A hydrodynamic process or gas bearing is disclosed which includes an integral thrust disk defining a plurality of foil elements, the radially outer edge of the disk being displaced from the major bearing surface to form a circumferential step having a varying height profile. The integral thrust disk may in the alternative or in addition, include a plurality of radially outwardly extending tabs to locally increase the flexural rigidity of the disk.
A compliant foil fluid film thrust bearing including a thrust disk rotor, fluid foils, spring foils, a thrust plate, and a housing thrust surface The non-rotating but compliant fluid foils, mounted on the thrust plate and/or housing thrust surface and positioned adjacent to the thrust disk, have open faced channels that induce regenerative vortex flow patterns in the process fluid. The multiple spring foils together provide a tilting pad support for the fluid foils but allow them to follow the axial and overturning motion of the thrust disk. The interaction of the tilting pad underspring supports and the circumferential fluid pressure gradients in the process fluid between the fluid foils and the thrust disk rotor assure that the fluid foils will assume hydrodynamically efficient convex shapes on the surfaces adjacent to the rotor regardless of the load applied to the thrust bearing.
A compliant foil fluid film bearing having individual fluid film foils formed as arcuate segments by an inner circumferential slot, an outer circumferential slot and a transverse therebetween. The transverse slot may be radial, slightly displaced from radial or tapered with one radial edge.
An electroforming process is used to prepare a thin, deformable metal member by immersing an electrode having an outer surface with an undulating cross-section of hill-like and valley-like shapes in an electroforming bath. The hill-like shapes are narrower than the valley-like shapes, and, in a preferred embodiment, the bottoms of the valley-like shapes are electroformed to be thinner than the tops of the hill-like shapes. The metal member is useful as a spring in a fluid bearing such as an air bearing.
A hydrodynamic bearing set, for use with a thrust disk disposed between planar surfaces of a housing, includes first and second topfoils disposed adjacent first and second thrust disk axial bearing surfaces and removably secured to the housing. An underspring is secured between each planar housing surface and the corresponding topfoil. Dual-leaf spring pairs attached to at least one topfoil periphery function to urge the topfoils away from the thrust disk axial bearing surfaces by applying a force against a planar housing surface, another topfoil, or a spacer washer secured between adjacent topfoil dual-leaf pairs or frictionally retained within the housing. Alternatively, a wavy washer, a conical spring, a Belleville washer, or a coil spring can be substituted for the dual-leaf spring pairs.
A wave spring having uniformly positioned surface projections and predetermined consistent spring tension deflection is disclosed. The wave spring includes; a spring ring having projections in the ring's radial wall at predetermined positions within the wall thereby producing a wave spring having specific predetermined spring tension deflecting in response to specific loads. Deflection capability is maintained due to the position and heights of the projections. A wave spring which can be utilized in bayonet or non-bayonet style electrical connectors to provide a specified and predetermined spring tension deflection is also disclosed. A method of fabrication for a wave spring having uniformly positioned surface projections and predetermined consistent spring tension deflection is also described.
