Hydrodynamic journal foil bearing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
- a journal member;
a shaft arranged for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member;
a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member;
the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge;
wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; and
wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft.
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Abstract
A high load capacity hydrodynamic journal foil bearing system is disclosed, which comprises a top foil and a plurality of undersprings. Preload forces are transferred from the undersprings to internal circumferential compressive forces within a top foil, resulting in low preload forces against the shaft, allowing the shaft to expand at high speeds without increasing the preload forces or overloading the fluid film. One underspring may have a different spring rate than another underspring. The top foil may be normalized to shaft shape and dimensions. These features may be accomplished with using less mechanical parts than other journal foil bearing system designs.
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Citations
67 Claims
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1. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member; a shaft arranged for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member; the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; and wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member; a shaft arranged for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member; the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft; a first underspring layer disposed between the top foil and the journal member; and a second underspring layer disposed between the first underspring layer and the journal member. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member; a shaft arranged for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member; the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein a distance between the trailing edge and the shaft is shorter than a distance between the leading edge and the shaft; wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft; and a first underspring layer disposed between the top foil and the journal member; wherein a spring rate of a portion of the first underspring layer under the trailing edge or the top foil is higher than a spring rate of a portion of the first underspring layer under the leading edge of the top foil. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member with a bore; a shaft arranged within the bore for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member; the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft; wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; a first underspring layer disposed between the top foil and the journal member; a second underspring layer disposed between the first underspring layer and the journal member; a foil retention slot in communication with the bore; and tabs in the top foil, the first underspring layer, and the second underspring layer; wherein the tabs fit into the foil retention slot to secure the top foil against wrapping. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member with a bore; a shaft arranged within the bore for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member;
the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge;wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft; a plurality of first undersprings disposed between the top foil and the journal member wherein the plurality of first undersprings are circumferentially separated from one another; a plurality of second undersprings disposed between the plurality of first undersprings and the journal member; a plurality of foil retention slots in communication with the bore; and tabs in the top foil, the first undersprings, and the second undersprings; wherein the tabs allow the top foil, the first undersprings, and the second undersprings to be held in the foil retention slots and secured against wrapping. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member with a bore; a shaft arranged within the bore for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member; the top foil comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge; wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft; wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; an underspring disposed between the top foil and the journal member; a foil retention slot in communication with the bore; and tabs in the top foil and the underspring; wherein the tabs allow the top foil and the underspring to be held in the foil retention slot and secured against wrapping; and wherein the underspring is wound at least twice around the circumference of the top foil. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A journal foil bearing system comprising:
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a journal member; a shaft arranged for relative coaxial rotation with respect to the journal member; a top foil disposed between the shaft and journal member; wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other; a first underspring layer disposed between the top foil and the journal member; a second underspring layer disposed between the first underspring layer and the journal member; wherein the first underspring layer provides a variable underspring force for supporting the top foil and maintaining an approximately wedge shaped uniform spacing between the top foil and the shaft; wherein the spacing is matched to the changing pressure force along a circumferential length of the top foil; a first anti-telescoping tab located at a leading edge of the top foil; a second anti-telescoping tab located at a trailing edge of the top foil; the first anti-telescoping tab shorter than the second anti-telescoping tab; an anti-wrapping tab located at the distal end of the second anti-telescoping tab; wherein a distance between the trailing edge and the shaft is shorter than a distance between the leading edge and the shaft; wherein the trailing edge is disposed upstream, from the leading edge, in the direction of the relative coaxial rotation of the shaft; and wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are pushed against each other. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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Specification