US3782794A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Antifriction bearing
Assignee: Torrington Co Ltd
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Filing: 1972-12-08
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-12-08
Abstract
Abstract Low-cost antifriction bearing rings are disclosed made by the powder metal compaction and sintering of ring blanks followed by densification of the raceway by mechanical working, such as by roll-forming, the bearing rings so produced being characterized by increased rolling contact fatigue life, increased static load capacity and decreased bearing noise as compared to powder metal rings made by compaction and sintering but in which the raceways are produced by machining. By preferably maintaining a region of porosity outside the densified area adjacent the raceway, the rings can be made to exhibit compliancy and thus further increase the fatigue life thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 W Chmura
- 👤 K Catlin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 08:13
CPC Classifications
B; B22; B22F; B22F3/00; B22F3/10; B22F3/11; B22F3/1103; B22F3/1109; B22F5/00; B22F5/10; B22F5/106; F; F16; F16C; F16C19/00; F16C19/02; F16C19/04; F16C19/06; F16C33/00; F16C33/30; F16C33/58; F16C33/583; F16C33/585; F16C33/64; B22F2998/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
An annular metal bearing ring formed of a sintered powder metal blank, a circumferential bearing face of said ring being characterized by a mechanically worked bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support rolling elements therein, an area within said ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
An annular metal bearing ring formed of a sintered powder metal blank, a circumferential bearing face of said ring being characterized by a mechanically worked bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support rolling elements therein, an area within said ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The annular metal bearing ring of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the highly dense zone below the bottom of the raceway is at least about 25 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway and wherein the remaining portion of the sintered metal ring outside the dense zone is substantially porous and has an average density of about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The annular bearing ring of claim 2, wherein the mechanically worked raceway is conformed to support bearing balls therein and wherein the depth of the highly dense zone is at least about 50 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The annular bearing ring of claim 3, wherein the highly dense zone has an average density of at least about 98 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, wherein the highly dense zone is substantially crescent-shaped, and wherein the remaining portion of the sintered metal ring outside the dense zone has an average density of about 85 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
A compliant annular metal bearing ring formed of a sintered powder metal blank of a heat treatable steel composition, a circumferential bearing face of said ring being characterized by a roll-formed bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support rolling elements therein, an area within said ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the dense zone being substantially porous and having an average density ranging from about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
114 words
A compliant annular metal bearing ring formed of a sintered powder metal blank of a heat treatable steel composition, a circumferential bearing face of said ring being characterized by a roll-formed bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support rolling elements therein, an area within said ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the dense zone being substantially porous and having an average density ranging from about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The annular metal bearing ring of claim 5, wherein the thickness of the highly dense zone below the bottom of the raceway is at least about 25 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The annular bearing ring of claim 6, wherein the roll-formed raceway is conformed to support bearing balls therein, wherein the thickness of the highly dense zone is at least about 50 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The annular bearing ring of claim 7, wherein the dense zone is substantially crescent-shaped and has a density of at least about 98 percent of theoretical density of the steel, and wherein the region outside of the dense zone has a density of about 85 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the steel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
139 words
An antifriction bearing assembly comprising inner and outer rings defining an annular bearing chamber having raceways with rolling elements disposed therebetween, at least one of said rings being formed of sintered powdered metal, such that: a circumferential bearing face of said at least one sintered ring is characterized by a mechanically worked bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support said rolling elements therein, an area within said at least one ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside said dense zone being substantially porous and having an average density ranging from about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
139 words
An antifriction bearing assembly comprising inner and outer rings defining an annular bearing chamber having raceways with rolling elements disposed therebetween, at least one of said rings being formed of sintered powdered metal, such that: a circumferential bearing face of said at least one sintered ring is characterized by a mechanically worked bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support said rolling elements therein, an area within said at least one ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside said dense zone being substantially porous and having an average density ranging from about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The antifriction bearing assembly of claim 9, wherein the thickness of the highly dense zone below the bottom of The raceway is at least about 25 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The antifriction bearing assembly of claim 10, wherein the mechanically worked raceway is conformed to support bearing balls therein and wherein the depth of the highly dense zone is at least about 50 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
The antifriction bearing assembly of claim 11, wherein the highly dense zone of said sintered ring has an average density of at least about 98 percent of theoretical density of the metal, wherein the highly dense zone is substantially crescent-shaped and, wherein the remaining portion of the sintered ring outside of the dense zone has an average density of at least about 85 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
134 words
An antifriction bearing assembly comprising compliant inner and outer rings of steel defining an annular bearing chamber having raceways with bearing balls disposed therebetween, each of said rings being formed of sintered powdered metal, such that: a circumferential bearing face of each ring is characterized by a roll-formed bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support said bearing balls therein, an area within each ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense substantially crescent-shaped zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the crescent-shaped zone being substantially porous and having an average density ranging from about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
134 words
An antifriction bearing assembly comprising compliant inner and outer rings of steel defining an annular bearing chamber having raceways with bearing balls disposed therebetween, each of said rings being formed of sintered powdered metal, such that: a circumferential bearing face of each ring is characterized by a roll-formed bearing raceway of suitable depth conformed to support said bearing balls therein, an area within each ring immediately adjacent to the bottom of the raceway being characterized in cross section by a highly dense substantially crescent-shaped zone of average density of at least about 95 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the crescent-shaped zone being substantially porous and having an average density ranging from about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The antifriction bearing assembly of claim 13, wherein the thickness of the highly dense zone below the bottom of the raceway of each ring is at least about 25 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The antifriction bearing assembly of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the highly dense zone of each ring is at least about 50 percent of the maximum depth of said raceway.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
61 words
The antifriction bearing assembly of claim 15, wherein the highly dense zone in each ring has an average density of at least about 98 percent of the theoretical density of the steel, and wherein the region outside of the dense zone in each ring has an average density of about 85 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the steel.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for producing an annular metal bearing ring by powder metallurgy which comprises, forming a sintered porous powder metal annular blank corresponding substantially to said bearing ring, and then forming a bearing raceway on a circumferential bearing face of said annular blank by mechanical working a selected area of said face to a suitable depth to support rolling elements therein, and thereby produce a highly dense zone adjacent the bottom of the raceway of average density of at least about 95 percent of theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the dense zone being substantially porous and having an average density of about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for producing an annular metal bearing ring by powder metallurgy which comprises, forming a sintered porous powder metal annular blank corresponding substantially to said bearing ring, and then forming a bearing raceway on a circumferential bearing face of said annular blank by mechanical working a selected area of said face to a suitable depth to support rolling elements therein, and thereby produce a highly dense zone adjacent the bottom of the raceway of average density of at least about 95 percent of theoretical density of the metal, the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the dense zone being substantially porous and having an average density of about 80 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the sintered ring is steel, wherein the raceway is roll-formed to receive balls therein and wherein the highly dense zone below the raceway has a thickness of at least 25 percent of the maximum raceway depth.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the raceway is roll-formed to provide a highly dense zone below the raceway of average density of at least about 98 percent of the theoretical density of the metal, the dense zone having a thickness of at least about 50 percent of the maximum raceway depth, and wherein the remaining portion of the sintered metal outside the dense zone has an average density of about 85 to 92 percent of the theoretical density of the metal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3365253A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |