Self-healing bearing device using electric or magnetic fluids

A method of moving two surfaces relative to one another using a bearing device, the bearing device comprising:

• a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface which face one another;
• and
• one or more field generators which are embedded in the first or second bearing surface, wherein the field generators are magnetic field generators;
• wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• separating the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface by a bearing gap;
• filling the bearing gap with a lubricant comprising a carrier fluid and particles which respond to magnetic fields, wherein said particles are suspended in the carrier fluid in the absence of magnetic fields;
• moving the first bearing surface with respect to the second bearing surface;
• and
• generating a localized spatially varying magnetic field using the magnetic field generators to locally remove the particles from suspension by exerting a field force on the particles, thereby creating a local flow obstruction on at least one of the bearing surfaces in the form of an agglomerate of previously suspended particles, wherein a thickness of the local flow obstruction in a direction of the bearing gap is a fraction of a bearing gap height in at least one obstruction zone in the bearing gap, thereby locally obstructing a flow of the lubricant through the bearing gap in the obstruction zone.

A method for allowing relative movement of two surfaces using a bearing device, the bearing device comprising:

• a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface which face one another;
• and
• one or more field generators which are embedded in the first or second bearing surface, wherein the field generators are electric field generators;
• wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• separating the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface by a bearing gap;
• filling the bearing gap with a lubricant comprising a carrier fluid and particles which respond to electric fields, wherein said particles are suspended in the carrier fluid in the absence of electric fields;
• moving the first bearing surface with respect to the second bearing surface;
• and
• generating a localized electric field using the electric field generators to locally remove the particles from suspension by exerting a field force on the particles, thereby creating a local flow obstruction on at least one of the bearing surfaces in the form of an agglomerate of previously suspended particles, wherein a thickness of the local flow obstruction in a direction of the bearing gap is a fraction of a bearing gap height in at least one obstruction zone in the bearing gap, thereby locally obstructing a flow of the lubricant through the bearing gap in the obstruction zone.