An assembly for a system includes a rotatable drum defining a bore and configured for rotation about an object positioned within the bore, a support structure configured to support the rotatable drum during a rotation of the drum, a first radial air bearing disposed between the rotatable drum and the support structure and positioned proximate to a first distal end of the rotatable drum, and a second radial air bearing disposed between the rotatable drum and the support structure and positioned proximate to a second, opposite distal end of the rotatable drum. The first radial air bearing and the second radial air bearing are located at different longitudinal positions along a longitudinal axis of the rotatable drum and the first radial air bearing and the second radial air bearing are configured to levitate the rotatable drum relative to the support structure.

An assembly for a system includes a rotatable drum defining a bore and configured for rotation about an object positioned within the bore, a support structure configured to support the rotatable drum during a rotation of the drum, a first radial air bearing disposed between the rotatable drum and the support structure and positioned proximate to a first distal end of the rotatable drum, and a second radial air bearing disposed between the rotatable drum and the support structure and positioned proximate to a second, opposite distal end of the rotatable drum. The first radial air bearing and the second radial air bearing are located at different longitudinal positions along a longitudinal axis of the rotatable drum and the first radial air bearing and the second radial air bearing are configured to levitate the rotatable drum relative to the support structure.

A processing apparatus includes a processing unit, a control unit, and a temperature detecting unit. The processing unit includes a cutting blade and a spindle assembly, the spindle assembly including a spindle having the cutting blade mounted on a distal end of the spindle and a spindle housing through which the spindle is inserted. A cooling fluid passage is formed in the spindle housing, the cooling fluid passage cooling the spindle assembly, and having one end connected to a cooling fluid supply source and having another end communicating with a cooling fluid outlet of the spindle housing. The temperature detecting unit detects the temperature of the spindle housing. The control unit determines whether a state of cooling of the spindle assembly is normal or abnormal on the basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit.

A support assembly is disclosed. The support assembly may comprise a component to interact with a photoconductive imaging unit, the component being rotatable relative to the photoconductive imaging unit. The support assembly may comprise an air bearing positioned adjacent to a surface of the photoconductive imaging unit, the air bearing to generate a cushion of gas to support the component at a defined distance from the photoconductive imaging unit. A method and a print apparatus are also disclosed.

The various technologies presented herein relate to fabrication and operation of a heat exchanger that is configured to extract heat from an underlying substrate. Heat can be extracted by way of an air gap formed between an impeller and a baseplate. By utilizing a pump to create an initial air gap that is further maintained by rotation of the impeller relative to the baseplate, a spring can be utilized that can apply a force of greater magnitude to the impeller than is used in a conventional approach, thus enabling the weight of the impeller to be negligible with respect to a width of the air gap, thereby conferring the desirable feature of orientation independence with respect to gravity with no performance degradation.

A bearing assembly including a body defining an outer surface, an inner surface, and an aft surface is generally provided. A first inlet opening is defined through the outer surface in fluid communication with a first internal passage defined by a first internal wall. The first internal passage is in fluid communication with a first outlet opening defined through the inner surface. A second inlet opening is defined through the inner surface in fluid communication with a second internal passage defined by a second internal wall. The second internal passage is in fluid communication with a second outlet opening defined through the aft surface.

A circumferential seal assembly capable of separating a gas into two separate flow paths before communication between a rotatable runner and a pair of seal rings is presented. The seal assembly includes an annular seal housing, a pair of annular seal rings, a rotatable runner, and a plurality of groove structures. The seal housing is interposed between a pair of compartments. The seal rings are separately disposed within the seal housing and separately disposed around the rotatable runner. The groove structures are disposed along an outer annular surface of the rotatable runner. A gas is communicable onto the groove structures. Each groove structure includes at least two hydrodynamic grooves that separate and communicate the gas onto the seal rings. Each groove includes steps whereby the depth of at least one adjoining step decreases in the direction opposite to rotation with or without the depth of another adjoining steps increasing in the direction opposite to rotation.

A circumferential seal assembly capable of dividing a gas into separate flow paths before communication between a rotatable runner and a pair of seal rings is presented. The assembly includes an annular seal housing, a rotatable runner, a pair of annular seal rings, and a plurality of groove structures. Each groove structure separates a source flow communicated into a feed groove so that a portion enters at least two grooves to form a longitudinal flow therein. Each groove includes at least two adjoining steps defined by base walls. The base walls are arranged along the groove to decrease depthwise opposite to rotation of the rotatable runner. Two adjoining base walls are disposed about a base shoulder. Each base shoulder locally redirects the longitudinal flow to form an outward radial flow in the direction of one annular seal ring. The base walls are bounded by and intersect a pair of side walls. Each side wall includes at least one side shoulder which narrows the groove widthwise and locally redirects the longitudinal flow away from the side wall to form a lateral flow in the direction of the other side wall. Each reduction to the volume of the gas at the downstream end of each groove structure increases pressure and enhances the stiffness of a thin-film layer between each annular seal ring and the rotatable runner.

A bearing includes a bearing pad for supporting a rotary component and a housing attached to or formed integrally with the bearing pad. The housing includes a flexible column extending towards the bearing pad for providing the bearing pad with an airflow. The column supports the bearing pad from a location inward of an outer periphery of the bearing pad along an axial direction of the bearing. With such a configuration, a resistance of the bearing pad along a radial direction of the bearing is less at the outer periphery than a resistance of the bearing pad along the radial direction proximate the column.

A circumferential seal assembly suitable for forming a thin film between a rotatable runner and a sealing ring is presented. The assembly includes an annular seal housing, a rotatable runner, an annular seal ring, and a plurality of groove structures. Each groove structure includes a groove and an optional feed groove. The groove includes at least two adjoining steps defined by base walls arranged to decrease depthwise. Two adjoining base walls are disposed about a base shoulder. Each base shoulder locally redirects a longitudinal flow to form an outward radial flow in the direction of the annular seal ring. The base walls are bounded by and intersect a pair of side walls. A side wall includes at least one side shoulder which narrows the groove widthwise and locally redirects the longitudinal flow to form a lateral flow in the direction of the other side wall. Outward and lateral flows separately or in combination enhance stiffness of a thin-film layer between the annular seal ring and the rotatable runner.