircraft propulsion systems, where compact designs are required.
Innovation Solution
A damping device for rolling bearings comprising an annular support and a cage with obliquely extending columns, where the annular support has teeth that fit within the intercolumn openings of the cage, allowing for a compact design by nesting the support within the cage's free spaces, reducing the overall bulk and enabling integration in limited spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fluid damping device is used, then good damping performance is achieved, but the device becomes bulky with axial dimension three times greater than the bearing
Solution Approach 1:
The annular support with teeth is nested within the intercolumn spaces of the cage structure, allowing the damping device to fit within the existing bearing geometry rather than extending axially beyond it. The teeth of the annular support are positioned in the free spaces between the cage columns, creating a compact integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from an axial extension configuration to a radial integration configuration. By positioning the annular support radially within the bearing assembly and using the intercolumn openings for tooth placement, the damping function is achieved without increasing the axial dimension significantly.
2Length of moving object
If the annular support is designed with teeth extending through intercolumn openings, then the device size is reduced, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cage structure serves multiple functions: it maintains rolling element spacing, allows radial deformation for damping, and provides intercolumn spaces for accommodating the annular support teeth. The annular support simultaneously provides damping cavity formation and structural integration with the cage system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the cage and annular support into an integrated assembly where the teeth of the annular support are positioned within the intercolumn openings of the cage. This combining of components reduces overall device size while the functional integration simplifies the system architecture.
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 effectively reduces the axial and radial dimensions of the damping device, allowing it to be integrated in narrow spaces while maintaining good damping performance, thus enabling its use in aircraft propulsion systems.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid damping cavity capable of forming a circumferential film of compressed fluid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (16) for damping a rolling bearing, comprising a support (18) and a radially flexible cage (17). The cage (17) comprises a ring (20) provided in order to be mounted on the periphery of a rolling bearing. The radial flexibility of this cage (17) results from the structure thereof which is perforated by oblique posts (21) connecting the ring (20) to an attachment annulus (19) of this cage (17). The support (18) comprises a plurality of teeth each extending radially through a respective inter-post opening of the cage (17). The ring (20) and the support (18) form, radially between one another, a fluid damping cavity suitable for forming a compressed fluid film. Such a device (16) allows a controlled radial movement of the ring (20), the latter being radially limited by the support (18), while having a limited footprint.