Abstract: A ball-bearing unit for a bearing of a deep-drilling apparatus having bearing races made from steel with balls disposed therebetween. Contaminated drilling medium passes into the space between the bearing races. Load-bearing balls made from ceramic alternate with separating balls of smaller diameter made from steel between the bearing races to extend significantly the service life of the ball-bearing unit.

Abstract: A rolling bearing includes: an inner ring mounted on a shaft to be supported; an outer ring provided around an outer periphery of the inner ring; a plurality of rolling elements rolling while contacting with an inner peripheral face of the outer ring and an outer peripheral face of the inner ring at surfaces thereof; and a retainer supporting the rolling elements. A sliding resistance-reducing film is formed on at least one of a first group being an outer peripheral face of the retainer or the inner peripheral face of the outer ring and a second group being an inner peripheral face of the retainer or the outer peripheral face of the inner ring.

Abstract: A self-lubricating connector or roller is formed by molding a laminated bearing insert in-situ within a nylon support or member. The connector provides a one-piece, self-lubricating device to replace conventional multiple-piece bearing assemblies which typically include a nylon member having an integral metallic sleeve rotatably engaged with a conventional needle or journal bearing. An alternate embodiment of the present invention includes a connector fabricated by press-fitting the laminated bearing insert into a member fabricated from a metallic material. The connectors or rollers of the present invention have several advantages over the prior art, including improved concentricity between the load bearing layer and roller, closer tolerances and elimination of parts and assembly steps.

Abstract: A low-friction sliding mechanism includes first and second sliding members having respective sliding surfaces slidable relative to each other and a lubricant applied to the sliding surfaces of the first and second sliding members. At least the sliding surface of the first sliding member is made of a diamond-like carbon material, and at least the sliding surface of the second sliding member is made of either an aluminum-based alloy material, a magnesium-based alloy material or a diamond-like carbon material. The lubricant contains a base oil and at least one of an ashless fatty-ester friction modifier and an ashless aliphatic-amine friction modifier.

Abstract: A bearing for a fuel pump includes a sliding layer made of mainly carbon, and a supporting layer made of mainly carbon and a metal. The supporting layer is connected to the sliding layer to support the sliding layer. Because the sliding layer of the bearing is made of mainly carbon, corrosion resistance of the bearing can be improved. Further, the supporting layer improves the strength of the bearing. Accordingly, the bearing with the two-layer structure effectively improves the corrosion resistance while the strength thereof can be increased. The bearing can be suitably used for the fuel pump. In this case, the bearing is press-fitted to a casing member on the supporting layer, and a rotary shaft of the fuel pump is slidably held in the bearing on the sliding layer.

Abstract: A guide rail 13 is formed of a ceramic material having a specific strength of 2×107 mm or more and has a planar part with a surface roughness of 0.5 ?mRa or less. Further, the guide rail 13 has a recess 18 for avoiding interference with a part to be attached in which the corner 18a of the recess 18 is formed with a radius of curvature of 0.1 mm or more.

Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a generally cylindrical main unit (10) made of ceramic material, and two blocks (30) made of sintered metallic material housed in the main unit. The main unit includes a cylindrical sleeve (12), and two opposite protrusions (14) arranged inside the sleeve. Each protrusion defines an inmost first support wall (20), and a through hole (24) that is narrow at a middle portion and flared at opposite ends. A slit (26) is defined in the protrusion between the first support wall and the through hole. The blocks are received in two corresponding cavities (18) defined between the protrusions. Each block defines an inmost second support wall (36). The first and second support walls cooperatively define a bearing bore (22) therebetween for receiving a rotatable shaft. The blocks have good lubricant-retaining characteristics. The highly rigid protrusions can accurately hold the shaft and protect the blocks from excessive abrasion.

Abstract: A ceramic bearing structure is constructed to include an axle bush having an axially extended axle hole, and an axle pivoted to the axle hole of the axle bush, the axle bush having a radial open chamber extended across the axle hole. The radial open chamber diminishes the material of the axle bush, reduces the contact area between the axle and the axle bush, and provides a spacious lubrication grease accumulation chamber.

Abstract: A chain conveyor assembly having the combination of a polymeric material and a hard diamond-like coating at the frictional interface of the chain links. The conveyor chain preferably includes male and female links connected to one another by connector pins. The shaft of each connector pin is coated with a diamond-like coating having high hardness, low friction and low wear characteristics. Opposite ends of the connector pins are connected to the female link while the shaft of the connector pin passes through the male link. A polymeric bushing is fitted to the male link in engagement with the shaft of the connector pin. Accordingly, relative movement between the links occurs at the interface of the DLC connector pin and the polymeric bushing.

Abstract: Diamond bearings and bearing components are disclosed. Some embodiments of the bearings and bearing components include polycrystalline diamond compacts sintered under high pressure and high temperature to create a diamond table chemically and mechanically bonded to a substrate, the diamond table presenting a durable and thermally stable load bearing and articulation surface.

Abstract: A low-friction device having a moving interface comprising first and second members. Each of the members has a maximum dimension of about 100 &mgr;m or less between any two points. At least the first member is formed of diamond and the first and second members are in sliding contact or meshing contact.

Abstract: The invention provides a special type bearing device that is insusceptible to damage, is light in weight, has a long service life and excellent wear resistance, is insusceptible to the effect of change in temperature, is easy to fabricate, and has little offensiveness towards mating members. Further, the same is capable of sufficiently retaining a lubricant such as oil and grease, and retaining the lubricant for a long period of time without the need of supplying oil during operation, thereby rendering it maintenance-free. That is, the special type bearing device as described above has an axial shaft, a pair of rotating bodies fixedly attached to the shaft, and a supporting body with which the rotating bodies are in contact, wherein any one of the shift, the rotating bodies, and the supporting body is made of RB ceramic or CRB ceramic.

Abstract: Wear resistant member comprises a silicon nitride sintered body. Silicon nitride sintered body contains from 75 to 97% by mass of silicon nitride, from 0.2 to 5% by mass of titanium nitride and from 2 to 20% by mass of a grain boundary phase essentially containing Si—R—Al—O—N compound (R: rare earth element). Particles of titanium nitride are 1 &mgr;m or less in long axis. Particles of titanium nitride are mainly spherical particles of which aspect ratio is in the range of from 1.0 to 1.2, surface thereof being formed edgeless and roundish. Wear resistant member formed of such silicon nitride sintered body is excellent in strength, fracture toughness and rolling fatigue life. In particular, being excellent in rolling fatigue life, it is suitable for bearing member such as bearing balls.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silicon nitride wear resistant member composed of silicon nitride sintered body containing 1-10 mass % of rare earth element in terms of oxide thereof as sintering agent, wherein a total oxygen content of the silicon nitride sintered body is 6 mass % or less, a porosity of the silicon nitride sintered body is 0.5 vol. % or less, and a maximum size of pore existing in grain boundary phase of the silicon nitride sintered body is 0.3 &mgr;m or less. According to the above structure of the present invention, there can be provided a silicon nitride wear resistant member and a method of manufacturing the member having a high strength and a toughness property, and particularly excellent in sliding characteristics.

Abstract: In a slide member comprising a base member and a slide layer including a first surface fixed to the base member and a second surface being opposite to the first surface in a thickness direction of the slide layer and capable of contacting another member in such a manner that the another member is movable on the second surface, the slide layer includes silver as a main component of the slide layer and a solid lubricant.

Abstract: A pump apparatus of simple construction has a bearing structure for which a lubricant is unnecessary. A flow passage for a refrigerant (liquid ammonia) is formed in a housing to provide communication between a suction port and a discharge port, and slide bearing members formed of amorphous carbon are provided in the housing to be fitted into the flow passage to support a rotating shaft. A drive for rotating the rotating shaft is constituted by a rotor, which is fitted into the flow passage and provided with the rotating shaft, and a stator, which is provided outside the housing to surround the rotor, and a pump body is provided midway the flow passage and connected to the rotating shaft to pump a fluid.

Abstract: A sliding bearing is provided for a magnetically driven centrifugal pump with an outer stationary tubular bearing housing within which lie antirotationally mounted bearing bushings and with a rotationally mounted hollow bearing shaft, lying coaxially in the bearing housing to accommodate the pump impeller shaft, having bearing sleeves, lying within the bearing bushings. Contacting the end faces of the bearing bushings on the outer side lie axial bearing rings which are in each case held by an outer axial disc arranged on or alongside the bearing shaft at both ends. The sliding bearing constitutes a preassembled unit, the parts of which are captively mounted to one another. The two axial discs at the end faces are fastened to or alongside the bearing shaft and hold the bearing shaft with its bearings within the bearing housing.

Abstract: An improved rolling bearing, in particular one being used in aqueous environment, such as water and steam, comprising an outer race, an inner race, rolling elements, and a retainer holding said rolling elements in a spaced relation from each other, wherein the races of the bearing are made of stellite, the rolling elements are made of hot-isostatic-pressed alumina-zirconia composites, and the retainer is made of poly-ether ether ketone comprising graphite fibers, graphite powder, and polytetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: The invention concerns an open-end spinning apparatus with a spin-rotor, the shaft of which is supported by an aerostatic, radial bearing with an air gap between the bearing assembly and the shaft. The construction material for the bearing surface of the spin-rotor and/or the bearing surface of the radial bearing is polyimide or aramid.

Abstract: A sliding bearing apparatus having a superior resistance to fretting comprising: a sliding bearing provided with a back metal layer having an inner face and a rear face, and a bearing alloy layer provided on an inner face of said back metal layer; and a housing having an inner face on which said sliding bearing is mounted, the rear face of said back metal layer and/or the inner face of said housing being provided with a coating made of a ceramic.

Abstract: In a roller chain in which a plurality of rolling bodies is disposed between a roller and a bushing, between a bushing and a pin, or between a roller and a pin, the rolling bodies include at least one carbon-impregnated ceramic rolling body, or at least one carbon-coated steel rolling body. Preferably, the carbon-impregnated or carbon-coated rolling bodies are disposed in an alternating configuration with steel rolling bodies.

Abstract: A chain conveyor assembly having the combination of a polymeric material and a hard diamond-like coating at the frictional interface of the chain links. The conveyor chain preferably includes male and female links connected to one another by connector pins. The shaft of each connector pin is coated with a diamond-like coating having high hardness, low friction and low wear characteristics. Opposite ends of the connector pins are connected to the female link while the shaft of the connector pin passes through the male link. A polymeric bushing is fitted to the male link in engagement with the shaft of the connector pin. Accordingly, relative movement between the links occurs at the interface of the DLC connector pin and the polymeric bushing.

Abstract: Diamond bearings and bearing components are disclosed. Some embodiments of the bearings and bearing components include polycrystalline diamond compacts sintered under high pressure and high temperature to create a diamond table chemically and mechanically bonded to a substrate, the diamond table presenting a durable and thermally stable load bearing and articulation surface.

Abstract: Wear resistant member for electronic equipment comprises a silicon nitride sintered body that contains conductivity enhancing particles, and has electrical resistivity in the range from 1 to 105 &OHgr;·m. In silicon nitride sintered body, agglomeration of conductivity enhancing particles in which distance between conductivity enhancing particles is less than 1 &mgr;m exists by 30% or less by area ratio per unit area. Wear resistant member is used for a bearing ball or the like, being applied in a rotation actuator of electronic equipment such as a magnetic recorder and optical disk drive. Malfunction of electronic equipment due to static electricity may be cancelled due to electrical resistivity that silicon nitride sintered body has.

Abstract: A guide rail 13 is formed of a ceramic material having a specific strength of 2×107 mm or more and has a planar part with a surface roughness of 0.5 &mgr;mRa or less. Further, the guide rail 13 has a recess 18 for avoiding interference with a part to be attached in which the corner 18a of the recess 18 is formed with a radius of curvature of 0.1 mm or more.

Abstract: A ceramic dynamic pressure bearing comprising a first member and a second member, wherein the first member and the second member define a dynamic pressure gap therebetween, the first member and the second member relatively rotate around an axis of rotation, the relative rotation generates a fluid dynamic pressure in the dynamic pressure gap, the first member has a first surface directing to the dynamic pressure gap and the second member has a second surface directing to the dynamic pressure gap, and at least one of the first and second surfaces comprises ceramic, the ceramic comprises: a ceramic matrix that is selected from alumina ceramic, zirconia ceramic and silicon nitride ceramic; and 15 vol % to 70 vol % of an electrically-conductive inorganic compound phase based on the total amount of the ceramic, the phase is dispersed in the ceramic matrix, the phase comprises at least one compound selected from tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, conductive oxide, metallic nitride, metallic carbide, metallic boride,

Abstract: A ceramic dynamic-pressure bearing which is not prone to wear or a like problem associated with starting, stopping, or a like operation mode and which can realize smooth rotation. A dynamic-pressure gap 17 is formed between a first member 14 and a second member 15, which undergo relative rotation about a predetermined axis of rotation. The relative rotation of the first member 14 and the second member 15 generate fluid dynamic-pressure in the dynamic-pressure gap 17. At least a portion of one or both of the first member 14 and the second member 15 includes a polished surface (a dynamic-pressure gap definition surface) formed of alumina ceramic facing the dynamic-pressure gap 17, and the alumina ceramic, which forms the dynamic-pressure gap definition surface finished by polishing, is adjusted to have an apparent density of 3.5-3.9 g/cm3. Also disclosed is a motor, hard disk drive and polygon scanner containing the bearing.

Abstract: In a sliding bearing device for continuous molten metal plating bath rolls, a shaft and a bearing composed of a sliding and contacting hard ceramic sinter are retained displaceably by a steel retainer, and by using such bearing device, therefore, a stable operation of continuous molten metal plating is achieved.

Abstract: A ball-bearing unit for a bearing of a deep-drilling apparatus having bearing races made from steel with balls disposed therebetween. Contaminated drilling medium passes into the space between the bearing races. Load-bearing balls made from ceramic alternate with separating balls of smaller diameter made from steel between the bearing races to extend significantly the service life of the ball-bearing unit.

Abstract: A radial bearing and method for making the same are disclosed. Radial bearings are typically used in downhole motors to control the direction of drilling in directional drilling operations. The cuttings from the bit are carried away by the drilling fluid and flow across the surfaces of the bearings before being removed from the well. The cuttings will contain sand and other hard and/or corrosive substances that will erode the surfaces of the bearings and shorten their useful life. The bearing of this invention is provided with a wear resistant surface to inhibit such erosion. The bearing of this invention is made from a bearing blank to which is applied a first overlay of mild steel with dispersed cemented metal carbide pellets. The composition of the cemented metal carbide pellets is disclosed. The first overlay may be applied by any conventional technique. A second overlay of mild steel is applied to the first overlay utilizing a MIG welding process.

Abstract: A hard carbon film (15) is formed directly or through an intermediate layer for enhancing adhesion over an inner surface (11b) of a guide bush (11) for holding a workpiece (51) rotatably and axially slidable on an automatic lathe at a position near a cutting tool, to be in sliding contact with the workpiece (51) or directly or through an intermediate layer for enhancing adhesion on the surface of a superhard lining fixed to the inner surface (11b) The guide bush (11) has remarkably enhanced durability and prevents damaging the workpiece (51) and seizing that makes a machining operation impossible even when the guide bush (11) is used for an extended period of time and when the automatic lathe operates for heavy machining.

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.

Abstract: The inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3 of the roller bearing 1 as element are formed with silicate glass such as a high silicate glass, a soda-lime glass, alminosilicate glass, borosilicate glass and an alkali silicate glass, during its manufacturing processes a heat treatment is carried out for making the silicate glass polycrystalized and the thermal expansion coefficient of the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3 diminished to prevent them from being changed minutely in dimension and the hardness and the strength of the rolling surfaces 2a, 3a increased to diminish the revolution vibration and the revolution noise due to the revolution vibration and prevent the impact due to miniaturization of the apparatus from being generated.

Abstract: An expansion turbine for low-temperature applications containing a turbine stage into which a cold gas is admitted. A turbine rotor is mounted on a shaft. Also provided is a roller support for the shaft being lubricated with a minimum amount of oil or grease. The roller support contains a roller bearing located adjacent to the turbine stage. The roller bearing is comprised of an inner bearing ring, rollers, and an outer bearing ring supported on the side of the housing. An insulating bush made of ceramic engineering material is arranged between the inner bearing ring and the shaft. The bush thermally separates the inner bearing ring from the cold shaft.

Abstract: A conductive ceramic bearing ball made of composite ceramic and having a mixed microstructure of a silicon nitride phase and a titanium nitride phase. The content ratio of the silicon nitride phase to the titanium nitride phase is such that the conductive ceramic bearing ball has an average coefficient of linear expansion within a temperature range of 20° C.-100° C. of from 2×10−6/K to 5×10−6/K.

Abstract: A ceramic ball bearing assembly (20) has raceway components generally held in residual compression by accompanying metal attachments. In a ceramic ball bearing assembly (20), an outer raceway (22) is formed that is held in compression by a circumscribing steel ring. The components may be fitted together with the ceramic raceway subject to thermal contraction while the steel ring is subject to thermal expansion. Upon mating, the ceramic raceway (22) slightly expands while the steel ring slightly contracts to impose residual compression upon the ceramic raceway. The residual compression preserves the ceramic raceway despite thermal or other stresses of operating environment. An inner ceramic raceway (24) is constructed by employing one of several of the herein described methods, and the ceramic ball bearing assembly of the present invention may use balls (26), needles, cylinders, or other rolling elements in order to achieve smooth angular translation between the inner and outer ceramic raceways.

Abstract: A plain bearing comprises a metal backing, a layer of a porous matrix of sintered metal on the backing and a filled PTFE infiltrated into the interstices of the sintered layer and standing proud of the sintered layer, wherein the PTFE is filled with 1-20% by volume fibrillated aramid fibres and 10-30% by volume glass. The glass is preferably E-glass present as milled filaments of length 0.05-0.30 mm and diameter 0.010-0.020 mm and coated with a silene sizing agent. The fibrillated aramid fibres provide reinforcement and improved load bearing capacity and the glass provides an abrasive filler which abrades asperities on a body and creates a smooth polished surface against which to bear, thereby improving its life. The PTFE preferably also includes ferric oxide and carbon black to about 1.5% and 1.2% by volume respectively which both pigment the polymer and act as fine abrasive and lubricant respectively. The carbon black content may be increased to about 10% to provide electrical conductivity.

Abstract: The invention provides a sliding bearing apparatus having a superior resistance to fretting, the sliding bearing apparatus comprising: a sliding bearing provided with a back metal layer having an inner face and a rear face, and a bearing alloy layer provided on an inner face of said back metal layer; and a housing having an inner face on which said sliding bearing is mounted, the rear face of said back metal layer and/or the inner face of said housing being provided with a coating made of a ceramic.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radial bearing which can be used for bearing problems in which an angular displacement occurs during operation by virtue of the elastically flexible shaping of a bearing sleeve on which an elastically flexible bearing element with an essentially matrix-type fibrous structure is arranged.

Abstract: The inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3 of the roller bearing 1 as element are formed with silicate glass such as a high silicate glass, a soda-lime glass, aluminosilicate glass, borosilicate glass and an alkali silicate glass, during its manufacturing processes a heat treatment is carried out for making the silicate glass polycrystalized and the thermal expansion coefficient of the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3 diminished to prevent them from being changed minutely in dimension and the hardness and the strength of the rolling surfaces 2a, 3a increased to diminish the revolution vibration and the revolution noise due to the revolution vibration and prevent the impact due to miniaturization of the apparatus from being generated.

Abstract: The invention provides a special type bearing device that is insusceptible to damage, is light in weight, has a long service life, and excellent wear resistance, is insusceptible to the effect of change in temperature, is easy to fabricate, and has little offensiveness towards mating members. Further, the same is capable of sufficiently retaining a lubricant such as oil and grease, and retaining the lubricant for a long period of time without the need of supplying oil during operation, thereby rendering it maintenance-free. That is, the special type bearing device as described above comprises an axis, a pair of rotating bodies fixedly attached to the axis, and a supporting body with which the rotating bodies are in contact, wherein any one of the axis, the rotating bodies, and the supporting body is made of RB ceramic or CRB ceramic.

Abstract: A plain bearing comprises a strong backing, a layer of silver and an overlay coating of a metal containing diamond particles. The diamond-containing metal may be of silver, lead, lead/tin, lead/indium or lead/tin/copper. The diamond may be natural or synthetic.

Abstract: The smallest shaft diameter while retaining rigidity is achieved using either ceramic or tungsten carbide. However, to maintain the stiffness of the shaft of the surrounding sleeve and supported therefrom by a hydrodynamic bearing, the gap must also be adjusted and diminished. According to this method, the shaft thickness and bearing gaps are optimized by first setting a ceramic shaft thickness, then modifying the gaps in relation to that thickness.

Abstract: A ceramic ball is described wherein no magnetic inclusion is observed on a surface of said ceramic ball, or when a magnetic inclusion is observed on the surface, dmax of the observed magnetic inclusion is not greater than 20 &mgr;m, wherein dmax is the distance between parallel lines circumscribing the observed magnetic inclusion and whose distance is the greatest among such circumscribing parallel lines.

Abstract: As a ball for ball bearing there is provided a ceramics-coated ball made of a steel having almost the same linear thermal expansion coefficient as that of the bearing ring of the ball bearing and coated with a ceramics material. In this arrangement, even when the temperature during bearing assembly and the working temperature differs from each other, the release of preload or excessive preload can be prevented as in ceramics ball because the bearing and the ball can expand or shrink in the same manner. Further, since the ball and the bearing ring contact with each other via the ceramics layer, fretting abrasion can be prevented, making it possible to obtain excellent running performance and acoustic properties.

Abstract: A bearing comprising a metal base body corresponding to a whole or a part of elements of the bearing with a polycrystallized glass layer located on the metal base body, and a method comprising forming a whole or a part of elements of a bearing with molten glass or of a base metal with a laminated glass layer and carrying out a heat treatment for polycrystallizing the glass.

Abstract: A rolling bearing composed of a combination of bearing wings formed with a steel material and rolling elements formed with a ceramic material, wherein the residual austenite amount of the steel material forming the rolling rings is controlled to a specific value. By the construction, at rolling of the rolling elements formed with a relatively hard ceramic material, the occurrence of the surface scratches of the rolling elements can be restrained, which results in restraining the vibrations and noises caused by the rolling bearing.

Abstract: An air bearing (1) for a shaft (2), adapted to rotate at high peripheral speed, of a motor spindle for driving a machining tool includes a shaft (2) having bearing surfaces (3, 5, 6) and mating bearing surfaces (9, 11) of bearing elements (8, 10) which are equipped with several bearing pockets (13). The bearing pockets (13) communicate, via bores (14, 15) in the bearing elements (8, 10), with a source of compressed air. The bearing elements (8, 10) are made of graphite whereby the air bearing's (1) function is not adversely affected by temporary overloading.

Abstract: A ceramic bearing ball capable of preventing irregular vibrations of, for example, a hard disk drive and having a high accuracy. The ceramic ball is characterized as having a sphericity of not more than 0.08 &mgr;m, a surface roughness of not more than 0.012 &mgr;m and a maximum surface pore size of 5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A plain bearing comprises a metal backing, a layer of a porous matrix of sintered metal on the backing and a filled PTFE infiltrated into the interstices of the sintered layer and standing proud of the sintered layer, wherein the PTFE is filled with 1-20% by volume fibrillated aramid fibres and 10-30% by volume glass. The glass is preferably E-glass present as milled filaments of length 0.05-0.30 mm and diameter 0.010-0.020 mm and coated with a silene sizing agent. The fibrillated aramid fibres provide reinforcement and improved load bearing capacity and the glass provides an abrasive filler which abrades asperities on a body and creates a smooth polished surface against which to bear, thereby improving its life. The PTFE preferably also includes ferric oxide and carbon black to about 1.5% and 1.2% by volume respectively which both pigment the polymer and act as an abrasive and lubricant respectively. The carbon black content may be increased to about 10% to provide electrical conductivity.