Bearing lubrication system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJan W. VanWyk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bearing construction is provided having a temperature responsive lubrication system. The invention is particularly applicable to bearings having hard, wear resistant bearing surfaces, such as ceramic surfaces, lubricated by solid lubricants placed in reservoirs in the bearing surface. Preferably, expansion members or plugs of material of higher thermal expansivity than the bearing material are placed in the reservoirs under the lubricant. Upon heating of the bearing due to friction or wear of the bearing surfaces, the lubricant expands out of the reservoirs onto the bearing surface to form a lubricant film and reduce the friction.
Claims10
A bearing structure including relatively movable members having engaging bearing surfaces, one of said members having a plurality of lubricant reservoirs therein opening to the bearing surface, a solid lubricant material contained in each of said reservoirs, said solid lubricant having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than the material of said one bearing member, and expansion members in said reservoirs under the lubricant, said expansion members having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the bearing material.
A bearing structure comprising inner and outer bearing members adapted for relative rotational movement, said members having engaging bearing surfaces of hard, wear resistant material, one of said surfaces having a plurality of recesses extending therethrough into the bearing member, a solid lubricant in each of said recesses comprising a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the bearing member, and an expansion member disposed in the bottom of each of said recesses under said solid lubricant, said expansion members being made of a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the bearing material.
A bearing structure comprising relatively movable bearing members having engaging bearing surfaces of hard, wear resistant material, one of said members having a plurality of recesses therein opening to the bearing surface, an expansion member disposed in the bottom of each of said recesses, said expansion members being made of a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of said bearing members, and each of said recesses containing a solid lubricant material above the expansion member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.