US 12,326,171 B2
Journal foil bearing system with top foil insert member
Raphael Hettinger, La Baffe (FR); Romain Guillot, Thaon les Vosges (FR); Alexandre Wirtzler, Thaon les Vosges (FR); Scott Aguilar, La Crescenta, CA (US); and Cedric Karwat, Nancy (FR)
Assigned to GARRETT TRANSPORTATION I INC., Torrance, CA (US)
Filed by Garrett Transportation I Inc., Torrance, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/174,735.
Prior Publication US 2024/0288032 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. F16C 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 17/024 (2013.01) [F16C 2226/36 (2013.01); F16C 2226/40 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A foil bearing system comprising:
a journal member with a bore and an internal groove within the bore, the internal groove being defined by an internal surface;
a shaft received within the bore;
a foil arrangement that supports the shaft for rotation relative to the journal member about an axis, the internal groove extending substantially along the axis, the foil arrangement including at least one biasing foil and a top foil insert member;
the at least one biasing foil being received between the journal member and the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the axis;
the top foil insert member including a top foil and a spine insert;
the top foil including an arcuate portion that is disposed between the at least one biasing foil and the shaft in the radial direction and that extends in a circumferential direction about the axis, the top foil including an end and another end that extend from the arcuate portion; and
the spine insert received within the internal groove, the spine insert including a divider body that is disposed between the end and the other end to separate the end and the other end, the divider body of the spine insert being fixedly attached to the end of the top foil, the spine insert including an abutment member that extends from the divider body, the abutment member configured to abut against the internal surface.
 
11. A method of manufacturing a foil bearing system comprising:
providing a journal member with a bore and an internal groove within the bore, the internal groove being defined by an internal surface;
supporting, with a foil arrangement, a shaft for rotation within the bore relative to the journal member about an axis, the internal groove extending substantially along the axis, the foil arrangement including at least one biasing foil and a top foil insert member, the top foil insert member including a top foil and a spine insert, the top foil including an arcuate portion and an end and another end that extend from the arcuate portion, the spine insert including a divider body that is disposed between the end and the other end to separate the end and the other end, the divider body of the spine insert being fixedly attached to the end of the top foil, including:
disposing the at least one biasing foil between the journal member and the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the axis;
disposing the arcuate portion of the top foil between the at least one biasing foil and the shaft in the radial direction; and
disposing the spine insert within the internal groove.
 
17. A foil bearing system comprising:
a journal member with a bore and an internal groove within the bore, the internal groove extending along a groove longitudinal axis;
a shaft received within the bore;
a foil arrangement that supports the shaft for rotation relative to the journal member about an axis, the internal groove extending substantially along the axis, the foil arrangement including at least one biasing foil and a top foil insert member;
the at least one biasing foil being received between the journal member and the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the axis;
the top foil insert member including a top foil and a spine insert;
the top foil including an arcuate portion that is disposed between the at least one biasing foil and the shaft in the radial direction and that extends in a circumferential direction about the axis, the top foil including an end that extends from the arcuate portion; and
the spine insert being elongate and received within the internal groove to extend along the groove longitudinal axis, the spine insert having a one-way fit within the internal groove, the spine insert fixedly attached to the end of the top foil.