Patent US4871267A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4871267A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Foil thrust bearing
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1988-06-07
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Granted: 1989-10-03
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Expires: 2008-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A hydrodynamic process or gas bearing is disclosed which includes an integral thrust disk defining a plurality of foil elements, the radially outer edge of the disk being displaced from the major bearing surface to form a circumferential step having a varying height profile. The integral thrust disk may in the alternative or in addition, include a plurality of radially outwardly extending tabs to locally increase the flexural rigidity of the disk.
Inventors
- 👤 Alston L. Gu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:49
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C17/00; F16C17/04; F16C17/042; F16C2300/00; F16C2300/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A fluid bearing comprising: a pair of members arranged for relative rotation with respect to one another, one of the said pair of members adapted to rotatably support the other; and a compliant foil bearing operably disposed between said pair of relatively rotatable members and mounted to one of said pair of relatively rotatable members, said compliant foil bearing including a foil thrust bearing disk, said foil thrust bearing disk having a major bearing surface including a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads, said plurality of slots extending into said circumferential step and said circumferential step defines the radially outer edge of said bearing pads, said circumferential step having a first height h 2 at a leading edge of said bearing pads and second height h 2 at a trailing edge of said bearing pads and said second height is greater than said first height, therein said first height h 1 is in the range of from 0.0002 cm to 0.025 cm and said second height h 2 is equal to the quantity of h 1 plus from 0.0001 cm to 0.01 cm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A fluid bearing comprising: a pair of members arranged for relative rotation with respect to one another, one of the said pair of members adapted to rotatably support the other; and a compliant foil bearing operably disposed between said pair of relatively rotatable members and mounted to one of said pair of relatively rotatable members, said compliant foil bearing including a foil thrust bearing disk, said foil thrust bearing disk having a major bearing surface including a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads, said plurality of slots extending into said circumferential step and said circumferential step defines the radially outer edge of said bearing pads, said circumferential step having a first height h 2 at a leading edge of said bearing pads and second height h 2 at a trailing edge of said bearing pads and said second height is greater than said first height, therein said first height h 1 is in the range of from 0.0002 cm to 0.025 cm and said second height h 2 is equal to the quantity of h 1 plus from 0.0001 cm to 0.01 cm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The bearing of claim 1 wherein said radially extending slots are L-shaped with the base of the L being within said circumferential step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The bearing of claim 1 wherein said radially extending slots are U-shaped with the base of the U being radially aligned and the radially outer leg of the U being within said circumferential step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The bearing of claim 1 wherein said thrust bearing disk further includes an inner edge displaced from said major bearing surface to define an inner circumferential step at the radially inward edge of said bearing pads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The fluid bearing of claim 4 wherein said supported rotatable member has a bearing surface having an inner diameter less than the diameter to the radially inward edge of said bearing pads of said thrust bearing disk.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fluid bearing of claim 1 wherein said compliant foil bearing disk is mounted to one of said pair of relatively rotatable members to secure said compliant foil bearing disk against rotation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
The fluid bearing of claim 1 further comprising: a foil stiffener disk, disposed between said foil thrust bearing and said one of said pair of relatively rotatable members to which said foil thrust bearing is mounted, said foil stiffener disk having a plurality of upper and lower ridges alternatively transversely disposed therearound, said upper ridges providing support to said integral bearing pads of said foil thrust bearing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The fluid bearing of claim 1 wherein said supported rotatable member has a bearing surface having an outer diameter greater than the diameter to the radially outer edge of said bearing pads of said thrust bearing disk.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
137 words
A fluid bearing comprising: a pair of members arranged for relative rotation with respect to one another, one of said pair of members adapted to rotatably support the other; and a compliant foil bearing including a compliant foil thrust bearing disk operably disposed between said pair of relatively rotatable members, said foil thrust bearing disk having a major bearing surface including a plurality of integral bearing pads separated by a plurality of generally radially extending slots, an outer edge displaced from said major bearing surface to define a circumferential step at the radially outer edge of said pads and said slots, and a plurality of tabs extending from the outer circumference of said foil thrust bearing disk and aligned radially outward from said plurality of slots to locally increase the flexural rigidity of said thrust bearing disk.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
137 words
A fluid bearing comprising: a pair of members arranged for relative rotation with respect to one another, one of said pair of members adapted to rotatably support the other; and a compliant foil bearing including a compliant foil thrust bearing disk operably disposed between said pair of relatively rotatable members, said foil thrust bearing disk having a major bearing surface including a plurality of integral bearing pads separated by a plurality of generally radially extending slots, an outer edge displaced from said major bearing surface to define a circumferential step at the radially outer edge of said pads and said slots, and a plurality of tabs extending from the outer circumference of said foil thrust bearing disk and aligned radially outward from said plurality of slots to locally increase the flexural rigidity of said thrust bearing disk.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The compliant foil bearing of claim 9 wherein said plurality of slots extend into said circumferential step and said circumferential step defines the radially outer edge of said bearing pads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The bearing of claim 9 wherein said circumferential step has a first height h 1 at a leading edge of said bearing pads and a second height h 2 at a trailing edge of said bearing pads and said second height is greater than said first height.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The bearing of claim 9 wherein said first height h 1 is in the range of from 0.002 cm to 0.025 cm and said second height h 2 is equal to the quantity h 1 plus from 0.001 cm to 0.01 cm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The bearing of claim 12 wherein said first height h 1 is approximately 0.006 cm and said second height h 2 is approximately 0.01 cm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The bearing of claim 9 wherein said plurality of tabs extend radially from about 1 percent to 30 percent of the radius of said disk.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bearing of claim 14 wherein said plurality of tabs extend radially by approximately 5 percent of the radius of said disk.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The bearing of claim 9 wherein said thrust bearing disk further includes an inner edge displaced from said major bearing surface to define a second inner circumferential step at the radially inward edge of said bearing pads.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
106 words
A fluid bearing comprising: a pair of members arranged for relative rotation with respect to one another, one of said pair of members adapted to rotatably support the other; and a compliant foil bearing including a compliant foil thrust bearing disk operably disposed between said pair of relatively rotatable members, said foil thrust bearing disk having a plurality of integral bearing pads separated by a plurality of generally radially extending slots, and a plurality of tabs extending from the outer circumference of said foil thrust bearing disk aligned radially outward from said plurality of slots to locally increase the flexural rigidity of said thrust bearing disk.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
106 words
A fluid bearing comprising: a pair of members arranged for relative rotation with respect to one another, one of said pair of members adapted to rotatably support the other; and a compliant foil bearing including a compliant foil thrust bearing disk operably disposed between said pair of relatively rotatable members, said foil thrust bearing disk having a plurality of integral bearing pads separated by a plurality of generally radially extending slots, and a plurality of tabs extending from the outer circumference of said foil thrust bearing disk aligned radially outward from said plurality of slots to locally increase the flexural rigidity of said thrust bearing disk.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The bearing of claim 17 wherein said plurality of tabs extend radially from about 1 percent to 30 percent of the radius of said disk.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bearing of claim 18 wherein said plurality of tabs extend radially by approximately 5 percent of the radius of said disk.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
176 words
A compliant foil thrust bearing disk for a compliant foil thrust bearing adapted to support relatively rotatably members, said disk comprising: a disk of metal foil having a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads forming a major bearing surface; and means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk, said means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk including a circumferential step formed by displacing the outer edge of said disk from said major bearing surface, said circumferential step defining the outer edge of said bearing pads, said circumferential step having a first height h 1 at a leading edge of said bearing pads and a second height h 2 at a trailing edge of said bearing pads and said second height is greater than said first height in that, and said first height h 1 is in the range of from 0.0002 cm to 0.025 cm and said second height h 2 is equal to the quantity h 1 plus from 0.001 to 0.01 cm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
176 words
A compliant foil thrust bearing disk for a compliant foil thrust bearing adapted to support relatively rotatably members, said disk comprising: a disk of metal foil having a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads forming a major bearing surface; and means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk, said means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk including a circumferential step formed by displacing the outer edge of said disk from said major bearing surface, said circumferential step defining the outer edge of said bearing pads, said circumferential step having a first height h 1 at a leading edge of said bearing pads and a second height h 2 at a trailing edge of said bearing pads and said second height is greater than said first height in that, and said first height h 1 is in the range of from 0.0002 cm to 0.025 cm and said second height h 2 is equal to the quantity h 1 plus from 0.001 to 0.01 cm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The compliant foil thrust bearing disk of claim 20 wherein said thrust bearing disk further includes an inner edge displaced from said major bearing surface to define a second inner circumferential step at the radially inward edge of said bearing pads.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
110 words
A complaint foil thrust bearing disk for a complaint foil thrust bearing adapted to support relatively rotatable members, said disk comprising: a disk of metal foil having a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads forming a major bearing surface; and means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk, said means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk including a plurality of tabs extending from the outer circumference of said disk and aligned radially outward from said plurality of slots wherein said plurality of tabs extend radially from about 1 percent to 30 percent of the radius of said disk.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
110 words
A complaint foil thrust bearing disk for a complaint foil thrust bearing adapted to support relatively rotatable members, said disk comprising: a disk of metal foil having a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads forming a major bearing surface; and means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk, said means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk including a plurality of tabs extending from the outer circumference of said disk and aligned radially outward from said plurality of slots wherein said plurality of tabs extend radially from about 1 percent to 30 percent of the radius of said disk.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
120 words
A compliant foil thrust bearing disk for a complaint foil thrust bearing adapted to support relatively rotatable members, said disk comprising: a disk of metal foil having a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads forming a major bearing surface; and means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk, said means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk including a circumferential step formed by displacing the outer edge of said disk from said major bearing surface, said circumferential step defining the outer edge of said bearing pads wherein said plurality of slots extend into said circumferential step and said circumferential step defines the radially outer edge of said bearing pads.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
120 words
A compliant foil thrust bearing disk for a complaint foil thrust bearing adapted to support relatively rotatable members, said disk comprising: a disk of metal foil having a plurality of generally radially extending slots to define therebetween radially inwardly converging integral bearing pads forming a major bearing surface; and means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk, said means for increasing the flexural rigidity of said disk including a circumferential step formed by displacing the outer edge of said disk from said major bearing surface, said circumferential step defining the outer edge of said bearing pads wherein said plurality of slots extend into said circumferential step and said circumferential step defines the radially outer edge of said bearing pads.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-10-02 | 1993-04-03 | 1993-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-10-02 | 1997-04-03 | 1997-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-10-02 | 2001-04-03 | 2001-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |