Electric compressor

Abstract

An electric compressor includes a housing; a rotary shaft; an impeller connected to at least a first end portion of the rotary shaft in an axial direction of the rotary shaft, of the first end portion and a second end portion of the rotary shaft in the axial direction; and a pair of air bearings supporting the rotary shaft such that the rotary shaft is rotatable relative to the housing. A load on the first end portion is larger than a load on the second end portion. The pair of air bearings includes a first air bearing, and a second air bearing supporting the rotary shaft at a position closer to the second end portion of the rotary shaft than the first air bearing is. A load carrying capacity of the first air bearing is larger than a load carrying capacity of the second bearing.

1 . An electric compressor comprising:
 a housing having therein a space;   a rotary shaft accommodated in the housing;   an impeller connected to at least a first end portion of the rotary shaft in an axial direction of the rotary shaft, of the first end portion and a second end portion of the rotary shaft in the axial direction; and   a pair of air bearings supporting the rotary shaft such that the rotary shaft is rotatable relative to the housing, wherein   a load on the first end portion is larger than a load on the second end portion,   the pair of air bearings includes a first air bearing, and a second air bearing supporting the rotary shaft at a position closer to the second end portion of the rotary shaft than the first air bearing is, and   a load carrying capacity of the first air bearing is larger than a load carrying capacity of the second bearing.   
     
     
         2 . The electric compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a length of the first air bearing is greater than a length of the second air bearing in the axial direction so that the load carrying capacity of the first air bearing is larger than the load carrying capacity of the second air bearing.   
     
     
         3 . The electric compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first air bearing and the second air bearing have different shapes so that the load carrying capacity of the first air bearing is larger than the load carrying capacity of the second air bearing.