Bearing outer race retention during high load events

US10323541B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Ravindra Shankar Ganiger · Kanchinakote, IN
• Shivakumar Basavanna · Mullur, IN
• Jacob Patrick Miller · Blue Ash, US
• Charles Andrew Corman · Milford, US
• Mark L. Hopper · Sharonville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 15, 2017
• Grant date: Jun 18, 2019
• Expiry date: Oct 17, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T50/60
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A housing for retention of the outer race of a bearing of a gas turbine engine includes an arrangement of spring fingers that yields a lightweight housing capable of withstanding very high radial loads combined with very high torsional windup and axial thrust load. Controlled circumferential gaps on both sides of each spring finger limit the deflection and self-arrest the distortion of the housing. The spring fingers define at least one side edge that extends at an angle relative to the axial direction. An axial gap is created on the aft end by a portion of the spring finger beam structure that opposes an axial face of the housing and limits the axial distortion. A radial gap created between interface hardware of the housing and the inner retention housing also acts to retain the spring finger housing under load in a radial direction.