Bearing-surface Treatment Patents (Class 384/625)
  • Patent number: 6666931
    Abstract: There can be obtained a rolling part and power transmission part excluding any expensive elements as its constituents and formed of inexpensive elements C, Si and Mn optimized to allow the same to have a long rolling life under severe conditions for use and be inexpensive and excellent in workability. It is formed of steel shaped and thus processed, and containing 0.5 to 0.7% by weight of C, 0.6 to 1.2% by weight of Si and 0.6 to 1.0% by weight of Mn, as represented in percentage, to satisfy: L≧5000  (1), wherein L=11271 (C wt %)+5796 (Si wt %)+2665 (Mn wt %)−6955; and 23≦H≦25  (2), wherein H=48.0 (C wt %)+5.7 (Si wt %)+11.5 (Mn wt %)−16.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Kikuo Maeda, Yukio Fujii
  • Publication number: 20030190105
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cage in which a nitride layer is formed on the surface by using an iron and steel material with a carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less, fabricating it into a predetermined shape and conducting nitriding, which is more excellent in slidability and wear resistance than conventional one. For this purpose, a nitride layer having a hardness of Hv 650 or more at a thickness of 3 &mgr;m or more and 15 &mgr;m or less is formed on the surface of a cage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Koji Ueda, Yuji Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20030169955
    Abstract: A rotary member such as a member of a bearing, a rotating member of a transmission or a gear for a motor vehicle, includes a base region of a ferrous base material such as a steel. The rotary member is formed with a hydrogen blocking layer formed in a contact surface for contacting with a mating body in a relative motion. The hydrogen blocking layer includes a concentrated portion formed in the base region and made of a substance lower in hydrogen diffusion coefficient than the base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Hirai, Mitsuhiro Okuhata, Nobuo Kino, Keizo Otani
  • Publication number: 20030165279
    Abstract: A rolling bearing used in a system including an automotive power train and a peripheral auxiliary equipment of the power train, and in a compressor. The rolling bearing comprises a first race and a second race. A rolling element is rotatably disposed between the first and second races. A film whose main component is a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper has a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 15 &mgr;m. The film is formed on a surface of at least one of the first race, the second race and the rolling element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Hirai, Mitsuhiro Okuhata, Nobuo Kino, Keizo Otani, Tomofumi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20030113051
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a needle bearing which can prevent occurrence of flake and seizure in the bearing parts even under such severe lubricating condition as provided by a compressor for a car air conditioner or a planetary unit for an automatic transmission. The needle bearing is structured by barrel grinding the raceway surface of a ring and the surface of a rolling body without using a ceramic-related abrasive such as alumina or silicon carbide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Takeyuki Yoshiba, Makoto Fujinami
  • Patent number: 6579384
    Abstract: A ball for use in a constant-velocity joint, which is adapted to be interposed between an inner race and an outer race for transmitting rotational power therebetween, is produced by nitriding a surface of a ball made of bearing steel or a material equivalent thereto, and processing the nitrided ball for increased resistance to a crushing load. The nitrided ball is processed for increased resistance to a crushing load by tempering the ball at a temperature ranging from 180 to 230° C. The surface hardness of the ball should preferably be adjusted in the range from HRC 60 to 64.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimi Usui, Kazuto Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20030103702
    Abstract: An antifriction bearing comprises an inner race, an outer race having an outer peripheral surface to be brought into contact with other member for use as a roll, and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner and outer races. The portion of the outer race from an outer peripheral surface thereof to a depth of 3 mm has a hardness of 58 to 62 in Rockwell C hardness (hereinafter referred to as “HRC”) and a hardness gradient of up to 1 HRC/1 mm from the outer peripheral surface inward, and contains 5 to 18 vol. % of retained austenite. The portion of the outer race from an inner peripheral surface thereof to a depth of 1 mm has a hardness of 61 to 64 in HRC and contains 5 to 15 vol. % of retained austenite. The center portion of the thickness of the outer race between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces thereof has a hardness of 35 to 42 in HRC. The outer race can be prevented from cracking or breaking and from undergoing plastic deformation due to use for a short period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: KOYO SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masao Goto, Katsuhiko Kizawa
  • Patent number: 6568855
    Abstract: A rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detection instrument having a hub with a plurality of inner race tracks, an outer race formed of steel material with a plurality of outer race tracks, rolling elements between the tracks, and encoder on the hub and a sensor supported in a mounting hole in the outer race. A hardened layer is formed on the inner surface of the outer race and each portion where the outer race tracks are formed. An area of the inner surface around the mounting hole is not hardened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Nakamura, Hiroya Miyazaki, Shuichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6565477
    Abstract: A power roller assembly for a toroidal-type CVT, including a pair of races formed with bearing surfaces opposed to each other, a plurality of rolling elements rotatably disposed between the races in contact with the bearing surfaces, and an iron phosphate-based coat formed on at least one of bearing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Yoshida, Masaaki Fujii, Nobuo Kino, Keizo Otani
  • Publication number: 20030091256
    Abstract: A needle case or needle bush produced without cutting for a thin-walled needle bearing is produced without cutting from a cold-rolled strip, which is a heat-treated steel which has the disclosed chemical composition and the disclosed mechanical characteristic values. After a heat treatment, a surface hardness of 860 to 880 HV and a core hardness of 550 to 650 HV are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Karl-Ludwig Grell, Gunter Grube, Leo Muntnich
  • Patent number: 6531000
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rolling bearing in which an oxide layer of an iron/chromium oxide series is formed at a thickness of from 1 to 1000 nm to at least one of raceway surfaces of bearing rings or rolling contact surfaces of rolling elements and a manufacturing method thereof. The oxide layer can inhibit hydrogen formed by decomposition of water incorporated in the lubricants from intruding into the matrix of the bearing members, thereby preventing early peeling for the raceway surfaces of the bearing rings or the rolling contact surfaces of the rolling elements and, thus, greatly improving the rolling life. The oxide layer can be formed simply by merely tempering the bearing member and then applying a re-heating treatment in air at a temperature lower than the tempering temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Takemura, Yasuo Murakami, Youichi Matumoto, Seiji Sato
  • Patent number: 6530695
    Abstract: A fine nitride layer comprising a compound layer and a diffusion hardened layer of hardness being Hv900 or higher is formed, through a low temperature nitriding method at temperature in the range of 300 to 400° C., in a guiding part. The guiding part guides the circumferential surfaces of retainers 7a to 7c and is formed at any one part of inner ring raceways 3a to 3c and outer ring raceways 4a to 4c as well as the inner circumferential surfaces of the outer rings 5a to 5c, to thereby realize such rolling bearings at low cost, having excellent abrasion resistance, and good corrosion resistance, if needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kawamura, Yukio Ohura, Manabu Ohori, Susumu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030044094
    Abstract: A rolling guide apparatus comprises a first slide member and second slide member. The first slide member includes a pair of wing portions and a connecting portion connecting the wing portions. First raceway grooves are formed on the wing portions, individually. Second raceway grooves are formed on the second slide member. Rolling elements are held under a pre-load between the raceway grooves. A residual compression stress region is created on the surface region of the first slide member. A worked portion is formed on the connecting portion. The worked portion serves to adjust the pre-load on the rolling elements by regulating the residual compression stress region by working to deform the connecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6524009
    Abstract: A rolling bearing in which the attainment of excellent current-carrying capability is compatible with cost reduction. The rolling bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner and outer rings, oil films being interposed between the rolling elements and raceway surfaces of the-rings. Here, the inner raceway surface and the outer raceway surface are made coarser to such a surface roughness (Ra=0.1 &mgr;m or so) that they come into metal contact wit the rolling elements for electric connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kurimura, Tamotsu Kodama, Tsukasa Toyoda
  • Patent number: 6517249
    Abstract: The raceways and/or rolling elements of an anti-friction bearing are coated with an amorphous boron-carbide coating having a dense microstructure. The coating has a thickness of about 0.1 &mgr;m to about 5 &mgr;m and is applied at low substrate temperatures and high adatom mobilities. Prior to applying the boron-carbide coating, an interfacial layer is applied to the bearing surface to help the boron-carbide coating to adhere to the surface. The interfacial layer is a metal layer that is deposited on the bearing surface, or a layer of boron and carbon atoms which are diffused into the bearing surface. If a metal interfacial layer is used, then, there is a gradual transition between the interfacial layer of pure metal and the boron-carbide coating. When the bearing assembly is coated in this manner, the bearing assembly will have a longer lifetime, have a cooler operation and higher rotational speeds, have an increased power density, and exhibit greater debris resistance than uncoated bearing assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Gary L. Doll
  • Publication number: 20020172441
    Abstract: Between an inner raceway formed in the outer peripheral surface of an inner ring and an outer raceway formed in the inner peripheral surface of an outer ring, there are interposed a plurality of rolling elements. The inner ring, outer ring and rolling elements are respectively made of high carbon chromium steel, and at least one of the inner ring and outer ring is carbonitrided so as to set the surface hardness of at least one of the inner raceway and outer raceway for HRC58 or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Mamoru Aoki, Hiroshi Ishiwada
  • Publication number: 20020172444
    Abstract: A bearing apparatus comprises a hollow shaft provided around its outer peripheral surface with a bearing fitting region, and a rolling bearing having an inner ring fitted around the bearing fitting region of the hollow shaft. A shaft end of the hollow shaft is bent outwardly in a diametrical direction, thereby being caulkd on an outer end surface of the inner ring of the rolling bearing. The bearing fitting region has a hardened layer in its region from an inner end surface corresponding position of the inner ring of the rolling bearing to a portion before an outer end surface corresponding position, and has a non-hardened layer in its region from the outer end surface corresponding position of the inner ring to the shaft end of the hollow shaft. A position of a caulkd side end portion of the hardened layer is defined based on a predetermined relational expression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Toda, Masahiro Inoue, Kenji Takahashi, Teruyuki Kawatani, Shinichirou Kashiwagi, Teruyuki Wakisaka, Tadashi Mitarai
  • Patent number: 6446520
    Abstract: A ball screw 2 or a sliding screw 2a has a driving force-transmitting shaft 4 or 4a and a bearing member 6 or 6a externally fitted to the driving force-transmitting shaft 4 or 4a. The driving force-transmitting shaft 4 or 4a is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the bearing member 6 or 6a is made of any one of synthetic resin, aluminum, and aluminum alloy. The member, which is formed by using the aluminum or the aluminum alloy, is applied with a surface treatment, and preferably, it is further applied with a surface finish treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigekazu Nagai, Hiroyuki Shiomi
  • Patent number: 6440237
    Abstract: A process for forming a roller bearing comprising the steps of providing a cylindrical slug that comprises at least 0.7 weight percent carbon and up to 1.6 weight percent of at least one alloying element. The slug has lateral and side surfaces. A centered indentation is formed in each side surface. A circular chamfer surface is formed at the intersection of each side and each lateral surface, thereby producing an upsetting slug. The upsetting slug is cold formed, thereby deepening the centered indentations and forming a blank. The blank has a web separating the deepened indentations and end surfaces and chamfer surfaces that are substantially at net shape for the roller bearing. The web is removed from the blank, thereby forming a pierced blank having a through hole with an inner surface. The inner and lateral surfaces of the pierced blank are finished to the specified inner and outer diameters for the roller bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Skilling, William Paul Vukovich
  • Patent number: 6440233
    Abstract: An inner ring and an outer ring are composed as follows. These members are fabricated with a steel for bearing containing carbon 0.6 wt % or higher. A carbonitrided layer is formed in a raceway surface. The amount of residual austenite at a position of 2% Da depth in the raceway surface is determined to be 1.0 vol % or lower. Hardness at the position of 2% Da depth is set to be HRC58 or more. Nitrogen content (Np) at the position of 2% Da depth is 0.05 wt % or more. A multiple Gd of an impression resistance expressed with the following formula (1) is 1.6 or more, Gd=(H0.2/500)+2·Np  (1), wherein in the formula, H0.2 is meant by Vickers hardness at the position of 2% Da depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventors: Shigeru Okita, Susumu Tanaka, Tomonobu Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6422756
    Abstract: In a balling bearing 1 of small diameter equipped with an outer race 2 and an inner race 3, and a plurality of rolling elements 4 disposed between the outer race 2 and the inner race 3, at least rolling element 4 is composed of a steel of Cr concentration being 8 wt % or higher, and the surface thereof is formed with a layer of N concentration being a range of 3≦N %≦0.26×Cr %+4.42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Tanaka, Manabu Ohori
  • Patent number: 6413188
    Abstract: A toroidal type continuously variable transmission, includes: at least one pair of disks concentrically disposed on each other and rotatably supported independent from each other; a trunnion swingable about a pivot shaft; a displacement shaft including a support shaft portion and a pivot shaft portion that are parallel and eccentric to each other, the support shaft portion rotatably supported to the circular hole of the trunnion through a radial bearing, the pivot shaft portion being protruded from an inner surface of the middle portion of the trunnion; a power roller nipped between the concave surfaces of the pair of disks while being rotatably supported on an outer circumferential surface of the pivot shaft portion; and a thrust bearings located between the power roller and the inner surface of the middle portion of the trunnions. An eccentric quantity of the displacement shaft being a distance between the support shaft portion and the pivot shaft portion is within a range from 5 mm to 15 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Imanishi, Nobuo Goto, Makoto Fujinami, Hiroshi Kato, Nobuaki Mitamura, Hiroyuki Itoh, Seiji Higuchi, Hiroshi Fukushima
  • Patent number: 6409846
    Abstract: In a rolling bearing having a fixed race, a rotary race and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between said fixed race and said rotary race, at least said fixed race is made of a steel having 0.35 to 0.55% by weight of C, 11.0 to 17.0% by weight of Cr, 0.05 to less than 0.2% by weight of N and the rest of Fe and unavoidable components. Further, the sum of the content of C and N is from 0.45 to 0.65% by weight or less, and exhibits a surface hardness HRC of 57 or more after heat treatment and the diameter of eutectic carbide produced on said bearing races is 10 &mgr;m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Takemura, Susumu Tanaka, Shigeru Okita
  • Patent number: 6409389
    Abstract: A shaft integral with a rotary polygon mirror is fitted in a sleeve having dynamic-pressure generating grooves to construct a hydrodynamic bearing. A bearing surface of the sleeve is subjected to an electroconductivizing treatment through formation of a chemical conversion film, and an electrodeposition film having a lubricating filler such as a silicon-based resin, inorganic particles, or the like dispersed therein is formed thereon. The film can be formed by electrodeposition which is simpler than plating, and wear resistance and lubricity of the bearing surface can be improved remarkably. The bearing structure prevents wear from occurring during low-speed rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Kadokura, Takamichi Ishino, Masayoshi Asami
  • Patent number: 6398420
    Abstract: The material of inner ring, outer ring and rolling element is formed by a steel material having a chromium (Cr) content of 5% by weight or more. The material is then subjected to cutting. Thereafter, the material thus cut is subjected to heat treatment so that the surface hardness HRC of the worked material is 58 or more. Subsequently, the worked material is subjected to grinding. A working denatured layer present on the surface of the worked material is then removed. Subsequently, an oxide film comprising chromium atom and iron atom at a ratio (Cr/Fe) of 0.5 or more is formed on the surface of the worked material. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a rolling bearing excellent in corrosion resistance and fretting resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Tanaka, Hiroyuki Ito
  • Publication number: 20020051587
    Abstract: A bearing member and a dynamic pressure bearing device using the bearing member includes a cylindrical body constituting a bearing member that rotatably supports a shaft member. The cylindrical body is made of a copper metal, and an anti-rust film comprising cupric benzotriazole is formed on the surface of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: SANKYO SEIKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Narita, Hiromasa Marumo, Masayuki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6354740
    Abstract: A rolling cutter drill bit comprises a body and three legs, each leg having a cantilevered bearing spindle, a rolling cutter rotatably mounted on the bearing spindle, lubricant delivering means within the bearing spindle, and a floating thrust bearing element configured to carry onward thrust loads from the rolling cutter onto the bearing spindle. Each floating thrust bearing element is formed of a wrought alloy material consisting primarily of chromium carbide and cobalt and having a yield strength of less than 120,000 psi and a ductility of at least 4%, both at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Camco International Inc.
    Inventors: Ranjit Kumar Singh, Michael Scott Nixon, Jeffery Edward Daly
  • Patent number: 6341896
    Abstract: A shaft member 21 the flexible, austenitic stainless steel is cold worked, and in the cold working process, a cold working ratio is increased, whereby a surface of the shaft member 21 is hardened. Therefore, there is no need for a nitriding treatment for the surface hardening. The corrosion proof performance of the passive coating possessed by the stainless steel is kept as intact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kazushi Miura, Masato Gomyo, Takayuki Narita, Tokio Tago, Takehiko Yazawa
  • Patent number: 6332714
    Abstract: An induction-hardened rolling bearing device used by disposing rolling elements in a raceway track member, with excellent cold drawability and improved wear resistance and extended service life, in which ingredients of an alloy for the raceway track member contain, from 0.40 to 0.90% of C, from 0.05 to 0.80% of Si, from 0.10 to 2.0% of Mn, from 0.05 to 0.50% of Ti and 0.03% or less of N, on the weight basis, induction hardening is applied at least to the raceway surface of the raceway track member, and Ti carbide and Ti carbonitride each having an average particle diameter of from 5 to 100 nm are dispersed on the surface and in the steels of the raceway track member to make the hardness of the raceway surface to HRC 59 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignees: NSK Ltd., Sanyo Special Steel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Takemura, Nobuaki Mitamura, Yasuo Murakami, Tomonobu Yoshikawa, Shuhei Kitano, Kazuhiko Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 6315455
    Abstract: The rolling bearing according to the invention comprises a dense nitride layer formed on the surface layer of the rolling elements and optionally an optimum carbonitride layer formed on the races. In this arrangement, the deterioration of durability due to vibration or impact load during transportation can be prevented, not to mention improvement of stillness. Further, the deterioration of impact resistance required for hybrid bearing can be prevented. The release of pilot pressure and defective of acoustic properties due to electrostatic attraction of dust can be prevented. At the same time, the rolling element of the invention comprises a compound layer having an extremely high hardness formed uniformly, making it possible to finish to a high precision. Moreover, a great effect can be exerted of preventing the change of properties with time at high temperature or the deterioration of acoustic properties under other severe working conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Tanaka, Manabu Ohori
  • Patent number: 6290398
    Abstract: At least one of constituent elements of a rolling bearing is formed of a metallic material which contains an alloy element having a strong affinity for nitrogen while being of low grade in terms of cost and characteristics, and has a nitriding layer formed on surfaces thereof to be hardened. Accordingly, it is possible to use such rolling bearing as a substitute for conventional rolling bearings or rolling bearings of high grade which are known as general rolling bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Fujiwara, Haruo Kimura
  • Patent number: 6287009
    Abstract: A rolling bearing unit with a rotation speed detection instrument having a hub with a plurality of inner race tracks, an outer race formed of steel material with a plurality of outer race tracks, rolling elements between the tracks, and encoder on the hub and a sensor supported in a mounting hole in the cuter race. A hardened layer is formed on the inner surface of the outer race and each portion where the outer race tracks are formed. An area of the inner surface around the mounting hole is not hardened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Nakamura, Hiroya Miyazaki, Shuichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6280093
    Abstract: In a structure to support wheels freely rotatably in relation to a vehicle body via a bearing section, the bearing section is formed from a tapered roller bearing that has an inner member 1, an outer member 2 fitted on the inner member 1 from the outside and double rows of tapered rollers 3 interposed between the inner member 1 and the outer member 2. The outer member 2 has double raceway surfaces 12 where the tapered rollers 3 move rolling thereon, and hardened layers at least on the raceway surfaces 12 and in relieving recesses 13 thereof. The inner member 1 is formed from a hub 1a having a wheel mounting flange 1a2 and an annular member 1b fixed on the outer circumference of the hub 1a, and has raceway surfaces 12, where the tapered rollers 3 move rolling thereon, formed on the outer circumference of the hub 1a and on the outer circumference of the annular member 1b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ohtsuki, Takayuki Norimatsu
  • Patent number: 6267511
    Abstract: An inner ring 3 of the rolling bearing is formed by a steel material having the following composition. This steel material contains as alloying constituents C, Si, Mn and Cr in an amount of from 0.65 to 1.20% by weight, from 0.10 to 0.70% by weight, from 0.20 to 1.20% by weight and from 0.20 to 1.80% by weight, respectively, and has an oxygen content of not more than 16 ppm. The content of retained austenite left after heat treatment is from 0 to 6% by volume and the surface hardness HRC of the bearing surface is from not less than 57 to not more than 65. Accordingly, it is possible to drastically prolong the lifetime of a rolling bearing operating under high vibration and load such as bearing for alternator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Takemura, Yasuo Murakami
  • Patent number: 6261203
    Abstract: In the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, the radial needle roller bearing includes a plurality of needle rollers, the two end portions of each of the needle rollers in the axial direction thereof are crowned, and the crowning amount is set such that, in the portion of the needle roller that is situated by 7-13% of the axial-direction length toward the axial-direction central portion of the needle roller from the axial-direction end face of the needle roller, the crowning amount is 0.1-0.4% of the outside diameter of the axial-direction central portion of the needle roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Shimizuya, Makoto Fujinami, Hiroyuki Itoh, Seiji Higuchi, Nobuo Goto
  • Patent number: 6251041
    Abstract: The toroidal type continuously variable transmission includes: first and second disks concentrically disposed on each other and supported such that they can be rotated freely; a pair of trunnions; a pair of displacement shafts respectively including support shaft portions and pivot shaft portions; a plurality of power rollers interposed between and held by the first and second disks; a plurality of thrust ball bearings respectively for supporting their associated power rollers; and, a plurality of thrust needle bearings respectively interposed between the outer surfaces of outer rings respectively forming the thrust ball bearings and the inner surfaces of the trunnions. A retainer for retaining the thrust needle roller in a freely rollable manner is formed of a single plate, and is carbonitrided, while the surface hardness Hv of the retainer is set higher than or equal to 550.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Ishikawa, Seiji Higuchi, Nobuo Goto, Takashi Imanishi
  • Patent number: 6238744
    Abstract: A method for eliminating hoot noise in a bearing assembly (12) of an idler or tensioner pulley (10) includes applying a three component dry lubricating compound onto steel contact surfaces of the inner and outer raceways (14, 16) on which the ball bearings (20) ride, curing the compound to bond it to the contact surfaces, and pressure rolling the lubricating compound onto the surfaces. Pressure rolling fills voids (22) in the contact surfaces with particles of the lubricating compound and smoothes the surfaces thereby reducing friction. The dry lubricating compound has a very strong affinity for oil to attract and hold oil to provide an oil film which prevents metal to metal contact thereby eliminating hoot noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Thomas Magoulick, Vemulapalli Durga Nageswar Rao
  • Patent number: 6234678
    Abstract: There is provided a plain bearing in which 0.3 to 25 vol. % of hard particles, having a mean particle diameter of not more than 1.5 &mgr;m, are dispersed in a main load portion of the overlay, so that the main load portion is formed into a hard region harder than the other portion of the overlay. With this construction, the main load portion is enhanced in wear resistance while the other portion is enhanced in foreign matter embeddability. Therefore, there is provided the plain bearing which is less liable to undergo seizure due to abnormal wear even if solid foreign matter are included into lubricating oil, thus exhibiting excellent wear resistance and foreign matter embeddability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Tsuji, Hideo Ishikawa, Takayuki Shibayama
  • Patent number: 6234679
    Abstract: A rolling bearing made of bearing steel and incorporating an inner race, an outer race positioned coaxially about the inner race and a set of rolling bodies positioned in the annular space between and in rolling contact with the inner and outer race, wherein at least one of the inner race, the outer race and the set of rolling bodies is provided with a surface coating incorporating an exterior carbon nitride layer and an intermediate layer interposed between the carbon nitride layer and the surface of the coated component(s), said intermediate layer being hexagonal boron carbon nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: SKF Nova AB
    Inventor: Hans Sjöström
  • Patent number: 6224266
    Abstract: A wheel bearing device is proposed which maintains long life even under high-load, high-temperature conditions. On the surfaces of inner rings and tapered rollers of a multiple-row tapered roller bearing rotatably supporting a wheel, carburized, nitrided layers are formed which contain 0.80 wt % or more carbon and have a Rockwell hardness of 58 or over with the residual aaustenite content being 25-35 vol % to improve mechanical properties and fatigue characteristics of these parts and also keep the surface layers of these parts of suitable toughness, thereby improving the life of the wheel bearing device in a high-load, high-temperature environment. Also, an annular recess is formed in the inner periphery of the outer ring at a portion between the rows of the raceways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ohtsuki, Shinji Nishio
  • Patent number: 6197128
    Abstract: A rolling bearing including a rolling bearing ring and a rolling element, at least one of the rolling bearing ring and the rolling element consisting of carburized steel containing at least 0.3% and at most 0.6% of C, at least 0.1% and at most 0.35% of Si, at least 1.1% and at most 1.5% of Mn, at least 0.5% and at most 2.0% of Cr, at least 0.2% and at most 0.6% of Ni and at least 0.15% and at most 0.5% of Mo by weight. Thus, an inexpensive and long life carburized steel rolling bearing can be obtained using a combination of chemical components of a relatively low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Kikuo Maeda
  • Patent number: 6174085
    Abstract: A linear guide bearing device includes a rail, a bearing supported by the rail and rectilinearly movable along the axial direction of the rail, and rolling members interposed between the rail and the bearing to roll along with motion of the bearing. At least one of the rail and the bearing is made of induction-hardened steel including 0.6 to 0.9 wt % of carbon, 0.05 to 0.25 wt % of silicon, 0.3 to 0.9 wt % of manganese, 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of chromium, 0.2 to 1.0 wt % of molybdenum, and residual portion as iron and unavoidable impurities, and the induction-hardened steel has a total content of carbon, manganese, and molybdenum, which satisfies predetermined inequalities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonobu Yoshikawa, Nobuaki Mitamura
  • Patent number: 6146774
    Abstract: A medium-P/high-P type Ni--P plating coating, the hardness of which can be furthermore enhanced by heat treating, is used for plating on the surface of a sliding member. However, its wear resistance does not arrive at the desired level. In addition, although the P content of the conventional Ni--P--B electroless plating coating is lower than that of Ni--P electroless plating coating, P considerably disordered the crystallinity of Ni crystals and hence impaired the sliding characteristics. There is provided as a Ni--P--B electroless plating coating, which can eliminate the above described problems, a plating coating containing from 0.05 to 5% by weight of P and from 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of B. Furthermore, barrel polishing, shot blasting, laser-beam irradiation, high-frequency induction heating and the like are applied to the plating coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Okamoto, Yasushi Yamaguchi, Yoshiaki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 6145941
    Abstract: A track bushing for an endless track of a track-type vehicle includes a first end, a second end and a middle portion, an outer surface and an inner surface, a first sealing surface adjacent the first end and a second end sealing surface adjacent the second end, a first inner bearing surface adjacent the first end and a second inner bearing surface adjacent the second end, and an abrasion resistant coating deposited on at least one of (a) at least one of the first end sealing surface and the second end sealing surface, and (b) at least one of the first inner bearing surface and the second inner bearing surface. The coating is selected from the group consisting of chromium nitrides, chromium carbonitrides, and mixtures thereof. The track bushing exhibits much superior abrasion, corrosion, erosion and galling resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Peter W. Anderton, Phil J. Shankwitz, Chuong Q. Dam, Alan P. Dremann, William A. Holt
  • Patent number: 6146021
    Abstract: A corrosion resistant bearing includes a bearing insert and a housing supporting the bearing insert. The bearing insert includes an outer ring, an inner ring and a plurality of rolling bearing elements disposed between the rings. At least one of the bearing components includes a multi-layer corrosion resistant system for inhibiting or delaying corrosion of the substrate of the component. The substrate may be made of high carbon or alloy steel. The corrosion resistant system includes a galvanic or sacrificial metallic plating layer disposed directly on the component substrate. One or more mechanical protection layers is formed or disposed over the plating layer. A first mechanical protection layer includes a clear chromate coating formed on the plating layer. Additional mechanical protection layers include non-metallic layers, such as acetate or polytetrafluoroethylene coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Robert E. Ward
  • Patent number: 6146022
    Abstract: A hub unit bearing for automotive wheel comprises an outer joint member of constant velocity universal joint, an axle hub and an axle bearing assembled into one unit, the axle hub and the outer joint member being separably joined in a socket-and-spigot joint fashion, face splines being formed in opposing end surfaces of the axle hub and the outer joint member, one of double rows of inner raceways of the axle bearing being formed in the outer joint member, and quench-hardened layers of the inner raceways and quench-hardened layers of the face splines being formed continuously. A heat-affected zone incident to the quench-hardened inner raceway of the outer joint member may also be formed continuously with a heat-affected zone incident to quench-hardened ball grooves of the outer joint member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Tomohide Mizoguchi, Eiji Tajima, Keisuke Sone, Kazuhiko Hozumi
  • Patent number: 6095693
    Abstract: An inner ring is shaped in its contour by a cold-shaping treatment and is hardened on its surface by a nitrosulphurizing treatment or a soft-nitriding treatment. As a result, the hardness of the surface of the inner ring is enhanced by the cold-shaping treatment and further by the subsequent hardening treatment. As a result, the inner ring is improved in its wear resistance and its seizure resistance. Moreover, the hardening treatment is effected by the nitrosulphurizing treatment or the soft-nitriding treatment so that it can be suppressed from straining in that treating procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6095013
    Abstract: A cam follower apparatus includes at least a roller and a supporting shaft for supporting the roller freely rotatably. Unevenness is formed equally on the surface of at least one of the roller and supporting shaft by corrosion by manganese phosphate salt and the manganese phosphate salt film is formed on the corroded surface. Good-quality oil film can be formed stably without interruption thereof under even a strict working condition with a small amount of lubricant due to the unevenness formed on the film. Therefore, direct contact between metals is prevented, thereby improving lubricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Hashimoto, Toshiyasu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6089756
    Abstract: There are provided a plain bearing which is excellent in oil retaining property and wear-resistant property. The plain bearing has a number of fine grooves which are parallely formed with one another and extending in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the bearing, the fine grooves comprising deep grooves and shallow grooves. When this bearing is used as a plain bearing, a large amount of lubricating oil can be retained in the deep grooves and the shallow grooves so that a plain bearing which is excellent in anti-seizure property and wear-resistant property can be obtained. Further, even if the shallow grooves will have been worn out by wear and tear during use of extended period of time, the anti-seizure property and the wear-resistant property can be stably maintained by the lubricating oil retained in the deep grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Ono, Hideyumi Matsumura, Masayuki Niwa, Shoji Nawa, Takayuki Shibayama
  • Patent number: 6082511
    Abstract: An outer ring for a one-way clutch comprises a heat-treated portion a depth of which varies in a direction of a central axis of the outer ring. The heat-treated portion may be located at a raceway surface for torque transmitting members such as sprags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: NSK-Warner K.K.
    Inventors: Hirobumi Shirataki, Kazuhiko Muramatsu