Hydrostatic bearing made of magnetic material which is also used as a motor magnet

Abstract

A permanent magnet motor is provided with a housing, a rotating shaft supported within the housing, and magnetic coils arranged within the housing. A hydrostatic bearing is disposed on the rotating shaft, the hydrostatic bearing having a permanent magnet incorporated therewith that restricts movement of the rotating shaft in a radial direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A permanent magnet motor/generator comprising:
 a housing; 
 a rotating shaft supported within the housing; and 
 a hydrostatic bearing disposed on the rotating shaft and within the housing, the hydrostatic bearing comprising a first face that is a porous permanent magnet and a second face that is coils, 
 wherein the hydrostatic bearing is configured to distribute a pressurized fluid across a back surface of the porous permanent magnet, 
 the porous permanent magnet is configured to issue the pressurized fluid through the back surface to the first face, and  
 the first face and the second face arranged such that movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in a radial direction, whereby the permanent magnet and the coils are configured to generate electricity or create force. 
 
     
     
       2. The permanent magnet motor of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet is porous. 
     
     
       3. The permanent magnet motor of claim  2  1, wherein the first face and second face are separated by a hydrostatic gap. 
     
     
       4. The permanent magnet motor of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrostatic gap has a thickness of a pressurized film created by the pressurized fluid. 
     
     
       5. The permanent magnet motor of  claim 3 , wherein the pressurized fluid removes heat from bearing surfaces of the hydrostatic bearing and from the hydrostatic gap. 
     
     
       6. The permanent magnet motor of  claim 3 , wherein the pressurized fluid provides a force in a direction opposite to a centrifugal force, which attempts to separate the hydrostatic bearing from the rotating shaft during rotation at high speed. 
     
     
       7. The permanent magnet motor of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises a third face and a fourth face that are permanent magnets, the third and fourth face plurality of additional hydrostatic bearings wherein each additional hydrostatic bearing is arranged at opposite ends of the first face such that the movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in the axial direction. 
     
     
       8. A method for making a permanent magnet motor or generator, the method comprising:
 providing a housing with a rotating shaft supported therein; and  
 disposing a hydrostatic bearing on the rotating shaft and within the housing, the hydrostatic bearing comprising a first face that is a porous permanent magnet and a second face that is coils, 
 wherein the hydrostatic bearing is configured to distribute a pressurized fluid across a back surface of the porous permanent magnet, 
 the porous permanent magnet is configured to issue the pressurized fluid through the back surface to the first face, and  
 the first face and the second face arranged such that movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in a radial direction, whereby the porous permanent magnet and the coils are configured to generate electricity or create force. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first face and the second face are separated by a hydrostatic gap. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , where the thickness of the hydrostatic gap is equal to that of a pressurized hydrostatic film maintained by a continuous flow of fluid pumped through the porous permanent magnet. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8  wherein the housing further comprises a third face and a fourth face that are permanent magnets, the third and fourth face a plurality of additional hydrostatic bearings, wherein each additional hydrostatic bearing is arranged at opposite ends of the first face such that the movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in the axial direction. 
     
     
       12. A permanent magnet motor or generator comprising:
 a permanent magnet used as a restrictive element of a hydrostatic bearing;   coils, wherein the hydrostatic bearing works directly between the permanent magnet and the coils and the permanent magnet and coils are configured to generate electricity or create force.   
     
     
       13. A permanent magnet motor or generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the permanent magnet is porous and this porosity is used as the restrictive element and to issue fluid in the hydrostatic bearing. 
     
     
       14. A permanent magnet motor or generator according to  claim 12 , wherein a hydrostatic fluid is used as a mechanism to remove heat from the relative bearing surfaces and hydrostatic gap. 
     
     
       15. A permanent magnet motor or generator according to  claim 12 , wherein pressurized hydrostatic fluid force is used to resist the centrifugal force attempting to separate the bearing elements when there is rotation at high speeds. 
     
     
       16. A permanent magnet motor or generator according to  claim 12  wherein the permanent magnet is used as a restrictive element in both the radial and axial directions. 
     
     
       17. A permanent magnet motor or generator comprising:
 a housing;   a rotating shaft supported within the housing; and   a hydrostatic bearing disposed on the rotating shaft and within the housing, the hydrostatic bearing comprising a first face that is a porous permanent magnet and a second face,   wherein the hydrostatic bearing is configured to distribute a pressurized fluid across a back surface of the porous permanent magnet,   the porous permanent magnet is configured to issue the pressurized fluid through the back surface to the first face, and the first face and the second face arranged such that movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in an axial direction, whereby the first face and the second face are configured to generate electricity or create force.   
     
     
       18. The permanent magnet motor or generator of claim 17, wherein the first face and second face are separated by a hydrostatic gap. 
     
     
       19. The permanent magnet motor or generator of claim 18, wherein the hydrostatic gap has a thickness of a pressurized film created by the pressurized fluid. 
     
     
       20. The permanent magnet motor or generator of claim 19, wherein the pressurized fluid removes heat from bearing surfaces of the hydrostatic bearing and from the hydrostatic gap. 
     
     
       21. The permanent magnet motor or generator of claim 17, wherein the second face is coils. 
     
     
       22. A hydrostatic bearing comprising:
 a housing;   a rotating shaft supported within the housing; and   a hydrostatic bearing disposed on the rotating shaft and within the housing, the hydrostatic bearing comprising a first face and a second face,   wherein the hydrostatic bearing is configured to distribute a pressurized fluid across a back surface of the porous permanent magnet,   the first face is a porous permanent magnet configured to issue the pressurized fluid through the back surface to the first face,   the first face and the second face arranged such that movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in either a radial or axial direction, and   the first face and the second face are separated by a hydrostatic gap created by the pressurized fluid that issues from the first face, wherein the pressurized fluid removes heat the first face and the second face.   
     
     
       23. The hydrostatic bearing of claim 22 wherein the second face is coils. 
     
     
       24. The hydrostatic bearing of claim 23 wherein the first face and the second face arranged such that movement of the rotating shaft is restricted in a radial direction, whereby the permanent magnet and the coils are configured to generate electricity or create force.