Fluid bearing including both hydrodynamic and hydrostatic bearings

Claim 1

A fluid bearing for rotatably supporting a rotary shaft subject to a radial load at one end of the fluid bearing comprising: a stationary housing; a bearing bushing fixedly inserted in said stationary housing and having an internal bore which forms a bearing surface defining a first small clearance with the rotary shaft; a plurality of bearing pads formed on a loaded side of the bearing surface in a circumferential direction and defining a second small clearance with the rotary shaft which is larger than the first clearance; a plurality of fluid pockets formed on the bearing surface in a circumferential direction in axially juxtaposed relationship with said bearing pads and defining a third small clearance with the rotary shaft which is larger than the first clearance; supply means for supplying a pressurized fluid; throttle means connected between said supply means and said fluid pockets; exhaust means formed on the bearing surface outside said bearing pads and said fluid pockets for discharging pressurized fluid; and an annular partition groove formed on the bearing surface between said bearing pads and said fluid pockets for supplying pressurized fluid from said fluid pockets to said bearing pads.