A bearing assembly for a linear electromagnetic machine includes a sleeve having a surface configured to provide a bearing between the surface and a translator, a front plate coupled to the sleeve, a support block, and a plurality of flexures coupled to the support block. Each flexure is coupled between the support block and one of the front plate or a stator. For example, a load path extends from a stator to the support block via a first set of flexures of the plurality of flexures, from the support block to the front plate via a second set of flexures of the plurality of flexures, and from the front plate to the sleeve. In the example of four flexures, two flexures are affixed to the support block and front plate, while two other flexures are affixed to the support block and the stator.

An externally pressurized porous gas bearing for operating within a refrigerant environment is disclosed. The gas bearing utilizes shear heating from rotation of a rotor, thereby increasing the pressure and load capacity of the externally pressurized porous gas bearing. The gas bearing is capable of operating when the refrigerant is in a liquid phase and when the refrigerant is in a gaseous phase.

A gas bearing for a compressor includes a bearing portion and a sealing portion mounted to a bearing housing of the compressor via one or more dampers, and the sealing portion being fixedly connected to the bearing portion, and a vent with an inlet in the bearing. The bearing portion has an inner radial surface for radially supporting a shaft of the compressor. The sealing portion has a sealing surface. The inlet of the vent disposed between the inner radial surface and the sealing surface. The sealing surface and a rotating surface form a path that extends along the sealing surface. The path extending from a pressurized volume of the compressor to the vent, and the pressurized volume containing a fluid.

A linear electromagnetic machine includes a stator, a translator, and a bearing system. The bearing system maintains alignment against lateral displacement of the translator relative to the stator, as the translator reciprocates axially. More particularly, the bearing system maintains a motor air gap between the stator and a magnetic section of the translator. The stator includes a plurality of stator teeth and windings, which form a plurality of phases. The stator teeth and windings are arranged using a hoop stack with spines to form a stator bore and define the motor air gap. The bearing system can include bearing housings that are configured to form a bearing interface with a surface of the translator. The bearing interface can include a contact bearing or a non-contact bearing, such as a gas bearing. Current is controlled in the phases to convert between electrical energy and kinetic energy of the translator.

A bearing arrangement includes a shaft, at least one contact bearing and at least one non-contact bearing and a controller. The controller is configured to control a magnitude of a restoring force applied to the shaft by the non-contact bearing in accordance with a sensed parameter such that a stiffness of the shaft is modified such that one or more resonance frequencies of the shaft are moved away from one or more external forcing frequencies.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for a moveable bearing stage that allows for highly refined alignment and placement, and particularly planar alignment and placement, of component or devices through the use of robotics. The apparatus, system and method of providing at least a planar alignment of at least one component or device in relation to a secondary reference plane may include at least: a frame and stator assembly, having, at an upper portion thereof, at least a semi-spherical receiving interface; a movable assembly that moves within the frame and stator assembly, and that is connectively associated therewith by at least a plurality of springs; a semi-spherical stage, suitable for reception by the semi-spherical receiving interface and capable of at least rotational movement therewithin; a chuck within the semi-spherical stage and capable of at least co-planar, post-planar, and ante-planar positioning in relation to a plane provided by a topmost portion of the semispherical stage, wherein the chuck is capable of receiving the component or device; and at least two gripper jaws suitable for receiving and holding, at an upper portion thereof, the component or device, wherein the two gripper jaws comprise, at a lower portion thereof, at least ramps capable of physically interacting with ones of the motion stops.

A bearing including a bearing pad and a housing is provided. The bearing pad has a thrust face for supporting a vibration along an axial direction of the bearing. Additionally, the housing is formed integrally using an additive manufacturing process and is attached to or formed integrally with the bearing pad. The housing defines a working gas delivery system for providing a flow of pressurized working gas to the thrust face of the bearing pad and a fluid damper cavity. The fluid damper cavity provides a dampening of the axial vibration supported by the thrust face of the bearing pad along the axial direction.

A rotary machine for an aeronautical device includes a thrust generator. The rotary machine additionally includes a rotary component rotatable with the thrust generator. Moreover, the rotary machine of the present disclosure includes a plurality of gas bearings, with the plurality of gas bearings substantially completely supporting the rotary component of the rotary machine.

Embodiments of a stage for a turbomachine have been provided herein. In some embodiments, a stage for a turbomachine may include a bearing having a housing, the bearing defining an interior cavity; an outer ring disposed radially outward from the housing; and a plurality of airfoils disposed between the housing of the bearing and the outer ring.

A bearing configuration for the rotational mounting of a component provided for rotational movement includes a positionally fixed sleeve on which the component is rotatably mounted by one or more bearing elements or a plain-bearing. A pressure element is provided in the interior of the sleeve for readily expanding the sleeve and placing the sleeve in frictional contact with the component which is spaced apart from the sleeve by an air gap. A medical examination device having the bearing configuration is also provided.