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US 5,735,668 AGranted
Axial bearing having independent pads for a centrifugal pump
AssigneeAnsimag Inc.
InventorManfred P. Klein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axial bearing includes a ring, pads and a base. Multiple, independent pads are orientated in a curved or circular configuration with respect to one another. The pads are retained by recesses in the base. If the pump is installed in a centrifugal pump, the base is preferably integrated into a front impeller shroud. Each pad conforms in shape and size to a corresponding recess's shape and size. Each pad has a side which faces a face of the ring. Axial clearances between the base and the pads may be controlled by varying the pad heights. Fractured pads can potentially be retained in the recesses. The user may remove individual pads during repair and inspection of the axial bearing.
Claims62
An axial bearing for use in a centrifugal pump comprising:
- pads arranged in a curved orientation with respect to one another, each one of the pads having a first side and a second side, the first side defined by a curved leading section, a substantially rectangular middle section, and a curved trailing section, the pads constructed from a ceramic material;
- a ring having a first face positioned adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- a base associated with the pads, the base being constructed from a first material and a second material;
- the first material being capable of flexing in response to a change in axial loads on the base;
- the second material reinforcing the first material;
- and
- retaining means for retaining the pads under compressive forces with respect to the base, the pads interlocking with said retaining means, the compressive forces radially extending with reference to the pads, the radially extending compressive forces being generated through an elastic expansion of the retaining means in response to interlocking the pads with the retaining means, the pads exceeding a pre-interlocking dimension of the retaining means by an interference dimension, the pads being individually retained with respect to the base, said base and the retaining means orienting the first side of each pad substantially parallel to the first face.
4 more elements
An axial bearing for use in a centrifugal pump comprising:
- pads arranged in a curved orientation with respect to one another, each one of the pads having a first side and a second side;
- a ring having a first face positioned adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- a base associated with the pads, the base being constructed from a first material and a second material;
- the first material being capable of flexing in response to a change in axial loads on the base;
- the second material reinforcing the first material;
- and
- retaining means for retaining the pads with respect to the base, the pads interlocking with said retaining means, the pads being individually retained with respect to the base, the retaining means including walls that restrict radial movement of the pads with respect to said base:
- said base and the retaining means orienting the first side of each pad substantially parallel to the first face, the retaining means comprising a substantially annular recess, the pads being at least partially disposed within the substantially annular recess, the substantially annular recess having a bottom and anchoring recesses;
- the anchoring recesses extending downward from the bottom, the pads having anchoring protrusions conforming in size and shape to the anchoring recesses, the anchoring protrusions inserted into the anchoring recesses to prevent rotational movement of said pads within the substantially annular recess.
6 more elements
An axial bearing for use in a centrifugal pump comprising:
- pads arranged in a curved orientation with respect to one another, each one of the pads having a first side and a second side;
- a ring having a first face positioned adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- a base associated with the pads, the base being constructed from a first material and a second material;
- the first material being capable of flexing in response to a change in axial loads on the base;
- the second material reinforcing the first material;
- and
- retaining means for retaining the pads with respect to the base, the pads interlocking with said retaining means, the pads being individually retained with respect to the base, the retaining means including walls that restrict radial movement of the pads with respect to said base;
- said base and the retaining means orienting the first side of each pad substantially parallel to the first face, said retaining means comprising a substantially annular recess, the plurality of pads being disposed within the substantially annular recess, the substantially annular recess including islands, a bottom, and said walls;
- the islands extending from the bottom, the islands preventing rotational movement of the pads within the substantially annular recess.
6 more elements
A centrifugal pump having an impeller and a shaft, wherein the improvement comprises:
- an axial bearing, the axial bearing associated with the impeller, the axial bearing coaxially disposed around the shaft, the axial bearing including pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- the pads having first sides and second sides;
- the ring having a face oriented adjacent to the first sides;
- the second sides frictionally interlocking with said retaining means.
1 more element
A centrifugal pump having an impeller and a shaft, wherein the improvement comprises:
- an axial bearing, the axial bearing associated with the impeller, the axial bearing coaxially disposed around the shaft, the axial bearing including pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- the pads having first sides and second sides;
- the ring having a face oriented adjacent to the first sides;
- the second sides frictionally interlocking with said retaining means;
- said retaining means comprising a series of pockets in a front shroud of the impeller, the pockets having substantially crowned, or peaked, bottoms;
- the second sides curved to conform in shape and size to the substantially crowned bottoms.
3 more elements
A centrifugal pump having an impeller and a shaft, wherein the improvement comprises:
- an axial bearing, the axial bearing associated with the impeller, the axial bearing coaxially disposed around the shaft, the axial bearing including pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- the pads having first sides and second sides;
- the ring having a face oriented adjacent to the first sides;
- the second sides frictionally interlocking with said retaining means;
- said retaining means comprising a series of pockets in a front shroud of the impeller, the pockets having substantially concave bottoms;
- the second sides being substantially convex, the concave bottoms conforming in shape and size to the second sides.
3 more elements
A centrifugal pump having an impeller and a shaft, wherein the improvement comprises:
- an axial bearing, the axial bearing associated with the impeller, the axial bearing coaxially disposed around the shaft, the axial bearing including pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- the pads having first sides and second sides;
- the ring having a face oriented adjacent to the first sides;
- the second sides frictionally interlocking with said retaining means;
- said retaining means comprising a series of pockets, the pockets having substantially flat bottoms, and the second sides of the pads being substantially flat.
2 more elements
A centrifugal pump comprising
- a housing having a housing cavity, an inlet, and an outlet;
- a shaft located in the housing cavity;
- a radial bearing coaxially surrounding said shaft, the shaft and the radial bearing being rotatable with respect to one another;
- an impeller positioned to receive a fluid from the inlet and to exhaust a fluid to the outlet, the impeller cooperating with the shaft;
- an axial bearing coaxially located around said shaft, the axial bearing being associated with said impeller, the axial bearing having pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- each of said pads having a first side and a second side;
- the ring having a first face, the first face being located adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- retaining means for retaining said pads restricting the radial movement of said pads, the second side of each pad disposed within said retaining means, said pads interlocking with said retaining means, the first side of each of said pads oriented substantially parallel to the first face.
5 more elements
A centrifugal pump comprising:
- a housing having a housing cavity, an inlet, and an outlet;
- a shaft located in the housing cavity;
- a radial bearing coaxially surrounding said shaft, the shaft and the radial bearing being rotatable with respect to one another;
- an impeller positioned to receive a fluid from the inlet and to exhaust a fluid to the outlet, the impeller cooperating with the shaft;
- an axial bearing coaxially located around said shaft, the axial bearing being associated with said impeller, the axial bearing having pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- each of said pads having a first side and a second side;
- the ring having a first face;
- the first face being located adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- retaining means for retaining said pads restricting the radial movement of said pads, the second side of each pad disposed within said retaining means, said pads interlocking with said retaining means, the first side of each of said pads oriented substantially parallel to the first face the impeller having a front shroud;
- said retaining means comprising a set of pockets located in the front shroud;
- the pockets being arranged at an offset angle with respect to an imaginary circle which is concentric with an impeller periphery of the impeller.
8 more elements
A centrifugal pump comprising:
- a housing having a housing cavity, an inlet, and an outlet;
- a shaft located in the housing cavity;
- a radial bearing coaxially surrounding said shaft, the shaft and the radial bearing being rotatable with respect to one another;
- an impeller positioned to receive a fluid from the inlet and to exhaust a fluid to the outlet, the impeller cooperating with the shaft;
- an axial bearing coaxially located around said shaft, the axial bearing being associated with said impeller, the axial bearing having pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads;
- each of said pads having a first side and a second side;
- the ring having a first face;
- the first face being located adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- retaining means for retaining said pads restricting the radial movement of said pads, the second side of each pad disposed within said retaining means, said pads interlocking with said retaining means, the first side of each of said pads oriented substantially parallel to the first face the impeller having a front shroud;
- the pads having longitudinal centerlines, first ends and second ends;
- the longitudinal centerlines at the first ends of the pads facing radially outward while the longitudinal centerline at the second ends of the pads facing radially inward.
8 more elements
A centrifugal pump comprising:
- a housing having a housing cavity, an inlet, and an outlet;
- a shaft located in the housing cavity;
- a radial bearing coaxially surrounding said shaft, the shaft and the radial bearing being rotatable with respect to one another;
- an impeller positioned to receive a fluid from the inlet and to exhaust a fluid to the outlet, the impeller cooperating with the shaft;
- an axial bearing coaxially located around said shaft, the axial bearing being located axially adjacent to said impeller, the axial beading having pads, a ring, and retaining means for retaining the pads:
- each of said pads having a first side and a second side;
- the ring having a first face, the first face being located adjacent to the first side of each pad;
- retaining means for retaining said pads restricting the radial movement of said pads within the housing cavity, the second side of each pad disposed within said retaining means, said pads interlocking with said retaining means, the first side of each of said pads oriented substantially parallel to the first face, the impeller having a front shroud with a substantially annular shroud extension axially extending from the front shroud.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.