Patent ID: 6428211
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: F16C

Abstract:
A hydrodynamic gas bearing structure comprising:a hollow bearing body with a hollow inner space therein bounded by an inner peripheral surface, and a columnar shaft body bounded by an outer peripheral surface, wherein said columnar shaft body and said hollow bearing body are arranged coaxially with respect to a central axis, with at least a portion of said columnar shaft body arranged within at least a portion of said hollow inner space of said hollow bearing body so that said inner peripheral surface of said hollow bearing body surrounds and is opposed to said outer peripheral surface of said columnar shaft body with a radial gap therebetween in an axial overlapping region, wherein a first one of said columnar shaft body and said hollow bearing body has a cross-sectional shape on a section plane perpendicular to said central axis, wherein said cross-sectional shape is defined as a convex polygon shape having at least ten major side faces and at least ten vertexes respectively between adjoining ones of said major side faces on said outer peripheral surface of said columnar shaft body or on said inner peripheral surface of said hollow bearing body respectively, and wherein said radial gap defines an almost cylindrical space extending circumferentially around said outer peripheral surface and bounded between said outer peripheral surface and said inner peripheral surface.