Split Spherical Bearing with Anti-Friction Liner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional spherical bearings used in aerospace and other applications are difficult to install and maintain, prone to fretting and corrosion, and suffer from positional inaccuracies due to misalignment, especially in high-frequency load reversing scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A bearing assembly with a split design, where the housing serves as the outer member and features an anti-friction liner and locking mechanism, allowing for simplified installation and alignment, reducing the risk of fretting and corrosion by eliminating the need for a separate outer member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional spherical bearings are swaged, bonded, peened, staked, or press-fit into a housing, then the bearing is securely mounted, but the bearing becomes difficult to remove and maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting securityVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing is divided into two separable halves that can be independently removed from the housing, allowing maintenance without complete disassembly while maintaining secure mounting through the interlocking halves and locking features

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional spherical bearings are installed with a profile machined into the outer member or housing, then the installation process is facilitated, but the process becomes costly and time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation facilitationVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing halves can be installed separately through the bore without requiring complex profile machining, reducing manufacturing complexity and installation time while maintaining proper alignment through the locking features

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bearing halves nest within the bore and lock into position, eliminating the need for external profile machining while ensuring proper installation through the integrated locking mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Force

If conventional spherical bearings are used in high frequency load reversing applications, then the bearing provides support, but fretting occurs between the outer member and mounting leading to metal fatigue

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload supportVSAvoidmetal fatigue resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An anti-friction liner is introduced as an intermediary layer between the bearing outer surface and the housing bore, eliminating direct metal-to-metal contact and preventing fretting while maintaining load support capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The bearing assembly combines different materials - the bearing metal and the anti-friction liner material - to create a composite structure that provides both structural support and fretting resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Force

If conventional spherical bearings are used in high frequency load reversing applications, then the bearing provides support, but crevice corrosion occurs in the clearance between the outer member and mounting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload supportVSAvoidcrevice corrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The anti-friction liner acts as an intermediary that fills and seals the clearance between the bearing and housing, eliminating the crevice environment that causes corrosion while maintaining the necessary fit and load support

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

5Force

If conventional spherical bearings are installed, then the bearing provides positioning, but positional accuracy decreases due to concentric misalignment of the outer member within the hole in the housing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning capabilityVSAvoidpositional accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The split bearing design with locking features allows precise alignment of each half with the housing bore, ensuring concentric positioning and improving positional accuracy compared to conventional single-piece bearings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 enhances the positional accuracy of the bearing, reduces the risk of migration, simplifies the mounting process, and decreases costs while improving durability by minimizing metal fatigue and crevice corrosion.

Implementation Method 1

an anti-friction liner disposed between the convex outer surface and the concave inner surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2682618B1Integral spherical bearing and corresponding mounting method

Publication Date: 2017.03.29 CLAVERHAM

AI summary

A bearing assembly (100) and a method of forming a bearing assembly is provided including a housing (110) having a bore (132). The bore has a generally concave inner surface (134). The bearing assembly also includes a bearing (140) having an inner member (142). The inner member is movable about a central axis (A) and is dimensioned to fit within the bore. The inner member has a generally convex outer surface (144) complementary to the concave inner surface (134) of the bore. The housing functions as an outer member of the bearing.