A flexible double lipped annular seal includes an anchor segment at a radially outermost portion thereof and having a pocket formed therein. The annular seal includes a branch segment extending axially outward and radially inward from the first leg at an angle. A first lip seal and a second lip seal extend radially inward from the branch segment and have a gap therebetween. The branch segment terminates in a stub segment. The annular seal includes a metallic shield secured to the annular seal and a portion of which seats in the pocket.

A spherical plain bearing includes an outer ring and an inner ring that are each coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the bearing. The outer ring has a first axial outer ring end, a second axial outer ring end, and an interior spherical concave bearing surface extending therebetween. The inner ring has a first axial inner ring end, a second axial inner ring end, and an interior cylindrical bearing surface defining a bore and an exterior spherical convex bearing surface extending therebetween. The exterior spherical convex bearing surface is in interfacial sliding engagement with the interior spherical concave bearing surface. A plurality of circumferential lubrication grooves and one or more curved lubrication channels are in the exterior spherical convex bearing surface. The curved lubrication channels are positioned to intersect each of the circumferential lubrication grooves. A plurality of profiled annular lubrication grooves circumferentially extend into the interior cylindrical bearing surface.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a slide component that can exhibit sealing performance and lubricity regardless of rotating direction. A pair of slide components 4, 7 that slide relative to each other have sliding faces S that slide relative to each other, and a sealed fluid-side periphery 16 and a leakage-side periphery 15. The sliding face S of at least one slide component 4 of the pair of slide components 4, 7 includes: a fluid introduction groove 13 in communication with the sealed fluid-side periphery 16; a first pressure generation mechanism 12 of which one end is in communication with the fluid introduction groove 13 and the other end is surrounded by a land portion R1; and a second pressure generation mechanism 11 of which one end is in communication with the leakage-side periphery 15 and the other end is surrounded by an annular land portion R2. The fluid introduction groove 13 and the other end 12e of the first pressure generation mechanism 12 include overlapping portions Lp overlapping circumferentially.

The invention relates to a shaft bearing having a seal arrangement to prevent steam leakages that can occur in the event of temperature fluctuations or pressure fluctuations between a liquid medium on the one side and a gaseous medium on the other side of the compact bearing, wherein, between a primary radial seal and a rotation bearing portion, a lubrication space surrounding a shaft circumference is arranged that receives a volume of lubricating grease that has a higher viscosity than a lubricating oil and a coolant; and a volume compensator for compensating a temperature-dependent volume fluctuation is provided that comprises a compressible material, and is arranged vertically in interaction with the volume of the lubricating oil and/or the volume of the lubricating grease.

A seal assembly (10, 110) has an inner seal carrier (14, 114) with seals (16, 116, 18, 118), an outer carrier (30, 130) with inner curved surface (144) matching an outer curved surface (146) of the inner seal carrier for angular pitch adjustment of 3° to 5° for the inner seal carrier within the outer carrier, a flexible seal (36, 136) between the outer carrier and the bearing housing (28, 128), and oil within a cavity (20, 120) between the seals, preferably above atmospheric pressure. Shoulder bolts (140) allow lateral movement of the seal assembly with respect to the bearing housing. The seal assembly allows for misalignment and lack of parallelism of the shaft relative to the bearing housing whilst preventing contamination of the bearing.

The invention relates to a bearing device comprising a first surface and a second surface which are moveable relative to one another, wherein the first and second surfaces are separated by a bearing gap filled with a lubricant, which is a magnetorheological or electrorheological liquid, or a lubricant having a temperature dependent viscosity, or a lubricant having a controllable slip velocity. The bearing device further comprising one or more supply inlets in the first or second surface, and one or more activators embedded in the first surface or second surface and configured to locally increase a viscosity or decrease the slip velocity of the lubricant in at least one obstruction zone, thereby inhibiting a flow of the lubricant in the obstruction zone.

A fluid-dynamic bearing system comprising a stationary bearing component (12, 16, 18) and a bearing component (14, 14a) rotatable about a rotation axis, wherein, during operation of the bearing, the stationary and rotary components are separated from each other by a bearing gap (20) filled with a bearing fluid, wherein at least one fluid-dynamic radial bearing (22, 24) and at least one fluid-dynamic thrust bearing (28) or, alternatively, at least one conical fluid-dynamic bearing are arranged along the bearing gap (20), and wherein the bearing gap (20) comprises first and second open ends sealed by a first sealing gap (34) and a second sealing gap (36). The second sealing gap (36) exclusively extends normal to the rotation axis (40).

A pair of slide components (4, 7) have sliding faces (S) sliding relative to each other, and a sealed fluid-side periphery (16) and a leakage-side periphery (15). The sliding face (S) of at least one slide component includes: a fluid introduction groove (13) in communication with the sealed fluid-side periphery (16); a first pressure generation mechanism (12) of which one end is in communication with the fluid introduction groove (13) and the other end is surrounded by a land portion (R1); and a second pressure generation mechanism (11) of which one end is in communication with the leakage-side periphery (15) and the other end is surrounded by an annular land portion (R2). The fluid introduction groove (13) and the other end (12e) of the first pressure generation mechanism (12) include overlapping portions (Lp) overlapping circumferentially. The slide components can exhibit sealing performance and lubricity regardless of rotating direction.

A seal assembly (10, 110) has an inner seal carrier (14, 114) with seals (16, 116, 18, 118), an outer carrier (30, 130) with inner curved surface (144) matching an outer curved surface (146) of the inner seal carrier for angular pitch adjustment of 3° to 5° for the inner seal carrier within the outer carrier, a flexible seal (36, 136) between the outer carrier and the bearing housing (28, 128), and oil within a cavity (20, 120) between the seals, preferably above atmospheric pressure. Shoulder bolts (140) allow lateral movement of the seal assembly with respect to the bearing housing. The seal assembly allows for misalignment and lack of parallelism of the shaft relative to the bearing housing whilst preventing contamination of the bearing.

The invention relates to a shaft bearing having a seal arrangement to prevent steam leakages that can occur in the event of temperature fluctuations or pressure fluctuations between a liquid medium on the one side and a gaseous medium on the other side of the compact bearing, wherein, between a primary radial seal and a rotation bearing portion, a lubrication space surrounding a shaft circumference is arranged that receives a volume of lubricating grease that has a higher viscosity than a lubricating oil and a coolant; and a volume compensator for compensating a temperature-dependent volume fluctuation is provided that comprises a compressible material, and is arranged vertically in interaction with the volume of the lubricating oil and/or the volume of the lubricating grease.