Foil bearing, method for setting a gap geometry of a foil bearing, and corresponding production method of a foil bearing

• US 10,309,450 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Vogt, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US15/538,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/024 with flexible leaves to create hydrodynamic wedge, e.g. radial foil bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/02 Sliding-contact bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 27/02 Sliding-contact bearings

Abstract

A foil bearing includes a bearing back, a foil arrangement, and a setting mechanism. The bearing back includes a passage opening configured to receive a shaft, such that a gap is formed between the shaft and the bearing back. The foil arrangement defines a first inner circumference and includes a first segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap adjacent to the bearing back, a second segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap adjacent to the first segment-shaped foil, and a third segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap between the shaft and the second segment-shaped foil. The setting mechanism is configured to set the first inner circumference.

Claims

1. A foil bearing, comprising:

a bearing back including a passage opening configured to receive a shaft, such that a gap is formed between the shaft and the bearing back;

a foil arrangement defining a first inner circumference and including;

a first segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap adjacent to the bearing back,

a second segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap adjacent to the first segment-shaped foil, and

a third segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap between the shaft and the second segment-shaped foil; and

a setting mechanism configured to set the first inner circumference.

2. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting mechanism includes a first screw enabling the foil arrangement to be positioned in a radial direction.

3. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the setting mechanism further includes a second screw.

4. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 3, wherein the setting mechanism further includes a third screw.

5. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third segment-shaped foil encloses at least 340°

between a first edge at a first end of the third segment-shaped foil and a second edge at a second end of the third segment-shaped foil.

6. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting mechanism is at least partially arranged in the bearing back.

7. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting mechanism includes a first end position and a second end position, and is configured to be continually adjusted between the first end position and the second end position.

8. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 7, wherein the third segment-shaped foil touches the shaft when the setting mechanism is in the second end position.

9. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

when the setting mechanism is in the second end position, the setting mechanism forces a second circumference of the foil arrangement;

the second circumference is different from the first inner circumference; and

the second circumference is reduced by a factor of 0.999 in relation to the first inner circumference when the setting mechanism is in the first end position.

10. The foil bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second segment-shaped foil is configured as a metal fabric.

11. A method for setting a gap geometry of a foil bearing, the foil bearing including a bearing back, a foil arrangement, and a setting mechanism, the method comprising:

determining an operating state and/or a rotational speed of a shaft mounted in a passage opening of the bearing back so as to form a gap geometry between the shaft and the bearing back;

determining a suitable setting of the gap geometry using the determined operating state and/or the rotational speed; and

positioning the setting mechanism so as to adjust the determined gap geometry,

wherein the foil arrangement defines a first inner circumference and includes a first segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap geometry adjacent to the bearing back, a second segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap geometry adjacent to the first segment-shaped foil, and a third segment-shaped foil arranged in the gap geometry between the shaft and the second segment-shaped foil.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

setting the first inner circumference with the setting mechanism.

13. A method of forming a foil bearing, comprising:

arranging first, second, and third segment-shaped foils within a cavity defined by a bearing back to form a foil arrangement that defines a first inner circumference, the cavity configured to receive a shaft such that a gap is formed between the shaft and the bearing back, the segment-shaped foils arranged in the gap such that;

the first segment-shaped foil is adjacent to the bearing back,

the second segment-shaped foil is adjacent to the first segment-shaped foil, and

the third segment-shaped foil is between the shaft and the second segment-shaped foil; and

arranging a setting mechanism within the bearing back, the setting mechanism configured to set the first inner circumference.