Patent ID: 6702463
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: F16C

Abstract:
A compliant foil fluid film thrust bearing comprising:a thrust disk rotatably supported by a non-rotating thrust bearing surface; and a compliant foil thrust bearing operably disposed between said rotatable thrust disk and said non-rotating thrust bearing surface and mounted on said thrust bearing surface, said compliant foil thrust bearing including a compliant foil member and an underspring member, said underspring member mounted on said thrust bearing surface and disposed between said thrust bearing surface and said compliant foil member, said underspring member including means to provide variable spring stiffness to said annular compliant foil member in both the circumferential and radial directions; said underspring member includes three underspring elements, and further comprises: a support element having a plurality of shaped supports disposed within an annular outer ring mounted adjacent said non-rotating thrust bearing surface, a plate element having an annular plate ring disposed within an annular outer ring, said annular outer ring coextensive with the annular outer ring of said support element, and mounted next to said support element with the annular plate ring disposed over said plurality of shaped supports, and an anvil element having a plurality of shaped anvils disposed with an annular outer ring, said annular outer ring coextensive with the annular outer rings of said support element and said plate element, and mounted next to said plate element with said plurality of anvils disposed over said annular plate ring generally between adjacent shaped supports on the opposite side of said annular plate ring.