Resilient Mounting Member Or Seal Patents (Class 384/119)
  • Patent number: 11892031
    Abstract: A compressor includes a housing, a shaft that is rotated relative to the housing to compress a working fluid, and a foil bearing that supports the shaft. The foil bearing includes a top foil. The foil bearing is a foil gas bearing that is backed up by a ball bearing, or a mesh foil bearing with an actuator to compress a wire mesh dampener. A heat transfer circuit includes a compressor and a working fluid. The compressor includes a shaft that is rotated to compress the working fluid, and a foil bearing for supporting the shaft as it rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Sung Hwa Jeung, Charles Roesler, Donald Lee Hill, Jay H. Johnson, Joseph M. Heger
  • Patent number: 11806518
    Abstract: An implantable blood pump includes a tube including an inner wall, and wherein during operation of the blood pump, the impeller rotates within the tube and a distance between the inner wall of the tube and the thrust bearing decreases as a speed of the impeller increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Michelena, David A. Schafir, Fernando Casas, Mustafa Ertan Taskin
  • Patent number: 11739761
    Abstract: A fluid machine includes a rotary shaft, an operation body configured to discharge fluid by rotation of the rotary shaft, a housing accommodating the rotary shaft and the operation body, and a foil bearing disposed in the housing rotatably supporting the rotary shaft. The foil bearing includes a cylindrical bearing housing, a top foil between the bearing housing and the rotary shaft, and a bump foil between the bearing housing and the top foil and elastically supporting the top foil. The bearing housing has a protrusion protruding inwardly in a radial direction from the bearing housing. The protrusion includes an abutment surface configured to restrict deformation of the bump foil to an elastic range not to reach a plastic range by abutting against the top foil or the bump foil when the top foil is displaced outwardly in the radial direction of the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yuki Okano, Hiroshi Saito, Yuki Endo
  • Patent number: 11673219
    Abstract: A sealing portion on a lower end of a cover portion of a spindle cover has an upper side surface and a lower side surface that are inclined toward an outer circumferential surface of a spindle. A larger-diameter disk and the outer circumferential surface of the spindle define therebetween a second gap that is narrower than a first gap defined between the spindle and the cover portion. The second gap is effective to prevent a processing waste liquid from entering between the spindle and the spindle cover to prevent a solid waste contained in the processing waste liquid from sticking to the spindle. The spindle is thus prevented from becoming less liable to rotate smoothly due to solid waste deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naili Liu
  • Patent number: 11618557
    Abstract: An elastomeric bearing assembly has a centrifugal force bearing axially captured relative to a sliding interface. The sliding interface has one or more low friction regions and one or more high friction regions. One or more piezo actuators are configured to force one or more corresponding high friction regions against the centrifugal force bearing when actuated. The sliding interface may have a circular shape, wherein the one or more low friction regions and the one or more high friction regions are alternating concentric segments of the sliding interface. The one or more high friction regions are recessed on the sliding interface relative to the one or more low friction regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Kenneth Baskin
  • Patent number: 11585375
    Abstract: A damper bearing includes: a bearing portion that supports a rotary shaft; and a tubular portion that is located around an outer circumference of the bearing portion, and has an outer surface attachable to a structural member. The bearing portion can be a hydrostatic bearing that supports the rotary shaft with a predetermined bearing clearance therebetween. The tubular portion includes a plurality of planar slits arranged circumferentially at predetermined intervals in the tubular portion. Each slit extends radially from an open end at the outer surface, and extends circumferentially in an arc to a predetermined point in a region between the outer and inner surfaces. The tubular portion includes a bearing fluid supply hole that is formed in a region where none of the planar slits is situated, and extends from the outer surface of the tubular portion to the bearing portion without passing through any of the planar slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidetsugu Ishimaru, Ryota Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11181141
    Abstract: An air foil bearing includes a bearing housing having a cylindrical shape that forms an accommodation space in a middle thereof for a rotating shaft, rotor, or journal; a first foil including a plurality of bump foils, which are arranged along an inner wall surface of the accommodation space of the bearing housing; and a second foil including a plurality of top foils, which are arranged in a circumferential direction along an inner circumference of the bearing housing to correspond to the plurality of bump foils and to support the rotating shaft, rotor, or journal. A portion of at least one of the plurality of top foils of the second foil is thicker than the other top foils of the plurality of top foils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: HANWIIA POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Tae Wook Lee, Kang Soo Im, Jin Tae Kim, Jong Won Choi
  • Patent number: 10844901
    Abstract: An airfoil journal bearing includes a bearing housing having a hollow portion in which a rotor is disposed, and formed such that width-wise both sides are opened; a bump foil provided at an inner side of the bearing housing and formed in the circumferential direction thereof, and coupled and fixed to the bearing housing; and a top foil provided at an inner side of the bump foil and formed along the circumferential direction thereof, and of which one side is coupled and fixed to the bearing housing. The top foil comprises: an outer top foil, an inner top foil and an intermediate top foil interposed between the outer top foil and the inner top foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: NEUROS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jaeman Lim
  • Patent number: 10774873
    Abstract: A porous gas bearing is disclosed. The porous gas bearing includes a housing having a fluid inlet and an aperture. A porous surface layer is disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction. The porous surface layer is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet. A damping system includes a damping system including a biasing member, the biasing member being disposed in a passageway that extends along the longitudinal direction of the aperture and circumferentially about the aperture, wherein the biasing member is arranged radially outward from the porous surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Sung Hwa Jeung, Jay H. Johnson, Donald Lee Hill, Matthew Cambio
  • Patent number: 10767693
    Abstract: A rotation system (10) containing a housing (11), a shaft (12) rotatable relative to the housing (11), and at least one bearing assembly (51) which has a first region (52) supporting the shaft (12) by a radial gas bearing. An air gap is formed between the bearing assembly (51) and the shaft (12). The first region (52) contains or is formed by a tubular radial bearing bushing (55). An inside of the radial bearing bushing (55) has a bearing surface (66) which supports the shaft (12) in the radial direction. The bearing assembly (51) has a third region (54) which is held by or integrated on or in the housing (11) and a second region (53) connects the first region (52) to the third region (54). The second region (53) is more elastic than the first region (52) due to its shape or the shape of the first region (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: FISCHER ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS AG
    Inventors: Werner Stieger, Rolf Boller, Simon Hager, Roy Studer
  • Patent number: 10100932
    Abstract: A porous media ventless thrust bearing seal is disclosed. The porous media thrust bearing may include a primary porous media thrust bearing also serving as a seal ring including porous media positioned over a plenum and a port connected to the plenum, and conductive passages for communicating pressurized fluid to the plenums through the ports of the primary ring. The porous media ventless thrust bearing may also include a treated process gas supplied to a port which is closest to the untreated process gas, at a pressure which is higher than the untreated process gas. An inert gas (or fluid in a liquid state) may be supplied to the remaining port, at a pressure which is the same as the untreated process gas. A certain amount of treated process gas may flow into the untreated process gas, and may prevent the untreated gas from entering the porous media seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: NEW WAY MACHINE COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Devitt
  • Patent number: 10047794
    Abstract: A rolling bearing (1) for an exhaust gas turbocharger, including an outer race (2) and an inner race (3), between which there roll rolling bodies (4) guided by a cage (7). The cage (7) is then guided with a cage guiding surface (9) on a raceway (10) of the outer race (2) and is equipped with openings (11) which connect the cage guiding surface (9) with that side of the cage (7) oriented toward the inner race (3), in order to guide lubricant thrown off through the inner race (3) between the cage guiding surface (9) and the raceway (10). In order to now improve a lubricant supply to the cage guide, the cage (7) is provided, on the side oriented toward the inner race (3), with at least one groove (12) into which each of the openings (11) opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Heiko Schmidt, Christopher Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9644675
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for sealing a fluid dynamic bearing motor. A first and a second folded fluid channel are shaped for maximizing bearing axial span and establishing angular stiffness, to resist gyroscopic rocking of the facing bearing surfaces. The first folded fluid channel is limited to occupying at least a portion of the same axial space as the bearing. A first and a second fluid sealing system are connected to opposite axial ends of the bearing. The first fluid sealing system forms an active pumping seal to pump fluid during motor rotation. In an aspect, a top cover attached shaft, and a single thrust surface are employed, allowing for a rigid motor structure and power reduction in applications including high rotational speed disc drives. Also, by employing a rigid shaft design, significantly lower amplitude radial vibration responses are exhibited at higher frequencies than prior art motor designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Lynn B. Le, Alan L. Grantz
  • Patent number: 9482277
    Abstract: An air bearing shaft for a cabin air compressor includes a first edge and a second edge, a surface extending between the first edge and the second edge, and chrome plating on the surface between the first edge and the second edge. L1 is a first distance from the first edge of the air bearing shaft to a first end of the chrome plating. L2 is a second distance from the first edge of the air bearing shaft to a second end of the chrome plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Dorman, Peter A. Wierzbowski
  • Patent number: 9429191
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bugra Han Ertas, Adolfo Delgado Marquez, Darren Lee Hallman, Walter John Smith
  • Patent number: 9109622
    Abstract: Rotor support structures including anisotropic foil bearings or anisotropic bearing housings are provided for controlling non-synchronous vibrations of rotating machinery. The rotor support structure comprises a foil bearing adapted to be disposed around a journal of a rotating rotor shaft and a bearing housing disposed around the foil bearing, wherein one of the foil bearing or the bearing housing is configured to be anisotropic. The anisotropic foil bearing and anisotropic bearing housing exhibit a stiffness in a first support direction that varies in magnitude from that in a second support direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first support direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Walter Lee Meacham, Marshall Saville, Alan Margolis
  • Patent number: 9030068
    Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor including: a shaft connected directly or indirectly to a base member and having a depression groove formed in a central portion of an outer peripheral surface thereof; a sleeve rotatably installed on the shaft and having a communication hole formed so as to be connected to the depression groove; and a rotor hub fixedly installed on the sleeve to thereby rotate together therewith, wherein the communication hole is inclined so that lubricating fluid may be easily injected into the depression groove, and the sleeve has a fluid storage part formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, the fluid storage part being connected to the communication hole and temporarily storing the lubricating fluid therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Ha Park
  • Publication number: 20150117802
    Abstract: A device of the axial-directional oil chamber of hydrostatic spindle comprises integrated oil seal structures at both the axial direction and the radial direction. The oil seal structures increase the work area of the oil chamber by extending and thus connecting an axial-directional oil seal edge to a radial-directional oil seal edge. Then, the rigidity of the axial hydrostatic bearing can be increased, and thus the application capability of the hydrostatic spindle can be upgraded to perform the multi-task machining from the mono-task machining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: SHANG-TE CHEN, HSIN-CHUAN SU, YAN-SIN LIAO, HSI-HUNG HSIAO
  • Publication number: 20150117803
    Abstract: An air pressure bearing including a bearing including an outer bearing race and inner bearing race with a bearing gap therebetween, mounted between an outer race support ring and inner race support structure. Pressurized air is monitored, for example air pressure and flow rate, and supplied to the bearing and exhausted from the bearing. A control module is used to adjust characteristics of the pressurized air to achieve design application parameters, such as load carrying, stiffness and dampening. A method of controlling an active air pressure bearing is also described, including providing and monitoring pressurized air and adjusting air supply to meet application design parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Yohannes Haile, Zheng Wang
  • Publication number: 20150104124
    Abstract: A hermetically sealed damper assembly includes a sealed damper housing, a plunger, and a load transferring member coupled to the plunger. The sealed damper housing includes a body having a cavity and a resistive flow path defined therein. The cavity and resistive flow path are filled with a viscous fluid. The body includes a plurality of springs integrally formed therein. The plunger is disposed within the cavity, and separates the cavity into a first control volume and a second control volume. The resistive flow path provides fluid communication between the first and second control volumes. The plunger is coupled to the damper housing by the plurality of springs such that the springs provide a restorative force to the plunger. The load transferring member is configured to transmit mechanical loads to the plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Adolfo Delgado Marquez, Bugra Han Ertas, Darren Lee Hallman, Walter John Smith
  • 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: 9006947
    Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor including: a base part including a base member and a lower thrust member fixedly installed on the base member; a shaft having a lower end portion fixedly installed on the base part; an upper thrust member fixedly installed on an upper end portion of the shaft; a sleeve disposed between the upper and lower thrust members and rotatably installed on the shaft; and a rotor hub fixedly installed on the sleeve to thereby rotate together therewith, wherein the sleeve includes a connection hole formed therein in order to connect an inner diameter portion thereof to an outer peripheral surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Ha Park
  • Patent number: 8979374
    Abstract: A rotating device comprises a hub, a shaft, and a bearing unit. The bearing unit includes a surrounding portion arranged to surround the shaft, and a facing portion arranged to face an end of the shaft. A gap between the shaft and the surrounding portion includes two dynamic pressure generation portions and an intermediate portion arranged between the two dynamic pressure generation portions. The bearing unit further includes a path of a lubricant arranged to connect one side of one dynamic pressure generation portion and the intermediate portion. The shaft and the bearing unit are arranged so that the lubricant pushed out of the other dynamic pressure generation portion towards a gap between the end of the shaft and the facing portion stays in the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushige Konno, Kazuyoshi Nagai, Hiromitsu Goto
  • Patent number: 8973848
    Abstract: An air bearing assembly supporting a turbine driven rotatable motor shaft is provided. The assembly includes a composite cylindrical air bearing having alternating, bonded segmented porous carbon sections and nonporous carbon sections. The composite bearing has a sleeve installed circumferentially therearound. The sleeve has openings therein, therethrough and therearound such that the openings are adjacent the porous carbon sections and are oriented so as to be in longitudinal and circumferential registry with the porous carbon sections. Air passageways deliver supplied air into and through the sleeve openings, thence into and through the porous sections, thereby providing frictionless support for the rotating shaft. The assembly includes “O”-rings installed circumferentially therearound, one at each end of the assembly. A specific embodiment, namely a rotary bell cup atomizer driven by a turbine mounted on a rotatable motor shaft supported by the air bearing assembly, is disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: EFC Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gunnar van der Steur, Joseph Cichocki
  • Patent number: 8967865
    Abstract: A bearing apparatus includes a first cup portion defining a portion of a stationary portion of a bearing apparatus includes a first circular plate portion and a first cylindrical portion projecting downward from an outer edge portion of the first circular plate portion. A rotating portion of the bearing apparatus includes an annular recessed portion arranged to accommodate at least a lower end portion of the first cylindrical portion. The stationary portion includes a second cup portion including a second circular plate portion arranged to extend radially outward from an outer circumferential surface of a stationary shaft below the first cup portion and a second cylindrical portion arranged to project upward from an outer edge portion of the second circular plate portion. One of the first and second cup portions is integral with the stationary shaft defining a single monolithic member, and the other is fixed to the stationary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kimura, Teiichi Hirono, Kunio Sakurada, Kyoko Horise
  • Patent number: 8882446
    Abstract: A bearing system for a rotor in rotating machines, such as compressors, pumps, turbines, expanders, has points of bearing and sealing for the rotor each being in the form of a combined bearing and sealing formed by a stator situated within a rotating machine house and surrounding the rotor. The stator is formed with a bore, whereby an annular clearance is created between stator and rotor, and the bore is having sectional area gradually increasing in the direction of larger pressure within the rotating machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Statoil Petroleum AS
    Inventor: Harald Underbakke
  • Publication number: 20140294329
    Abstract: In order to effect a seal; a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NEW WAY MACHINE COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew DEVITT
  • Patent number: 8845194
    Abstract: A rotary device includes a fixed body including a shaft; a rotary body including a sleeve being configured to surround the shaft through lubricant; and first and second taper seals provided in a space between the fixed body and the rotary body in which gas-liquid interfaces of the lubricant exist, respectively, when the rotary device is operated, the first and taper seals being configured such that a lower limit of a filling ratio of the second taper seal corresponds to a predetermined range of the filling ratio of the first taper seal including its lower limit of the filling ratio, and an upper limit of the filling ratio of the second taper seal corresponds to a predetermined filling ratio of the first taper seal that is larger than an upper limit of the predetermined range and lower than an upper limit of the first taper seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Ryusuke Sugiki
  • Publication number: 20140270603
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bearing sleeve for supporting a shaft of an air cycle machine. The bearing sleeve includes an outer diameter and an inner diameter. The outer diameter is within a range of 3.214 and 3.216 inches. Further included is a foil retaining cavity provided in the inner diameter of the sleeve. The foil retaining cavity includes a slot and first and second openings located at opposing axial ends of the slot. Each of the first and second openings include a small portion and a large portion having different axial lengths. A ratio of the combined axial lengths of the large portions to an axial length of the foil retaining cavity is within a range of 0.19:1 and 0.22:1. Further included is a seal attachment portion provided at one axial end of the bearing sleeve configured to circumferentially support a seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Seth E. Rosen, Ronald M. Struziak
  • Publication number: 20140270604
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bearing sleeve for supporting a shaft of an air cycle machine. The bearing sleeve includes an outer diameter and an inner diameter. The outer diameter is within a range of 3.222 and 3.224 inches. Further included is a foil retaining cavity provided in the inner diameter of the sleeve. The foil retaining cavity includes a slot and first and second openings located at opposing axial ends of the slot. Each of the first and second openings include a small portion and a large portion having different axial lengths. A ratio of the combined axial lengths of the large portions to an axial length of the foil retaining cavity is within a range of 0.19:1 and 0.22:1. Further included is a seal attachment portion provided at one axial end of the bearing sleeve configured to circumferentially support a seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Seth E. Rosen, Ronald M. Struziak
  • Patent number: 8823230
    Abstract: A motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The rotating portion includes a sleeve portion. The sleeve portion includes a communicating hole. A dynamic pressure bearing is defined in a first gap between a shaft portion and the sleeve portion. An upper seal portion and a lower seal portion are arranged radially outward of the dynamic pressure bearing. The upper seal portion and the lower seal portion are arranged in communication with each other through the communicating hole. The communicating hole and a space extending from the upper seal portion to the lower seal portion through the first gap are filled with a lubricating oil. A fixing region where an outer tubular portion and a base portion are fixed to each other is arranged to overlap with the dynamic pressure bearing in a radial direction in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Junya Mizukami, Takayuki Oe, Yoichi Sekii, Naoki Sabashi, Hideki Nishimura, Takehito Tamaoka, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8810095
    Abstract: A dynamic pressure bearing is defined in a first gap between a shaft portion and a sleeve portion. An upper seal portion extending upward and a lower seal portion extending downward are arranged radially outward of the dynamic pressure bearing. Each of the upper seal portion and the lower seal portion includes a surface including a lubricating oil located therein. The upper seal portion and the lower seal portion are arranged in communication with each other through a communicating hole defined in the sleeve portion. The communicating hole and a space ranging from the upper seal portion to the lower seal portion through the first gap are filled with the lubricating oil. The axial distance between the surfaces of the lubricating oil in the upper seal portion and the lower seal portion is arranged to be shorter than the axial distance between an upper end and a lower end of the dynamic pressure bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Junya Mizukami, Takayuki Oe, Yoichi Sekii, Naoki Sabashi, Hideki Nishimura, Takehito Tamaoka, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8810096
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion preferably includes a shaft portion, a lower plate portion, and an outer tubular portion. The rotating portion preferably includes an inner tubular portion and a flange portion including a communicating hole. An upper seal portion is arranged radially outward of a first gap, and a lower seal portion is arranged radially outward of a second gap. The upper and lower seal portions are arranged in communication with each other through the communicating hole. The communicating hole and a space extending from the upper seal portion to the lower seal portion through the first gap, the second gap, and a third gap are filled with a lubricating oil. The third gap includes a dynamic pressure generation portion arranged to produce a radially inward pressure acting on the lubricating oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Junya Mizukami, Takayuki Oe, Yoichi Sekii, Naoki Sabashi, Hideki Nishimura, Takehito Tamaoka, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8794839
    Abstract: A bearing apparatus includes a stationary shaft, a first annular member, and a rotating member. The rotating member includes a first inner circumferential surface arranged opposite to the outer circumferential surface of the stationary shaft, and a second inner circumferential surface arranged opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the first annular member. A lubricating oil is arranged in a gap between a surface of a stationary member and the rotating member. On an upper side of an upper surface of the lubricating oil, the first annular member and the rotating member are arranged radially opposite to each other with a slight gap defined therebetween, so that a labyrinth seal is defined. The labyrinth seal and a fixing range over which the stationary shaft and the first annular member are fixed to each other are arranged to overlap with each other in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kimura, Teiichi Hirono, Kunio Sakurada, Kyoko Horise, Takehito Tamaoka, Kazuhiro Sato, Yoichi Sekii
  • Patent number: 8777488
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor having a permanent magnet; a sleeve rotatably supporting the rotor; fluid provided in a gap between the rotor and the sleeve; a stator having a electromagnet disposed opposite to the permanent magnet to rotate the rotor relative to the stator; and a boss interposed between the sleeve and the stator. In the motor, the sleeve, the stator, and the boss are provided as separate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Gotoh, Atsushi Ohta
  • Patent number: 8746977
    Abstract: Provided is a bearing capable of satisfying demands for cost reduction and further quietness, and stably maintaining high support accuracy. A sliding bearing (4) includes an inner member (5) having a mounting surface (9) with respect to a rotary shaft (2), and an outer member (6) being arranged on a radially outer side of the inner member (5). A radial bearing gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface (5a1) of the inner member (5) and an inner peripheral surface (7a1) of the outer member (6), and a lubricating oil is interposed in the radial bearing gap. Further, between the inner member (5) and the outer member (6), sealing gaps (S, S) for maintaining an oil level of the lubricating oil on both axial sides of the radial bearing gap are formed. At least a part of the mounting surface (9) of the inner member (5) is made of a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Hori, Natsuhiko Mori, Wei Shin Sim
  • Patent number: 8734130
    Abstract: An exemplary anisotropic member supports a semi-floating bearing in a bore and can reduce non-synchronous vibration of the bearing in the bore. An anisotropic member can include an annular body configured to receive a semi-floating bearing and to space the bearing a distance from a bore surface and can be configured to impart anisotropic stiffness and damping terms to the semi-floating bearing when positioned in the bore. Such a member is suitable for use in a rotating assembly for a turbocharger where the bearing may be a semi-floating bearing. Various exemplary members, bearings, housings, assemblies, etc., are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Lee Meacham, Kostandin Gjika, Mohsiul Alam, Gerald D. LaRue
  • Patent number: 8734019
    Abstract: Method, retention mechanism and bearing device for retaining at least one pad inside the bearing device. The bearing device includes a ring having at least a retaining head, at least one pad disposed inside the ring and having a bottom recess portion configured to receive the at least a retaining head, the at least one pad being configured to pivot on the at least a retaining head, and a retention mechanism configured to retain the at least one pad within a predetermined volume inside the ring. The retention mechanism is configured to apply a retaining force on the at least one pad, in addition to a force between the retaining head and the at least one pad, where the retaining force acts substantially along a radial direction of the ring, away from a center of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone S.p.A.
    Inventors: Sergio Palomba, Marco De Iaco, Andrea Masala, Anichini Alessio, Grifoni Francesco
  • Publication number: 20140133789
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a stationary shaft and a sleeve rotatable with respect to the shaft. A fluid dynamic bearing is defined by the stationary shaft and the sleeve. A fluid channel includes a first axially extending portion in the fluid dynamic bearing, and a radially extending portion extending radially outward from the first axially extending portion. In addition the fluid channel includes a second axially extending portion extending axially downward from the radially extending portion. The apparatus further includes a pump seal including grooves formed in the second axially extending portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Lynn B. Le, Alan Lyndon Grantz
  • Patent number: 8690435
    Abstract: A dynamic pressure bearing has a reduced axial dimension and is constructed to ensure smooth feeding of a lubricating oil. The dynamic pressure bearing includes a communicating hole and at least one tapered seal, and is constructed such that an opening angle of one of the at least one tapered seal through which oil feeding is possible is in a range of about 30 degrees inclusive to about 180 degrees exclusive, a tapered seal wall surface depth W1 of the tapered seal is about 0.3 mm or more, and a sum of distances over which the lubricating oil travels from both sides of an end portion of the communicating hole in a cross-section beyond a wall surface of the communicating hole along a wall surface opposite the end portion of the communicating hole exceeds an inside diameter of the communicating hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kimura, Kyoko Horise, Ryota Ogino, Kunio Sakurada, Teiichi Hirono
  • Publication number: 20140072250
    Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a bearing formed to at least radially guide a shaft, a seat for the bearing, an annular gap around the bearing between the bearing and the seat that allows the bearing to undergo a movement perpendicular to an axis of the bearing, a magnetorheological fluid in the gap and a magnetic field source configured to subject the magnetorheological fluid to a magnetic field. Also, a method of controlling a strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source to control a viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid and affect an operating condition of the bearing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Henning Kern, Jochen Lorenscheit, Horst Niedermeyer, Ilim Topaloglu
  • Publication number: 20140056548
    Abstract: A rotary device includes a fixed body including a shaft; a rotary body including a sleeve being configured to surround the shaft through lubricant; and first and second taper seals provided in a space between the fixed body and the rotary body in which gas-liquid interfaces of the lubricant exist, respectively, when the rotary device is operated, the first and taper seals being configured such that a lower limit of a filling ratio of the second taper seal corresponds to a predetermined range of the filling ratio of the first taper seal including its lower limit of the filling ratio, and an upper limit of the filling ratio of the second taper seal corresponds to a predetermined filling ratio of the first taper seal that is larger than an upper limit of the predetermined range and lower than an upper limit of the first taper seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Ryusuke Sugiki
  • Patent number: 8618706
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotatable component rotatable relative to a stationary component, a fluid operable to flow between the rotatable and stationary component, and a capillary sealing component. The capillary sealing component provides a capillary seal and includes at least one tapered slot configured to pump the fluid between the rotatable and stationary components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Alan L. Grantz, Lynn B. Le, Klaus Kloeppel
  • Patent number: 8568033
    Abstract: In a bearing apparatus, a first cup portion defining a portion of a stationary portion of a bearing apparatus includes a circular plate portion and a cylindrical portion projecting downward from an outer edge portion of the circular plate portion. A rotating portion of the bearing apparatus includes an annular recessed portion arranged to accommodate at least a lower end portion of the cylindrical portion. Accordingly, it is possible to limit the axial dimension of the bearing apparatus while also enabling a radial dynamic pressure groove array. Additionally, one end of a through hole defined in the rotating portion is arranged to open into the annular recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kimura, Teiichi Hirono, Kunio Sakurada, Kyoko Horise
  • Patent number: 8562221
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spindle motor including: a shaft; a sleeve supporting the shaft; a hub including the shaft coupled to the center of rotation thereof; a sealing member including an operating fluid provided between the shaft and the sleeve and formed to be spaced apart from an outer peripheral surface of the sleeve; an oil sealing part including an oil interface formed between an inner peripheral surface of the sealing member and the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve facing each other, and a sealing surface layer formed on an outer side of the oil interface. The sealing surface layer is formed from an inner side of the oil interface formed in the oil sealing part of a fluid dynamic pressure bearing part toward the outer side thereof, thereby making it possible to improve an oil sealing effect in the oil interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ju Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8562220
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing system having a first conical bearing and a second conical bearing working in opposition to the first conical bearing, wherein the two conical bearings are disposed along a stationary shaft, wherein the first and the second conical bearing each comprises a bearing cone disposed on the shaft having bearing surfaces as well as a conical counter bearing disposed in a rotor component that are separated from one another by a bearing gap filled with a bearing fluid, wherein the bearing gap has a first open end that is sealed by a first sealing gap partially filled with bearing fluid, wherein the bearing fluid in the sealing gap forms a fluid meniscus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Efinger, Matthias Bosnjak
  • Patent number: 8454239
    Abstract: A first axial gap (L1) is formed between a seal portion (9) and a sleeve portion (8). With this, it is possible to set a moving amount of a shaft member (2) in an axial direction with high accuracy irrespective of accuracy of members such as the sleeve portion (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kimihiko Bitou, Isao Komori, Tetsuya Kurimura
  • Patent number: 8449190
    Abstract: An turbocharger assembly can include a compressor side ring disposed at least partially in a compressor side annular notch of a bearing, the ring in contact with a bore wall of a housing and the bearing to hinder axial flow of lubricant to a compressor end of the bearing and to reduce variation in a lubricant squeeze film thickness defined by and between the bearing and the bore wall and a turbine side ring disposed at least partially in a turbine side annular notch, the ring in contact with the bore wall and the bearing to hinder axial flow of lubricant to the turbine end of the bearing and to reduce variation in the lubricant squeeze film thickness. Various other springs, bearings, housings, assemblies, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald D. Larue
  • Publication number: 20130119801
    Abstract: There is provided a bearing assembly including: a sleeve supporting a rotation of a shaft via dynamic fluid pressure generated in oil interposed therebetween; a boss rotating together with the shaft; and a sealing part including an oil sealing part disposed above the sleeve to seal the oil between the oil sealing part and the shaft and a gap forming part extended upwardly in an axial direction from the oil sealing part to form a gap preventing a leakage of the oil between the gap forming part and the boss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Viatcheslav SMIRNOV, Chang Keun Jun, Duck Shik Kim
  • Patent number: 8419281
    Abstract: An inner periphery of a molded part having a step from an inner periphery of an electroformed part is molded to a nonconductive coating which covers the surface of a master. When the nonconductive coating is removed, a radial clearance having a diameter greater than that of a bearing clearance is created between the inner periphery of the molded part, which is exposed to the interior, and an outer periphery of a shaft member. A bearing member which forms the bearing and radial clearance with the shaft member is manufactured by performing electroforming on the master with the nonconductive coating formed on part of the surface of the master, thereby forming the electroformed part; then injection molding the bearing member with the electroformed part and the nonconductive coating on the surface of the master inserted into a cavity; and then removing the nonconductive coating from the bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hibi, Yasuhiro Yamamoto, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Mitsuo Sasabe