Bearing assembly with a retaining ring and method thereof
View Patent ↗A bearing assembly, including a housing with a first circumferentially disposed groove; a bearing including an outer race with a second circumferentially disposed groove; and a retaining ring disposed within the first and second circumferentially disposed grooves. A method of retaining a bearing, including: locating a first portion of a ring within a groove in an outer race; installing a housing radially about the race to contact the race; locating a second portion of the ring within a groove in the housing; bringing temperature of the housing and the race to a first level; fixing, with contact between the race and the housing, the race with respect to the housing; increasing the temperature of the housing and race to a second higher level; creating a radial gap between the housing and the outer race; and fixing, with the retaining ring, a position of the race with respect to the housing.
1. A bearing assembly, comprising:
a bearing including an annular outer race:
constructed of a first material with a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and, including:
a radially outer circumferential surface; and,
a first circumferentially disposed groove in the radially outer circumferential surface;
an annular housing:
radially disposed about the bearing;
constructed of a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion; and,
including:
a radially inner circumferential surface; and,
a second circumferentially disposed groove in the radially inner circumferential surface; and,
an annular retaining ring including:
a first portion disposed within the first circumferentially disposed groove; and,
a second portion disposed within the second circumferentially disposed groove, wherein the retaining ring is constructed of
a third material, different from the first material, with a third coefficient of thermal expansion equal to the first coefficient of thermal expansion.
2. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retaining ring is arranged to axially and radially restrain the outer race with respect to the housing.