Hydrodynamic Bearing

• US 20200132115A1
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konzelmann GmbH
• Original Assignee: Konzelmann GmbH
• Inventors: Berger, Martin, Laage, Andreas, Konzelmann, Milko, Bahret, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 11,047,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/047 with fixed wedges to generate hydrodynamic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/1075 Wedges, e.g. ramps or lobes, for generating pressure

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic bearing, namely a hydrodynamic disk-shaped thrust bearing or hydrodynamic thrust washer, wherein hydrodynamic structures having elevations and having depressions arranged between adjacent elevations are arranged on opposite sides of the bearing, which hydrodynamic structures extend in the peripheral direction, and slopes of the hydrodynamic structures are arranged between adjacent depressions, which slopes extend from the depressions toward the elevations. According to the invention, at least some of the elevations of the hydrodynamic structures of the first side of the bearing are arranged in the region between two depressions of the hydrodynamic structures of the second side of the bearing, the elevations of a side of the bearing being arranged at an offset to each other in the peripheral direction. The hydrodynamic bearing can be easily adapted to expected axial loads of the bearing and enables low-loss and low-wear axial support.

Claims

1. A hydrodynamically acting bearing (10), namely a hydrodynamically acting, disk-shaped axial bearing or hydrodynamic thrust washer, wherein on opposite sides (11, 12) of the bearing (10) are arranged peripherally extending, hydrodynamic structures (26) comprising elevations (20) and depressions (21) arranged between adjacent elevations (20), wherein between adjacent depressions (21) are arranged slopes (22, 22.1, 22.2) of the hydrodynamic structures (26), which slopes, starting from the depressions (21), run in the direction of the elevations (20),

characterized

in that at least some of the elevations (20) of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of the first side (11) of the bearing (10) are arranged in the region between two depressions (21) of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of the second side (12) of the bearing (10), wherein the elevations (20) of one side (11, 12) of the bearing (10) are arranged offset from one another in the peripheral direction.

2. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in claim 1,

characterized

in that the hydrodynamic structures (26) of at least one side of the bearing (10) are configured such that they repeat periodically.

3. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in claim 1 or 2,

characterized

in that elevations (20) of the structures (26) on the first side (11) of the bearing 10 are arranged angularly offset, in the peripheral direction, from depressions (21) of the structures (26) on the opposite second side (12).

4. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized

in that the two sides (11, 12) of the bearing 10 have a different number of elevations (12).

5. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4,

characterized

in that the material thickness of the bearing (10) varies in the peripheral direction and/or in the radial direction.

6. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized

in that in the region of the elevations (20) are configured break contact surfaces (23), which run preferably in the peripheral direction.

7. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6,

characterized

in that the depressions (21) and/or the slopes (22, 22.1, 22.2) are bounded radially on the outside and/or inside by retaining edges (24, 25).

8. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7,

characterized

in that the elevations (20) and/or the depressions (21) run from an inner to an outer region of the bearing (10) in a straight line or on curved paths.

9. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 6 to 8,

characterized

in the peripheral direction the stretch covered by a break contact surface (23) remains the same for all radii of the bearing (10), or in that the break contact surfaces (23) for all radii of the bearing (10) overlay in the peripheral direction the same sector.

10. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 6 to 9,

characterized

in that the stretch covered in the peripheral direction by a break contact surface (23), and/or the sector overlaid in the peripheral direction by a break contact surface (23), enlarges and/or diminishes with increasing distance from the center axis of the bearing (10).

11. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10,

characterized

in that the distance, measured in the direction of the surface normal of a center plane (32) of the bearing (10), of the elevations (20) from the center plane (32) remains the same for all radii, and in that the distance of the depressions (21) from the center plane (32) alters in dependence on the radius, in particular in that, with increasing radius, the distance, measured in the direction of the surface normal of the center plane (32) of the bearing 10, between a depression (21) and an adjoining elevation (20) diminishes.

12. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11,

characterized

in that the hydrodynamic structures (26) is introduced into the bearing by primary shaping or via a material-removing or embossing machining step.

13. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12,

characterized

in that the hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) is formed of at least two materials (40, 41) having different thermal expansion coefficients, and in that the hydrodynamic structure (26) is formed by different volume expansions of the materials (40, 41) at the respectively prevailing operating temperature.

14. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in claim 13,

characterized

in that the at least two materials (40, 41) bear one against the other at boundary surfaces, and in that the at least two materials (40, 41), at the boundary surfaces, are connected to each other at least in some regions by integral bonding and/or force closure.

15. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 14,

characterized

in that the bearing (10) is formed of a polymer material, or in that the bearing is formed of a combination of at least a first polymer material with a second polymer material, or in that the bearing (10) is formed of a combination of at least a first polymer material with a non-polymer material, in particular a metal, a ceramic or a mineral material.

16. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 15,

characterized

in that the regions of the elevations (20), in particular the regions of the break contact surfaces (23), are formed of metal, and the regions of the slopes (22, 22.1, 22.2) and/or of the depressions (21) are formed of a polymer material.

17. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 16,

characterized

in that the first and the second side (11, 12) of the bearing (10) are respectively formed by a, in the peripheral direction, segmental and periodic succession of at least two materials (40, 41), and in that the periodic succession of the segments of the first side (11) is angularly offset in relation to the second side (12).

18. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 17,

characterized

in that in the region of the depressions (21) and at least in a region of the slopes (22, 22.1, 22.2) that adjoins the depressions (21) is arranged at least in some regions a material (40, 41) having a comparatively higher thermal expansion coefficient, and at least in the region of the elevations (20) a material (40, 41) having a comparatively lower thermal expansion coefficient.

19. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 18,

characterized

in that the area of the hydrodynamically active region of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of one side (11, 12) of the hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) accounts for a 30% to 70% share of the total area of the respective side (11, 12) of the hydrodynamically acting bearing (10), preferredly in that the share lies within a range of 45-55%, particularly preferredly in that the share amounts to 50%.

20. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19,

characterized

in that the area of the hydrodynamically active share of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of one side (11, 12) of the hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) is greater than the area of the hydrodynamically active share of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of the opposite side (11, 12), in particular in that the area of the hydrodynamically active share of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of one side (11, 12) is greater than 50%, and the area of the hydrodynamically active share of the hydrodynamic structures (26) of the opposite side (11, 12) is less than 50%, in relation to the total area of the respective side (11, 12).

22. The hydrodynamically acting bearing (10) as claimed in claim 21,

characterized by one of claims 1 to 20.

21. A hydrodynamically acting bearing (10), namely a hydrodynamically acting, disk-shaped axial bearing or hydrodynamic thrust washer, wherein the bearing (10), on the opposite sides (11, 12), is configured to form hydrodynamic, peripherally extending structures (26) comprising elevations (20) and depressions (21) arranged between adjacent elevations (20),

characterized

in that the bearing (10) is formed of at least two materials (40, 41) having different thermal expansion coefficients, such that they are suitable for forming the hydrodynamic structures (26) of at least one side (11, 12) of the bearing (10), at least in some regions, by different volume expansion of the materials (40, 41) at the respectively prevailing operating temperature.