Air bearing shaft assembly with surface layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019316632-A1
Application number	US-201815952748-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2018
Publication date	Oct 17, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example embodiment of an air bearing assembly includes a first member and a shaft with a flange configured to rotate with respect to the first member. The first member has a first coating on at least one first surface facing at least one second surface on the flange or the shaft. The first coating includes tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof. At least one of the second surfaces has a second coating on a surface facing the first coating.

First claim

1 . An air bearing assembly, comprising:
a journal; and a shaft configured to rotate with respect to the journal; a flange connected to and extending from an end of the shaft; wherein the journal has a first coating disposed on a first surface facing a second surface on the shaft, the first coating comprising tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof; and wherein the second surface has a second coating disposed on a surface that faces the first coating, the second coating comprising tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coating can withstand an operating temperature above 550° F. (about 288° C.).

4 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coating can withstand an operating temperature above 750° F. (about 400° C.).

5 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coating has a thickness greater than about 0.00004 inches (1 micron) and less than about 0.002 inches (50 microns).

6 . (canceled)

7 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second coating has a hardness of 600 Vickers or greater according to a Vickers microindentation hardness test per ASTM E384.

8 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second coating has a thickness less than about 0.002 inches (50 microns).

9 . (canceled)

10 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the self-lubricating coating is selected from a group consisting of: diamond-like carbon (DLC), WS 2 , WSi 2 , AgO, Ag, BN, MoS 2 , and combinations thereof.

11 . The air bearing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second member disposed on a side of the flange opposite the journal, wherein the second member has a third coating on a third surface facing the flange, the third coating comprising tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof.

12 . A method of making an air bearing assembly, the method comprising:
providing a journal and a shaft with a flange configured to rotate with respect to the journal; applying a first coating to a first surface of the journal, wherein the first surface of the journal faces the shaft, wherein the first coating comprises tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof; applying a second coating to a second surface of the shaft, wherein the second surface faces the first surface; and assembling the journal to the shaft to form the air bearing assembly.

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first coating is applied to the journal by one of chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first coating comprises tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the self-lubricating coating is selected from a group consisting of: diamond-like carbon (DLC), WS 2 , WSi 2 , AgO, Ag, BN, MoS 2 , and combinations thereof.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first coating is greater than about 0.00004 inches (1 micron) thick.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second coating comprises tungsten carbide, a nonpolymeric self-lubricating coating, or a combination thereof.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first coating can withstand an operating temperature above 550° F. (about 288° C.).

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Poteet Steven
• Smith Blair A
• Rankin Kevin M
• Fiske William R

Classifications

• F16C2202/04

  Hardness · CPC title

• F16C17/042 Primary

  with flexible leaves to create hydrodynamic wedge, e.g. axial foil bearings · CPC title

• F16C2223/30

  Coating surfaces · CPC title

• F16C2360/23

  Gas turbine engines · CPC title

• F16C2223/60

  by vapour deposition, e.g. PVD, CVD · CPC title