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US 5,957,588 AGranted
Air bearing for a spindle
AssigneePhase Metrics
InventorMichael Wahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-acting air bearing for a pressurized spindle air bearing includes a bearing that is located within a cavity of a housing. The bearing and cavity may be shaped as a segment of a sphere. The spindle may be connected to a pressurized air source which creates an air bearing within a gap that separates the bearing from the housing. The bearing is attached to a shaft that is rotated by a motor. Rotation of the bearing creates a flow of air within the gap. The cavity and/or bearing may have a slot which cooperates with the air flow to increase the pressure of the air bearing.
Claims8
A spindle, comprising:
- a housing which has a first slot located within a first cavity;
- a first bearing that is located within said first cavity and separated from said housing by a gap that has a thickness no greater than 250 microinches;
- a shaft that is attached to said first bearing;
- and,
- a motor that rotates said shaft and said first bearing, said rotation of said first bearing creates a flow of air that cooperates with said first slot to increase a pressure of said gap.
2 more elements
A spindle, comprising:
- a housing which has a first cavity;
- a first bearing that has first slot and is located within said first cavity, said first bearing being separated from said housing by a gap that has a thickness no greater than 250 microinches;
- a shaft that is attached to said first bearing;
- and,
- a motor that rotates said shaft and said first bearing, said rotation of said first bearing creates a flow of air that cooperates with said first slot to increase a pressure of said gap.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.