The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 07, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2001
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
To provide a hydrodynamic bearing, small in size and light in weight, and yet simple in structure and inexpensive in cost, which can exhibits a sufficient rigidity. The bearing is structured so as to comprise a radial bearing portion including a groove capable of introducing fluid such as air, and a thrust bearing portion whose one end is connected with the radial bearing portion and whose other end is open to the outside, whereas the structure guides a fluid introduced at the radial bearing portion to the thrust bearing portion and utilizes a pressure at the thrust bearing portion, thereby obtaining a stable thrust force without separately disposing a thrust hydrodynamic pressure generating mechanism. The fluid introduced to the thrust bearing portion is thereafter discharged through an opening linked with outside. The surface area size of the groove is preferably 40% or less to the surface area size of the radial bearing portion as a whole, and the number of such grooves is preferably six or smaller. Where the shape of the groove is an asymmetric shape that the depth is deep in an upstream portion of an airflow but shallow in a downstream portion (aft side), the radial bearing portion and the thrust bearing portion are improved in rigidity.