1. A bearing preload cage assembly for rotatably supporting a shaft subject to axial loading comprising:
a bearing housing including first and second stationary axially opposed supporting members;
first and second axially spaced bearings for supporting the shaft on the bearing housing, the first bearing including a first inner race fixed on the shaft, a first outer race, and a first plurality of rolling elements engageably interposed between the first inner race and the first outer race, the second bearing including a second inner race fixed on the shaft, a second outer race, and a second plurality of rolling elements engageably interposed between the second inner race and the second outer race,
a first cylindrical cage segment coaxial with the shaft including a first sleeve having an internal surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced castellations axially protruding from the first sleeve;
a second cylindrical cage segment coaxial with the shaft including a second sleeve having an internal surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced castellations axially protruding from the second sleeve;
the first outer race engageably received on the internal surface of the first sleeve;
the second outer race engageably received on the internal surface of the second sleeve;
the castellations of the first cage segment proximate to and engageable with the outer race of the second bearing;
the castellations of the second cage segment proximate to and engageable with the outer race of the first bearing;
the first supporting member proximate to and engageable with the first cage segment;
the second supporting member proximate to and engageable with the second cage segment;
a resilient member biasing at least one of the first and second outer races into full engagement with its associated plurality of rolling elements and, in turn, its associated plurality of rolling elements into full engagement with their associated inner race;
whereby, at all times during rotation of the shaft, the rolling elements of the first bearing are maintained in full engagement with the first inner race and with the first outer race; and
whereby, at all times during rotation of the shaft, the rolling elements of the second bearing are maintained in full engagement with the second inner race and with the second outer race.
2. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the resilient member biases the first cage segment into engagement with the second outer race and biases the second cage segment into engagement with the first outer race.
3. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the resilient member is intermediate and engaged with the first and second cage segments.
4. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the castellations of the first cage segment interdigitate with the castellations of the second cage segment, each castellation of the first cage segment being engageable with adjacent castellations of the second cage segment.
5. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein each castellation of the first cage segment terminates at a radially inwardly extending first castle flange;
wherein each castellation of the second cage segment terminates at a radially inwardly extending second castle flange; and
wherein the resilient member is intermediate and engaged with the first and second castle flanges biasing the first castle flange into engagement with the second outer race and the second castle flange into engagement with the first outer race.
6. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 5
wherein each of the first castle flanges has a first annular recess facing the second castle flanges;
wherein each of the second castle flanges has a second annular recess facing the first castle flanges; and
wherein the resilient member is received in the first and second annular recesses for thereby biasing the first cage segment into engagement with the second outer race and the second cage segment into engagement with the first outer race.
7. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 5
wherein the resilient member is an annular spring washer; and
including:
a retainer removably attachable to at least one of the first castle flange and the second castle flange for positioning the annular spring washer intermediate the first and second castle flange.
8. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the first and second bearings are positioned in a back-to-back arrangement.
9. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 8
wherein the first and second inner races are fixed on a reduced intermediate end portion of the shaft;
wherein the first inner race engageably abuts an annular shoulder of the shaft facing the reduced intermediate end portion; and
wherein a nut is threadedly received on a threaded terminal end portion of the shaft, the terminal end portion being reduced in diameter from the intermediate end portion, the nut when tightened being engaged with the inner race of the second bearing and biasing the inner races of the second bearing and of the first bearing against the annular shoulder of the shaft.
10. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 9
a ring-like spacer received on the intermediate end portion between the inner races of the first and second bearings.
11. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the bearing housing includes:
a main housing member;
the first supporting member being an inboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member and engageable with the first cage segment for preventing axial movement thereof in an inboard direction; and
the second supporting member being an outboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member and engageable with the second cage segment for preventing axial movement thereof in an outboard direction.
12. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 11
wherein the main housing member has an axially extending slot; and
wherein a radially extending pin is fixed on one of the cage segments and slidably received with the axially extending slot for preventing rotation of the cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
13. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 11
wherein the main housing member has an axially extending slot; and
wherein a radially extending pin is fixed on one of the cage segments and slidably received with the axially extending slot for preventing rotation of the cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
14. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the resilient member is intermediate and engaged with the first and second outer races.
15. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 14
wherein each castellation of the first cage segment terminates at a radially inwardly extending first castle flange having a terminal rim;
wherein each castellation of the second cage segment terminates at a radially inwardly extending second castle flange having a terminal rim; and
wherein the resilient member is received on the terminal rims of the first and second castle flanges intermediate and engaged with the first and second outer races biasing the first outer race into full engagement with the first plurality of rolling elements and, in turn, the first plurality of rolling elements into full engagement with the first inner race, and biasing the second outer race into full engagement with the second plurality of rolling elements and, in turn, the second plurality of rolling elements into full engagement with the second inner race.
16. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 15
wherein the resilient member is an annular spring washer having an outer surface with an outer diameter and an inner surface with an inner diameter; and
including:
an annular retainer engageably supporting the inner surface of the spring.
17. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 14
wherein the first and second bearings are positioned in a back-to-back arrangement.
18. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 17
wherein the first and second inner races are fixed on a reduced intermediate end portion of the shaft;
wherein the first inner race engageably abuts an annular shoulder of the shaft facing the reduced intermediate end portion; and
wherein a nut is threadedly received on a threaded terminal end portion of the shaft, the terminal end portion being reduced in diameter from the intermediate end portion, the nut when tightened being engaged with the inner race of the second bearing and biasing the inner races of the second bearing and of the first bearing against the annular shoulder of the shaft.
19. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 18
a ring-like spacer received on the intermediate end portion between the inner races of the first and second bearings.
20. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 14
wherein the bearing housing includes:
a main housing member;
the first supporting member being an inboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member and engageable with the first cage segment for preventing axial movement thereof in an inboard direction; and
the second supporting member being an outboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member and engageable with the second cage segment for preventing axial movement thereof in an outboard direction.
21. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 14
an anti-rotation member intermediate and engaged with the bearing housing and with one of the cage segments for preventing rotation of the first and second cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
22. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 20
wherein the main housing member has an axially extending slot; and
wherein a radially extending pin is fixed on one of the cage segments and slidably received with the axially extending slot for preventing rotation of the cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
23. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
an anti-rotation member intermediate and engaged with the bearing housing and with one of the cage segments for preventing rotation of the first and second cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
24. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein the resilient member directly biases the second cage segment into engagement with the first outer race and indirectly biases the second outer race into engagement with the first cage segment.
25. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 24
wherein the first and second bearings are positioned in a back-to-back arrangement.
26. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 25
wherein the first and second inner races are fixed on a reduced intermediate end portion of the shaft;
wherein the first inner race engageably abuts an annular shoulder of the shaft facing the reduced intermediate end portion; and
wherein a nut is threadedly received on a threaded terminal end portion of the shaft, the terminal end portion being reduced in diameter from the intermediate end portion, the nut when tightened being engaged with the inner race of the second bearing and biasing the inner races of the second bearing and of the first bearing against the annular shoulder of the shaft.
27. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 26
a ring-like spacer received on the intermediate end portion between the inner races of the first and second bearings.
28. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 24
wherein the bearing housing includes:
a main housing member;
the first supporting member being an inboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member for preventing axial movement of the first cage segment in an inboard direction;
the resilient member being intermediate and engageable with one of the inboard bearing end cover and first cage segment or the outboard bearing end cover and second cage segment; and
the second supporting member being an outboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member for preventing axial movement of the second cage segment in an outboard direction.
29. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 24
an anti-rotation member intermediate and engaged with the bearing housing and with one of the cage segments for preventing rotation of the first and second cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
30. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 24
wherein the resilient member is intermediate and engaged with one of the first supporting member and the first cage segment and of the second supporting member and the second cage segment.
31. A bearing preload cage assembly as set forth in claim 1
wherein each castellation of the first cage segment terminates at a radially inwardly extending first castle flange;
wherein each castellation of the second cage segment terminates at a radially inwardly extending second castle flange;
wherein the resilient member is intermediate and engaged with the first and second castle flanges biasing the first castle flange into engagement with the second outer race and the second castle flange into engagement with the first outer race;
wherein each of the first castle flanges has a first annular recess facing the second castle flanges;
wherein each of the second castle flanges has a second annular recess facing the first castle flanges;
wherein the resilient member is received in the first and second annular recesses for thereby biasing the first cage segment into engagement with the second outer race and the second cage segment into engagement with the first outer race;
wherein the first and second bearings are positioned in a back-to-back arrangement;
wherein the first and second inner races are fixed on a reduced intermediate end portion of the shaft;
wherein the first inner race engageably abuts an annular shoulder of the shaft facing the reduced intermediate end portion;
wherein a ring-like spacer is received on the intermediate end portion between the inner races of the first and second bearings;
wherein a nut is threadedly received on a threaded terminal end portion of the shaft, the terminal end portion being reduced in diameter from the intermediate end portion, the nut when tightened being engaged with the inner race of the second bearing and biasing the inner races of the second bearing and of the first bearing against the annular shoulder of the shaft;
wherein the bearing housing includes:
a main housing member;
an inboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member and engaged with the first cage segment for preventing axial movement thereof in an inboard direction; and
an outboard bearing end cover fixed to the main housing member and engaged with the second cage segment for preventing axial movement thereof in an outboard direction; and
wherein one of the cage segments has an annular mounting flange fixed between one of the bearing end covers and main housing member for preventing rotation of the first and second cage segments relative to the bearing housing.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A channel structure configured for distribution of multimedia information in a communication system, comprising:
a broadcast communication channel divided into a plurality of timeslots; and
a pointer included in a predetermined one of the timeslots, the pointer pointing out at least one extension channel that is included in at least one other broadcast timeslot and that carries unacknowledged multimedia information.
2. The channel structure of claim 1, wherein the communication channel is a broadcast control channel (BCCH) and the at least one other timeslot is included in the BCCH.
3. The channel structure of claim 2, wherein the pointer is a character string included in a timeslot zero.
4. The channel structure of claim 2, wherein the BCCH includes a short message service (SMS) channel.
5. The channel structure of claim 1, wherein the pointer includes hidden information that comprises at least one of a modulation and coding scheme used on an extension channel and information on which timeslot corresponds to which broadcast channel.
6. The channel structure of claim 1, wherein the plurality of timeslots on the broadcast communication channel include a plurality of extension channels, and the extension channels are arranged in a tree structure having a root in the timeslot that includes the pointer.
7. The channel structure of claim 6, wherein a first extension channel pointed to by the pointer carries service guide information.
8. The channel structure of claim 1, wherein multimedia information carried by the extension channels comprises at least one of off-line information and streaming television programs, and service guide information that includes television program information.
9. The channel structure of claim 8, wherein the off-line content is carried by an extension channel as a plurality of frames and each frame includes at least one of forward error correction and an error detection element.
10. A radio access network configured for distribution of multimedia information, comprising:
a base station configured to broadcast radio signals having a channel structure configured for the multimedia information, wherein the base station includes a transmitter configured to transmit a broadcast communication channel divided into a plurality of timeslots, and a pointer included in a predetermined one of the timeslots that points out at least one extension channel that is included in at least one other broadcast timeslot in the radio signals and that carries unacknowledged multimedia information transmitted by the transmitter;
wherein the communication channel is a broadcast control channel (BCCH), the at least one other timeslot is included in the BCCH, the BCCH includes a short message service (SMS) channel, and multimedia information carried by the extension channels comprises at least one of off-line information and streaming television programs, and service guide information that includes television program information.
11. The radio access network of claim 10, wherein the pointer includes hidden information that comprises at least one of a modulation and coding scheme used on an extension channel and information on which timeslot corresponds to which broadcast channel.
12. The radio access network of claim 11, wherein the off-line content is carried by an extension channel as a plurality of frames and each frame includes at least one of forward error correction and an error detection element.
13. A user equipment for a communication system in which a broadcast signal includes a succession of timeslots that carry unacknowledged multimedia information, comprising:
an input device configured for activation by a user;
a receiver configured to decode the broadcast signal, wherein a predetermined one of the timeslots includes a pointer that points out at least one extension channel that is included in at least one other timeslot of a broadcast signal; and
a control processor in communication with the input device and the receiver;
wherein, based on user-input information from the input device and information about the communication network, the control processor determines at least one timeslot to receive and decode and causes the receiver to receive and decode the determined timeslot.
14. The user equipment of claim 13, wherein the broadcast signal includes a broadcast control channel (BCCH) and the at least one other timeslot is included in the BCCH.
15. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein the pointer includes hidden information that comprises at least one of a modulation and coding scheme used on an extension channel and information on which timeslot corresponds to which broadcast channel.
16. The user equipment of claim 13, wherein the receiver includes a front end receiver that is turned on only during the determined timeslot.
17. The user equipment of claim 13, wherein the determined timeslot comprises at least one of off-line information, streaming television programs, and service guide information selected by the user through the input device.
18. The user equipment of claim 17, wherein the user equipment further includes a memory configured to store unacknowledged multimedia information; the off-line content is carried by an extension channel as a plurality of frames; each frame includes at least one of forward error correction and an error detection element; and correctly decoded off-line content is stored in the memory.
19. A method of distributing multimedia information in a communication system, comprising:
dividing a broadcast communication channel into a plurality of timeslots; and
including a pointer in a predetermined one of the timeslots, wherein the pointer points out at least one extension channel that is included in at least one other timeslot of the broadcast communication channel and that carries unacknowledged multimedia information;
wherein the communication channel is a broadcast control channel (BCCH), the at least one other timeslot is included in the BCCH, the BCCH includes a short message service (SMS) channel, and multimedia information carried by the extension channels comprises at least one of off-line information and streaming television programs, and service guide information that includes television grogram information.
20. (canceled)
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the pointer is a character string included in a timeslot zero.
22. (canceled)
23. The method of claim 18, wherein the including step comprises the step of including hidden information in the pointer, and the hidden information comprises at least one of a modulation and coding scheme used on an extension channel and information on which timeslot corresponds to which broadcast channel.
24. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of timeslots include a plurality of extension channels, and the dividing step comprises the step of arranging the extension channels in a tree structure having a root in the timeslot that includes the pointer.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein a first extension channel pointed to by the pointer carries service guide information.
26. (canceled)
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the off-line content is carried by an extension channel as a plurality of frames and each frame includes at least one of forward error correction and an error detection element.