A vacuum pump comprises: a bearing device; and an exhaust function including a rotary body supported by the bearing device and configured to exhaust gas. The bearing device includes a bearing having an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling body, a lubricant storage configured to store lubricant, a lubricant supply structure configured to supply, to the bearing, the lubricant stored in the lubricant storage, a holding member configured to hold the bearing, and a porous body disposed outside the outer ring of the bearing and filled with the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supply structure to the bearing.

A certain material irregularly expressed in an observation area is effectively observed. An observing apparatus includes a first observing unit performing a time lapse shooting of a predetermined observation area, a first discriminating unit discriminating whether or not a first material is expressed in the observation area based on an image obtained by the first observing unit, and a second observing unit starting a time lapse shooting relating to a part where the first material is expressed at a timing when the first material is expressed in the observation area, in which a shooting frequency of the time lapse shooting by the second observing unit is higher than a shooting frequency of the time lapse shooting by the first observing unit.

A certain material irregularly expressed in an observation area is effectively observed. An observing apparatus includes a first observing unit performing a time lapse shooting of a predetermined observation area, a first discriminating unit discriminating whether or not a first material is expressed in the observation area based on an image obtained by the first observing unit, and a second observing unit starting a time lapse shooting relating to a part where the first material is expressed at a timing when the first material is expressed in the observation area, in which a shooting frequency of the time lapse shooting by the second observing unit is higher than a shooting frequency of the time lapse shooting by the first observing unit.

A vacuum pump comprises: a ball bearing which supports a rotor; a holding section which elastically holds an outer ring of the ball bearing; and a grease which is filled between the outer ring and the holding section, the grease having a consistency of NLGI No. 1.5 or less.

A vacuum pump comprises: a ball bearing which supports a rotor; a holding section which elastically holds an outer ring of the ball bearing; and a grease which is filled between the outer ring and the holding section, the grease having a consistency of NLGI No. 1.5 or less.

One embodiment provides rotating shaft, including: a spindle comprising an internal first channel; a wheel casing operatively coupled to the spindle, wherein the wheel casing comprises an internal second channel; and a bearing housing the spindle, comprising a third channel located between the bearing and the spindle; wherein the first channel, the second channel, and the third channel are located to form an enclosed annular channel configured to hold a substance. Other aspects are described and claimed.

This invention prevents seizure of a dynamic pressure gas bearing caused upon swinging contact between a motor shaft and a sleeve and an increase in contact friction torque. It also detects rotation of auxiliary bearings. A motor includes auxiliary bearings in series with a dynamic pressure gas bearing, and a non-contact detent torque generation mechanism parallel to the auxiliary bearings suppresses rotation of the auxiliary bearings. Where Ta denotes rotation-time viscous friction torque of the dynamic pressure gas bearing, Tka denotes contact friction torque possibly causing damage to the dynamic pressure gas bearing, Tb denotes rotation friction torque of the auxiliary bearings, and Td.sub.max denotes maximum torque generated when rotation of the auxiliary bearings is suppressed by the non-contact detent torque generation mechanism, (Ta+Tka)>(Tb+Td.sub.max)>(Ta), and the rotation detecting means detects the rotation of the auxiliary bearings.

To provide a turbo compressor rotatable at high speed that is capable of being downsized, and of being suppressed in performance deterioration at low speed rotation. A turbo compressor includes a housing, a rotating shaft, a motor, a compressor mechanism, and a support section. The support section includes at least three rollers on the rotating shaft, roller shaft portions on the rollers, and a roller bearing portion for supporting the roller shaft portions. The rollers and the rotating shaft respectively have a drive transmission portion for drive transmission from the rotating shaft to each of the rollers, and the drive transmission portion of the rollers has a diameter larger than a diameter of the drive transmission portion of the rotating shaft.

To provide a turbo compressor rotatable at high speed that is capable of being downsized, and of being suppressed in performance deterioration at low speed rotation. A turbo compressor includes a housing, a rotating shaft, a motor, a compressor mechanism, and a support section. The support section includes at least three rollers on the rotating shaft, roller shaft portions on the rollers, and a roller bearing portion for supporting the roller shaft portions. The rollers and the rotating shaft respectively have a drive transmission portion for drive transmission from the rotating shaft to each of the rollers, and the drive transmission portion of the rollers has a diameter larger than a diameter of the drive transmission portion of the rotating shaft.

A pump insert (50) for supporting a rotor (14) of a pump comprises an annular resilient support (52) for engaging the body (26) of the pump, the support (52) extending about a rolling bearing (10) having an inner race (12) for engaging the rotor (14), an axially preloaded outer race (16) fixed to the support (52), and a plurality of rolling elements (18) located between the races. During assembly, the rolling bearing (10) can be accurately positioned within the support (52) so that there is a very low tolerance stack-up when the insert (50) is fitted to the rotor (14). Consequently, the position of the rotor (14) will hardly change, if at all, when the rolling bearing (10) is replaced during servicing of the pump.