Patent ID: 6544403
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: B23H,F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a fluid bearing, in which a fluid bearing manufacturing tool is inserted into a hole created in a work piece and electrolytic solution is allowed to flow between the manufacturing tool and the work piece, and a power source for electrolytic machining is connected between the manufacturing tool and the work piece, to form fluid bearing grooves on an inner surface of the work piece through electrolytic machining, the method comprising the steps of:affixing a mask member with at least two grove sets, each of the two groove sets consisting of a plurality of grooves in a shape corresponding to the fluid bearing grooves, in at least two places along an axial direction on an outer surface of an electrode section of the manufacturing tool to which the power source for electrolytic machining is connected; flowing the electrolytic solution into the plurality of grooves of the two groove sets in the mask member; and forming fluid bearing grooves simultaneously at two places along the axial direction on the inner surface of the work piece facing the two groove sets; and wherein: the fluid bearing manufacturing tool is comprised of a main body which is made of an electrode part; the mask member provided with at least two groove sets is tightly interposed between the work piece and the electrode part of the manufacturing tool in such a manner that the work piece and the electrode part are directly opposed to each other only in positions of the plurality of grooves provided with the mask member; and the main body of the manufacturing tool has a solution passage to allow the electrolytic solution to flow to the respective grooves and the electrolytic solution performs an electrolytic action only in the shape of the plurality of grooves.