Rotary coating atomizer having vibration damping air bearings

Rotary bell cup atomizing apparatus driven by a turbine mounted on a rotatable motor shaft supported within an air bearing assembly contained within a housing, and including an external air supply for supplying air to drive the turbine and channeling air to the air bearing assembly, the air bearing assembly comprising

• a cylindrical main air bearing supporting said motor shaft through which main bearing said motor shaft extends,
• a proximal, annular, disk-shaped thrust bearing supporting said turbine axially disposed proximally with respect to said turbine through which thrust bearing said motor shaft extends,
• a distal, annular, disk-shaped thrust bearing supporting said turbine axially disposed distally with respect to said turbine through which thrust bearing said motor shaft extends,
• said apparatus including air gaps formed between all said bearings and all in-operation rotating surfaces of said atomizing apparatus, and including
• a vibration-damping “O”-ring positioned proximally adjacent said proximal thrust bearing through which said motor shaft extends,
• a vibration-damping “O”-ring positioned distally adjacent said distal thrust bearing through which said motor shaft extends, and
• including “O”-rings installed circumferentially around said cylindrical main air bearing, one at the proximal end and one at the distal end of said main bearing,
• and having air passageways extending through all said bearings for supplying air from said external air supply through all bearings into all said air gaps between all bearings and all in-operation rotating surfaces of said atomizing apparatus,
• whereby, in operation, air supplied to said apparatus is delivered through said air passageways and into all said air gaps, thereby driving said rotatable turbine and motor shaft, wherein all rotating surfaces of said atomizing apparatus are, supported in air and said “O”-rings provide both axial and radial vibration damping of all rotating components.