US 11,867,228 B2
Thrust bearings
Mathieu Gaucher, Camburat (FR)
Assigned to RATIER-FIGEAC SAS, Figfigeac (FR)
Filed by Ratier-Figeac SAS, Figeac (FR)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/665,879.
Claims priority of application No. 21305169 (EP), filed on Feb. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0252107 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. F16C 19/30 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 19/30 (2013.01) 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thrust bearing having a central axis, the thrust bearing comprising:
cylindrical rollers arranged circumferentially in a bearing race with their rotational axes pointing radially to the central axis of the thrust bearing and each having a contact surface extending around and lengthwise of the cylindrical roller,
wherein the cylindrical rollers comprise at least pairs of radially adjacent first rollers with a radially inner first roller of each pair arranged with its rotational axis in alignment with the rotational axis of a radially outer first roller of the pair,
wherein the cylindrical rollers comprise second rollers with at least one such second roller being arranged between adjacent pairs of first rollers in the circumferential direction, the at least one second roller being offset in the radial direction relative to the radially outer first rollers between which it is circumferentially arranged, wherein the radial offset is such that a halfway line located halfway along the length of the contact surface of each radially outer first roller is in circumferential alignment with a quarter-way line located one quarter along the length of the contact surface of the at least one second roller from a radially outer lengthwise end of the contact surface thereof, wherein the circumferential alignment has a tolerance of plus or minus 5% of the length of the contact surfaces of the radially outer first rollers.