Various contactless bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

A fluid pump assembly is provided. The pump has a pair of units magnetically coupled to each other. The first unit contains a drive motor and a magnetic assembly. The second unit contains a magnetic assembly and a blade of a propeller/impeller for imparting movement to a fluid. As the first unit is activated by the drive motor, a magnetic flux is created which in turn rotates the magnetic assembly in the second unit, driving the blade.

A pump device is provided. In the pump device, a bottom portion of a case body with a suction port formed therein is provided with a through-hole through which a fluid sucked through the suction port passes, and the case body is provided with a shaft holding portion holding the lower end of the fixed shaft and a plurality of connection portions disposed with a space interposed therebetween in the circumferential direction of the rotor so as to surround the through-hole and connecting the shaft holding portion and the bottom portion. The upper end side of the connection portion is provided with a protrusion protruding upward beyond the upper end surface of the shaft holding portion, and at least one of the protrusions is a rotation preventing portion that prevents rotation of the thrust bearing in the circumferential direction of the rotor.

A submersible well pump is driven by an electrical motor. A thrust bearing module between the pump and the motor has a base secured to and extending downward from a housing. The base has a motor end connector and an axial bore in fluid communication with lubricant in the motor. A shaft extends through the bore and into the housing. A thrust bearing assembly has a lower end at an upper end of the base. A lubricant pump mounted in the bore and coupled to the shaft pumps lubricant upward into the chamber. A passage has an inlet port in the chamber and an outlet port within the bore for returning lubricant pumped by the lubricant pump. The passage extends internally through the base and has a number of turns encircling the bore.

A micro hydraulic suspension mechanical pump with a volute, an upper cover, an impeller, a brushless motor, a waterproof sleeve and the water lubrication spiral groove thrust bearings, in which a water inlet channel and a water outlet channel are provided on the volute, and a middle water inlet hole is formed on the upper cover. The brushless motor includes a motor shell, a coil, a magnetic steel rotor, a waterproof sleeve, a rotor sleeve and a rotor rotating shaft; and above and below the magnetic steel rotor are respectively provided one water lubrication spiral groove thrust bearing. A liquid film can be formed between the stationary ring and the rotating ring to enable the magnetic steel rotor to be suspended, and a liquid film can also be formed between the outer wall of the rotor sleeve and the inner wall of the waterproof sleeve.

A press-fit thrust bearing system and apparatus. A press-fit thrust bearing for an electric submersible pump includes a protruding band extending around a midsection of a bushing, the protruding band extending inward towards a drive shaft, outward towards a diffuser, or both. When extending outwardly, the band is press-fit into the diffuser to prevent dislodgment of the bushing. A non-rotating guide sleeve extends around the bushing above the protruding band, the guide sleeve interlocking with the protruding band to prevent rotation of the bushing. The guide sleeve includes a projection, the protruding band has a channel and the projection mates with the channel to form the interlock. A pair of flanged, rotatable bearing sleeves extend inwards of the single bushing and are keyed to the drive shaft. The top and bottom faces of the bushing serve as thrust handling surfaces.

The present invention provides a rotary blood pump with both an attractive magnetic axial bearing and a hydrodynamic bearing. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a rotary pump includes an impeller assembly supported within a pump housing assembly by a magnetic axial bearing and a hydrodynamic bearing. The magnetic axial bearing includes at least two magnets oriented to attract each other. One magnet is positioned in the spindle of the pump housing while the other is disposed within the rotor assembly, proximate to the spindle. In this respect, the two magnets create an attractive axial force that at least partially maintains the relative axial position of the rotor assembly. The hydrodynamic bearing is formed between sloping surfaces that form tight clearances below the rotor assembly.

A submersible well pump assembly has a motor that rotates a drive shaft within the pump. The pump has a number of pump stages, each stage having a diffuser and an impeller. A bushing is fixed for non-rotation within the diffuser. A thrust runner sleeve mounted to the drive shaft has an outer diameter surface in sliding rotating engagement with an inner diameter surface of the bushing. At least one seal ring is mounted to the sleeve in sealing engagement with the drive shaft to block the entry of well fluid particulates between the sleeve and the drive shaft.

A compressor includes a shaft, a motor configured to drive the shaft into rotation, and a thrust bearing configured to permit rotation of the shaft and support an axial load of the shaft. The thrust bearing is positioned about the shaft and between the motor and an impeller of the compressor.

A bearing assembly for an engine is disclosed. The bearing assembly includes a first structure, a second structure that is movable relative to the first structure, and a foil membrane disposed between the first structure and the second structure. The foil membrane includes at least one perforation that supplies liquid fuel in a region between the foil membrane and the second structure, where the liquid fuel is combusted by the engine.