Search

EP-4549766-B1 - SHAFT BEARING RETAINER ASSEMBLY

EP4549766B1EP 4549766 B1EP4549766 B1EP 4549766B1EP-4549766-B1

Inventors

  • STEHLIK, ERIC
  • COFFIN, JAMES B.
  • DAVIS, TODD A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241014

Claims (15)

  1. A shaft bearing retainer assembly comprising: an axially extending shaft (54) having a first radial surface (78), a second radial surface (80), a distal end (82), a bearing seat (86), and a retainer cavity (92), wherein the first radial surface (78) is opposite the second radial surface (80), and the bearing seat (86) is engaged with the first radial surface (78) and extends axially inward from the distal end (82), and the retainer cavity (92) is disposed in the second radial surface (80) of the shaft (54) and extends axially inward from the distal end (82), wherein the shaft (54) includes a first threaded surface portion (98) disposed in the retainer cavity (92) and a second threaded surface portion (100) in the second radial surface (80); a bearing (52) having a race (64) and a plurality of roller elements (68), wherein the bearing race (64) is mounted in the bearing seat (86); and a bearing retainer subassembly (60) that includes a first retainer ring (102) and a second retainer ring (104), wherein the first retainer ring (102) is in threaded engagement with the first threaded surface portion (98) and engaged with the bearing race (64), and the second retainer ring (104) is in threaded engagement with the second threaded surface portion (100) and engaged with the first retainer ring (102).
  2. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of claim 1, wherein the threaded engagement between the first retainer ring (102) and the first threaded surface portion (98) is a first threaded engagement, and the threaded engagement between the second retainer ring (104) and the second threaded surface portion (100) is a second threaded engagement, and the first threaded engagement is different than the second threaded engagement.
  3. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of claim 2, wherein the first threaded engagement has a first threads per inch value, and the second threaded engagement has a second threads per inch value, and the first threads per inch value is different than the second threads per inch value.
  4. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of claim 2 or 3, wherein the first threaded engagement has a left-handed thread and the second threaded engagement has a right-handed thread, or the first threaded engagement has a right-handed thread and the second threaded engagement has a left-handed thread.
  5. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first retainer ring (FRR) has a FRR axial member (102A), a FRR radial member (102B), and a FRR threaded collar (114), the FRR threaded collar (114) is disposed adjacent a first axial end (106) of the FRR axial member (102A), the FRR radial member (102B) extends radially out from the FRR axial member (102A) at a second axial end (108) of the FRR axial member (102A), and the FRR threaded collar (114) is in threaded engagement with the first threaded surface portion (98).
  6. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the second retainer ring (SRR) has a SRR axial member (104A), a SRR radial member (104B), and a SRR threaded collar (122), the SRR threaded collar (122) is disposed adjacent a first axial end (124) of the SRR axial member (104A), the SRR radial member (104B) extends radially out from the SRR axial member (104A) at a second axial end (118) of the SRR axial member (104A), and the SRR threaded collar (122) is in threaded engagement with the second threaded surface portion (100).
  7. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the bearing seat (BS) includes an axially extending bearing mount surface (88) and a BS shoulder surface (90), the axially extending bearing mount surface (88) extends from the distal end (82) to the BS shoulder surface (90) and the BS shoulder surface (90) extends between the bearing mount surface (88) and the first radial surface (78).
  8. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the bearing seat (BS) is defined by a shoulder protrusion (85) extending outwardly from the first radial surface (78) and a portion of the radial surface extending between the shoulder protrusion (85) and the shaft distal end (82).
  9. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the retainer cavity (RC) includes an RC inner diameter surface (94) and an RC shoulder surface (96), the RC inner diameter surface (94) extends from the distal end (82) to the RC shoulder surface (96) and the RC shoulder surface (96) extends between the RC inner diameter surface (94) and the second radial surface (80).
  10. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any preceding claim, further comprising a locking mechanism (130) configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first retainer ring (102) and the second retainer ring (104), optionally wherein: the locking mechanism (130) includes a deformable feature (160A; 160B) attached to the first retainer ring (102) or the second retainer ring (104), the deformable feature configured to engage with the other of the first retainer ring (102) or the second retainer ring (104) to inhibit relative rotation between the first retainer ring (102) and the second retainer ring (104).
  11. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of claim 10, wherein the locking mechanism (130) includes at least one locking key (132) engaged with the first retainer ring (102) and the second retainer ring (104).
  12. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of claim 10 or 11, wherein the locking mechanism (130) includes at least one lock post (138) extending out from the first retainer ring (102) and a slotted aperture (140) disposed in the second retainer ring (104), optionally wherein the at least one lock post (138) includes a stem (138A) and a head (138B), and the slotted aperture (140) includes a receiver portion (140A) and a slot portion (140B), and the slotted aperture (140) includes a stem locking feature (142).
  13. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the locking mechanism (130) includes at least one mechanical fastener (134, 146) engaged with the first retainer ring (102) and the second retainer ring (104).
  14. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the locking mechanism (130) includes at least one biased detent member (148) engaged between the first retainer ring (102) and the second retainer ring (104).
  15. The shaft bearing retainer assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the shaft first radial surface (78) is an outer radial surface of the shaft (54), and the shaft second radial surface (80) is an inner radial surface of the shaft (54), or the shaft first radial surface (78) is an inner radial surface of the shaft (54), and the shaft second radial surface (80) is an outer radial surface of the shaft (54).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field The invention relates to rotating shafts in general and to apparatus for securing bearings relative to a rotating shaft in particular. 2. Background Information Turbomachines, such as gas turbine engines, typically include fan, compressor, combustor, and turbine sections. The fan section drives air along a core flow path into the compressor section. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and combusted in the combustor section. The products of combustion are expanded in the turbine section. A typical turbine engine, as for example known from US 6 579 010 B2, has two or three shafts (sometimes referred to as "spools") that transmit torque between the turbine and compressor sections of the engine. Each of these shafts is typically supported by bearings. In some applications, a shaft bearing may be configured to accommodate both axial and radial loads. In other applications, a shaft bearing may be configured to accommodate only an axial load. Turbine engines also often include a gearbox (e.g., and accessory gearbox) driven off of one of the engine shafts. An accessory gearbox may be used to drive an electric generator, a hydraulic pump, an oil pump, or any combination thereof. For various reasons, including but not limited to vibration and loading, shaft bearings may undesirably "walk" from their original location. It is desirable to have a structure that prevents bearing movement, and in particular a structure that is easily manufactured and implemented, and one that is cost effective. SUMMARY According to the present invention, there is provided a shaft bearing retainer assembly as claimed in claim 1. Some embodiments of the invention are provided in claims dependent from claim 1. The invention is defined by the appended claims. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a gas turbine engine.FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment.FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment.FIG. 2B is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment.FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a first retainer ring embodiment and a second retainer ring embodiment.FIGS. 4-4B diagrammatically illustrate an example of an assembly sequence of a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly.FIG. 4C diagrammatically illustrates torque loadings associated with embodiments of the present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly.FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure bearing shaft retainer assembly embodiment, including a locking mechanism embodiment. FIG. 5A is an end view showing a portion of the shaft bearing retainer assembly and locking mechanism shown in FIG. 5.FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment with the second retainer ring separated, and a locking mechanism embodiment.FIG. 6A illustrates the present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment shown in FIG. 6, now with the second retainer ring separated engaged.FIG. 6B is a diagrammatic view of the second retainer shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A.FIGS. 6C and 6D illustrates different embodiments of a slotted aperture.FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment, including a locking mechanism embodiment. FIG. 7A is an end view showing a portion of the bearing retainer assembly and locking mechanism shown in FIG. 7.FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment, including a locking mechanism embodiment. FIG. 8A is an end view showing a portion of the bearing retainer assembly and locking mechanism shown in FIG. 8.FIGS. 9-9B are diagrammatic views of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment, including locking mechanism embodiments.FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment, including a locking mechanism embodiment.FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a bearing mounted on a shaft with a present disclosure shaft bearing retainer assembly embodiment, including a locking mechanism embodiment. FIGS. 11A and 11B diagrammatically illustrate the locking mechanism embodiment shown in FIG. 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a p