Porous lubricant-impregnated bearing

Claim 2

A porous lubricant-impregnated bearing comprising a body shaped to support a rotating shaft and containing an interconnected pore structure filled with migratable lubricant that is drawn from the pore structure to lubricate rotation of the shaft; characterized in that said body comprises a matrix of solid discrete particles closely packed so as to define a network of interconnected interstices and bonded together with a bonding material that is different from the particles, is disposed within and chemically reacted in situ in the interstices so as to be dimensionally stable at PV's of 100,000, and only partially fills the interstices so as to leave spaces between substantially all adjacent matrix particles, whereby a uniform fine pore structure is formed from which lubricant will be uniformly drawn and maintained during rotation of said shaft.

Claim 3

A bearing of claim 1 in which at least a weight majority of said matrix particles are glass microspheres.

Claim 4

A bearing of claim 2 in which metal particles are mixed among said glass microspheres.

Claim 5

A bearing of claim 1 in which said bonding material comprises a cured organic bonding material.

Claim 6

A bearing of claim 1 in which said bonding material comprises an inorganic bonding material.

Claim 7

A bearing of claim 1 in which said bonding material includes solid lubricating particles dispersed within the bonding material.

Claim 8

A porous lubricant-impregnated bearing comprising a body shaped to support a rotating shaft and containing an interconnected pore structure filled with migratable lubricant that is drawn from the pore structure to lubricate rotation of the shaft; characterized in that said body comprises a matrix of solid discrete particles, at least a weight majority of which are glass microspheres, closely packed so as to define a network of interconnected interstices; said body further including metal particles mixed among said glass microspheres; and the matrix particles being bonded together with a cured organic bonding material that is disposed within said interstices, is chemically reacted in situ in the interstices so as to be dimensionally stable at PV's of 100,000, and only partially fills the interstices so as to leave spaces between substantially all adjacent matrix particles, whereby a uniform fine pore structure is formed from which the lubricant will be uniformly drawn and maintained during rotation of the shaft.

Claim 9

A porous lubricant-impregnated bearing comprising a body shaped to support a rotating shaft and containing an interconnected pore structure filled with migratable lubricant that is drawn from the pore structure to lubricate rotation of the shaft; characterized in that said body comprises a matrix of solid discrete particles, at least a weight majority of which are glass microspheres, closely packed so as to define a network of interconnected interstices; said body further including metal particles mixed among said glass microspheres; and the matrix particles being bonded together with a cured organic bonding material that is disposed within said interstices, is chemically reacted in situ in the interstices so as to be dimensionally stable at PV's of 100,000, and only partially fills the interstices so as to leave spaces between substantially all adjacent matrix particles, whereby a uniform fine pore structure is formed from which the lubricant will be uniformly drawn and maintained during rotation of the shaft.

Claim 10

A bearing of claim 7 in which said organic bonding material includes solid lubricating particles dispersed within said bonding material.

Claim 11

A bearing of claim 7 in which said glass microspheres are completely coated with said bonding material.

Claim 12

A bearing of claim 7 in which the cured organic bonding material is based on an epoxy resin.

Claim 13

A bearing of claim 1 in which at least a portion of said matrix particles are completely coated with the bonding material.

Claim 14

A bearing of claim 1 in which said pores are less than 8 micrometers in size.

Claim 15

A bearing of claim 1 prepared by steps that include consolidating a particulate mass that comprises particles carrying a coating of B-staged organic bonding material, and then subjecting said consolidated mass to conditions that cause curing of the organic bonding material.

Claim 16

A bearing of claim 7 in which said pores are less than 8 micrometers in size.

Claim 17

A bearing of claim 7 prepared by steps that include consolidating a particulate mass that comprises glass microspheres carrying a coating of B-staged organic bonding material, and then subjecting said consolidated mass to conditions that cause curing of the organic bonding material.

Claim 18

A porous lubricant-impregnated bearing comprising a body shaped to support a rotating shaft and containing an interconnected pore structure filled with migratable lubricant that is drawn from the pore structure to lubricate rotation of the shaft; characterized in that said body comprises a matrix of solid discrete particles, at least a weight majority of which are glass microspheres, closely packed so as to define a network of interconnected interstices and coated over their exterior surface with a cured organic bonding material by which said matrix particles are bonded together, said bonding material being fused together at points of contact by only partially filling the interstices between the matrix particles so as to leave spaces between substantially all adjacent matrix particles, whereby a uniform fine pore structure is formed from which lubricant will be uniformly drawn and maintained during rotation of said shaft, said body further comprising metal particles mixed among said glass microspheres and solid particles of lubricant dispersed in said bonding material.

Claim 19

A porous lubricant-impregnated bearing comprising a body shaped to support a rotating shaft and containing an interconnected pore structure filled with migratable lubricant that is drawn from the pore structure to lubricate rotation of the shaft; characterized in that said body comprises a matrix of solid discrete particles, at least a weight majority of which are glass microspheres, closely packed so as to define a network of interconnected interstices and coated over their exterior surface with a cured organic bonding material by which said matrix particles are bonded together, said bonding material being fused together at points of contact by only partially filling the interstices between the matrix particles so as to leave spaces between substantially all adjacent matrix particles, whereby a uniform fine pore structure is formed from which lubricant will be uniformly drawn and maintained during rotation of said shaft, said body further comprising metal particles mixed among said glass microspheres and solid particles of lubricant dispersed in said bonding material.

Claim 20

A bearing of claim 16 in which said glass microspheres are less than about 200 micrometers in diameter.

Claim 21

A bearing of claim 1 in which said matrix particles are less than about 200 micrometers in diameter.

Claim 22

A bearing of claim 7 in which said glass microspheres are less than about 200 micrometers in diameter.