Single-Piece Plain Bearing With Flex Zones for Gearbox Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plain bearings in turbomachinery gearboxes suffer from misalignment issues due to uneven load distribution and manufacturing tolerances, exacerbated by the use of separate covers that increase geometric misalignment risks.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece plain bearing design with integrated covers and limited flexibility zones at longitudinal ends, allowing direct mounting to the planet carrier, reducing the risk of misalignment and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate covers are used to fix the plain bearing to the planet carrier, then the bearing can be mounted and disassembled, but the number of parts increases and geometric misalignment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate cover and bearing body into a single integrated component. The bearing body itself is designed with mounting extensions that directly engage with the planet carrier, eliminating the need for separate covers. This reduces the number of parts while maintaining the mounting function.
2Ease of operation
If separate covers are used to fix the plain bearing, then assembly is possible, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to alignment tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the mounting extensions directly into the bearing body, the patent eliminates the interface between separate cover and bearing. This removes the cumulative tolerance errors that would occur at the mating surfaces of separate parts, thereby reducing geometric misalignment risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flexibility zones in the form of circumferential grooves at the longitudinal ends of the bearing body. These grooves allow the bearing to adapt to slight misalignments and load variations during operation, compensating for manufacturing tolerances and reducing geometric misalignment effects.
3Reliability
If flexibility zones are added to the plain bearing body, then misalignment is reduced, but the bearing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates flexibility zones through circumferential grooves cut into the bearing body at its longitudinal ends. These grooves create flexible regions that allow the bearing to deform slightly and adapt to misalignments, improving reliability without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
4Device complexity
If a single-piece bearing design is used, then the number of parts is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (bearing surface, mounting extensions, flexibility zones) into a single monoblock component. While this reduces the number of parts, it requires sophisticated manufacturing processes such as precision machining or additive manufacturing to create the complex integrated geometry with internal cavities and circumferential grooves.
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 misalignment and simplifies assembly, ensuring consistent oil film thickness and improved operational stability in turbomachinery gearboxes.
Implementation Method 1
each satellite is mounted for rotation on and around a plain bearing carried by the satellite carrier. This plain bearing is supplied with oil and is configured to form an oil film between its outer periphery and the inner periphery of the satellite it guides
Data Source
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AI summary
Plain bearing (50) for a mechanical reducer (6) of a turbomachine, in particular of an aircraft, the plain bearing (50) being formed of a single piece and comprising: - a cylindrical body (52) having: + an external cylindrical guiding surface (56), + a first axial mounting extension (64), + a first circumferential rim (66) extending around the first extension (64), + a second axial mounting extension (68), and + a second circumferential rim (70) extending around the second extension (68), characterized in that it further comprises: - a fixing cover (54) which is connected to said first axial extension (64) and which extends axially opposite said first rim (66).