Machine thrust bearing assembly
First Claim
1. A thrust bearing assembly for a machine, the thrust bearing assembly comprising:
- a stator housing configured to surround at least a segment of a rotor shaft and one or more runners on the rotor shaft, the one or more runners including a first runner surface and a second runner surface that face in opposite axial directions along the rotor shaft;
a fluid film thrust bearing axially held between a first stator surface of the stator housing and the first runner surface, the fluid film thrust bearing configured to generate a fluid cushion that blocks the first runner surface from engaging the fluid film thrust bearing; and
a ring bearing axially held between a second stator surface of the stator housing and the second runner surface, the ring bearing having an annular contact surface that engages the second runner surface to axially support the rotor shaft.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thrust bearing assembly for a machine includes a stator housing, a fluid film thrust bearing, and a ring bearing. The stator housing surrounds at least a segment of a rotor shaft and one or more runners on the rotor shaft that include a first runner surface and a second runner surface facing in opposite axial directions along the rotor shaft. The fluid film thrust bearing is axially held between a first stator surface of the stator housing and the first runner surface. The fluid film thrust bearing is configured to generate a fluid cushion that blocks the first runner surface from engaging the fluid film thrust bearing. The ring bearing is axially held between a second stator surface of the stator housing and the second runner surface. The ring bearing has an annular contact surface that engages the second runner surface to axially support the rotor shaft.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A thrust bearing assembly for a machine, the thrust bearing assembly comprising:
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a stator housing configured to surround at least a segment of a rotor shaft and one or more runners on the rotor shaft, the one or more runners including a first runner surface and a second runner surface that face in opposite axial directions along the rotor shaft; a fluid film thrust bearing axially held between a first stator surface of the stator housing and the first runner surface, the fluid film thrust bearing configured to generate a fluid cushion that blocks the first runner surface from engaging the fluid film thrust bearing; and a ring bearing axially held between a second stator surface of the stator housing and the second runner surface, the ring bearing having an annular contact surface that engages the second runner surface to axially support the rotor shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A machine comprising:
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a rotor including a shaft and one or more runners on the shaft, the shaft elongated along a shaft axis oriented parallel to gravity between a top end and a bottom end of the shaft; a stator housing surrounding at least a segment of the shaft including the one or more runners; a fluid film thrust bearing axially held between an upper surface of the one or more runners and the stator housing, the upper surface facing towards the top end of the shaft, and a ring bearing axially held between a lower surface of the one or more runners and the stator housing, the lower surface facing towards the bottom end of the shaft, the ring bearing having an annular contact surface that engages the lower surface when the rotor is in a rest position to axially support the rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to axially move relative to the stator housing towards the fluid film thrust bearing from the rest position to a lifted position responsive to a rotational speed of the rotor exceeding a threshold speed, and wherein the fluid film thrust bearing is configured to generate a fluid cushion that blocks axial movement of the rotor beyond the lifted position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A machine comprising:
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a rotor including a shaft and one or more runners on the shaft, the shaft elongated along a shaft axis, the one or more runners including a first runner surface and a second runner surface that face in opposite directions along the shaft axis; and a thrust bearing assembly including a fluid film thrust bearing and a ring bearing, the fluid film thrust bearing axially located between the first runner surface and a first stator surface of a stator housing, the ring bearing axially located between the second runner surface and a second stator surface of the stator housing, wherein the rotor is configured to axially move relative to the thrust bearing assembly from a rest position to a lifted position responsive to a rotational speed of the rotor exceeding a threshold speed, the rotor biased towards the rest position by a biasing force, wherein the ring bearing has an annular contact surface that engages the second runner surface when the rotor is in the rest position to axially support the rotor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification