Patent ID: 11905949
Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 7:
8. An axially-movable bearing comprising:
a body defining a through-bore extending along a longitudinal axis between a first axial end and a second axial end of the body, the through-bore having a portion at the first axial end that is configured to be exposed to a pump inlet pressure;
an axial end face disposed at the first axial end, the axial end face extending radially outwardly from the through-bore toward an outer circumference of the axial end face, the axial end face defining a first circumferential groove, the first circumferential groove dividing the axial end face into an inner region extending radially between the first circumferential groove and the through-bore and an outer region extending radially between the first circumferential groove and the outer circumference, the outer region being configured to be exposed to a pump discharge pressure, the first circumferential groove being in fluid communication with the pump discharge pressure such that a radial pressure gradient across the outer region is reduced, the inner region having a pressure gradient between the pump discharge pressure at the first circumferential groove and the pump inlet pressure at the through-bore; and
an outer circumferential portion extending axially between the first and second axial ends, the outer circumferential portion defining an outer circumferential boundary that extends axially between the first and second axial ends, the outer circumferential portion including an outer land having a first dimension that extends circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and a second dimension that extends axially along the longitudinal axis, the outer circumferential portion defining a drum portion disposed axially between the outer land and the second axial end, the drum portion being configured to be exposed to the pump discharge pressure, the second dimension of the outer land extending between the drum portion and the first axial end of the axially-movable bearing, the outer land defining a second circumferential groove extending circumferentially along the outer land to divide the outer land into a first axial region adjacent the drum portion and a second axial region adjacent the first axial end, the second circumferential groove being in direct fluid communication with the drum portion to reduce a pressure gradient across the first axial region; and
wherein the first and second circumferential grooves each extend over less than a full circumference of the axially-movable bearing, and wherein the first and second circumferential grooves are circumferentially offset from one another and positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.