Patent ID: 8611390

Claim:
A device comprising: a gas laser; and a fan coupled to the gas laser and configured to circulate gas in the gas laser, wherein the fan comprises: a shaft; a radial bearing comprising: a stationary radial gas bearing face; and a rotating radial gas bearing face comprising an axially offset fish-bone groove pattern comprising a first groove region and a second groove region separated by a radially central intermediate region devoid of grooves wherein, with reference to the radially central intermediate region devoid of grooves: (a) the distal groove depth of a groove in the first groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern exceeds the proximal groove depth of the groove in the first groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern, or (b) the distal groove depth of a groove in the second groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern exceeds the proximal groove depth of the groove in the second groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern, or (c) the distal groove depth of a groove in the first groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern exceeds the proximal groove depth of the groove in the first groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern and the distal groove depth of a groove in the second groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern exceeds the proximal groove depth of the groove in the second groove region of the axially offset fish-bone groove pattern; and an axial gas bearing, wherein the axial gas bearing comprises: two or more stationary axial gas bearing faces; two or more rotating axial gas bearing faces, at least one of which is structured with a groove pattern; and a plate, wherein at least two of the two or more stationary axial gas bearing faces are arranged at opposite sides of the plate, wherein the shaft is supported by the radial bearing and the axial gas bearing.