Compliant foil fluid film radial bearing

• US RE39,190 E1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corp.
• Original Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corp.
• Inventors: Weissert, Dennis H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Footland, Lenard A.
• Application Number:
  US09/895,568
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 384/104, 384/106, 384/103, 384/105
• US Class Current: 384/104
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/024 with flexible leaves to create hydrodynamic wedge, e.g. radial foil bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/23 Gas turbine engines in general F02C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 27/02 Sliding-contact bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/02 Assembling sliding-contact bearings

Abstract

A multi-segment radial bearing including a bushing with an interior bore having a plurality of anti-rotation retainers which are equally spaced and extend the axial length of the interior bore. The generally T-shaped retainers divide the interior bore of the bushing into a like plurality of lobes, with each lobe having a compliant foil and a foil underspring disposed between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.

Claims

1. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having an interior bore including a plurality of equally spaced generally T-shaped retainers axially extending in said interior bore and a like plurality of lobes between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers;

a shaft rotatably supported within said interior bore of said bushing;

a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers; and

a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.

2. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 1 wherein said interior bore is cylindrical and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings beneath said individual complaint foils establish a converging wedge between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.

3. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 1 wherein said interior bore is non-cylindrical, generally contoured lobes are formed between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers, and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings generally conform to the shape of said contoured lobes to establish a converging wedge.

4. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having a cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of equally spaced retainers axially extending into said interior bore and a like plurality of arc segments between adjacent retainers;

a shaft rotatably supported within said interior bore of said bushing;

a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing in each arc segment between adjacent retainers; and

a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils in each arc segment between adjacent retainers, the radial height of said foil undersprings increasing form its leading edge to its trailing edge to establish a converging wedge on the surface of said compliant foil facing said shaft.

5. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 4 wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped.

6. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 5 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical.

7. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 5 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are asymmetrical.

8. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 7 wherein said generally T-shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge.

9. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 4 wherein the radial stiffness of said foil undersprings increases form its leading edge to its trailing edge.

10. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 9 wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic.

11. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 9 wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped.

12. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 9 wherein said bearing is hydrostatic.

13. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having a non-cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of equally spaced retainers axially extending into said interior bore and a like plurality of contoured lobes between adjacent retainers;

a shaft rotatably supported within said interior bore of said bushing;

a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing in each contoured lobe between adjacent retainers; and

a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils in each contoured lobe between adjacent retainers, the contour of each lobe between adjacent retainers establishing a converging wedge on the surface of said compliant foil facing said shaft.

14. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 13 56 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical.

15. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 14 16 wherein said generally T-shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge.

16. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 13 56 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical asymmetrical.

17. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 13 56 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.

18. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 13 and in addition means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.

26. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 13 wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped retainers.

19. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having an interior bore including a plurality of generally T-shaped retainers axially extending in said interior bore;

a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers; and

a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.

20. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 19 wherein said interior bore is cylindrical and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings beneath said individual compliant foils establish a converging wedge between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.

21. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 19 wherein said interior bore is non-cylindrical, generally contoured lobes are formed between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers, and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings generally conform to the shape of said contoured lobes to establish a converging wedge.

22. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 19 wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic.

23. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 19 wherein said bearing is hydrostatic.

24. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 19 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.

25. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 19 further comprising:

means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.

27. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having a cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of retainers axially extending into said interior bore;

a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent retainers; and

a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent retainers, the radial height of said foil undersprings increasing from its leading edge to its trailing edge to establish a converging wedge of said compliant foil.

28. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 27 wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped.

29. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 28 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are asymmetrical.

30. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 29 wherein said generally T-shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge.

31. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 28 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical.

32. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 28 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.

33. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 27 wherein the radial stiffness of said foil undersprings increases from its leading edge to its trailing edge.

34. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 33 wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic.

35. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 33 wherein said bearing is hydrostatic.

36. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 27 further comprising:

means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.

37. A compliant foil fluid radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having a non-cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of retainers axially extending into said interior bore;

a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent retainers; and

a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent retainers, the contour of the interior bore between adjacent retainers establishing a converging wedge on the surface of said compliant foil.

38. The compliant foil fluid radial bearing of claim 37 wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped.

39. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 38 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are asymmetrical.

40. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 39 wherein said generally T-shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge.

41. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 38 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical.

42. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 38 wherein said bearing is hydrostatic.

43. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 38 wherein said generally T-shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.

44. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 38 wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic.

45. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim 37 further comprising:

means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.

46. A radial bearing bushing comprising:

a bushing having an interior bore;

one or more retainer bases axially extending into the interior bore;

one or more leading edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil; and

one or more trailing edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil.

47. The radial bearing of claim 46 wherein the interior bore is cylindrical.

48. The radial bearing of claim 46 wherein the interior bore is non-cylindrical.

49. The radial bearing of claim 46 wherein one or more of the one or more retainer bases include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.

50. A compliant foil radial bearing comprising:

a bushing having an interior bore including one or more retainer bases axially extending into the interior bore;

one or more compliant foils;

one or more leading edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil trailing edge;

one or more tailing edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil leading edge; and

one or more foil undersprings, each underspring disposed beneath a compliant foil.

51. The compliant foil radial bearing of claim 50 wherein the interior bore in non-cylindrical, generally contoured lobes are formed between adjacent retainer bases, and an individual compliant foil and underspring beneath the individual compliant foil generally conform to the shape of a contoured lobe to establish a converging wedge.

52. The compliant foil radial bearing of claim 50 wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic.

53. The compliant foil radial bearing of claim 50 wherein said bearing is hydrostatic.

54. The compliant foil radial bearing of claim 50 wherein the one or more retainer bases include radial openings to provide cooling flow to the interior bore of said bushing.

55. The compliant foil radial bearing of claim 50 further comprising:

means to provide cooling flow axially into the interior bore of the bushing.

56. The compliant foil radial bearing of claim 50 wherein the interior bore is cylindrical and an individual compliant foil and underspring beneath the individual compliant foil form a converging wedge.