Patent ID: 8602653
Filing Date: 2013-12-10
Classification: B23Q,F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A foil thrust bearing comprising a plurality of generally planar top foils overlying a like number of coextensive bump foils, supported by a generally disc-like thrust plate with a center and a circumference; the top foils being substantially equally-spaced apart with gaps therebetween and at a substantially equal radial distance from the center of the thrust plate; the top foils having the form of an annular arc, and being bounded on an outer edge by the circumference of an outer circle and on an inner edge by the circumference of an inner circle, both circles being centered on the thrust plate center; the top foils being further bounded by a free end and a secured end, each of the free and secured ends encompassing a portion of a radial line passing through the thrust plate center; the bump foils similarly having an inner edge, an outer edge, a free end and a secured end; the bump foils further comprising a plurality of circumferentially oriented, spaced apart tabs and separated by slots extending from the free end of the bump foil a portion of the distance to the secured end; the bump foil tabs comprising a plurality of substantially parallel ridges separated by flats, the ridges and flats being oriented generally parallel to the secured edge; each of the ridges having a peak with a height and each of the flats having a centerline oriented generally parallel to the ridges; and the top foils and the bump foils being secured to the thrust plate at their respective secured ends, wherein the bearing is split along a line passing through the center of the thrust plate and through gaps between adjacent thrust foils to form a first thrust plate portion with a first edge comprising some number of the bump and top foils of the bearing and a second thrust plate portion with a second edge comprising the remainder of the bump and top foils of the bearing.