Bearings, races and components thereof having diamond and other superhard surfaces

A rolling bearing component for a bearing unit for use in a machine, the bearing component comprising:

• a bearing unit polycrystalline diamond compact,
• a substrate that is part of said bearing unit polycrystalline diamond compact, said substrate including a metal,
• a bearing unit diamond table sintered to said bearing unit substrate,
• a zone between said bearing unit substrate and said bearing unit diamond table, said zone exhibiting a gradient of solvent-catalyst metal to diamond content, said gradient being selected from the group consisting of interface gradient, continuous gradient and incremental gradient, said zone being referred to as a gradient transition zone,
• chemical bonds located in said compact which tend to secure said diamond table to said substrate, said chemical bonds including diamond-to-diamond bonds, diamond-to-metal bonds, and metal-to-metal bonds,
• a mechanical grip between said bearing unit diamond table and said bearing unit substrate which tends to secure said diamond table to said substrate, said mechanical grip being created at least in part by dilitation of said substrate,
• interstitial spaces in said bearing unit diamond table,
• substrate metal located in said bearing unit diamond table interstitial spaces,
• a residual stress field in said bearing unit polycrystalline diamond compact that tends to enhance the strength of said bearing unit polycrystalline diamond compact, and
• a roller bearing unit load bearing and articulation surface on said polycrystalline diamond compact,
• said bearing unit load bearing and articulation surface including polycrystalline diamond,
• said bearing unit load bearing and articulation surface presenting a convex spherical exterior surface for rolling movement,
• said spherical exterior surface being formed from sintered polycrystalline diamond.

A spherical roller spherical roller bearing unit component for use in a machine, the spherical roller bearing unit component comprising:

• a sintered polycrystalline diamond compact,
• a substrate located in said polycrystalline diamond compact,
• substrate surface topographical features located on said substrate, said substrate surface topographical features tending to increase surface area of contact between said substrate and a diamond table,
• a diamond table sintered to said substrate on said polycrystalline diamond compact,
• a gradient transition zone between said substrate and said diamond table,
• chemical bonds between said diamond table and said substrate which tend to secure said diamond table to said substrate,
• a mechanical grip between said diamond table and said substrate, and
• a roller bearing load bearing and articulation surface on said polycrystalline diamond compact, said load bearing and articulation surface having an spherical exterior polycrystalline diamond surface to accommodate rolling movement, said load bearing and articulation surface being formed to present a surface that accommodates bearing articulation in a machine.