Patent ID: 8073098
Filing Date: 2011-12-06
Classification: F16C

Abstract:
1. An air bearing to support a body, comprising: a rotor having a circularly curved radial rotor bearing surface proceeding along a circumferential direction of the rotor; a stator having at least one radial stator bearing surface proceeding partially adjacent to the rotor in the circumferential direction, said radial stator bearing surface being curved according to a profile following the circumferential direction of the rotor and defining an air gap between the stator bearing surface and the radial rotor bearing surface that supports the rotor with an air current in the air gap; and said profile being configured to shape said air gap to give a second region of the radial stator bearing surface a smaller thickness, measured radially, in comparison to a first region of the radial stator bearing surface along the circumferential direction, at a starting temperature that deviates from an operating temperature.