Superelastic balls for ball bearings and method of manufacture
AssigneeHeraeus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
InventorChristian de Graffenried
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One aspect relates to a rolling element for a ball bearing wherein the rolling element has: (i) a Young modulus E in the range up to and including 100 GPa; and (ii) a yield strength Rp0.2 in the range up to and including 1800 MPa, or wherein the rolling element has at least an alloy of nickel (Ni) and titanium (Ti), wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 57:43 to 50:50. One aspect is a rolling bearing with: a. at least an outer ring; b. at least an inner ring, wherein a raceway is defined by the arrangement of the outer ring and the inner ring; and c. at least three rolling elements wherein the rolling elements are arranged in the raceway, wherein at least one rolling element comprises at least an alloy as mentioned above.
Claims21
A ball bearing comprising:
- a raceway;
- a rolling element in the raceway, the rolling element comprising at least an alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:45 to 50:50;
- wherein the amount of alloy in the rolling element is from 85 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of the rolling element;
- wherein the ball bearing is configured within a medical handheld device, a pacemaker or a watch;
- and
- wherein the ball bearing comprises more than two points of contact with the rolling element
A ball bearing including a rolling element, wherein the rolling element comprises:
- (i) a Young modulus E in the range up to and including 100 GPa;
- (ii) yield strength Rp0.2 in the range up to and including 1800 MPa;
- and
- (iii) at least an alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:45 to 50:50
- wherein the ball bearing is configured within a medical handheld device, a pacemaker or a watch.
A method of manufacturing a ball bearing with balls and inner and outer rings, comprising:
- i) providing a precursor, wherein the precursor comprises at least an alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:45 to 50:50, wherein the amount of alloy in the precursor is from 85 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of precursor;
- ii) cutting off ball blanks from the precursor, wherein the ball blanks are cubical or cylindrical in shape;
- and
- iii) grinding the ball blanks in a ball grinder to a desired spherical shape and size, whereby balls for ball bearings are obtained;
- iv) proving the inner ring having an inner diameter in a range of 1 to 100 mm.
A rolling bearing at least comprising
- a. at least an outer ring and
- b. at least an inner ring, wherein a raceway is defined by the arrangement of the at least one outer ring and at least one inner ring, and
- c. at least 3 rolling elements, wherein the rolling elements are arranged in the raceway, wherein at least one rolling element
- c.-1) comprises at least one alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:45 to 50:50, wherein the amount of alloy in the rolling element is from 85 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of the rolling element;
- or
- c.-2) has
- (i) a Young modulus E in the range up to and including 100 GPa;
- and
- (ii) a yield strength Rp0.2 in the range up to and including 1800 MPa;
- or
- c.-3) is characterized by the combined features of alternatives c.-1) and c.-2) above;
- or
- c.-4) is obtainable by
- i) providing a precursor, wherein the precursor comprises at least an alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:45 to 50:50, wherein the amount of alloy in the precursor is from 85 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of precursor;
- ii) cutting off ball blanks from the precursor, wherein the ball blanks are cubical or cylindrical in shape;
- and
- iii) grinding the ball blanks in a ball grinder to a desired spherical shape and size, whereby balls for ball bearings are obtained.
A method of manufacturing a rolling bearing comprising:
- (I) providing at least these items:
- a. an outer ring,
- b. at least an inner ring and
- c. at least 3 rolling elements;
- wherein at least one of the rolling elements
- c.-1) is composed of at least one alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:43 to 50:50, based on the total weight of the alloy, wherein the amount of alloy in the rolling element is from 85 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of the rolling element;
- or
- c.-2) wherein at least one of the rolling elements has a Young modulus E in the range up to and including 100 GPa and a yield strength Rp0.2 in the range up to and including 1800 MPa;
- or
- c.-3) wherein at least one of the rolling elements has the combined features of c-1) and c-2) above;
- c.-4) is obtainable by
- i) providing a precursor, wherein the precursor comprises at least an alloy of Nickel and Titanium, wherein the weight ratio of Ni:Ti in the alloy is in the range of from 55:43 to 50:50, wherein the amount of alloy in the precursor is from 85 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of precursor;
- ii) cutting off ball blanks from the precursor, wherein the ball blanks are cubical or cylindrical in shape;
- and
- iii) grinding the ball blanks in a ball grinder to a desired spherical shape and size, whereby balls for ball bearings are obtained;
- and
- (II) Assembling the rolling elements provided in step i), wherein a rolling bearing is obtained, which has a raceway which is defined by the arrangement of the at least one outer ring and at least one inner ring, wherein the rolling elements are arranged in the raceway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.