Self-pressurizing bearings with resilient elements

Claim 2

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements; said resilient bearing means comprising a plurality of thin foils; and said plurality of thin foils being generally disposed in a common plane and uniformly spaced from one another to provide a succession of spaces between the ends of adjacent foils which are operative to initiate foil deflection under dynamic conditions.

Claim 3

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements; said resilient bearing means comprising a unitary thin plate having a plurality of grooves extending into a surface thereof and operative to initiate foil deflection under dynamic conditions; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to one of the first and second elements, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution and including resilient stiffening means disposed adjacent and generally continuous with said resilient bearing means and support means extending between the resilient stiffening means and said one of the first and second elements.

Claim 4

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements; said resilient bearing means comprising a unitary thin plate having a plurality of grooves extending into a surface thereof and operative to initiate foil deflection under dynamic conditions; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to one of the first and second elements, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution and including resilient stiffening means disposed adjacent and generally continuous with said resilient bearing means and support means extending between the resilient stiffening means and said one of the first and second elements.

Claim 5

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing of the thrust type comprising: a stationary element; an element rotatable relative to the stationary element; resilient bearing means disposed between the stationary and rotatable elements for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by rotation of the rotatable element relative to the stationary element, the resilient bearing means including a plurality of thin foils spaced apart from one another with the spaces between the ends of adjacent foils defining indentations which trigger the establishment of the pressure distribution and the deflection of the resilient bearing means; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to the stationary element, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution.

Claim 6

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing of the thrust type comprising: a stationary element; an element rotatable relative to the stationary element; resilient bearing means disposed between the stationary and rotatable elements for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by rotation of the rotatable element relative to the stationary element, the resilient bearing means including a plurality of thin foils spaced apart from one another with the spaces between the ends of adjacent foils defining indentations which trigger the establishment of the pressure distribution and the deflection of the resilient bearing means; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to the stationary element, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution.

Claim 7

A bearing as set forth in claim 3 wherein the resilient mounting means includes a circular support member having a plurality of resilient elements mounted on the side of the support member adjacent the stationary element.

Claim 8

A bearing as set forth in claim 4 wherein the indentations and the resilient elements are radially disposed relative to the rotatable member.

Claim 9

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements, the resilient bearing means comprising a plurality of thin foils spaced apart from one another, presenting a common surface area to the first element and including means defining at least one indentation in the common surface area extending into the resilient structure in a direction away from the first element, the indentation comprising the space between the ends trigger the establishment of the pressure distribution and the deflection of the resilient bearing means; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to the second element, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution.

Claim 10

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements, the resilient bearing means comprising a plurality of thin foils spaced apart from one another, presenting a common surface area to the first element and including means defining at least one indentation in the common surface area extending into the resilient structure in a direction away from the first element, the indentation comprising the space between the ends trigger the establishment of the pressure distribution and the deflection of the resilient bearing means; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to the second element, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution.

Claim 11

A bearing as seT forth in claim 6 wherein each of the thin foils comprises a resilient element affixed at one edge thereof to a common element.

Claim 12

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements, the resilient bearing means comprising a resilient structure presenting a common surface area to the first element and including means defining at least one indentation in the common surface area extending into the resilient structure in a direction away from the first element, the indentation triggering the establishment of the pressure distribution and the deflection of the resilient bearing means; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to the second element, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution and including resilient stiffening means disposed adjacent and generally continuous with the resilient bearing means and support means extending between the resilient stiffening means and the second element.

Claim 13

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing having resilient bearing elements comprising: first and second elements movable relative to one another and positioned to form a spacing therebetween; resilient bearing means disposed within said spacing for deflecting in response to a pressure distribution established by the relative movement of said first and second elements, the resilient bearing means comprising a resilient structure presenting a common surface area to the first element and including means defining at least one indentation in the common surface area extending into the resilient structure in a direction away from the first element, the indentation triggering the establishment of the pressure distribution and the deflection of the resilient bearing means; and resilient mounting means disposed between and mounting the resilient bearing means to the second element, the resilient mounting means being operative to control the deflection of the resilient bearing means in response to an established pressure distribution and including resilient stiffening means disposed adjacent and generally continuous with the resilient bearing means and support means extending between the resilient stiffening means and the second element.

Claim 14

A bearing as set forth in claim 8 wherein the support means comprises rigid support elements disposed between the resilient stiffening means and the second element and spaced apart from one another in the direction of relative movement of said first and second elements.

Claim 15

A bearing as set forth in claim 8, wherein the resilient stiffening means comprises a laminate of stiffening elements which are generally coextensive with the resilient bearing means.

Claim 16

A bearing as set forth in claim 8 wherein the support means comprises resilient support elements which are deflectable in response to forces developed within the bearing.

Claim 17

A bearing as set forth in claim 11 wherein the support elements are disposed generally perpendicular to the relative movement of said first and second elements.

Claim 18

A bearing as set forth in claim 12 wherein the support elements are elongated and have generally V-shaped cross sections.

Claim 19

A bearing as set forth in claim 13 wherein the elongated V-shaped support elements are segmented along their longitudinal axes.

Claim 20

A bearing as set forth in claim 8 wherein the support means comprises a thin contoured plate which is resiliently deformable.

Claim 21

A bearing as set forth in claim 15 wherein the contoured plate has a plurality of regularly spaced, radially disposed apertures to effect the deformation of the plate under load.

Claim 22

A hydrodynamic fluid bearing in accordance with claim 37 wherein the bearing is of the journal type, the first element comprises a bushing having an opening and the second element comprises a rotatable shaft received within the bushing.

Claim 23

A bearing as set forth in claim 17 wherein the stiffening means includes a plurality of cylindrical stiffening elements concentrically disposed on the outside of the resilient bearing means.

Claim 24

A bearing as set forth in claim 17 wherein the resilient bearing means comprises a cylindrical foil.

Claim 25

A bearing as set forth in claim 19 further including a plurality of additional indentations substantially equally spaced along the interior surface of the foil.

Claim 26

A bearing as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the thin foils is affixed to one of the first and second elements along an edge thereof adjacent one of said spaces.