Compliant foil fluid film radial bearing

Abstract

A multi-segment radial bearing including a bushing with an interior bore having a plurality of anti-rotation retainers which are equally spaced and extend the axial length of the interior bore. The generally T-shaped retainers divide the interior bore of the bushing into a like plurality of lobes, with each lobe having a compliant foil and a foil underspring disposed between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.

1. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:
 a bushing having an interior bore including a plurality of equally spaced generally T-shaped retainers axially extending in said interior bore and a like plurality of lobes between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers;  
 a shaft rotatably supported within said interior bore of said bushing;  
 a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers; and  
 a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers.  
 
     
     
       2. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 1  wherein said interior bore is cylindrical and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings beneath said individual complaint foils establish a converging wedge between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers. 
     
     
       3. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 1  wherein said interior bore is non-cylindrical, generally contoured lobes are formed between adjacent generally T-shaped retainers, and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings generally conform to the shape of said contoured lobes to establish a converging wedge. 
     
     
       4. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:
 a bushing having a cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of equally spaced retainers axially extending into said interior bore and a like plurality of arc segments between adjacent retainers;  
 a shaft rotatably supported within said interior bore of said bushing;  
 a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing in each arc segment between adjacent retainers; and  
 a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils in each arc segment between adjacent retainers, the radial height of said foil undersprings increasing form its leading edge to its trailing edge to establish a converging wedge on the surface of said compliant foil facing said shaft.  
 
     
     
       5. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 4  wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped. 
     
     
       6. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 5  wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical. 
     
     
       7. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 5  wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are asymmetrical. 
     
     
       8. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 7  wherein said generally T-shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge. 
     
     
       9. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 4  wherein the radial stiffness of said foil undersprings increases form its leading edge to its trailing edge. 
     
     
       10. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 9  wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic. 
     
     
       11. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 9  wherein said retainers are generally T-shaped. 
     
     
       12. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 9  wherein said bearing is hydrostatic. 
     
     
       13. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:
 a bushing having a non-cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of equally spaced retainers axially extending into said interior bore and a like plurality of contoured lobes between adjacent retainers;  
 a shaft rotatably supported within said interior bore of said bushing;  
 a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing in each contoured lobe between adjacent retainers; and  
 a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils in each contoured lobe between adjacent retainers, the contour of each lobe between adjacent retainers establishing a converging wedge on the surface of said compliant foil facing said shaft.  
 
     
     
       14. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim  13   56  wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical. 
     
     
       15. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim  14   16  wherein said generally T-shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge. 
     
     
       16. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim  13   56  wherein said generally T-shaped retainers are symmetrical asymmetrical. 
     
     
       17. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of claim  13   56  wherein said generally T-shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing. 
     
     
       18. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 13  and in addition means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing. 
     
     
       19. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:
   a bushing having an interior bore including a plurality of generally T - shaped retainers axially extending in said interior bore;        a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent generally T - shaped retainers; and        a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent generally T - shaped retainers.     
     
     
       20. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 19  wherein said interior bore is cylindrical and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings beneath said individual compliant foils establish a converging wedge between adjacent generally T- shaped retainers.   
     
     
       21. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 19  wherein said interior bore is non- cylindrical, generally contoured lobes are formed between adjacent generally T - shaped retainers, and said individual compliant foils and said individual foil undersprings generally conform to the shape of said contoured lobes to establish a converging wedge.   
     
     
       22. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 19  wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic. 
     
     
       23. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 19  wherein said bearing is hydrostatic. 
     
     
       24. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 19  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.   
     
     
       25. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 19  further comprising:
   means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.     
     
     
       26. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 13  wherein said retainers are generally T- shaped retainers.   
     
     
       27. A compliant foil fluid film radial bearing comprising:
   a bushing having a cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of retainers axially extending into said interior bore;        a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent retainers; and        a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent retainers, the radial height of said foil undersprings increasing from its leading edge to its trailing edge to establish a converging wedge of said compliant foil.     
     
     
       28. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 27  wherein said retainers are generally T- shaped.   
     
     
       29. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 28  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers are asymmetrical.   
     
     
       30. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 29  wherein said generally T- shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge.   
     
     
       31. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 28  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers are symmetrical.   
     
     
       32. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 28  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.   
     
     
       33. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 27  wherein the radial stiffness of said foil undersprings increases from its leading edge to its trailing edge. 
     
     
       34. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 33  wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic. 
     
     
       35. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 33  wherein said bearing is hydrostatic. 
     
     
       36. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 27  further comprising:
   means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.     
     
     
       37. A compliant foil fluid radial bearing comprising:
   a bushing having a non - cylindrical interior bore including a plurality of retainers axially extending into said interior bore;        a plurality of compliant foils, with an individual compliant foil disposed in said interior bore of said bushing between adjacent retainers; and        a plurality of foil undersprings, with an underspring disposed beneath each of said compliant foils between adjacent retainers, the contour of the interior bore between adjacent retainers establishing a converging wedge on the surface of said compliant foil.     
     
     
       38. The compliant foil fluid radial bearing of  claim 37  wherein said retainers are generally T- shaped.   
     
     
       39. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 38  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers are asymmetrical.   
     
     
       40. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 39  wherein said generally T- shaped asymmetrical retainers have a crosspiece with a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the leading edge thicker than the trailing edge.   
     
     
       41. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 38  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers are symmetrical.   
     
     
       42. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 38  wherein said bearing is hydrostatic. 
     
     
       43. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 38  wherein said generally T- shaped retainers include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing.   
     
     
       44. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 38  wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic. 
     
     
       45. The compliant foil fluid film radial bearing of  claim 37  further comprising:
   means to provide cooling flow axially into said interior bore of said bushing.     
     
     
       46. A radial bearing bushing comprising:
   a bushing having an interior bore;        one or more retainer bases axially extending into the interior bore;        one or more leading edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil; and        one or more trailing edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil.     
     
     
       47. The radial bearing of  claim 46  wherein the interior bore is cylindrical. 
     
     
       48. The radial bearing of  claim 46  wherein the interior bore is non- cylindrical.   
     
     
       49. The radial bearing of  claim 46  wherein one or more of the one or more retainer bases include radial openings to provide cooling flow to said interior bore of said bushing. 
     
     
       50. A compliant foil radial bearing comprising:
   a bushing having an interior bore including one or more retainer bases axially extending into the interior bore;        one or more compliant foils;        one or more leading edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil trailing edge;        one or more tailing edges attached to each of the one or more retainer bases for retaining a compliant foil leading edge; and        one or more foil undersprings, each underspring disposed beneath a compliant foil.     
     
     
       51. The compliant foil radial bearing of  claim 50  wherein the interior bore in non- cylindrical, generally contoured lobes are formed between adjacent retainer bases, and an individual compliant foil and underspring beneath the individual compliant foil generally conform to the shape of a contoured lobe to establish a converging wedge.   
     
     
       52. The compliant foil radial bearing of  claim 50  wherein said bearing is hydrodynamic. 
     
     
       53. The compliant foil radial bearing of  claim 50  wherein said bearing is hydrostatic. 
     
     
       54. The compliant foil radial bearing of  claim 50  wherein the one or more retainer bases include radial openings to provide cooling flow to the interior bore of said bushing. 
     
     
       55. The compliant foil radial bearing of  claim 50  further comprising:
   means to provide cooling flow axially into the interior bore of the bushing.     
     
     
       56. The compliant foil radial bearing of  claim 50  wherein the interior bore is cylindrical and an individual compliant foil and underspring beneath the individual compliant foil form a converging wedge.