US 12,264,704 B2
Foil journal bearing with bump foil configured for self-adjusted radial positioning
Mark R. Gurvich, Middletown, CT (US); Ali Shakil, West Hartford, CT (US); and Viktor Kilchyk, Lancaster, NY (US)
Assigned to HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/186,430.
Prior Publication US 2024/0318684 A1, Sep. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. F16C 17/02 (2006.01); F16C 43/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 17/024 (2013.01) [F16C 43/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A foil journal bearing, comprising:
a shaft;
a top foil surrounding the shaft in a circumferential direction;
a corrugated bump foil surrounding the top foil in the circumferential direction, wherein the corrugated bump foil includes a plurality of adjacent corrugations that each include sidewalls that extend from a radial inner end to a radial outer end of the corrugated bump foil; and
a bearing sleeve surrounding the corrugated bump foil,
wherein:
at least one of the sidewalls of at least one of the corrugations includes an undulation disposed between the outer and inner radial ends of the sidewall; and
the undulation is defined by an undulation outer end and an undulation inner end,
wherein:
the bump foil includes alternating corrugations with sidewall undulations and corrugations without sidewall undulations.