# US 2016/0258485 A1 · Bearing structure and air blower

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- Number: US 2016/0258485 A1
- Document ID: US20160258485A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/058,382
- Filed: 2016-03-02
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-06
- Assignees: Minebea Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Minebea Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Nobuo TAKEUCHI; Masayuki IIJIMA; Tatsuya IDE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258485A1

## CPC

- F16C 33/104: {in a porous body, e.g. oil impregnated sintered sleeve}
- F04D 25/062: {Details of the bearings}
- F04D 29/053: Shafts
- F04D 29/057: hydrostatic; hydrodynamic
- F04D 29/063: specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
- F04D 29/102: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F16C 17/02: for radial load only
- F16C 33/106: {Details of distribution or circulation inside the bearings, e.g. details of the bearing surfaces to affect flow or pressure of the liquid}
- F16C 33/74: of sliding-contact bearings
- F16C 17/08: for supporting the end face of a shaft or other member, e.g. footstep bearings
- F16C 2202/10: Porosity
- F16C 2360/46: Fans, e.g. ventilators
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)

## Abstract

A bearing structure includes: a shaft; an oil-impregnated bearing that supports the shaft to be rotatable and includes a first sintered metal material having a first density; a bearing holder that supports an outer circumferential surface of the oil-impregnated bearing; and a seal member that is provided at an opening of the bearing holder, wherein the shaft is provided with an annular groove having a side surface portion that has an outer diameter that decreases as the side surface portion separates away from one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing, and wherein the seal member includes a second sintered metal material having a second density that is lower than the first density of the first sintered metal material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bearing structure comprising:
a shaft;
an oil-impregnated bearing that supports the shaft to be rotatable and includes a first sintered metal material having a first density;
a bearing holder that supports an outer circumferential surface of the oil-impregnated bearing; and
a seal member that is provided at an opening of the bearing holder,
wherein the shaft is provided with an annular groove having a side surface portion that has an outer diameter that decreases as the side surface portion separates away from one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing,
wherein the seal member includes a second sintered metal material having a second density that is lower than the first density of the first sintered metal material, and
wherein the seal member includes a contact surface that contacts with the one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing, a large-diameter inner circumferential surface arranged to face the annular groove of the shaft, and a small-diameter inner circumferential surface that provides a seal clearance along the outer circumferential surface of the shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bearing structure according to claim 1,
wherein the contact surface of the seal member is configured to be in contact with an outer circumferential portion of the one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bearing structure according to claim 1 further comprising:
a first air passage that is provided between the oil-impregnated bearing and the bearing holder and extends from the one end surface to the other end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing; and
a second air passage that is provided between the one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing and the contact surface of the seal member, the second air passage connecting the first air passage with the inner space of the seal member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bearing structure according to claim 1,
wherein at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the seal member or an end surface opposite to the contact surface is sealed.

### Claim 5

An air blower comprising:
a rotor;
a stator;
a case that accommodates the rotor and the stator; and
a bearing structure that is provided between the rotor and the stator, the bearing structure comprising:
a shaft;
an oil-impregnated bearing that supports the shaft to be rotatable and includes a first sintered metal material having a first density;
a bearing holder that supports an outer circumferential surface of the oil-impregnated bearing; and
a seal member that is provided at an opening of the bearing holder,
wherein the shaft is provided with an annular groove having a side surface portion that has an outer diameter that decreases as the side surface portion separates away from one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing,
wherein the seal member includes a second sintered metal material having a second density that is lower than the first density of the first sintered metal material, and
wherein the seal member includes a contact surface that contacts with the one end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing, a large-diameter inner circumferential surface arranged to face the annular groove of the shaft, and a small-diameter inner circumferential surface that provides a seal clearance along the outer circumferential surface of the shaft.