STEPPED FOIL JOURNAL FOIL BEARING

摘要

A compliant foil bearing disposed between shaft (12) and bushing member, and including a plurality of circumferentially arranged and overlapping foil elements (20) mounted to said bushing member and having a thickness, each foil element having a radially inwardly disposed surface portion confronting said shaft member and defining therewith in operation of said bearing a variable radial spacing dimension, each foil element (20) with a next adjacent foil element overlappingly defining a circumferentially extending gap of radial spacing dimension discontinuity according to said thickness; a like plurality of circumferentially arranged underspring elements (22) also mounted to said bushing member; and means for decreasing the circumferential extend of said gap.