Thrust bearing shaft for fan

A thrust bearing assembly comprising:

• a pair of thrust bearing members;
• a thrust shaft body positioned between said thrust bearing members and having an enlarged disk adjacent one axial end to provide a rotating surface;
• a first cylindrical portion extending from said enlarged disk in a first direction, and a second cylindrical portion extending from said enlarged disk in a second opposed direction, said second cylindrical portion having a hollow bore, and there being a plurality of holes extending through said second cylindrical portion to communicate an outer periphery of said second cylindrical portion with said hollow bore, with a ratio of a diameter of said hollow bore of said second cylindrical portion to a diameter of said plurality of holes being between 6.60 and 7.00;
• a ratio of an overall length of said second cylindrical portion, and a distance from a face of said enlarged disk to a center of said holes being between 14.4 and 15.2;
• said enlarged disk extending for an axial thickness, and a spacing distance being defined from said face to a center of said holes, with a ratio of said thickness to said spacing distance being between 0.82 and 0.92;
• and
• said diameter of said hollow bore being taken at an axial location aligned with said holes.

A fan for use in a cabin air supply for an aircraft comprising:

• a motor driving a rotor, said rotor driving a fan rotor;
• a housing enclosing said motor, and said fan rotor, and said housing having two opposed housing portions each providing air thrust bearing surfaces;
• a shaft body rotating with said rotor, and having an enlarged disk adjacent one axial end to provide a rotating surface in a thrust bearing and positioned between said two opposed housing portions;
• a first cylindrical portion extending from said disk in a first direction, and a second cylindrical portion extending from said enlarged disk in a second opposed direction, said second cylindrical portion having a hollow bore, and there being a plurality of holes extending through said second cylindrical portion to communicate an outer periphery of said second cylindrical portion with said hollow bore, with a ratio of a diameter of said hollow bore of said second cylindrical portion to a diameter of said plurality of holes being between 6.60 and 7.00;
• an overall length of said second cylindrical portion being a third distance, and a distance from a face of said enlarged disk to a center of said holes being a fourth distance, with a ratio of said third distance to said fourth distance being between 14.4 and 15.2;
• said enlarged disk extending for an axial thickness, and a spacing distance being defined from said face to a center of said holes, with a ratio of said thickness to said spacing distance being between 0.82 and 0.92;
• and
• said diameter of said hollow bore being taken at an axial location aligned with said holes.

A cabin air supply system for an aircraft comprising:

• at least one heat exchanger for cooling air to be delivered into an airplane cabin;
• a fan including a motor driving a rotor, said rotor driving a fan rotor, a housing enclosing said motor, and said fan rotor, and said housing having two opposed housing portions each providing air thrust bearing surfaces, a shaft body rotating with said rotor, and having an enlarged disk adjacent one axial end to provide a rotating surface in a thrust bearing and positioned between said two opposed housing portions, a first cylindrical portion extending from said enlarged disk in a first direction, and a second cylindrical portion extending from said enlarged disk in a second opposed direction, said second cylindrical portion having a hollow bore, and there being a plurality of holes extending through said second cylindrical portion to communicate an outer periphery of said second cylindrical portion with said hollow bore, with a ratio of a diameter of said hollow bore of said second cylindrical portion to a diameter of said plurality of holes being between 6.60 and 7.00, and an overall length of said second cylindrical portion being a third distance, and a distance from a face of said enlarged disk to a center of said holes being a fourth distance, with a ratio of said third distance to said fourth distance being between 14.4 and 15.2;
• said enlarged disk extending for an axial thickness, and a spacing distance being defined from said face to a center of said air holes, with a ratio of said thickness to said spacing distance being between 0.82 and 0.92;
• and
• said diameter of said hollow bore being taken at an axial location aligned with said holes.

A method of assembling a fan comprising the steps of:

• inserting a thrust shaft body having an enlarged disk adjacent one axial end, a first cylindrical portion extending from said disk in a first direction, and a second cylindrical portion extending from said disk in a second opposed direction, said second cylindrical portion having a hollow bore, and there being a plurality of holes extending through said second cylindrical portion to communicate an outer periphery of said second cylindrical portion with said hollow bore, with a ratio of a diameter of said hollow bore of said second cylindrical portion to a diameter of said plurality of holes being between 6.60 and 7.70, a ratio of an overall length of said second cylindrical portion, and a distance from a face of said enlarged disk to a center of said holes being between 14.4 and 15.2, said enlarged disk extending for an axial thickness, and a spacing distance being defined from said face to a center of said holes, with a ratio of said thickness to said spacing distance being between 0.82 and 0.92 said diameter of said hollow bore being taken at an axial location aligned with some plurality of holes;
• and
• securing said thrust shaft body to rotate with a motor rotor, and positioning said enlarged disk to be intermediate two housing portions, with said two housing portions each defining thrust bearing surfaces in combination with said enlarged disk.