Characteristics of a Slipper Bearing for Swash Plate Type Axial Piston Pumps and Motors : 3rd Report, Design Method for a Slipper with a Minimum Power Loss in Fluid Lubrication

Abstract

A slipper bearing is one of the machine parts of which careful considerations should be given to realize a good performance, reliability, miniaturization and so on from a standpoint of designing swash plate type axial piston pumps and motors. Optimum slipper sizes, which give a minimum power loss in fluid lubrication, are theoretically analyzed in order to provide a useful guide to the slipper design. First of all, its sizes to give the minimum power loss are obtained on the assumption of uniform clearance. Secondly, considering all the oil-film parameters, a theoretical analysis of its motion is made to examine its lubrication condition. From the relation between a minimum oil film thickness and slipper sizes, it can be said that the operation of the bearing having a minimum oil film thickness larger than the limit determined by the magnitude of surface roughness can be guaranteed in fluid lubrication. As a result, a method for designing a slipper meeting these optimum conditions is shown.