Fluid Bearing Patents (Class 29/898.02)
  • Patent number: 12232287
    Abstract: According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic device may include: a housing, a processor disposed inside the housing, the housing may include a metal member comprising a metal and including a first convex and concave pattern formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of a second convex and concave pattern formed on a jig, wherein the jig is formed for use in electro chemical machining (ECM), and the first convex and concave pattern may have at least a portion formed at a substantially uniform pitch and a substantially uniform height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kidoc Son, Youngchun Kim, Byounggyu Park, Kyunghwan Song, Hyuckki Lee
  • Patent number: 10632580
    Abstract: A heavy object supporting device includes: a mounting table which is arranged to face a base, and on which a supported object is mounted; an annular sealing member which is arranged between the mounting table and the base and can be elastically compressed in the direction in which the mounting table and the base face each other; and a separation preventing structure which prevents separation between the mounting table and the base. A space, which is defined by the mounting table, the base, and the sealing member, is formed as a fluid-filled space that is sealed in a state filled with fluid. The separation preventing structure is configured to allow the mounting table to be moved relative to the base in the facing direction and the direction orthogonal to the facing direction while maintaining the sealed state of the fluid-filled space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Yugen Kaisha Newly Laboratory
    Inventor: Takao Arai
  • Patent number: 10288063
    Abstract: A flow restrictor is adapted for application in a bearing arrangement between a piston and a cylinder of a gas compressor. The compressor includes a protective block that involves the cylinder externally, and also includes at least one inner cavity, which is fluidly fed by a discharge flow resulting from a compression movement exerted by the piston inside the cylinder. The compressor includes a bearing-arrangement clearance that separates the piston and an inner wall of the cylinder. The compressor includes at least one flow restrictor provided with a housing that associates fluidly the inner cavity to the bearing-arrangement clearance. The flow restrictor is associated to the housing by a process of at least partial plastic deformation inside the housing, the flow restrictor being provided with channels for passage of fluid, the plastic deformation being sized for limiting the gas flow through the inner cavity to the bearing-arrangement clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool S.A.
    Inventor: Henrique Bruggmann Muhle
  • Patent number: 10167899
    Abstract: A sintered bearing (1) of the present invention includes: an inner layer (2) and an outer layer (3) each made of sintered metal and formed into a cylindrical shape; and a radial dynamic pressure generating portion (dynamic pressure grooves 1a1 and 1a2) die-formed in an inner peripheral surface of the inner layer (2), in which the outer layer (3) has compressive yield strength higher than compressive yield strength of the inner layer (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fuyuki Ito
  • Patent number: 10072702
    Abstract: An air foil bearing for supporting a high speed rotating assembly such as in a turbocharger, a high speed centrifugal separator or the like. The foil bearing includes at least one bump foil and at least one top foil. The top foil leading edge is bent radially outwards forming a bevel or step. This feature serves as an air guide to prevent air of the preceding pad flowing into the gap between the pads, and then between the bump foil and the top foil, causing the top foil to bear against the rotor, causing severe wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Dahinten
  • Patent number: 9964144
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a fluid dynamic bearing device, the method involving: forming an axial clearance 14 having a clearance width ? equal to a total amount of clearance widths of two thrust bearing clearances ?1, ?2 between a second bearing surface C of a bearing member 22 fixed to an outer periphery of a shaft member 21 and a sealing member 9; relatively moving the shaft member 21, the shaft member 22, and the sealing member 9 with respect to a housing 7 while the clearance width ? of the axial clearance 14 is maintained after forming the axial clearance 14; and fixing the sealing member 9 to the housing 7 at a time when a first thrust bearing surface B of the bearing member 22 comes into contact with a bottom surface 7b of the housing 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daichi Kato, Toshiaki Niwa
  • Patent number: 9922794
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a rotating anode X-ray tube includes a fixed shaft, a rotor, a lubricant, target, and a supporting member. The fixed shaft includes a small-diameter portion provided with a first radial bearing surface including first grooved surfaces, and a large-diameter portion provided with a second radial bearing surface including second grooved surfaces. The rotor includes a third radial bearing surface. The lubricant is filled in a gap between the fixed shaft and the rotor, and drawn by the first and second grooved surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Electron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Ueki, Yasutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 9822816
    Abstract: Provided is a foil bearing, an air film is formed in a radial bearing gap between a first bearing surface arranged on a top foil and a second bearing surface along with rotation of a shaft, and the shaft is supported with a pressure of the air film. Lubricating powder is interposed between the bearing surfaces. The top foil is partially elastically deformed in a width direction of the radial bearing gap in accordance with the pressure of the air film generated in the radial bearing gap, thereby being alternately shifted between a first state in which a retaining portion capable of retaining the lubricating powder is formed and a second state in which the retaining portion substantially disappears, and shifted from the second state to the first state along with an increase in the pressure of the air film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Midoumae, Masato Yoshino, Hiroki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9726189
    Abstract: A turbocharger and a method of manufacturing a floating bush with which noise can be reduced, and the rotation speed can be increased. In a turbocharger in which a rotating shaft having a circular cross-section and connecting a turbine rotor and a compressor rotor is supported in a freely rotatable manner, at two axially separated positions via floating bushes, by an inner circumferential surface disposed so as to surround the rotating shaft in a bearing housing, an inner circumferential surface of each of the floating bushes has a non-circular shape in which the curvature of the cross-sectional shape varies in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Nishida, Keitaro Kamata, Isao Tomita, Takashi Shiraishi, Noriyuki Hayashi, Motoki Ebisu, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hiroshi Ogita
  • Publication number: 20150104123
    Abstract: A journal bearing assembly includes a bearing housing, a plurality of bearing pads, and a plurality of bearing pad support assemblies. The bearing housing includes a radial outer wall. The plurality of bearing pads are mounted within the bearing housing, and include at least one of a gas permeable porous media and an array of gas delivery holes. The plurality of bearing pad support assemblies are radially interposed between the bearing pads and the radial outer wall. Each of the bearing pad support assemblies includes a spring assembly and a damper assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bugra Han Ertas, Adolfo Delgado Marquez, Darren Lee Hallman, Walter John Smith
  • Patent number: 9003664
    Abstract: A shaft material integrally having a shaft portion and a flange portion is formed by a forging process. The end face of the shaft portion of the shaft material and the end face of the flange portion on the opposite side of the shaft portion are ground relative to the corrected face, and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft material is ground relative to the end faces. This renders the cylindricity of the radial bearing faces formed on the outer periphery of the shaft portion of the produced shaft member to be 3 ?m or lower. Moreover, a shaft material integrally having the shaft portion and flange portion is formed, while simultaneously thrust hydrodynamic groove regions are formed on both end faces of the flange portion. After the forging process, radial hydrodynamic groove regions are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: NTN Corporation, Fukui Byora Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Hideaki Kubota, Natsuhiko Mori, Keiji Nagasaki, Masahiro Makino
  • Patent number: 8955224
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fluid bearing and a method of adjusting the load carrying capacity of a fluid bearing. The fluid bearing may include a bore defined in the fluid bearing and a rotatable bearing including a rotatable bearing surface. Lubricating fluid in the bore may be contacted with at least a portion of the rotatable bearing surface, wherein an effective bearing surface area is provided where the lubricating fluid contacts the rotatable bearing surface. The effective bearing surface area may be altered by either increasing or reducing the area of the rotatable bearing surface which is contacted by the lubricating fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Charles E. Roberts, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150023620
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hoop including a cylinder which, so that it can be mounted around a shaft, is formed by multiple parts that are assembled together using assembly means that can produce an assembly without deformation of an external surface of the cylinder. A ring, of which an external surface forms the internal surface of the bearing and which, so that it can be secured to the external wall of the cylinder, is formed by multiple elements that are secured to the cylinder by securing means that can maintain a machining tolerance of the external surface of the ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Lucas CHABERT
  • Publication number: 20140366663
    Abstract: Disclosed is an aerostatic air bearing. The disclosed aerostatic air bearing includes: an aerostatic nut, said aerostatic nut including a housing having an air inlet disposed therein, a helical plenum chamber disposed in said housing, said helical plenum chamber being fluidly connected to the air inlet and fluidly interconnecting a plurality of openings, said openings being disposed in a helical pattern, and a plurality of porous media, each of said porous media being disposed in one of the plurality of openings respectively; and a lead screw coupled to said aerostatic nut, said lead screw including a threaded surface separated from each of the plurality of porous media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Jong-Kweon PARK, Seung Kook Ro, Gyung Ho Khim, Shiv G. Kapoor, James Zhu
  • Publication number: 20140355743
    Abstract: A bearing assembly is disclosed that includes a sleeve having an opening formed therein and a shaft positioned within the opening of the sleeve such that a gap is formed between an inner surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the shaft. A lubricant is disposed in the gap and a plurality of grooves are formed on at least one of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve. An anti-wetting coating is disposed on the at least one of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Ian Strider Hunt, Ben David Poquette, Andrew Thomas Triscari
  • Publication number: 20140314345
    Abstract: A gas pressure bearing element including a housing element with recesses, wherein the housing element is closed by a cover, wherein the recesses are defined by rib shaped intermediary walls and/or other island shaped protrusions and define first intermediary spaces between the intermediary walls and/or the island shaped protrusions, wherein the cover is formed in sections by a cured encasement compound provided with an open pore reinforcement mat, wherein the encasement compound has a flat surface that is processed after curing and forms a bearing surface for the gas pressure bearing element, wherein the bearing surface includes a plurality of gas outlet nozzles which are formed by micro holes penetrating the cover, and wherein the micro holes are provided at locations under which the first intermediary spaces are arranged below the cover, which first intermediary spaces form channels for a pressurized gas supply for the gas outlet nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Harald Ebl, Michael Muth
  • Publication number: 20140259642
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a bearing component for a dynamic pressure bearing is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of individual recesses in a groove dispose area in an end face of the bearing component along respective turns of a spiral line having a distance from a center of the bearing component gradually increasing turn by turn from an inner circumference of the groove dispose area to an outer circumference thereof. Each of the plurality of individual recesses is disposed so as to partially overlap at least one adjoining individual recess in a radial direction to form a thrust dynamic pressure generating groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisayuki Aoshima
  • Publication number: 20140270607
    Abstract: A trailing edge cooled bearing provides an illustrative embodiment of an apparatus for increasing heat transfer in various bearings, including but not limited to radial and axial tilting pad bearings. In the illustrative embodiment, the trailing edge cooled bearing may comprise at least one journal pad having a leading and trailing edge. The trailing edge may include a trailing edge face having one or more grooves formed therein. A spray bar may having one or more apertures formed therein may be positioned adjacent the trailing edge face to deliver fluid thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WAUKESHA BEARINGS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Livermore-Hardy, Barry Blair
  • Patent number: 8826541
    Abstract: A fluid bearing device is manufactured with a high adhesive strength in fixing another member by adhesion to a resin housing. A bearing sleeve is secured in position inside the resin housing, and a shaft member is radially supported in a non-contact fashion by a dynamic pressure action of lubricant generated in a radial bearing clearance between the shaft member and the bearing sleeve. A metal bracket for mounting the stator coil of a motor is fixed by adhesion to the outer periphery of the housing, in which the adhesion portion of the outer periphery of the housing to be fixed to the bracket is roughened, setting the surface roughness to 0.5 ?mRa to 2.0 ?mRa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Ito
  • Patent number: 8782901
    Abstract: A seal member is fixed to a predetermined position on an outer peripheral surface of a shaft portion. During rotation of a shaft member, a lower end surface of the seal member is opposed to an upper end surface of a bearing sleeve through an intermediation of a thrust bearing gap to form a second thrust bearing gap. An outer peripheral surface of the seal member defines between itself and an inner peripheral surface of an upper end portion of a housing a seal space having a predetermined volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8782900
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a rotating device includes a first machining process of machining a bearing hole while supplying a first cutting lubricant to a base member, a second machining process continuous from the first machining process, the second machining process being of machining a tap hole while supplying a second cutting lubricant to the base member, a blowing process of blowing at least either one of the bearing hole and the tap hole with a fluid in order to eliminate a machining residue, the blowing process including an air spraying process and a liquid spraying process, a cleaning process of cleaning the base member, and an assembling process of assembling the base member with the bearing unit and the rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hiramoto, Noboru Masuda
  • Publication number: 20140199005
    Abstract: Including a synthetic resin-made bearing base 2 having a base portion 4, an annular protruding portion 6 provided integrally on and protruding from one surface 5 of the base portion 4, and an air supply passage 11 which is provided in the annular protruding portion 6 and the base portion 4 and which has one end 7 open at a protruding end face 8 of the annular protruding portion 6 and another end 9 open at a outer peripheral surface 10 of the base portion 4; and a synthetic resin-made bearing body 3 having an annular recessed portion 42 which is formed in one surface 41 opposing the one surface 5 of the base portion 4 and which receives the annular protruding portion 6 of the bearing base 2, an annular recessed groove 44 which is open at another surface 43, and a plurality of air outlet holes 47 serving as inherent restrictors each of which communicates with the annular recessed groove 44 at one end 45 and opens to the annular recessed portion 42 at another end 46.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: OILES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hikaru Sato
  • Patent number: 8776377
    Abstract: In the method for manufacturing a fluid dynamic bearing, the fluid dynamic bearing that lubricant is not injected into is prepared in a predetermined work space. The pressure in the work space is reduced. A delivery nozzle that delivers the lubricant is inserted into the storage region. The lubricant is delivered in the storage region so that the lubricant does not spill over from the storage region. The pressure in the work space is restored. Another way is that a lubricant is ejected after an oil repellent region for preventing the lubricant from leaking out is covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoei Nakamura, Hirofumi Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 8756816
    Abstract: A housing for a fluid lubrication bearing apparatus is produced. The housing has a cylindrical shape whose inner periphery having a fixing face to which an outer circumferential surface of a bearing sleeve is to be fixed. The method includes providing a forging mold having a groove molding portion extending parallel to a direction of a stroke of said mold and a face molding portion having a convex cylindrical shape on an outer periphery of the forging mold for forming the fixing face of the housing. The method further includes forming the housing with the forging mold, while forging circulation grooves and the fixing face simultaneously on the inner periphery of the housing with the groove molding portion and the face molding portion of the forging mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Toshiyuki Mizutani, Tetsuya Kurimura, Kiyoshi Shimizu, Yoshitaka Kabata, Masatoshi Tanigawa, Eiichi Fujita, Koji Yamagata, Masato Utiumi
  • Publication number: 20140154058
    Abstract: A rotating assembly of turbomachinery is provided. The rotating assembly includes a plurality of components mounted on a rotatable shaft within a housing of the turbomachinery and at least one foil journal bearing assembly for mounting the rotatable shaft to the housing. The foil journal bearing assembly includes an annular bearing carrier mounted to the housing. An annular bearing sleeve is disposed within the annular bearing carrier and attached thereto. The annular bearing sleeve is lined with a plurality of foils. A journal is mounted to the rotatable shaft. The journal has an outer surface engaging the foils. The journal is configured to at least one of the following: resist operational deflection thereof and reduce the effects of misalignment. A method for producing the journal of the foil journal bearing assembly is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Walter Lee Meacham, Alan Margolis, Yates Wong
  • Patent number: 8734018
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing device includes a resin member capable of suppressing the intrusion of a lubricating oil as much as possible even when carbon fibers are compounded. A housing part as the resin member can be obtained by injection-molding a resin composition in which PPS is a base resin, and carbon fibers are compounded. The housing part is in contact with an ester-based lubricating oil filled in the inside of the bearing. The plurality of carbon fibers bound with a binder material not containing an urethane resin are cut and the carbon fibers minced by cutting are compounded into PPS to thereby obtain the above-described resin composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Ito
  • Patent number: 8732954
    Abstract: A typical dynamic bearing design comprises a ring shaped or circular thrust plate mounted at or near the end of a shaft, the shaft defining together with a surrounding sleeve a journal bearing by providing grooves on only one of the two surfaces facing the gap between the shaft and sleeve. On the ring shaped thrust plate supported by the shaft, the traditional upward thrust bearing defined between the lower face of the thrust plate and the facing surface of the sleeve is maintained; but no grooves are on the surface of the thrust plate distant from the shaft and a facing counterplate surface. Further, the journal bearing is defined to have an asymmetry so that a bias force pressure along the surface of the shaft toward the thrust plate is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. Aiello
  • Patent number: 8631677
    Abstract: A thrust dynamic pressure pattern is marked on a rotating member or fixed member set on a rest table. A pressure for marking is applied to a member to be marked in a cycle of applying and releasing the pressure, and a supplemental force for keeping the member to be marked, still is separately applied. According to the present embodiment, a rotating device can be provided that narrows down a bearing gap and improves the efficiency of raking up a lubricant so as to increase the dynamic pressure by reducing the deformation of the shape of the protrusions of a thrust dynamic pressure pattern and the variation in the height of the protrusions when forming the thrust dynamic pressure pattern in a method of producing a rotating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukuzako, Hiroshi Iwai
  • Publication number: 20140003747
    Abstract: A method for mounting a hydrodynamic sliding bearing of a shaft, in particular a magnetic coupling pump, wherein the hydrodynamic sliding bearing includes a bearing bushing disposed between a bearing sleeve and a bearing housing includes the steps of A coating a clamping ring on at least one of its surfaces with a friction-increasing coating, B heating the clamping ring and applying to the bearing bushing so that a pre-assembly unit is formed, and C heating the bearing housing, wherein the pre-assembly unit is inserted in the bearing housing. A double pressure bond is thus advantageously provided where a radial prevention of rotation and an axial prevention of displacement is achieved without any axial pinning as prevention from rotation and axial tensioning (e.g. L-profile ring) of the bearing bushing being required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Ruhrpumpen GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Schneider, Michael Westib, Dirk Koep
  • Publication number: 20130330029
    Abstract: There are provided a hydrodynamic bearing assembly and a manufacturing method thereof. The hydrodynamic bearing assembly includes: an oil sealing part formed between a fixed member and a rotating member; and a silicon containing diamond-like-carbon (Si-DLC) or tungsten carbide (W-Carbide) coating layer formed on at least one surface of the fixed member and the rotating member. The silicon containing diamond-like-carbon (Si-DLC) or tungsten carbide (W-Carbide) coating layer is formed on the at least one surface of the fixed member and the rotating member, whereby abrasion of the fixed member and the rotating member due to friction therebetween may be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electro-Mechnics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Hyun KWON
  • Patent number: 8578611
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a hydro dynamic bearing device is provided for the finishing treatment of lubricating oil after lubricating the hydro dynamic bearing device, specifically for properly and effectively wiping off the lubricating oil adhering to the outside of the housing and adjusting the oil-level height of the lubricating oil filled in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kaimi, Kazuto Shimizu, Kimihiko Bitou, Nao Ishiyama, Nobuyoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8578610
    Abstract: Easy and precise setting of a predetermined thrust bearing gap is made possible. An axial gap 13 having a dimension that is equal to the sum of two thrust bearing gaps is first provided between the flange part 2b of the shaft member 2 and the bearing member or bearing sleeve 8. The shaft member 2 and the bearing sleeve 8 are accommodated inside the housing 7 with this gap dimension ? being kept, and the bearing sleeve 8 is secured to the housing 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Hori, Tetsuya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8567067
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing mechanism of a motor includes steps a)-e). In step a), a bearing assembly is assembled. In step b), an upper seal gap between an upper thrust portion and an upper hub annular portion is arranged to face downward to increase the width of a gap between an outer tubular portion and a flange portion, or a lower seal gap between the outer tubular portion and a lower hub annular portion is arranged to face downward to increase the width of a gap between the upper thrust portion and the flange portion. In step c), pressure in all gaps is reduced. In step d), lubricating oil is injected into the upper or lower seal gap which faces upward, and a predetermined time or longer is allowed to pass. In step e), pressure is returned to atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuki Yamaguchi, Shigeki Horiki, Yoshitsugu Hideshima, Akio Tatsumi, Akinobu Sumiji, Takehito Tamaoka, Kazushi Miura, Mitsuhiro Takemoto
  • Patent number: 8568827
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of making a textured coating on a wear surface of a component. The method includes applying a mask on the surface and depositing a tribological coating on the surface. The method further includes removing the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Shuangbio Liu, Chuong Quang Dam, Bao Feng, Dongyun Hua
  • Publication number: 20130279043
    Abstract: A rotating device includes a shaft body that includes a lower rod and an upper rod formed with a retainer hole encircling a part of the lower rod and fixing the lower rod, a bearing body including a shaft encircling member that encircles the shaft body, and freely rotatable relative to the shaft body, a radial dynamic pressure generating groove which is provided in either one of the shaft body and the bearing body and which generates dynamic pressure in a radial direction, a thrust dynamic pressure generating groove which is provided in either one of the shaft body and the bearing body and which generates dynamic pressure in a thrust direction, and a lubrication medium present in a gap between the shaft body and the bearing body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8499456
    Abstract: A method for producing a housing for a hydrodynamic bearing apparatus includes forming a housing 7 which has a cylindrical shape and which includes a fixing face 7c for fixing the outer circumferential surface 8b of a bearing sleeve 8, and axial circulation grooves 7d for bringing both end faces 8c, 8d of the bearing sleeve 8 into circulation on the inner periphery. The method includes providing a groove molding portion 18a2 on the outer circumference of a rod 18 which serves as a forming mold for the inner periphery of the housing 7, and forming the circulation grooves 7d of the housing by forging with the groove molding portion 18a2 of the mold. Moreover, after a sealing face 107d and a cylindrical outer circumferential surface 107e provided on the outer periphery of the housing 107 are formed by forging, an inner circumferential surface 107c is formed by forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Toshiyuki Mizutani, Tetsuya Kurimura, Kiyoshi Shimizu, Yoshitaka Kabata, Masatoshi Tanigawa, Eiichi Fujita, Koji Yamagata, Masato Utiumi
  • Patent number: 8500331
    Abstract: An air foil bearing includes a top foil, one or more orifice tubes and two or more bump foil strips disposed within a housing. The top foil is forms a substantially circular shape having one or more sets of top foil orifice holes. Each set of top foil orifice holes has at least three top foil orifice holes along a circumference of the top foil. An orifice tube is provided for each set of top foil orifice holes. The orifice tube includes a flat side having a set of tube orifice holes connected to an outer surface of the top foil. The bump foil strip is attached to the outer surface of the top foil adjacent to each side of each orifice tube. Another embodiment uses a housing with an inner surface having a curved polygonal cross-sectional shape with an odd number of curved sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials
    Inventors: Daejong Kim, An Sung Lee, Young-Cheol Kim
  • Publication number: 20130195387
    Abstract: A bearing assembly having a cylindrical outer bearing shell. The outer bearing shell including a first annular outer land, a second annular outer land, and a recess therebetween. The outer bearing shell further including a first positioning bore having a first bore diameter and a second positioning bore having a second bore diameter. The second bore diameter may be smaller than the first bore diameter. A diameter of the first annular outer land may be larger than a diameter of the second annular outer land.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Jeffrey Carl Brill, Gary Paul Vavrek, Qingxuan Michael Zhang, Paul Edward Pickett
  • Patent number: 8407899
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing includes a shaft to which a resin flange is fixed by insert molding. The process where the flange is fixed to the shaft by insert molding includes a flange forming process in which the flange, fixed to the shaft, is formed by injecting the resin into a filled portion in the lower mold through an upper mold, while cooling at least part of the shaft, arranged in a shaft arrangement portion in a lower mold, with cooling water circulating through a cooling pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Muramatsu
  • Publication number: 20130051714
    Abstract: There are provided a hydrodynamic bearing assembly and a method of manufacturing the same. The hydrodynamic bearing assembly includes: a lubricating oil filled so as to form a liquid-vapor interface between stationary members and rotating members; and a lipophilic coating formed on the liquid-vapor interface of the lubricating oil so as to prevent lubricating oil leakage. Therefore, the lipophilic coating is formed on the interface of the lubricating oil and an oil repellent material is formed on a surface of at least one of the stationary members and the rotating members, whereby the scattering and the leakage of the lubricating oil may be effectively prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Ha Yong Jung, Myung Hwa Choi, Sang Hyun Kwon, Hyung Kyu Kim, Kun Kim
  • Patent number: 8365413
    Abstract: In an apparatus for manufacturing a fluid dynamic bearing, a housing portion defines a first work area. A vacuum pump discharges air in the first work area. A lubricant discharge device is arranged in the first work area, and discharges a lubricant into an inlet of a reservoir for storing the lubricant of the fluid dynamic bearing. At least one aperture is provided in the housing portion. A first door closes the aperture and a second door closes the aperture. Between the first door and the second door, when both have closed the aperture, a second work area is formed where the fluid dynamic bearing is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8356938
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing apparatus includes shaft member 2, housing 7, sleeve portion 8, and sealing portions 9, 10. The housing 7 includes a straight cylindrical inner circumferential surface with a constant diameter and openings at both axial ends thereof. The sleeve portion 8 is provided separately from the housing 7 and fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing 7. A radial bearing gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface 8a of the sleeve portion 8 and the outer circumferential surface 2a of the shaft member 2 , and thrust bearing gaps are formed between the end faces 9b, 10b of the sealing portions 9, 10 and the end faces 8b, 8c of the sleeve portion 8 opposing these to support the shaft member 2 in a non-contact manner in the radial direction and in the thrust direction by the hydrodynamic effect of a lubricating oil produced in each bearing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Shimizu, Toshiyuki Mizutani, Masaharu Hori
  • Patent number: 8353630
    Abstract: A device for providing an air-gap associated with a portion of a fluid dynamic bearing, a sleeve is provided and surrounds a portion of a shaft. The sleeve and the shaft are configured for establishing the air-gap proximal to a portion of the fluid dynamic bearing. In addition, a cap is also provided and coupled to the sleeve. The cap has an outer end proximal to a portion of the fluid dynamic bearing such that the air-gap is provided between the outer end of the cap and the portion of the fluid dynamic bearing, wherein the air-gap forms a labyrinth seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: HGST, Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Kunihiro Shida
  • Publication number: 20120327534
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing mechanism of a motor includes steps a)-e). In step a), a bearing assembly is assembled. In step b), an upper seal gap between an upper thrust portion and an upper hub annular portion is arranged to face downward to increase the width of a gap between an outer tubular portion and a flange portion, or a lower seal gap between the outer tubular portion and a lower hub annular portion is arranged to face downward to increase the width of a gap between the upper thrust portion and the flange portion. In step c), pressure in all gaps is reduced. In step d), lubricating oil is injected into the upper or lower seal gap which faces upward, and a predetermined time or longer is allowed to pass. In step e), pressure is returned to atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuki YAMAGUCHI, Shigeki HORIKI, Yoshitsugu HIDESHIMA, Akio TATSUMI, Akinobu SUMIJI, Takehito TAMAOKA, Kazushi MIURA, Mitsuhiro TAKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 8277123
    Abstract: A fluid bearing structure with uniform depths of bearing concaves and a method of forming the bearing concaves in the fluid bearing structure. Pipe parts are inserted into through holes formed in the bearing base to form fluid spout holes for spouting fluid between confronting bearing surfaces. Bearing concaves are formed around the fluid spout holes. The bearing base and the pipe parts are made of different materials. A coating layer is formed on the bearing base and the pipe parts by an anodic oxidation process. Thickness of the coating layer on the bearing base is different from thickness of the coating layer on the pipe parts since the base member and the pipe members are made of different materials. The material on which a coating layer grows quickly is selected for the bearing base and the material on which a coating layer grows slowly is selected for the pipe parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Masayuki Hamura, Kenzo Ebihara, Takeshi Ooki
  • Patent number: 8240918
    Abstract: A shaft portion is press-fitted to a flange portion, and a plastic working portion of a first jig is pressed against an upper end surface of the flange portion, whereby the flange portion is partially subjected to plastic deformation toward an inner peripheral side. With this, a caulked portion is formed between the flange portion and the shaft portion. Further, press-fitting and caulking are performed in a state in which both end surfaces of the flange portion are bound by a second jig and a third jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kimihiko Bitou, Jun Hirade, Kazuto Shimizu, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Isao Komori
  • Patent number: 8230599
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a hydrodynamic bearing in which a metal bearing made of sintered metal powder is internally subjected to chemical etching, to form hydrodynamic pressure grooves thereon, thus assuring a high-precision and reliable hydrodynamic bearing. The method includes: compressing metal powder that is a raw material of the bearing in a press unit, and sintering the compressed metal powder at a predetermined temperature, thus preparing a sintered bearing; removing foreign substances adhering to the sintered bearing through a deburring process, and pressing the sintered bearing into a desired shape; forming a hydrodynamic groove, configured to generate hydrodynamic pressure, on an internal surface of the shaped bearing using chemical etching; and conducting a post treatment of cleaning the bearing including the hydrodynamic grooves thereon and drying the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Tae Kim, Jin San Kim, Young Hwan Lim, Il Oung Park, Ta Kyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 8191227
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate, including supporting a substrate using an air bearing produced via an air bearing assembly, the air bearing assembly having: an upper portion having a plurality of air supply and vacuum holes therethrough; a lower portion; and a plurality of spacers disposed between and maintaining the upper and lower portions in spaced relation, wherein a density of the air supply and vacuum holes is high enough to provide an air bearing for a substrate, but low enough such that at least one of: (i) a sufficient number of the spacers are employed, and (ii) the spacers are located in close enough proximity, to maintain a substantially uniform flatness of the upper portion relative to the lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas E. Brackley, David Lee Drum, Paul J McCarthy
  • Patent number: 8181348
    Abstract: In one example, a fluid dynamic bearing motor having a shield member is provided. In one example, the method includes disposing a first member and a second member for relative rotation about an axis of rotation. An annular shield member is attached to the first member, the shield member disposed adjacent a fluid reservoir for containing a bearing fluid. The reservoir is filled through an aperture (e.g., a fill hole) in the shield member. Thereafter, the aperture is at least partially sealed. The aperture may be hermetically sealed via one or more laser pulses. In other examples, a two piece shield is provided for shielding a reservoir without a fill hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Troy M. Herndon, James S. Lee, Jeffry A. Leblanc, Robert A. Nottingham, Norbert S. Parsoneault, Thaveesinn Vasavakul, James S. Bowdoin, Christopher M. Woldemar, Jerry J. Weingord
  • Publication number: 20120093446
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes a base plate, a hub, and a bearing unit. The bearing unit includes an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve, a shaft, a radial dynamic pressure groove, and a lubricant agent. In the joined portion of the outer sleeve and the hub, there are formed a recessed portion, which is a binding region, where the outer sleeve and the hub are joined together with a hardening resin present between the outer sleeve and the hub and a tilt preventing portion, provided on both the sides of the recessed portion in the axial direction of the outer, which is a raised region that forms a portion narrower than a gap, between the outer sleeve and the hub, corresponding to the recessed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: ALPHANA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu GOTO, Ryusuke SUGIKI, Akira AOI