Patent ID: 7056025

Claim:
A foil bearing, comprising: a stationary mount member surrounding an outer circumferential surface of a journal of a rotating member via an annular gap; a plurality of centripetal force producing foils arranged in the annular gap so as to oppose a substantially entire part of the outer circumferential surface of the journal; and a sheet-shaped foil placed between the outer circumferential surface of the journal and the plurality of the centripetal force producing foils and having one end secured to an inner side of the stationary mount member and the other end extending substantially in a cylindrical shape to wrap around the journal, wherein the stationary mount member is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged through-holes at an axially middle portion thereof, and wherein the centripetal force producing foils comprise members which are axially spaced apart from each other at a position where the through-holes are located whereby when the rotating member rotates, an air supplied through the through-holes of the stationary mount member flows through a space between the axially spaced-apart members of the centripetal force producing foils to hit against an outer surface of the sheet-shaped foil.