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US 11,460,070 B2Granted
Self-repair bearing and methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorSteven G. Lemery
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein a bearing that comprises a base, made of a metallic base material. The base comprises a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical inner surface that is opposite the cylindrical outer surface, and a central channel defined by the cylindrical inner surface and extending through the base. The bearing also comprises a selective transfer material embedded in the base. The selective transfer material is different than the metallic base material and is configured to release from the base in response to frictionally-induced pressure acting on the base.
Claims20
A bearing, comprising:
- a base, made of a metallic base material and comprising:
- a cylindrical outer surface;
- a cylindrical inner surface that is opposite the cylindrical outer surface;
- and
- a central channel defined by the cylindrical inner surface and extending through the base;
- a selective transfer material embedded in the base, wherein the selective transfer material is different than the metallic base material and is configured to release from the base in response to frictionally-induced pressure acting on the base and bond to voids in one of the cylindrical outer surface or the cylindrical inner surface;
- and
- one of:
- an interior layer directly coupled to the cylindrical inner surface and interiorly covering the cylindrical inner surface and the selective transfer material, wherein the interior layer is configured to wear away, during an initial period of use of the bearing, to expose the cylindrical inner surface and the selective transfer material;
- or
- an exterior layer directly coupled to the cylindrical outer surface and exteriorly covering the cylindrical outer surface and the selective transfer material, wherein the exterior layer is configured to wear away, during an initial period of use of the bearing, to expose the cylindrical outer surface and the selective transfer material.
8 more elements
A method of making a bearing, the method comprising:
- forming a base made of a metallic base material and comprising a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical inner surface that is opposite the cylindrical outer surface, and a central channel that is defined by the cylindrical inner surface and extends through the base;
- and
- embedding a selective transfer material into the base, wherein the selective transfer material is selected from the group consisting of tin, zinc, copper, iron, lead, palladium, cobalt, titanium dioxide, copper oxide, iron oxide black (Fe3O4), zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP), molybdenum disulfide, graphene, Si3N4, AlN, CaCO3, MgO, and serpentine minerals;
- and
- one of:
- directly coupling an interior layer to the cylindrical inner surface and interiorly covering the cylindrical inner surface and the selective transfer material, wherein the interior layer is configured to wear away, during an initial period of use of the bearing, to expose the cylindrical inner surface and the selective transfer material;
- or
- directly coupling an exterior layer to the cylindrical outer surface and exteriorly covering the cylindrical outer surface and the selective transfer material, wherein the exterior layer is configured to wear away, during an initial period of use of the bearing, to expose the cylindrical outer surface and the selective transfer material;
- wherein the selective transfer material is configured to release from the base in response to frictionally-induced pressure acting on the base and to bond to voids in one of the cylindrical outer surface or the cylindrical inner surface.
6 more elements
A bearing, comprising:
- a base, made of a metallic base material and comprising:
- a cylindrical outer surface;
- a cylindrical inner surface that is opposite the cylindrical outer surface;
- and
- a central channel defined by the cylindrical inner surface and extending through the base;
- and
- a selective transfer material embedded in the base, wherein the selective transfer material is different than the metallic base material and comprises particles each having a maximum dimension that is less than or equal to 40 nanometers, wherein the selective transfer material is configured to release from the base in response to frictionally-induced pressure acting on the base and to bond to voids in one of the cylindrical outer surface or the cylindrical inner surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.