A thrust foil bearing includes: a base plate provided with an insertion hole through which a shaft is inserted; and a top foil disposed around the insertion hole, wherein the top foil includes a plurality of top foil pieces arranged in a multiple ring shape around the insertion hole.

An air turbine starter that includes a turbine member for rotatably extracting mechanical power from a flow of fluid, where the turbine member is coupled to a drive shaft to provide a rotational output. The air turbine starter further includes a foil-air bearing assembly and a thrust bearing that rotatably support the drive shaft.

A thrust foil bearing of this disclosure includes: a base plate provided with an insertion hole through which a rotation shaft is inserted; a corrugated bump foil placed around the insertion hole and supported by the base plate; and a top foil which is supported by the bump foil, and in which one side in a circumferential direction of the insertion hole is attached to the base plate and the other side in the circumferential direction of the insertion hole is a free end, and in the thrust foil bearing, a bent portion which is bent toward the base plate is formed on the other side of the top foil in the circumferential direction.

An air turbine starter that includes a turbine member for rotatably extracting mechanical power from a flow of fluid, where the turbine member is coupled to a drive shaft to provide a rotational output. The air turbine starter further includes a foil-air bearing assembly and a thrust bearing that rotatably support the drive shaft.

Provided is a bearing structure for a turbocharger including a turbine and a compressor provided at both ends of a rotation shaft and supporting the rotation shaft to a housing, including: a first radial bearing of an oil lubrication type provided on the side of the turbine of the rotation shaft; a second radial bearing corresponding to an air bearing provided on the side of the compressor of the rotation shaft; a gas seal portion provided in the periphery of the rotation shaft between the first radial bearing and the turbine; and a thrust bearing corresponding to an air bearing provided on the side of the compressor of the rotation shaft.

Disclosed herein is an air foil bearing capable of adjusting stiffness of single bumps by varying widths of the single bumps. Since the bumps have the same height in an initial stage, a wedging effect is implemented only when a load is applied thereto by an oil film. Therefore, the air foil bearing is advantageous in terms of height management thereof. In addition, it is possible to stably dampen shocks applied in the direction of rotation of a rotor, to improve a support capability, and to reduce shocks due to damping. Therefore, it is possible to enhance durability of the air foil bearing.

A hydrostatic seal and rotor assembly includes a rotor having a rotor rotational direction about a rotor central axis, and a hydrostatic seal assembly including a seal support, a seal shoe configured for sealing between the seal shoe and the rotor, and one or more seal beams operably connecting the seal shoe to the seal support. The one or more seal beams are configured as spring elements integral with the seal shoe to allow radial movement of the seal shoe relative to the seal support. The seal shoe is circumferentially cantilevered from a fixed end to a free end opposite the fixed end. The fixed end is located circumferentially upstream of the free end relative to the rotor rotational direction.

A thrust bearing arrangement includes a top plate extending about a rotation axis, a thrust plate extending about the rotation axis and axially offset from the top foil plate, and a bump plate. The thrust plate is orthogonal relative to the rotation axis. The bump foil plate extends about the rotation axis, is axially offset from the thrust plate, and has an annular portion and two or more bump plate foil portions. The annular portion of the bump plate is circumferentially interrupted by the bump plate foil portions of the bump plate. Rotating machines and methods of making thrust bearing arrangements for rotating machines are also described.

A thrust bearing arrangement includes a top plate extending about a rotation axis, a thrust plate extending about the rotation axis and axially offset from the top foil plate, and a bump plate. The thrust plate is orthogonal relative to the rotation axis. The bump foil plate extends about the rotation axis, is axially offset from the thrust plate, and has an annular portion and two or more bump plate foil portions. The annular portion of the bump plate is circumferentially interrupted by the bump plate foil portions of the bump plate. Rotating machines and methods of making thrust bearing arrangements for rotating machines are also described.

A vehicle air compressor including a shaft provided with an impeller disposed at one side thereof and a runner disposed at the other side thereof, a motor configured to rotate the shaft, a trust bearing which supports the shaft in a longitudinal direction of the shaft and of which a surface is disposed adjacent to a surface of the runner, wherein a cooling hole for cooling air between the trust bearing and the runner is disposed in the trust bearing.