Rotary air bearing and process for manufacturing the same
AssigneeThe Timken Company
InventorsRichard A. Knepper, Keith M. Gordon, Jay M. Landry, William E. Harbottle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary air bearing (A) as shown in the Figure has a journal (2) provided with a pair of outwardly presented tapered surfaces located opposite the tapered surfaces on the journal, and a low friction liner (6) bonded to the tapered surfaces on the hub and having tapered surfaces which are separated from the tapered surfaces of the journal by small air gaps (g).
Claims46
An air bearing for facilitating rotation about an axis, said bearing comprising:
- a first member surrounding the axis;
- a second member also surrounding the axis and having tapered surfaces that are presented toward the first member, one of the members having sections which abut at a separating surface such that they can be fitted together and withdrawn from opposite ends of the other member;
- and
- a liner attached to the first member and having tapered surfaces that substantially conform to and substantially replicate the tapered surfaces of the second member, but are spaced slightly from the tapered surfaces of the second member so that an air gap exists between the tapered surfaces of the second member and the tapered surfaces of the liner, the liner being substantially thicker than the air gap and having been installed on the first member while in a fluent condition and thereafter having solidified.
A process for manufacturing an air bearing that facilitates rotation about an axis, said process comprising:
- producing a first member having an axis and a generally axially directed surface that surrounds the axis;
- producing a second member that has an axis and tapered surfaces surrounding the axis;
- separating the second member into sections, each of which has one of the tapered surfaces on it;
- fitting the two sections of the second member together from opposite ends of the first member so that the sections abut and positioning the second member such with respect to the first member that the axes of the two members generally coincide and such that the tapered surfaces of the second member are presented toward, yet spaced radially from, the axially directed surface on the first member, whereby an annular cavity exists between the tapered surfaces of the second member and the axially directed surface of the first member;
- distorting the second member so that its tapered surfaces are in effect shifted axially relative to each other from a normal position to a displaced position;
- while the tapered surfaces of the second member are in their displaced position, inserting a fluent liner material into the annular space and allowing it to solidify against the tapered surfaces of the second member and bond to the axially directed surfaces of the first member, whereby the liner material acquires tapered surfaces that conform to the tapered surfaces of the second member when those surfaces are in their displaced position;
- and
- bringing the tapered surfaces of the second member to their normal position, whereby air gaps develop between the tapered surfaces on the second member and the tapered surfaces acquired by the liner.
A process for manufacturing a rotary air bearing, said process comprising:
- producing an outer member having a pair of tapered surfaces that are presented inwardly toward the axis of the member;
- producing an inner member having a pair of tapered surfaces that are presented outwardly away from the axis of the member;
- installing the inner member in the outer member such that the two members, by reason of their tapers, are captured axially with respect to each other, yet have their tapered surfaces spaced apart to provide an annular cavity between their tapered surfaces;
- and
- inserting a fluent liner material into the annular cavity and allowing the fluent material to harden and bond to one of the members, thereby producing a liner having tapered surfaces presented toward the tapered surfaces on the other member.
A fluid bearing comprising:
- first and second bearing structures, one of which rotates relative to the other about an axis, having, respectively, first and second tapered surfaces which substantially conform to each other, yet are normally spaced apart so that a narrow air gap exists between them, the first bearing structure comprising a hardened liner on which the first tapered surface exists, with the liner having been formed from a material applied in a fluent condition along the second tapered surface such that the first tapered surface derives its shape from the second tapered surface and is a replicant of the second surface even when separated from the second surface, the liner being substantially thicker than the narrow gap.
A fluid bearing comprising:
- first and second bearing structures, one of which is capable of rotating relative to the other, having, respectively, first and second tapered surfaces which substantially conform to each other and are normally spaced apart to create a narrow gap between the surfaces, the first bearing structure comprising a hardened resin liner defining said first tapered surface that is formed as and is a replicant of the second tapered surface and remains as a replicant of the second tapered surface when separated from the first surface, the hardened resin liner being substantially thicker than the narrow gap.
A hydrodynamic bearing comprising:
- an outer bearing structure centered on an axis of rotation;
- and
- an inner bearing structure having tapered opposite end portions received axially within said outer bearing structure to define a pair of gaps between said bearing structures upon rotation of said bearing structures relative to each other about said axis;
- said tapered opposite end portions being defined by separate sections of said inner bearing structure, with said separate sections adjoining each other in mating contact at a fracture interface of surfaces previously formed upon fracturing of said inner bearing structure at a fracture location axially between said tapered opposite end portions.
A bearing according to claim,wherein the outer bearing structure includes a resin liner having tapered surfaces which are presented toward the tapered portions on the inner bearing structure, and the liner is substantially thicker than the gaps between the bearing structures.
A process for manufacturing a fluid bearing for accommodating relative rotation about an axis and including a first bearing structure having a tapered surface located around the axis and a second bearing structure also located around the axis where it is presented toward the tapered surface of the first structure, said process comprising bonding a resin liner to the second structure and providing the resin liner with a tapered surface that substantially conforms to the tapered surface on the first structure, all by placing a resin while in a fluent condition against the second structure and along the tapered surface of the first structure and allowing the fluent resin to solidify into the hardened resin liner, whereby the tapered surface on the liner derives its shape from the tapered surface on the first bearing structure.
A process of manufacturing a hydrodynamic bearing comprising inner and outer bearing structures rotatable relative to each other about an axis, with said inner bearing structure having tapered opposite end portions received axially within said outer bearing structure to define a pair of gaps between said bearing structures upon such relative rotation of said bearing structures, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming said inner bearing structure in one piece, with said tapered opposite end portions having specified orientations circumferentially and radially relative to each other;
- fracturing said inner bearing structure at a fracture location axially between said tapered end portions to form separate sections of said inner bearing structure;
- moving said separate sections of said inner bearing structure axially into mating contact with each other at said fracture location axially inward of said outer bearing structure;
- and
- fastening said separate sections together in said mating contact within said outer bearing structure, whereby said specified orientations of said conical opposite end portions are preserved upon installation of said conical opposite end portions in said outer bearing structure.
A process of manufacturing a hydrodynamic bearing comprising inner and outer bearing structures, one of which rotates relative to the other during the operation of the bearing, the inner and outer bearing structures being configured to define a gap between said bearing structures with at least one of the structures having a tapered surface along the gap, said process comprising the steps of:
- orienting said bearing structures relative to each other to define a space between said bearing structures;
- placing a fluent resin material in said space;
- and
- curing said resin material in said space to form a solid resin liner that substantially conforms to said tapered surface.
A process for creating a fluid gap in a bearing having a first structure provided with a tapered surface and a second structure, with one of the structures being capable of rotating relative to the other structure about an axis, said process comprising:
- applying a fluent material along the tapered surface of the first structure and allowing it to there solidify so as to form on the second structure a tapered surface that substantially conforms to the tapered surface on the first structure;
- and
- allowing for axial displacement between the structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.