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AssigneeSKF Industrial Trading and Development Company, B.V.
InventorsAntonio Gabelli, Pieter Abraham Veenhuizen, Gerardus De Vries
Estimating the term…
A rolling element bearing includes an outer ring and an inner ring which enclose a bearing space containing rolling elements. The rings are made of steel. At least one of the rolling elements comprises, at least partially as a zirconium material which is harder and stiffer than the material of the other rolling elements which are comprised of steel. Walls of indentations which are formed in the rings by solid contamination particles between the rings and one of the rolling elements having about the same hardness as the rings, are compressed as soon as the zirconium material rolling element with a substantially higher hardness than the rings overrolls the walls. Thereby, the smooth characteristic of the raceways is restored. Only small holes are left in the rings, which do not have a negative influence on the running properties of the bearing. In these small holes, minute quantities of lubricating oil are collected, which help the lubrication of the rolling elements in case of oil starvation.
A rolling element bearing, comprising an outer ring and an inner ring enclosing a bearing space containing a plurality of rolling elements including at least one first rolling element and at least one second rolling element, the inner and outer rings and the at least one second rolling element being comprised of steel and having a steel outer surface, and the at least one first rolling element includes an outer surface comprising a zirconium material having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the steel of the at least one second rolling element.
A plurality of rolling elements for use in a rolling element bearing comprising a steel outer ring and a steel inner ring enclosing a bearing space for containing the plurality of rolling elements, the plurality of rolling elements including at least one first rolling element and at least one second rolling element, the at least one second rolling element being comprised of steel and having a steel outer surface, and the at least one first rolling element having an outer surface comprising a zirconium material having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the steel of the at least one second rolling element.
A rolling element bearing, comprising an outer ring and an inner ring enclosing a bearing space containing a plurality of rolling elements including at least one first rolling element and at least one second rolling element, the outer and inner rings and the at least one second rolling element each, having an outer surface comprised of steel, the at least one first rolling element including an outer surface comprised of a zirconium material having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the steel of the outer and inner rings and the at least one second rolling element, such that the at least one first rolling element compresses ridges of indentations formed in the outer and inner rings.
A rolling element bearing, comprising a steel outer ring and a steel inner ring enclosing a bearing space containing a plurality of rolling elements including at least one first rolling element and at least one second rolling element, the at least one second rolling element being comprised of steel and having a steel outer surface, and the at least one first rolling element includes an outer surface comprised of a zirconium material having a stiffness that is greater than a stiffness of the steel forming the outer and inner rings and the steel forming at least one second rolling element, such that the at least one first rolling element compresses ridges of indentations formed in the outer and inner rings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.