Flexible shoe for a thrust bearing
AssigneeCurtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corporation
InventorRichard Witten Armentrout
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shoe for a hydrodynamic thrust bearing is arranged relative to a transverse axis, a lateral axis, and a normal axis that intersect with and are perpendicular to each other. The shoe includes a bearing surface for supporting an axial load along the normal axis; a first flexible portion extending along the transverse axis; and first and second lateral portions extending laterally from opposite sides of the first flexible portion. The first flexible portion is more flexible about the transverse axis than the first and second lateral portions.
Claims19
A shoe for a hydrodynamic thrust bearing, the shoe being arranged relative to a transverse axis, a lateral axis, and a normal axis that intersect with and are perpendicular to each other, the shoe comprising:
- a bearing surface for supporting an axial load along the normal axis;
- a first flexible portion extending along the transverse axis;
- a second flexible portion extending along the lateral axis;
- a first lateral portion extending laterally from a first side of the first flexible portion;
- a second lateral portion extending laterally from a second side of the first flexible portion that is opposite to the first side of the first flexible portion;
- a first transverse portion extending transversely from a first side of the second flexible portion, the first transverse portion including a segment of the first lateral portion and a segment of the second lateral portion;
- and
- a second transverse portion extending transversely from a second side of the second flexible portion that is opposite to the first side of the second flexible portion, the second transverse portion including another segment of the first lateral portion and another segment of the second lateral portion,
- wherein the first flexible portion is more flexible about the transverse axis than the first and second lateral portions, and
- wherein the second flexible portion is more flexible about the lateral axis than the first and second transverse portions.
A shoe assembly comprising:
- a shoe for a hydrodynamic thrust bearing, the shoe being arranged relative to a transverse axis, a lateral axis, and a normal axis that intersect with and are perpendicular to each other, the shoe comprising:
- a bearing surface for supporting an axial load along the normal axis,
- a first flexible portion extending along the transverse axis,
- a second flexible portion extending along the lateral axis, and
- a first lateral portion extending laterally from a first side of the first flexible portion,
- wherein the first flexible portion is more flexible about the transverse axis than the first and second lateral portions;
- a shoe support coupled to the shoe that supports the shoe and defines a convex engagement surface for pivotable engagement with another structure, wherein the shoe support comprises:
- a main body having a first surface that faces the shoe and an opposing second surface that faces away from the shoe,
- one or more positioning members extending from the first surface of the main body, each positioning member being configured for inhibiting relative movement between the shoe and shoe support along the lateral axis and/or transverse axis, and
- a rocker portion that extends from the second surface of the main body and defines the convex engagement surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.