Bearing with expanded load zone

Claim 2

A bearing comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race radially spaced from the outer race to provide an outer race--inner race annulus, one of said races being fixed and the other of said races being rotatable; rolling members in the outer race--inner race annulus; and spacer means contacting the fixed race, the spacer means having less stiffness than the fixed race, the thickness of the spacer as a whole increasing with arc distance from the location of the radial bearing load, whereby a portion of the bearing load on rolling members at the location of the bearing load is transferred to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 3

A bearing in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the annular inner race is rotatable.

Claim 4

A bearing in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the annular outer race is rotatable.

Claim 5

A bearing in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said spacer means has uniform thickness over an axial length equal to the length of and radially aligned with said rolling members.

Claim 6

A bearing in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said spacer means varies in the material characteristic of stiffness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for further reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load.

Claim 7

A bearing comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said outer and inner races; a ring; yieldable spacer means, located between said annular inner race and ring in load transmitting communication with said annular inner race and having less stiffness than said annular inner race; said annular outer race being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said ring being relatively stationary about its axis with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on said rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said annular inner race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 8

A bearing comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said outer and inner races; a ring; yieldable spacer means, located between said annular inner race and ring in load transmitting communication with said annular inner race and having less stiffness than said annular inner race; said annular outer race being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said ring being relatively stationary about its axis with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on said rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said annular inner race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 9

A bearing in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: said spacer means being fixedly secured to said ring.

Claim 10

A bearing in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: said spacer means being continuous over said arc distance.

Claim 11

A bearing in accordance with claim 8, further comprising: said spacer means fills the entire inner race-ring annulus.

Claim 12

A bearing in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: said spacer means having uniform thickness over an axial length equal to and radially aligned with said rolling members.

Claim 13

A bearing in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: said spacer means varying in the material characteristic of stiffness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for further reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said inner race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 14

A bearing comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said outer and inner races; a ring; yieldable spacer means located between said annular outer race and ring in load transmitting communication with said annular outer race and having less stiffness than said annular outer race; said annular inner race being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said ring being relatively stationary about its axis with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said annular outer race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 15

A bearing comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said outer and inner races; a ring; yieldable spacer means located between said annular outer race and ring in load transmitting communication with said annular outer race and having less stiffness than said annular outer race; said annular inner race being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said ring being relatively stationary about its axis with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said annular outer race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 16

A bearing in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: said spacer means being fixedly secured to said ring.

Claim 17

A bearing in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: said spacer means being continuous over said arc distance.

Claim 18

A bearing in accordance with claim 14, further comprising: said spacer means fills the entire outer race-ring annulus.

Claim 19

A bearing in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: said spacer means having uniform thickness over an axial length equal to the length and radially aligned with said rolling members.

Claim 20

A bearing in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: said spacer means varying in the material characteristic of stiffness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for further reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said outer race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 21

A bearing and housing assembly comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said annular outer and annular inner races; a housing for receiving the bearing; yieldable spacer means located between said annular outer race and the housing in load transmitting communication with said outer race and having less stiffness than said outer race; said first ring being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said housing being relatively stationary with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said outer race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 22

A bearing and housing assembly comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said annular outer and annular inner races; a housing for receiving the bearing; yieldable spacer means located between said annular outer race and the housing in load transmitting communication with said outer race and having less stiffness than said outer race; said first ring being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said housing being relatively stationary with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said outer race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 23

A bearing and housing in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: said spacer means being fixedly secured to said housing.

Claim 24

A bearing and housing in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: said spacer means being continuous over said arc distance.

Claim 25

A bearing and housing in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: said spacer means having uniform thickness over an axial length equal to the length of, and radially aligned with, said rolling members.

Claim 26

A bearing and housing in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: said spacer means varying in the material characteristic of stiffness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for further reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said outer race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 27

A bearing and shaft assembly comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said annular outer and said annular inner races; a shaft; yieldable spacer means located between said annular inner race and the shaft in load transmitting communication with said annular inner race and having less stiffness than said annular inner race; said annular inner race being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said shaft being relatively stationary about its axis with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said inner race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 28

A bearing and shaft assembly comprising: an annular outer race; an annular inner race; rolling members located between said annular outer and said annular inner races; a shaft; yieldable spacer means located between said annular inner race and the shaft in load transmitting communication with said annular inner race and having less stiffness than said annular inner race; said annular inner race being rotatable about its axis with respect to a radial load imposed on the bearing; said shaft being relatively stationary about its axis with respect to said radial bearing load; said spacer means increasing in thickness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said inner race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.

Claim 29

A bearing and shaft assembly in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: said spacer means being fixedly secured to said shaft.

Claim 30

A bearing and shaft assembly in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: said spacer means being continuous over said arc distance.

Claim 31

A bearing and shaft assembly in accordance with claim 25, further comprising: said spacer means fills the entire inner race--shaft annulus.

Claim 32

A bearing and shaft assembly in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: said spacer means having uniform thickness over an axial length equal to and radially aligned with said rolling members.

Claim 33

A bearing and shaft assembly in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: said spacer means varying in the material characteristic of stiffness with arc distance from the location of said radial bearing load for further reducing load concentration on the rolling members at the location of said radial bearing load by deforming said inner race for transferring a portion of said load to adjacent ones of the rolling members.