Composite bearings

Claim 2

A HIGH LOAD CARRYING COMPOSITE BEARING ELEMENT HAVING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE MEMBERS DISPOSED IN BONDED RELTIONSHIP ONE TO ANOTHER, SAID BEARING ELEMENT COMPRISING A HIGH STRENGTH, RESILIENT BEARING SURFACE LAYER FORMING ONE OF SAID MEMBER, SAID SURFACE LAYER BEING CHARACTERIZED BY A THICKNESS OF LESS THAN 0.060 INCH AND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AT LEAST ONE UNFILLED, SOLID-LUBRICANT-FREE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF POLYARYLENE SULFIDES, EPOXY RESINS, AROMATIC POLYAMIDE RESINS, POLYESTER RESINS, POLYIMIDE RESINS, POLYAMIDED-IMIDE RESINS, POLYPROPYLENE RESINS AND POLYSULFONE RESINS, SAID LAYER HAVING ONE FACE BONDED TO AND SUPPORTED BY A RIGID, NON-POROUS SUBSTRATE FORMING THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBER.

Claim 3

The bearing element of claim 1 in which said element is of generally tubular configuration having concave inner and convex outer surfaces substantially concentrically disposed, said bearing surface layer forming one of said concentrically disposed inner and outer surfaces.

Claim 4

The bearing element of claim 1 in which said bearing layer includes means including the surface of said layer adapted to retain lubricant grease or oil and direct said lubricant toward the loaded zone of said bearing surface when said bearing element is in use.

Claim 5

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the thickness of said bearing layer ranges from 0.005 to about 0.030 inch.

Claim 6

The bearing element of claim 1 in which said bearing layer is formed of polyarylene sulfide resin.

Claim 7

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of an epoxy resin.

Claim 8

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of an aromatic polyamide resin.

Claim 9

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of a polyester resin.

Claim 10

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of a polyimide resin.

Claim 11

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of a polyamide-imide resin.

Claim 12

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of a polypropylene resin.

Claim 13

The bearing element of claim 1 in which the bearing layer is formed of a polysulfone resin.

Claim 14

The bearing element of claim 5 wherein said polyarylene sulfide resin is polyphenylene sulfide resin.

Claim 15

In a high load carrying lubricated bearing assembly including inner and outer bearing members having mating bearing surfaces, a bearing layer disposed between said surfaces, with said layer having one face thereof bonded to a non-porous surface of one of said bearing members and its other face forming a bearing surface mating with the other of said members. the improvement in which the bearing layer is characterized by a thickness below 0.060 inch to resist cold flow during bearing operation and consists essentially of at least one unfilled, solid-lubricant-free material selected from the class consisting of polyarylene sulfides, epoxy resins, aromatic polyamide resins, polyester resins, polyimide resins, polyamide-imide resins, polypropylene resins, and polysulfone resins and a thin film of lubricant oil or grease disposed between said layer surface and the mating surface of the other of said bearing members.

Claim 16

In a high load carrying lubricated bearing assembly including inner and outer bearing members having mating bearing surfaces, a bearing layer disposed between said surfaces, with said layer having one face thereof bonded to a non-porous surface of one of said bearing members and its other face forming a bearing surface mating with the other of said members. the improvement in which the bearing layer is characterized by a thickness below 0.060 inch to resist cold flow during bearing operation and consists essentially of at least one unfilled, solid-lubricant-free material selected from the class consisting of polyarylene sulfides, epoxy resins, aromatic polyamide resins, polyester resins, polyimide resins, polyamide-imide resins, polypropylene resins, and polysulfone resins and a thin film of lubricant oil or grease disposed between said layer surface and the mating surface of the other of said bearing members.

Claim 17

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 having means, including the surface of said layer, for retaining said lubricant and directing said lubricant toward the loaded zone of said bearing surfaces when said bearing is in use.

Claim 18

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said inner and outer bearing members are generally tubular and are disposed in substantially concentric relationship relative to one another.

Claim 19

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which the thickness of said layer is from about 0.005 to about 0.030 inch.

Claim 20

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of a polyarylene sulfide resin.

Claim 21

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of an epoxy resin.

Claim 22

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of an aromatic polyamide resin.

Claim 23

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of a polyester resin.

Claim 24

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of a polyimide resin.

Claim 25

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of a polyAmide-imide resin.

Claim 26

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of a polypropylene resin.

Claim 27

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 14 in which said layer is formed of a polysulfone resin.

Claim 28

The high load carrying lubricated bearing of claim 18 wherein said polyarylene sulfide resin is polyphenylene sulfide resin.

Claim 29

A high load carrying composite bearing of generally cylindrical configuration including a bearing surface layer bonded to a rigid backing layer in substantially concentrically disposed relationship, said bearing surface layer and said reinforcing backing layer including a plurality of apertures arranged such that each aperture in one of said layers is in substantial registry with an aperture in other of said layers to permit lubricant oil or grease to be supplied through said apertures in said layers and to the bearing surface when said bearing is in use. said bearing surface layer characterized by a thickness of below 0.060 inch to resist cold flow during bearing operation and consisting essentially of filaments or fibers of at least one unfilled, solid-lubricant-free material selected from the group consisting of polyarylene sulfides, epoxy resins, aromatic polyamide resins, polyester resins, polyimide resins, polyamide-imide resins, polypropylene and polysulfone resins, said rigid backing to which said bearing surface layer is bonded comprising a structural resin having embedded therein a plurality of structural resin bondable reinforcing filaments or fibers, said filaments or fibers of said unfilled solid-lubricant-free material forming said bearing surface layer and said structural resin bondable reinforcing filaments or fibers in said backing layer being helically wound and so constructed and arranged relative to one another in a winding pattern to provide said plurality of apertures.

Claim 30

A high load carrying composite bearing of generally cylindrical configuration including a bearing surface layer bonded to a rigid backing layer in substantially concentrically disposed relationship, said bearing surface layer and said reinforcing backing layer including a plurality of apertures arranged such that each aperture in one of said layers is in substantial registry with an aperture in other of said layers to permit lubricant oil or grease to be supplied through said apertures in said layers and to the bearing surface when said bearing is in use. said bearing surface layer characterized by a thickness of below 0.060 inch to resist cold flow during bearing operation and consisting essentially of filaments or fibers of at least one unfilled, solid-lubricant-free material selected from the group consisting of polyarylene sulfides, epoxy resins, aromatic polyamide resins, polyester resins, polyimide resins, polyamide-imide resins, polypropylene and polysulfone resins, said rigid backing to which said bearing surface layer is bonded comprising a structural resin having embedded therein a plurality of structural resin bondable reinforcing filaments or fibers, said filaments or fibers of said unfilled solid-lubricant-free material forming said bearing surface layer and said structural resin bondable reinforcing filaments or fibers in said backing layer being helically wound and so constructed and arranged relative to one another in a winding pattern to provide said plurality of apertures.