Patent · US Expired

Gas thrust bearing

US4557611A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
1References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 10, 1984
Grant dateDec 10, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 10, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16C32/0692
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A gas thrust bearing for a shaft mounted for rotation and limited axial movement in a housing. As disclosed, the axial shaft load is supported by pressurized gas between an end of the shaft serving as a first thrust surface and a cylindrical thrust pad providing a second thrust surface having an outlet orifice at its center. Pressurized gas is introduced between the shaft and the housing and flows between the thrust surfaces to the outlet orifice. The outlet orifice is surrounded by a small raised annulus. The thrust pad carrying the second thrust surface is supported on a flexible diaphragm which moves in response to changes in the thrust load in a manner to damp out oscillations of the shaft.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.