Auxiliary bearing of the ball bearing type for a magnetically suspended rotor system

Abstract

An assembly includes a rotating shaft supported with respect to a stationary housing by at least one active magnetic bearing presenting a mean radial air gap and at least one auxiliary bearing having first and second coaxially arranged annular surfaces is provided. One of the first and second coaxially arranged annular surfaces defines a clearance (E2) with one of the stationary housing and the rotating shaft, the clearance (E2) being less than the mean radial air gap and the other of the first and second coaxially arranged annular surfaces being integral with the other one of the stationary housing and the rotating shaft. The auxiliary bearing provides a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing having a misalignment with respect to each other in order to increase the starting torque.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.