Bidirectional hydrodynamic thrust bearing
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United States of America Patent
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N/A
Issued Date -
Jul 12, 2007
app pub date -
Dec 14, 2006
filing date -
Jan 11, 2006
priority date (Note) -
Abandoned
status (Latency Note)
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Abstract
A thrust bearing assembly including a flexible thrust washer sandwiched between first and second races. The thrust washer includes notches between adjacent support regions. When a thrust load is applied to the bearing assembly, the thrust washer elastically flexes at the notched or unsupported regions and creates undulations in the washer's dynamic surface to create an initial hydrodynamic fluid wedge with respect to the corresponding dynamic surface of the second race. The gradually converging geometry created by these undulations promotes a strong hydrodynamic action that wedges a lubricant film of a predictable magnitude into the dynamic interface between the thrust washer and the second race in response to relative rotation. This lubricant film physically separates the dynamic surfaces of the thrust washer and second race from each other, thus minimizing asperity contact, and reducing friction, wear and bearing-generated heat, while permitting operation at higher load and speed combinations.
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