# US 2024/0200564 A1 · Apparatus to Reduce Bearing Failure

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- Number: US 2024/0200564 A1
- Document ID: US20240200564A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/356,690
- Filed: 2023-07-21
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Adam Joseph WANGLER; Bugra H. ERTAS; Veera Venkata Amarnath MANEM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200564A1

## CPC

- F04D 29/057: hydrostatic; hydrodynamic
- F04D 29/668: {damping or preventing mechanical vibrations}
- F04D 17/10: for compressing or evacuating
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)

## Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to reduce failure to bearings in a pump system. Disclosed herein is a pump system comprising a shaft connected to an impeller of the pump system, and a bearing to provide a dampening to the shaft, the bearing including a journal lining, the journal lining supported in the pump system, a spring-loaded foil to separate the shaft from the journal lining, an inner lining between the shaft and the spring-loaded foil, and a deformation limiter located between the spring-loaded foil and the journal lining.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pump system comprising:
a shaft connected to an impeller of the pump system; and
a bearing to provide a dampening to the shaft, the bearing including:
a journal lining, the journal lining supported in the pump system;
a spring-loaded foil to separate the shaft from the journal lining;
an inner lining between the shaft and the spring-loaded foil; and
a deformation limiter located between the spring-loaded foil and the journal lining.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pump system of claim 1, wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the journal lining.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pump system of claim 1, wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the spring-loaded foil.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pump system of claim 1, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system is inoperable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The pump system of claim 1, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system is in operation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pump system of claim 1, wherein the bearing is a radial foil bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum radial deformation of the radial foil bearing due to a radial load applied by the shaft to the radial foil bearing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The pump system of claim 1, wherein the bearing is an axial thrust bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum axial deformation of the axial thrust bearing due to an axial load applied by the shaft to the axial thrust bearing.

### Claim 8

A bearing comprising:
a housing;
a journal lining, the journal lining supported in the housing;
a spring-loaded foil to separate a shaft from the journal lining;
an inner lining between the spring-loaded foil and the shaft; and
a deformation limiter located between the spring-loaded foil and the journal lining.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the journal lining.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The bearing of claim 9, wherein the deformation limiter is manufactured with the journal lining and made of the same material as the journal lining.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the spring-loaded foil.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The bearing of claim 11, wherein the deformation limiter is manufactured with the spring-loaded foil and is made of the same material as the spring-loaded foil.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein the bearing is used within a pump system, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system housing the bearing is inoperable.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein the bearing is used within a pump system, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system housing the bearing is in operation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein the bearing is a radial foil bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum radial deformation of the radial foil bearing due to a radial load applied by the shaft to the radial foil bearing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein the bearing is an axial thrust bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum axial deformation of the axial thrust bearing due to an axial load applied by the shaft to the axial thrust bearing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8, wherein a size of the deformation limiter is parametrized based upon a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil due to a load from the shaft being applied to the spring-loaded foil.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The bearing of claim 17, wherein the deformation limiter size is parametrized based upon at least one of a maximum deformation allowable, a minimum clearance maintainable between the shaft and the journal lining, or a maximum load applied by the shaft.

### Claim 19 (depends on 8)

The bearing of claim 8. wherein the bearing is at least one of a foil bearing or a thrust bearing.

### Claim 20

A bearing comprising:
means for separating a shaft from the bearing;
means for dampening a load applied by the shaft to the bearing; and
means for reducing a deformation to the dampening means.