초록 ▼

A compliant hydrodynamic fluid thrust bearing tolerant of strong misalignment forces includes two radially outside sections and a radially inside section, all lying generally parallel to the direction of rotation of the thrust runner. The outside sections are more compliant than the inside section o

A compliant hydrodynamic fluid thrust bearing tolerant of strong misalignment forces includes two radially outside sections and a radially inside section, all lying generally parallel to the direction of rotation of the thrust runner. The outside sections are more compliant than the inside section of the bearing and can deflect independently of it to conform independently with a misaligned thrust runner bearing surface without distorting other portions of the bearing. The surface area of the bearing which is thus made available to bear loads is maximized, thereby increasing load capacity and misalignment tolerance of the bearings.

대표청구항 ▼

A compliant hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing comprising: a thrust plate and a relatively rotatable thrust runner, defining therebetween a gap; a resilient support element positioned in said gap and connected to said plate, said element having a series of raised compliant resilient projections;

A compliant hydrodynamic fluid film thrust bearing comprising: a thrust plate and a relatively rotatable thrust runner, defining therebetween a gap; a resilient support element positioned in said gap and connected to said plate, said element having a series of raised compliant resilient projections; a flexible bearing sheet connected to and overlying said support element and being supported thereby; said support element having an inner circumferential edge and an outer circumferential edge; said support element having a radial inner zone adjacent said inner circumferential edge, and two radial outer zones which are radially outboard of said inner zone; said outer zones both having portions which are compliant independently of each other and said inner zone, and at least one of said outer zones having a compliance different from that of said inner zone.