KR20040105211A - Contact bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

Bearings 24 and 86 are adapted to support and allow controlled relative motion with opposed bearing surfaces. These bearings are configured to have a long life through coordination with the faces where the addresses cause a lot of friction and wear. The bearings 24, 86 have a support member 28 extending from the base. In addition, the plurality of support members 28 can support the load applied to the base through the opposing bearing surface. In addition, the plurality of support members 28 permit a sliding mode of movement between the opposing bearings. These support members 28 move independently to accommodate irregularities present between the support member 28 and the opposing bearings, thereby reducing polishing and minimizing wear to the bearings. In addition, the support member 28 may be configured to allow certain non-sliding modes of motion between the opposing bearing surfaces, while preventing other non-sliding modes of motion.

Description

Contact Bearings {CONTACT BEARING}

Bearings are used for a wide variety of applications. Representative applications include simple door hinges, internal combustion engines, heavy duty construction equipment, and other applications that can serve as bearings for corrosive materials, abrasive particles, or non-lubricated environments. In these and other applications, the bearing supports the contact force between the contacting objects while allowing the movement of the objects relative to each other through either linear motion, rotational motion, or a combination thereof.

Wear is a deterioration that can occur in bearings during prolonged use. Wear is often caused by an increase in friction that prevents relative motion between objects. Some causes of friction that contribute to wear include leaving particles that are polished (eg cut) into the bearing and unevenness (eg surface irregularities) that interact at the bearing surface.

Prior art bearings are polished by providing one side that is softer than the side in which it is in contact. In this respect, the majority of polishing takes place in softer materials, which results in less energy consumption and thus less friction than can occur with relatively light materials. The adoption of the softer material allows penetration of the escape particles into the soft plane, thereby substantially removing the boundary between the surfaces. This also has the effect of reduced friction since the particles no longer interact at the bearing surface. In addition, the prior art bearings allow particles to gather away from the bearing surface, thereby reducing the polishing resulting from particle traps that reduce the amount of particles between the bearing surfaces.

The interaction of unevenness is mentioned in the prior art. For example, by improving the finish on the bearing surface, the amount and severity of the irregularities are reduced.

In the case of grinding or uneven interaction, this is not a problem for some types of bearings. For example, abrasive and uneven interactions for hydrodynamic bearings that typically do not have direct contact with each other during operation are less relevant.

The present invention relates to a contact bearing, and more particularly to a sliding contact bearing having an increased service life.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a system having a cylindrical bearing according to one aspect of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view of a cylindrical bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

2A is a schematic end view of a bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

3 is a perspective view of a cylindrical bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

4 is a perspective view of a cylindrical bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

5A is a schematic diagram showing polishing between two opposing bearing surfaces.

5B is a schematic diagram showing the irregularities between two opposed bearing surfaces.

6 is a schematic perspective view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2A, showing a plurality of support members formed in a bearing according to one aspect of the present invention.

7 is a schematic perspective view showing a number of support members formed in a bearing with material disposed in a gap provided by the support members.

8A-8D are schematic perspective views showing some embodiments of a support member formed in a bearing.

9 is a schematic perspective view of a system including a straight bearing according to one aspect of the present invention.

10 is a perspective view of a linear bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

11 is a schematic perspective view of a locally deformed bearing according to one aspect of the present invention.

12 is a perspective view of a cylindrical bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a graph of experimental results obtained in part of the example shown in FIG. 12. FIG.

14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bearing according to one aspect of the present invention.

15 is a perspective view of a bearing according to another aspect of the nature of the present invention.

16 is a perspective view of a bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

17 is a perspective view of a bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

18 is a perspective view of a bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

19 is a view of a bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

20 is a perspective view of a bearing according to another aspect of the present invention.

21 is a perspective view of a plate-like structure for use in a bearing.

22A-22C show models of various modes of motion between an axis and a bearing.

23A-23D show examples of the hardness of the bearings.

In one aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes an elastic base and a plurality of support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces. The elasticity of the base supports one or more of the plurality to accommodate unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surface and the one or more of the support members, while the one or more adjacent support members maintain support of at least a portion of the opposite bearing surfaces. Allow the member to move.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces. The one or more support members of the plurality may be configured to accommodate unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members retain the support of at least a portion of the opposite bearing surfaces. It is configured and arranged to move. Further, the plurality of support members each have a first area for contacting the opposing bearing surface and a second area coupled with the base, the second area being larger than the first area.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces. The one or more support members of the plurality are configured to move to accommodate the irregularities or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members continuously support the opposite bearing surfaces. And arranged. The plurality of support members are arranged in a matrix-like structure.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of support members extending from and inserted into the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces. The one or more support members of the plurality are configured to move to accommodate the unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members maintain the support of the opposite bearing surfaces. And arranged. Each of the plurality of support members includes a first end engageable with the opposing bearing surface and a second end inserted in the base.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of extended pin-shaped support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces. The one or more support members of the plurality are configured to move to accommodate the unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members maintain the support of the opposite bearing surfaces. And arranged.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to contact and support the opposing bearing surfaces. The one or more support members of the plurality are configured to move to accommodate the unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members maintain the support of the opposite bearing surfaces. And arranged. The first set of support members has a first bending characteristic and the second set of support members has a second bending characteristic different from the first bending characteristic.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposite bearing surfaces through sliding contacts. The one or more support members of the plurality are configured to move to accommodate the unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members maintain the support of the opposite bearing surfaces. And arranged. The plurality of support members are adapted to substantially prevent the first non-sliding mode of motion between the contact bearing and the opposing bearing surface and to substantially permit the second non-sliding mode of motion between the contact bearing and the opposing bearing surface. Are constructed and arranged.

In another aspect of the invention, the contact bearing includes a base and a plurality of support members extending from the base. The plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces. The one or more support members of the plurality are configured to move to accommodate the unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing surfaces and the one or more of the support members while the one or more adjacent support members maintain the support of the opposite bearing surfaces. And arranged. The first set of plural support members is constructed and arranged to allow the opposed bearing surfaces to move closer to the base and the second set of plural support members substantially allows the opposed bearing surfaces to move closer to the base. Configured and arranged to block.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide certain advantages and overcome certain shortcomings of conventional contact bearings.

Embodiments of the invention do not share the same advantages and will not share them under all circumstances. This means that the present invention provides a myriad of advantages, including the aforementioned benefits, such as increased service life and / or high performance characteristics.

Hereinafter, various features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for purposes of illustration.

The bearings of the present invention are adapted to support opposed bearing surfaces and allow for relative movement between them. These bearings are configured to have a long life through coordination with the faces where the addresses cause a lot of friction and wear.

In one aspect, as disclosed in U. S. Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 167,070, which is jointly assigned and is incorporated by reference in its entirety, the bearing includes a local deformation surface formed of a plurality of support members extending from the base. do. At the same time, the plurality of support members allow the sliding movement between them while supporting the load applied to the base through the opposing bearing surfaces. The support member can be independently moved or bent to accommodate irregularities such as irregularities or detachment particles disposed between the bearing face opposite the support member. In this sense, any "local" region of the bearing may be considered suitable for receiving irregularities. Acceptance of irregularities in such locally deformed areas can help to reduce wear and extend the life of the bearings.

Various structures can be used to form locally deformed bearings. In some embodiments, the locally deformed bearing is formed from a cantilevered beam extending from and integral with the base. The cantilever structure allows for bending of the support member. In another embodiment, the support member extends from a base having elasticity (eg, one having a relatively low Young's Modulus of Elasticity), and the elasticity of the base allows for fixing of the support member. In addition, the support member may be inserted into the base. In addition, the increased contact area between the inserted support member and the base can reduce the stress therebetween, thereby extending the life of the bearing.

The bearing may allow some non-sliding mode of movement in which some of the bearings and the opposing bearing surfaces move closer to each other. In that aspect, the set of support members can collectively move to assist in the distribution of loads between the opposing bearing surfaces and the support member. In this sense, any "total" region of the bearing can be bent to accommodate the load. This collective or total movement can reduce the maximum contact pressure. Reduced maximum pressure on such a totally deformed bearing surface can increase the life of the bearing.

In another aspect, the more flexible portion of the bearing allows for greater compression with the opposing bearing surface, thereby allowing for some non-slip mode of motion. Other parts of the bearing are less flexible and allow less compression, thereby preventing other non-sliding modes of motion. More flexible support members, more flexible elastic bases, or less support members can be used for bearing parts where more flexible properties are required. Bearings with varying degrees of flexibility can be designed with optimized adaptability. Such a bearing may have the advantage that the bearing life is increased in the special application in which it is designed.

One or more of the features described above can be implemented in the bearing independently or jointly to help have extended bearing life and / or low friction over the life of the bearing.

Referring now in particular to the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 4, one embodiment and application of the present invention is shown. 1 shows an axis 20 mounted in an object 22 via a cylindrical bearing 24. This arrangement is arranged to allow a sliding motion mode between the axis and the object, such as rotation about the central axis 26 of the axis or movement along the central axis. The bearing 24 provides a load bearing surface 21 with reduced frictional properties, thereby promoting relative movement between the shaft and the object. The bearing 24 may also be removed and replaced, which obviates the need to replace the entire shaft or mating object when the bearing face 21 is damaged or worn out. The bearing 24 of FIG. 1 may be rigidly fixed to the shaft 20, the object 22, and may allow floating about both the shaft and the object. This may include a portion that is entirely cylindrical, or a plurality of portions that together form a cylinder in whole or in part. A pair of two separate bearings arranged centrally can be employed having a first bearing firmly attached to the shaft 20 and a second bearing rigidly attached to the object 22 opposite the first bearing. . In addition, the shaft and / or the object may provide opposing bearing surfaces that bring direct contact with the bearing 24.

The bearing allows sliding contact to occur in a controlled manner. That is, while other non-sliding modes of motion are prevented or substantially limited, some sliding modes of motion between opposing bearing surfaces are allowed. The term "sliding motion mode" as used herein refers to a motion in which the amount of compression between opposed bearings, or the amount of motion of an equivalent support member, remains substantially constant. For example, the cylindrical bearing 24 of FIG. 1 allows rotation of the axis about the central axis 26 and movement along this central axis. In each of these movement modes, the momentum of the support member is kept substantially constant. During the sliding mode the opposed bearing surfaces move in a direction that is approximately parallel to each other. If the axis of FIG. 1 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the central axis or rotated about an axis different from the central axis, the other parts are spaced apart or less compressed from the support member, while the parts on the shaft surface are closer to the support member. Will be moved or compressed. These are examples of non-slip movement modes. The sliding exercise mode can often occur simultaneously with the non-slip exercise mode. In this way, when the non-slip exercise mode occurs simultaneously with the non-slip exercise mode, the term non-slip exercise mode refers to the non-slip portion of the exercise. Does not mean that it cannot occur. Further, the fact that the non-slip exercise mode does not mean that the non-slip exercise mode cannot occur.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the locally deformed surface 40 may include a matrix shaped arrangement or alignment of the support members 28 extending from the base 30. In this embodiment, the support member cooperates to form the inner surface 32 of the cylindrical bearing 24 to support the opposing bearing surfaces of the cylindrical shaft (not shown). Each support member 28 includes a second end 36 adapted to contact and support the shaft in sliding contact with the first end 34 attached to the base. The independent movement of these support members 28 to allow the surface to receive the escape particles can reduce the damage that may occur due to polishing. In addition, by independent movement, the surface can reduce damage caused by contact with irregularities and other irregularities. In this sense, the independent movement of the support member accommodates irregular "local" points on its surface, while the surface 32 can support the opposing bearing surfaces. For this reason, the surface is described as "locally deformed." In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, the support member is formed on the inner circumferential surface 32. In FIG. 3, the support member is shown on the outer circumferential surface 46. In FIG. 4, the support member is shown on both the inner and outer circumferential surfaces 32, 46.

Independent movement of the support member allows for more mounting of the other support member between the opposing bearings, thereby reducing the pressure exerted between the opposing bearing surface and any irregularities. This puts a higher pressure on the irregularities to remove irregularities on the surface such as irregularities from the bearing surface, thereby preventing these irregularities from becoming free particles. This also prevents high pressure from being applied to the leaving particles or surface irregularities, which can cause them to be polished into the bearing surfaces before the leaving particles or surface irregularities can be removed from between the bearing surfaces. The support member is biased toward the opposite face, and once fixed to receive the impurities, the support member can move backwards to directly support the opposite face.

As mentioned above, locally deformed surfaces provide several sources of wear and friction. Now, some of these causes, including grinding of the bearing by the leaving particles and damage of the bearing by the interaction of the unevenness, will be described in more detail. Polishing is shown in FIG. 5, in which two conventional bearings 48 are shown sliding with respect to each other, with aggregated particles 54 loaded between the bearings. The interaction of the unevenness 44 between two opposed conventional bearings 48 is shown in FIG. 5B.

In polishing, as the load given between the opposed bearings is concentrated on the aggregated particles, the particles 42 or the aggregated particles 54 disposed between the opposed bearings generate a high contact pressure. Due to this high contact pressure, particles are loaded into the bearing 48 and cause damage. As the bearings 48 continue to slide relative to each other, the loaded particles are dragged along one or both sides of the bearing, resulting in additional damage in the form of marks 50 characterized by grooves with mainly increased edges. do. In addition to the cause of the wear damage, the process of creating the marks 50 and the rough surfaces left by the marks increases the friction between the bearing faces.

As the particles enter the bearing, these particles can create additional wear particles 42 that can damage the bearing. These new particles can be loaded into larger particles that can be loaded on the bearing surface and cause additional abrasive damage. As this phenomenon persists, a crack may form in one or both surfaces of the bearing. This cracking is the removal of material in a sheet form from one side of the bearing. Cracking destroys bearing surfaces, often leading to large wear, increased friction and potentially large failures.

As used herein, the unevenness 44 is a small protrusion that may exist at any height on the bearing 48 as shown in FIG. 5B. Most of these concavities and convexities result in contact with the concave and convexities 44 of the opposed bearing surfaces when the surfaces are placed in contact with each other to support the load. While at some level the interaction of the unevenness occurs to support the contact force between the bearing faces, the larger unevenness contributes more to the friction and wear between the faces. Moreover, the unevenness | corrugation 44 becomes the leaving particle 42 by damaging a surface as they interact. Most of the irregularities have a cross section size of 1 to 5 microns, but may have a cross section size of 0.5 to 30 microns and more depending on the manufacturing process used to fabricate the surface. As the surfaces are damaged and they move relative to each other, the unevenness left between the bearings may agglomerate in larger particles that can result in polishing. Aggregated particles 54 may have a size of 5 microns to several hundred microns. Other debris that can result in polishing are mainly 20 to 80 microns in size. However, some particles between the opposing bearing surfaces can be regarded as other debris and can also result in polishing.

Turning now to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 shows a close-up picture of the support member shown in FIG. 2A. Here, the local deformation surface 40 includes a plurality of support members 28 having ends extending vertically from the base 30. In this embodiment, the supporting members have a length of approximately 3 to 15 times their width and are rectangular in cross section, but the present invention is limited to these geometric shapes because numerous other geometric shapes can be considered by this invention. no. The support members are spaced apart to provide a gap 56 between them. In this embodiment, the gap 56 has approximately the same cross-sectional dimension as the support member itself. They provide an easy removal path for the particles between the opposing bearings. Once in such a gap 56, the tendency of the particles to damage the bearings is reduced. If the particles do not fall into the gap, they can clearly be removed from between the bearings by ejection through the edges 57 of the bearings.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has a gap 56 arranged on four sides of each support member 28. However, in other embodiments, this gap extends continuously from one edge 57 of the bearing to the opposite edge of the bearing, creating a clear path from one side to the other side through the bearing. Such a path can provide good access to the gap for cleaning of aggregated particles. 6 also shows a support member arranged in a matrix-like structure having a small sized gap on both sides of the support member. However, other embodiments may have support members arranged in any other regularly spaced matrix-like structure or irregular matrix-like structure, as the invention is not limited in this respect. The gap is also shown as being substantially separated from the other gap by the support member. However, this gap may extend continuously around all sides of the support member and may have other shapes as the invention is not limited in this respect.

In another embodiment, the material 58 may be present in the gap 56 provided by adjacent support members, as shown in FIG. This material may be present in some or all of the gaps 56. As the invention is not limited in this regard, the material may fill the entire gap or only a portion of the gap. It may support the support member 28, which may also simply include a space to fill the material to prevent agglomeration of leaving particles that may be loaded therein and to prevent effective bending of the support member. Such material may be a fairly flexible material that does not adversely affect the bending of the support member. In another embodiment, the material may include lubricant that may leak during the service life of the bearing. This outflow can occur essentially as the support member wears, or as the viscosity of the lubricant changes due to heat generated in the bearing, or as the lubricant moves toward or through the bearing. In other embodiments, some of the support members (eg, every fifth support member) may be made of a solid lubricant, such as graphite, that flows out to the bearing surface during service life.

Turning back to the cylindrical bearing of FIG. 2, there is shown a bearing with an inner surface that is locally modified to allow a sliding mode of motion between the shaft 20 and the other object 22. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of a locally deformed cylindrical bearing. The embodiment of FIG. 3 has a locally deformed outer circumferential surface 46. This bearing may be fixed to the outer surface of the shaft to allow a sliding mode of motion between the object 22 and the shaft. 4 has a local deformation surface 40 on both its inner and outer circumferential surfaces. This bearing may be a shaft or other object (not shown) to support relative movement and / or rotation between the shaft 20, the bearing 24 and the object as it floats between the surface of the shaft 20 and the object 22. May be disposed between the inner circumferential surface of the slit. As the local deformation surfaces 40 of these bearings are designed to contact conventional bearings or shafts, they may contact other bearings through the local deformation surfaces.

The outer circumferential surface of the embodiment shown in both FIGS. 3 and 4 has a straight support member arranged in a non-vertical direction with respect to the base. The inner circumferential surface 32 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 has a " dog-leg " shape of support having their second portions 36 arranged somewhat perpendicular to the base 30. A member is provided. The first portion 34 of the dog-leg member has a substantially constant cross-sectional area, which creates a gap 56 between the support members with a larger cross-sectional area at a point closer to the base 30. This provides a larger amount of room to retain the escape particles 42 that are removed between the member and the opposing bearing. These bearings are in particular shown as having a local deformation face 40, but the invention is not limited in this respect.

2, 3 and 4 show a support member 28 which extends in the same side (eg, outer circumferential surface or inner circumferential surface) of the base 30 but in different directions. In these particular shapes, the support member 28 that bends toward the adjacent support member extending in the other direction will contact the adjacent support member after a short distance bend. Otherwise, the support member will travel a greater distance when bent in the other direction. In this way, the support member 28 can be adapted to move differently in different directions. Similar results can be obtained by changing the cross-sectional shape of the support member. For example, a rectangular cross section will have different bending characteristics in various directions. Of course, the support member may have some flexible characteristics or may extend in the same direction or in any other combination of directions, and accordingly, the invention is not limited thereto.

2 to 4 show a support member integral with the base and cantilevered thereto. While the support members shown in these figures are relatively large, it may be desirable to have a number of relatively small support members with locally deformed bearing surfaces. For example, some embodiments require a support member having a cross-sectional area of 100 square microns. However, in applications with the demand of special loads, or in applications where greater exposure is foreseen, the leaving particles may be beneficial for a few and / or many support members. Also, in view of the cost associated with the production of a large number of small support members, small support members are advantageous for bearings, but larger support members are more preferred. In one embodiment, the support members have a rectangular cross-sectional area of about 0.4 mm x 0.4 mm at their second end. In another embodiment, they have a cross-sectional area of 1 mm x 1 mm. In another embodiment, the second end has a cross-sectional area of up to 2 mm x 2 mm. Also, most support members are three to fifteen times longer than their widths. Other support members of suitable size may be used, and the present invention is not limited in this regard. The filling density is defined by the contact area between the end of the support member and the opposing bearing face, which is defined by the protruding areas of the opposing bearing face they support. Although greater or smaller fill densities are possible, most embodiments have a fill density of about 50% to 60%.

As described with respect to Figures 2 and 4, the support member may be formed as a "dog-leg" comprising a first straight portion 34 and a second straight portion 36 as also shown in Figure 8A. Some of these straight portions 34, 36 may be arranged perpendicular to the base 30 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4), all of which are perpendicular to the base (as shown in FIG. 8A). Maybe not. The cross-sectional areas of the first and second straight portions of the dog-leg may be of the same length, and either or both of the cross-sectional areas or portions may be larger than the other. When the second portion 36 of the support member is not perpendicular to the base 30 (as shown in FIG. 8A), the wedge-shaped side surfaces 66 of the end faces 64 are positioned so that they are wedge-shaped side surfaces 66. Approaching may help to direct the leaving particles 42 into the gap 56. The side face 68 of the end face 64 forming an acute angle with the opposed bearing is wedge shaped between the bearing and the second part 36 with the approaching release particles 42 facing it. This may help to facilitate the bending of 28). The shape of the side which forms the wedge-shaped side surface 66 and the acute angle 68 may also be formed by making the side of the support member 28 oblique, cutting off the corners, or arranging the support member in another manner, and the present invention. Is not limited in this respect.

8B shows a supporting member whose cross-sectional area changes along its length. Changes in cross-sectional area can help to achieve the desired bending properties for a particular application. The end face 64 of the support member can be subjected to some wear on the end face through extended contact with the opposing bearing, thereby allowing the cross-sectional area to grow. As the end 70 wears, resulting in a decrease in the length of the support member, the corresponding area 70 of the end face will increase. If this occurs over multiple support members, this will increase the net area of the deformed bearing surface. This increase in area reduces the contact pressure exerted by each support member, which will result in a decrease in the rate of wear to be applied thereafter. In such an overview, the support members will still support the opposing faces even if their length is reduced. This allows the support member to be preloaded (i.e. initially fixed) with respect to the opposing bearing face, thus making it possible to keep it almost identical to the bearing face faced by the support member as the length of the support member decreases.

Additional embodiments of the cantilevered support member 28 are shown in FIGS. 8C and 8D. FIG. 8C shows the support member arranged non-vertically relative to the base 30, while FIG. 8D shows the support member including an arcuate 72. Although the second or end portion 36 of these support members extends in the same direction as the first portion 34, the second portion 36 extends from the base in a different direction, whether vertical or not perpendicular to the base. Can be arranged to be. Arches 72 may include a constant curve or a compound curve that may be suitable for vertical applications. The support members 28 of any embodiment described herein can be used with other identically shaped support members, and they can also be used with any combination of support members described and attempted by the present invention. Although examples of various shapes of the support member are shown, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited in this respect because other suitable shaped support members can be employed. In addition, the support member may extend in any suitable direction from the base provided so that the end portion is moved to accommodate the irregularities or particles. Thus, although in certain embodiments, the support member is shown at a particular angle [theta] with respect to the base, for example, any angle can be used if the support member is provided to be able to bend or bend toward and away from the opposing face. This is possible.

9 is a schematic diagram of a straight bearing 86 according to another aspect of the present invention. This particular bearing 86 includes a U-shaped cross section 84 for guiding movement in one direction, but in other embodiments is simply flat so that objects 87 and 89 can move relative to each other in multiple directions. Bearings may also be included and the invention is not limited in this respect. Like the cylindrical bearing 24, the straight bearing 86 may be firmly attached to either of the objects 87, 89, or may equally allow floating between the two objects. The linear bearings 86 may also include a pair of bearings, each attached to a single object. Straight bearing 86 may be designed to accommodate continuous or intermittent contact between objects 87 and 89. For example, with intermittent contact, the first object may be an application in which it slides completely out of the second object by passing through one edge, or it may be an application that is lifted vertically from the bearing.

Although the bearings may be opposed to other local deformation surfaces 40, the bearings are shown as opposed to conventional bearings 48. The particular bearing shown in FIG. 10 may allow for a sliding mode, such as rotation or movement in a direction parallel to its local deformation surface. In other embodiments, this exercise may be implemented to limit or allow additional exercise. Such additional motion may include a non-slip motion mode as one bearing 86 is inclined relative to the other.

Certain features associated with the embodiments described above can be implemented in straight bearing shapes. Features of both the linear and cylindrical bearings described herein can be implemented in bearings with straight and curved portions. For example, a straight bearing may have a local deformation surface comprising a rigid base having an integral support member extending therefrom, which may have an elastic base with any support member inserted therein or any combination thereof, The present invention is not limited in this respect.

As mentioned above, another embodiment of a locally deformed bearing may include a support member extending from an elastic base, such as any one formed of an elastic material. In some of these embodiments, the elasticity of the base may allow the rigid support member 28 to bend substantially. In other embodiments, the flexibility of the support members may themselves allow their bending in addition to the elasticity of the base. Locally deformed bearings of this type can provide the same advantages as using them integrally with the cantilevered support member. However, this may also provide the advantage that the stress between the support member and the base is reduced. Some embodiments with elastic bases may also prove easier to manufacture or may be more suitable for certain applications.

14 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a bearing having a support member inserted into the base 100. This base is elastic. In this embodiment the opposed bearing surfaces comprise a conventional shaft 20. The bearing is part of a cylindrical shape and has an additional, elastic foundation or case 33 adjacent and supporting the elastic base 100. The case 33 may be made of an elastic material, such as a continuous cast elastomer, but may be made of a material that is substantially rigid, as the invention is not limited in this respect.

Although arcs of a certain curve are shown, as the invention is not limited in this respect, this curve may also be modified in this embodiment and any other embodiment. In this particular embodiment, the support member does not make direct contact with the case 33 but is separated from the case by the elastic base 100. Embodiments with an elastic base can provide a small independent movement of the support member at local deformation surfaces through pivoting or (straight) movement of the support member relative to the base 100, and in embodiments with a substantially rigid base Generally, these movements are achieved through compression or bending of the support member 28. Examples of pivot and radial movement movements are shown as lines X and Y in FIG. 14, respectively. If the support member pivots, its adjacent end 35 remains substantially the same while its second portion moves. During the radial movement, the entire support member moves along its own longitudinal axis 51. Of course, in some embodiments pivot and linear movements may occur simultaneously.

When the cantilevered support member integral with the base is placed in the bending mode, most of the stress between the support member and the base is concentrated in an area adjacent to the movement between the base and the support member. As the support member pivots and moves within the elastic base, the load between the support member and the base can be distributed over most of all contact surfaces 29 between the base and the support member. These contact surfaces generally comprise an area larger than where they are adjacent to their movement between the base and the support member in the case of the embodiment of the integral cantilevered member. As a result, similar loads can be distributed over larger areas, thereby making lower stresses in bearings with elastic bases. For example, the region where the support member 28 is bonded to the base 100 may be the peripheral length of the support member 28 multiplied by the length of the inserted support member 28. This area is generally much larger than the area of motion between the support member and the base, which can be approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the support member.

15 shows the outer surface of the base 100 where the end 35 of each cylindrical, pin-shaped support member is sufficiently inserted into the elastic base 100 so that the end 35 is in contact with a supporting outer case (not shown). Another embodiment of a contact bearing projecting to 104 is shown. In this embodiment, as the support member is placed in direct contact with the elastic case 33, the radial movement of the support member is substantially reduced. Radial movement can be prevented in similar embodiments using a combination of rigid cases 33. However, in such embodiments, the support members can move independently to accommodate irregularities by pivoting or by their own bending if the support members are somewhat flexible. Although the embodiment of FIG. 15 shows the end 35 of the support member along the outer circumferential surface of the base 100, they may be rounded to facilitate pivoting about the inner circumferential surface of the case 33. In addition, pockets or other shapes may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the case that accommodates the end 35 of the support member to facilitate the pivot or any radial movement.

An embodiment of the present invention having a base comprising a first elastic base 101 and a second elastic base 102 is shown in FIG. 16. This particular embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 15 except that an additional elastic base 102 is disposed between the first elastic base 101 and the case 33, which may be rigid or elastic. The second base 102 may provide a distinction between the case 33 and the end 35 of the support member 28 and still support the end 35. This division and support may allow the support member to move independently in the radial direction in addition to the pivot in the elastic base. The first and second bases may comprise materials having different elasticities or the same elasticity, as the invention is not limited in this respect. The amount of pivot and the amount of radial movement the support member can withstand can be adjusted by changing the size or elasticity of the other base (or other characteristics) or the elasticity of the case. As in other embodiments, the support member may be bonded to one case or both cases. In addition, the first and second bases 101, 102 may be bonded to the case 33 with each other and / or by themselves.

17 shows a radial movement of the support member (ie its longitudinal direction) by providing a gap 37 between the end 35 of each support member and the outer circumferential surface 104 of the base 100. Movement along the axis 51). As in other embodiments, a rigid or elastic case 33 may be provided to enclose and support the elastic base. In addition, this and other embodiments may be directly applicable to applications in which the existing foundation or case wraps and supports the force transmitted through the elastic base 100 in the use of a bearing. The spacing 37 between the support member 28 and the case provides a room for each support member such that the support member can move alone or in combination with the pivoting action as the support member moves to accommodate irregularities. In this and other embodiments, the support member may be bonded to or otherwise secured to the elastic base. This prevents sliding movement with respect to the support member in the base in a non-limiting manner, thereby making it possible to better support radial loads in the radial direction (ie along the longitudinal axis).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, the support member extends through both sides of the first elastic base 101. A second elastic base (not shown) may be disposed around the outer circumferential surface of the first base and bonded to the end 39 of the support member 28. The outer circumferential surface 104 of the second elastic base 102 may protrude from the end 35 of the support member, as in the embodiment of FIG. 15, and they may also be recessed from the surface as in the embodiment of FIG. 17. I can go in. By having all the contact areas between the base joined to the support member, it is possible to help transfer the load between the base and the support member. However, in other embodiments, as the invention is not limited in this respect, it may have only one base or no base bonded to the support member.

Some support member 28 may have an end 35 inserted into base 101 and protruding mushroom-like. 19 shows such an embodiment including a first and a second base (the second base is not shown). Such mushroom protruding ends can be particularly beneficial in applications where a very robust system is required. In another embodiment, the flanged end of the support member may be disposed in direct contact with a case (not shown), whether or not a second base is provided. Such an embodiment would restrict movement in the radial direction (ie along the longitudinal axis). In addition, by having a mushroom-protruding end, it is possible to provide a system having a more flexible property, which allows the use of a soft material in the second base.

20 shows one modified embodiment with a cylindrical pin-shaped support member 28 extending from the base in a non-vertical direction. In such an embodiment, the space between the end 35 and the outer surface 104 of the elastic base 100 is tilted so that the non-vertical arrangement of the support members pivots instead of moving in the radial direction. It has less influence on the bending characteristics of the. While these support members are shown extending from the base in similar angles and similar directions, other embodiments may have support members extending from the base in any direction, as the invention is not limited in this respect.

Although FIGS. 15-19 show contact bearings having cylindrical pin-shaped support members inserted into an elastic base, any other support member shape or configuration may be used in connection with these or other embodiments of the present invention. . In addition, the support member may include any cross-sectional shape, angle orientation, or other modifications shown or shown in FIGS. 8A-8D, as the invention is not limited in this respect.

In embodiments employing an elastic base, such as in a bearing with a support member integrally formed with the base, it may be desirable to have multiple support members with a small cross-sectional area. For example, in some applications, as a support member, very strong and thin wires having a cross-sectional area of approximately one millimeter square can be used. In other embodiments, it can be designed to accommodate more irregularities. Some of these embodiments can achieve this effectively by having a support member with a large gap area and / or a large gap 56 that can remove more particles 42. In another embodiment, several smaller support members are allowed to move to accommodate larger particles, thereby achieving the same effect effectively. In general, for most applications, the support member is sized to have a cross-sectional area that is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the agglomerate or foreign particles expected to be found in the bearing application.

The support member is specifically designed such that the face 106 of the elastic base extends only to a distance that avoids bulky of the support member. This distance generally depends on the material used to form the support member and the cross-sectional geometry of the support member employed. In some embodiments where the support members extend more than three times their average cross-sectional size, guide lines are used to avoid the problem of bulky support members. These embodiments still provide room for support members sufficient to move and accommodate irregularities. However, by adjusting the material of the support member and / or the base, and other design elements such as the cross-sectional shape of some named support members, the problem of volume increase of the support member can be avoided, and accordingly, the present invention is advantageous in that It is not limited.

In all illustrated embodiments with an elastic base 100, a support member 28 is shown that extends substantially into the base. However, other embodiments may have support members that extend only nominal distance into the base. Another embodiment may have only a support member bonded to the face of the base. The support members of these embodiments will generally have a larger cross-sectional area and will extend a short distance away from the base to provide a more stable structure of the support member. In such embodiments, the support member will move primarily in the radial direction as allowed by the elastic base.

The resistance provided to the support member by the elastic base or through the bending motion of the support member itself may be designed to increase in various ways as the support member moves. For example, the resistance may increase linearly as the support member 28 moves through a range of motions, or this force may increase rapidly at a particular point on its motion. Different forces and kinematics can be defined by the material or manufacturing process used to make the elastic base, the shape of the support member, the selection of a particular arrangement of the support members within the base, or other factors now known or developed in the future. The relationship between the resistive force and the motion of the support member can be altered to control the amount of local variation in a particular bearing or part of the bearing, or the amount or shape of non-slip contact modes allowed in the bearing.

Various embodiments of the present invention can be made by any suitable method. Any method may be used to produce local deformation surfaces with unique properties resulting from the geometry of different support members, the materials of different support members, the different spaces between the support members or the synthesis of other features. For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 2-4, 10 and 11, a plurality of thin washer-like disks or plates 74 are stacked next to each other to form a bearing comprising a support member. An individual washer-type disc is shown in FIG. 21 that engages an elastic base. Forming a bearing with a stack 82 of thin plates 74 is one way of providing some benefit. For example, the shape of a bearing made of a laminate can be easily adjusted. The designer can easily configure the bearing by arranging the structure of the thin plate structure 74 prepared in advance. For special applications where a certain length of bearing or other dimensions are required, the designer only needs to determine how many thin plates 74 are needed to accommodate a particular length and which plate to use for which type of support member 28. You can do

2-4, 10, and 11 are shown to include a stack of thin plates with each support member 28 extending therefrom, while other embodiments include spacer plates (not shown) between adjacent plates. It may include. The same effect can be achieved in the fabricated embodiments through other techniques that simply create a space on all sides of each support member. Further, a plate having a support member integrally extending therefrom may be combined with a plate including a support member cooperating with an elastic base such as the plate shown in FIG. In addition, a plurality of plates including a support member which cooperates with the elastic base can be employed to form the assembled bearing.

The plates forming the bearings can be attached to each other using any suitable technique. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, holes 88 in each plate 74 may receive dowels, rivets or screws to align and / or secure the plates to each other. As the invention is not limited in this respect, in order to fix the plates together, tabs, recesses at the edges of the thin plates, projections arranged on the sides of the thin plates, or other elements such as adhesives, welding, or fixing rods may be used. Can be. Plates are shown with fastening elements to hold the plates 74 together, although in other applications it may not be necessary to secure the plates 74 to each other. In some applications it is possible to move relative to each other while the plates 74 are in operation. In another application, the inclusion of a locally deformed surface formed of a single piece of material eliminates the need for attaching the plates to one another, as the invention is not limited in this respect.

An embodiment of a bearing made of a laminate, a support member integral with the base, and a support member cooperating with the elastic base is shown. Any of these embodiments, or any other embodiment, can be manufactured through a number of techniques. Some of these techniques include making local deformation surfaces in whole or in part by removing material from the monolithic structure, such as through some named machining, wire EDM, shear, laser cutting, or water cutting. Through other manufacturing methods, local strained surfaces can be formed in place by material addition processes such as some named stereolithography, 3D printing, or casting. Other embodiments may also be formed by stamping or bending the material. Various embodiments described and attempted by the present invention may also include an assembly of components that provide a local deformation surface, such as a thin plate structure. In embodiments in which local deformation surfaces are formed in the assembly of components, the individual elements may be attached through any suitable procedure. For example, the support member can be joined to the base during casting of the base. This base can also be joined to the case when the base is formed. In another embodiment, the support member may be inserted into the base after the base is formed. Another embodiment may have a sparse support member in the base. Some processes that may be used to form various parts of the assembly or even assemblies include, but are not limited to, some named injection molding, spray molding, extraction, casting. Although some manufacturing processes have been mentioned, other suitable processes may be used as the invention is not limited to any shape or process discussed herein.

12 shows an example of a bearing manufactured by a method different from that shown in another drawing. The bearing 24 does not include a plurality of laminates 74 or elastic bases, but includes one solid, single piece of material to which a plurality of support members 28 are secured to produce a local deformation surface 40. . The local deformation surface of this bearing is produced by cutting a plurality of grooves 92 parallel to the central axis of the cylinder. Further, a plurality of flakes 94 are made perpendicular to the central axis of the cylinder, creating a plurality of support members 28 that are inserted into the grooves and extend into the base 30. In this particular embodiment, the local deformation surface 40 does not include the entire inner surface 32, but only a portion thereof. Other embodiments may be made that include the entire inner surface, any portion of the outer surface 46, or any face of the other type of bearing desired. Certain embodiments of this bearing can be used in applications where the load is applied in only one direction. In this case, both inner surfaces 96 of the bearing comprise a conventional bearing surface that does not have a large force applied thereto. The outer circumferential surface 46 of this embodiment has a keyhole 98 for locking the orientation of the bearing with respect to the object to which it is mounted. This keyhole, or other feature that achieves the same effect, can also be implemented in other embodiments of the invention, as the invention is not limited in this respect.

Although specific materials have been discussed, each support member and / or base described herein include, but is not limited to, metals such as aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, steel, spring steel titanium, nickel; Non-ferrous materials or compounds or alloys such as polymers, elastomers, rubbers, nylons, or composites provided with materials that provide the desired bending properties, as the invention is not limited in this respect. In addition, support members made of different materials can be used together in the same bearing. Elasticity can be imparted to the base by making the base from an elastic material, such as rubber, or they may be made by placing springs themselves between support members, as the invention is not limited in this respect.

According to another aspect of the present invention, as briefly mentioned above, the contact bearing can reduce the contact area of high stress by allowing a non-sliding mode of motion. For example, if the axis of FIG. 1 attempts to bend about another central, longitudinal axis in a non-sliding mode of motion, some of the opposed bearing surfaces will move towards the support member. The support members located in these parts will bend more than that of other parts of the bearing. In this sense, the "total" region (as opposed to or in addition to the "local" region) of the bearing can be bent against bending for a better distribution of contact pressure. The more bent paper member enables the high contact pressure to be distributed over a larger number of support members. This can result in lower maximum contact pressures than can be found in conventional bearings. Low contact pressures extend the life of the bearings by reducing the severity of problems associated with abrasive and irregular interactions caused by wear and friction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, as briefly mentioned above, the contact bearing can be designed to have different areas with different bending characteristics. This makes it possible to design bearings for specific applications where one wants or permits certain non-sliding modes of motion. Areas with greater bending characteristics can be arranged to allow the opposing bearing surfaces to be more compacted or moved into these areas of the bearing. Areas with smaller bending characteristics can be arranged at locations where the desired bearing surface is desired to be maintained at a substantially fixed distance or at substantially continuous compression. In this method, the deformation face of the bearing can be used to provide a bearing with a particular "optimized deformation".

22A shows a model of an axis 20 disposed in a cylindrical bearing having a deformation surface, such as a locally deformed inner circumferential surface 32. Here, bending characteristics in various regions of the deformation surface are represented by the spring 43. The bending characteristic of each spring may be related to the spring constant 'k' which represents the amount of resistance of the spring (or equivalently represented by one or more groups of support members 28) provided over the distance it has traveled. Some spring constants remain substantially the same throughout the range of motion, while others may vary over the range of motion of the spring.

In general, the spring constant 'k' is the elastic material, the thickness, the length of the support member, the cross-sectional shape of the support member, the space of the support member, the cantilever angle, and the elastic composite, among other features that may be used in certain embodiments. Function. The following equations generally describe how the different springs (or equivalently, the bending characteristics of the different regions of the bearing represented by the springs) are applied to the lateral forces on the local deformation surfaces, or to torques other than the central axis. It is generally indicated whether it can endure intensively.

From here:

F = force

k _eff = effective spring stiffness

δ = distance traveled by spring

y = position along bearing surface

From here:

T = torque

y = distance from the axis of rotation taken along the bearing surface

k _eff = effective spring stiffness

δ (y) = distance traveled by spring (also a function of y)

22B shows the same embodiment as in FIG. 22A, but the axis 22 of FIG. 22B relates to the non-slip mode of motion of the local deformation surface 40. The axis is in particular curved about an axis different from the central axis 26 of the axis 20. This allows the spring 43 (or corresponding one or more support members) in the first region 59 to be compressed in a large amount to compensate for the larger loads applied to them. This large compensation creates high pressure in the first region 59. However, due to the nature of the deformation of the support member, it is possible for this large pressure to be distributed over this area of the face. As the shaft moves away from the second region, the pressure between the shaft 20 and the opposing second region 61 of the deformation surface is reduced. In the figure, the spring (and equivalently one or more support members) is shown moved away from contact with the shaft. This separation may occur in some embodiments, while in other embodiments the support member may remain in contact with the shaft or other opposed bearing surface. Whether the separation occurs and / or to what extent the separation takes place is determined by the preliminary unloading weight applied to the support member of the bearing, by the amount of movement the support member is capable of, and in this respect, as the invention is not limited. Can be adjusted by other design elements. Although not shown, the region 59b can also be compressed.

FIG. 22C shows another non-sliding mode of motion in which the axis is moving laterally to one side 65 of a locally deformed bearing. In this movement mode, the entire side surface 65 of the bearing is compressed. As in the mode shown in FIG. 22B, both sides 63 of the bearing are shown separated from the shaft, although this may maintain contact with the shaft at low pressure in other embodiments. 22A-22C show a model of an axis disposed in a cylindrical bearing, but this may occur in other embodiments of the present invention as a similar non-sliding mode of motion.

23A-23D show how the bending characteristics in various regions of a cylindrical bearing can be arranged to substantially allow certain non-slip modes of motion and substantially restrain other non-slip modes of motion. In these figures, the length of the arrow 67 indicates the strength or stiffness of the spring constant 'k' and thus the strength of the bending characteristics of the corresponding region of the deformation surface. Longer arrows indicate spring constants with stronger stiffness and thus greater resistance to intensive movement of the support member in that area. In particular, FIG. 23A shows a strained surface 40 having substantially constant bending characteristics over its surface. The net, effective spring stiffness across this entire surface is increased or decreased, thereby allowing substantially more or less lateral non-slip motion mode. In addition, this can be increased to sufficiently prevent the lateral non-slip mode of motion. Such bearings with constant bending characteristics over their surface generally do not allow a rotational non-sliding mode of motion. However, other design elements not shown in this figure may allow or prevent any rotational non-slip movement mode from occurring. For example, a bearing with a greater length can be used to resist a rotational non-slip mode of motion. Further, in other embodiments, the strained surface with constant bending characteristics, as shown, may be adjacent to or opposite from other strained surfaces with constant bending characteristics of different sizes. Such a combination of faces may allow for lateral movement mode in one direction while preventing movement in the other direction. Similar features may be implemented to allow and / or prevent rotational non-slip movement modes in a particular direction.

Fig. 23B shows an embodiment in which the rotational movement mode is substantially blocked. Here, the region with large resistance to bending (greater spring stiffness) is disposed near the outer edge of the bearing, while the region with small resistance is disposed near the center. The net stiffness over the entire bearing surface may be the same as shown in FIG. 23A. This may allow the bearing to support the sliding mode of motion with respect to the opposing bearing face in many ways similar to that of FIG. 23A. However, in this embodiment, due to the greater relative spring stiffness near the bearing edges, the rotation mode will be further inhibited than that in the embodiment of FIG. 23A. If the net effective spring stiffness is similar across the entire bearing surface, the lateral, non-sliding motion mode will be impeded or allowed to the same extent as the embodiment of FIG. 23A. However, embodiments as shown in FIGS. 23A and 23B may also have other, net effective spring stiffness, and as the invention is not limited in this respect, the lateral non- Slip mode can be blocked or allowed. FIG. 23C shows another embodiment in which a rotational, non-sliding motion mode is more acceptable than the embodiment of FIGS. 23A and 23B due to the relatively low spring stiffness near the bearing edges. This embodiment may or may not allow any lateral, non-skid motion mode that depends on net, effective spring stiffness over the entire bearing surface. The embodiment shown in FIG. 23D shows substantially allowing rotation, or pivoting, of the opposing bearing surface on the transition point 69. For this bearing, the bending characteristic on the transition point 69 is relatively lower than those below this point, which is substantially constant.

Bearings that allow certain non-sliding modes of motion by having regions with different bending characteristics can be realized in a variety of different ways. For example, in the various embodiments shown in the figures, other shapes or shapes of plates 74, plates 74 made of different materials, and / or support members 28, which vary in thickness, are likewise different. Having plates can be combined to provide different bending characteristics in specific areas of the bearing. By placing the rigid plate near the outer edge of the cylindrical bearing, an arrangement as shown in FIG. 23B can be provided. Deformation surfaces produced in different shapes than multiple plates may achieve the same effect. Some other features that can be adjusted to allow areas of the bearing to have different bending characteristics include the space of some named support members, the length of the support members, the cross section of the support members, the support members and / or the base material.

Figure 11 shows another feature that can be implemented in the bearing of the present invention. Shown here is a contact bearing 24 having a groove 90 which may have a spiral shape and is disposed on the deformation surface 29. These grooves act as particle traps that can help remove loose particles (not shown) between the bearing surfaces. As the axis 20 (not shown) rotates about the deformation surface 29, some particles 42 will be allowed to fall into the grooves 90, which are then applied to one side of the bearing 24 for removal. Or will be pushed out of it. Such grooves are so large that they help to remove foreign particles 42 that do not fit into the gap 56 disposed between the support members 28. This groove is shown to be positioned while extending spirally continuously from one side to the other side, but this is not limited to this shape. This groove 90 may be straight, as this invention is not limited to this, and may include any other shape that helps to remove particles 42 disposed between the bearings. In addition, the groove does not need to extend completely from one side of the bearing to the other side. For example, the groove 90 may start near the center or extend only on one side, or may be a plurality of grooves extending from near the center of the face towards the other side of the bearing. The groove 90 is shown in relation to the cylindrical bearing 24, but the bearing is of the linear bearing 86 or any other structure described above in connection with FIGS. 9 and 10, as the invention is not limited in this respect. May also exist.

FIG. 13 shows the results of tests performed on both prototype bearings having a deformation surface similar to that shown in FIG. 12, and conventional bearings. Both prototypes and conventional bearings were made of the same aluminum bronze alloy material. A nominal load of 500 newtons was applied to each bearing through an axis made of hardened 1060 steel, which was rotated within each bearing. The torque related to friction was measured for each bearing as the test progressed. FIG. 13 shows the change over time during which the test for the torque associated with each bearing is being performed. In each test attempt, the friction torque values associated with the bearings of FIG. 12 remained substantially constant over time. However, the friction torque associated with conventional bearings has increased rapidly after a relatively short time period. This increase is associated with excessive wear, uneven interactions or other irregularities and extreme fatigue in conventional bearings. Further tests were conducted in which a sand mixture consisting of particles of 0.4 mm or less in diameter was added to conventional bearings and prototype bearings. In this test (results not shown), the friction torque exerted by the bearing of Figure 12 was reduced, but the bearing did not fail during the test period. The bearing of the conventional type stopped immediately after the sand mixture was introduced.

Another embodiment of the invention may include a deformation surface applied to a rolling contact bearing. Such bearings are designed primarily for rolling contact, but they have sliding levels of friction and wear at the micro level. In addition to making the system more robust and durable against impact loads, appropriate application of the strained surface can be used for rolling contact bearings to reduce wear and friction.

While some embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and improvements. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, certain features of the bearings described in the embodiments may be used alone or in any suitable combination, as the invention is not limited in this respect. Accordingly, the foregoing description is for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to limit the invention. The invention is defined only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims (82)

A base having elasticity; And A plurality of support members extending from the base, the plurality of support members being constructed and arranged to support opposed bearing surfaces, wherein the elasticity of the base supports at least a portion of the bearing surfaces opposite one or more adjacent support members. A contact bearing that allows one or more of the support members to move to accommodate unevenness or debris disposed between the opposing bearing surfaces and the one or more support members of the plurality while retaining. The contact bearing of claim 1, further comprising a substantially rigid case, the base disposed between the case and the opposing bearing surface. The contact bearing of claim 2, wherein the case is in direct contact with the base. 3. The contact bearing of claim 2, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members having an end in direct contact with the case. 5. The contact bearing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the end of each support member of the support member set in direct contact with the case is rounded. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a first material having a first elasticity and a second material having a second elasticity. 2. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members includes a support member having an end substantially lying on the arc to support the opposing arc surface. 8. The contact bearing of claim 7, wherein the end provides a portion of the circumferential surface. 2. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members comprises support members having ends that are substantially planar to support opposed straight bearing surfaces. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein each support member of the plurality of support members has a flanged end supported in the base. 2. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of substantially rigid support members. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the elasticity of the base varies with movement of one or more support members in the base. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein each member of the plurality of support members has a maximum cross-sectional area, each support member extending from the base up to three times its respective maximum cross-sectional area. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members extending non-vertically from the base. The second support member of claim 1, wherein in the combination of the plurality of second support members extending from the second base, each support member of the plurality of second support members is adapted to support the opposing bearing surface and is supported in the second base. Contact bearing with area. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support members is joined to the base. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support members has a cross-sectional area of less than one square meter. The method of claim 1, wherein the filling density is defined by the contact area between the plurality of support members, the opposing bearing surface is divided by the protruding region of the opposing bearing surface on which the plurality of supporting members are constructed and arranged, Contact bearings having a density of 0.5 to 0.6. 2. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support members comprises a first region for contacting opposite bearing surfaces and a second region for engagement with the base, wherein the second region is larger than the first region. 20. The contact bearing as in claim 19, wherein a portion of the plurality of respective support members is inserted into the base. The contact bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members are arranged in a matrix-like structure. The contact bearing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a plurality of extended pin shaped support members. 23. The contact bearing of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of extended pin-shaped support members has a circular cross section. Base; And A plurality of support members extending from the base, the plurality of support members being constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces, wherein at least one of the support members comprises at least one of the bearing surfaces facing at least one adjacent support member. While retaining at least some of the support, it is constructed and arranged to move to receive the unevenness or debris disposed between the opposing bearing surface and one or more of the support members, wherein the plurality of support members, respectively, A contact bearing having a first area for contacting and a second area associated with the base, the second area being larger than the first area. The contact bearing of claim 24, further comprising a substantially rigid case, wherein the base is disposed between the case and the opposing bearing face. The contact bearing of claim 25, wherein the case is in direct contact with the base. 25. The contact bearing of claim 24, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members having an end in direct contact with the case. 25. The contact bearing of claim 24, wherein the plurality of support members includes a support member having an end substantially lying on the arc to support the opposing arc surface. 29. The contact bearing of claim 27, wherein the end provides a portion of the circumferential surface. 24. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein the plurality of support members comprises support members having ends that are substantially planar to support opposed straight bearing surfaces. 24. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of substantially rigid support members. 24. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein each member of the plurality of support members has a maximum cross-sectional area, each support member extending from the base up to three times its respective maximum cross-sectional area. 24. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members extending non-vertically from the base. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein in the combination of the plurality of second support members extending from the second base, each support member of the plurality of second support members is adapted to support the opposing bearing surface and is supported in the second base. Contact bearing with area. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of support members is joined to the base. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of support members has a cross-sectional area of less than one square meter. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the filling density is defined by the contact area between the plurality of support members, and the opposing bearing surfaces are divided by the protruding regions of the opposing bearing surfaces on which the plurality of supporting members are constructed and arranged. Contact bearings having a density of 0.5 to 0.6. 24. The contact bearing as claimed in claim 23, wherein the plurality of support members are arranged in a matrix-like structure. 24. The contact bearing of claim 23, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a plurality of extended pin shaped support members. 39. The contact bearing of claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of extended pin-shaped support members has a circular cross section. Base; And A plurality of support members extending from the base, the plurality of support members being constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces, wherein at least one of the support members comprises a bearing surface with one or more adjacent support members opposed thereto. A contact bearing configured and arranged to move to receive unevenness or debris disposed between an opposing bearing face and one or more of the support members during successive support, the plurality of support members arranged in a matrix-like structure. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, further comprising a substantially rigid case, wherein the base is disposed between the case and the opposing bearing face. 42. The contact bearing of claim 41, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members having an end in direct contact with the case. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the plurality of support members includes a support member having an end substantially lying on the arc to support the opposing arc surface. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the end provides a portion of the circumferential surface. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the plurality of support members includes a support member having an end that is substantially planar to support the opposite straight bearing surface. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of substantially rigid support members. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein each member of the plurality of support members has a maximum cross-sectional area, each support member extending from the base up to three times its respective maximum cross-sectional area. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members extending non-vertically from the base. 41. The second support member of claim 40, wherein in the combination of the plurality of second support members extending from the second base, each support member of the plurality of second support members is adapted to support opposed bearing surfaces and is supported within the second base. Contact bearing with area. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein each of the plurality of support members is joined to the base. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein each of the plurality of support members has a cross-sectional area of less than one square meter. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the filling density is defined by the contact area between the plurality of support members, and the opposing bearing surfaces are divided by the protruding regions of the opposing bearing surfaces on which the plurality of supporting members are constructed and arranged. Contact bearings having a density of 0.5 to 0.6. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a plurality of extended pin shaped support members. 54. The contact bearing of claim 53, wherein each of the plurality of extended pin-shaped support members has a circular cross section. Base; And A plurality of support members extending from and inserted into the base, the plurality of support members being constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces, wherein at least one of the support members comprises at least one adjacent support member; While maintaining the support of the opposing bearing face, it is constructed and arranged to move to receive the irregularities or debris disposed between the opposing bearing face and one or more of the support members, each of the plurality of support members being A contact bearing comprising a first end engageable with a bearing face and a second end inserted into the base. 41. The contact bearing of claim 40, wherein the plurality of support members includes a support member having an end substantially lying on the arc to support the opposing arc surface. 59. The contact bearing of claim 57, wherein the end provides a portion of the circumferential surface. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein the plurality of support members include support members having ends that are substantially planar to support opposed straight bearing surfaces. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein each member of the plurality of support members has a maximum cross-sectional area, wherein each support member extends from the base up to three times its respective maximum cross-sectional area. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members extending non-vertically from the base. 57. The method of claim 56 wherein in a combination of a plurality of second support members extending from the second base, each support member of the plurality of second support members is adapted to support opposed bearing surfaces and is supported within the second base. Contact bearing with area. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein each of the plurality of support members is joined to the base. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein each of the plurality of support members has a cross-sectional area of less than one square meter. 57. The method of claim 56, wherein the filling density is defined by the contact area between the plurality of support members, wherein the opposing bearing surfaces are divided by the protruding regions of the opposing bearing surfaces on which the plurality of supporting members are constructed and arranged. Contact bearings having a density of 0.5 to 0.6. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a plurality of extended pin shaped support members. 59. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein each of the plurality of extended pin-shaped support members has a circular cross section. Base; And A plurality of extended pin-shaped support members extending from the base, wherein the plurality of support members are constructed and arranged to support the opposing bearing surfaces, wherein at least one of the support members comprises one or more adjacent support members facing each other. A contact bearing constructed and arranged to move to accommodate unevenness or debris disposed between the opposed bearing face and one or more of the support members while maintaining the bearing face. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, further comprising a substantially rigid case, the base disposed between the case and the opposing bearing face. 70. The contact bearing of claim 69, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members having ends that directly contact the case. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, wherein the plurality of support members includes a support member having an end substantially lying on the arc to support the opposing arc surface. 70. The contact bearing of claim 69, wherein the end provides a portion of the circumferential surface. 70. The contact bearing of claim 69, wherein the plurality of support members comprises support members having ends that are substantially planar to support opposed straight bearing surfaces. 70. The contact bearing of claim 69, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a substantially rigid set of support members. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, wherein each member of the plurality of support members has a maximum cross-sectional area, each support member extending from the base up to three times its respective maximum cross-sectional area. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a set of support members extending non-vertically from the base. 69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein in the combination of the plurality of second support members extending from the second base, each support member of the plurality of second support members is adapted to support opposed bearing surfaces and is supported within the second base. Contact bearing with area. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, wherein each of the plurality of support members is joined to the base. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, wherein each of the plurality of support members has a cross-sectional area of less than one square meter. 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the filling density is defined by the contact area between the plurality of support members, wherein the opposing bearing surfaces are divided by the protruding regions of the opposing bearing surfaces on which the plurality of supporting members are constructed and arranged. Contact bearings having a density of 0.5 to 0.6. 69. The contact bearing of claim 68, wherein each of the plurality of elongated pin-shaped support members comprises a circular cross section. The contact bearing of claim 56, wherein the elastic base is molded around the support member.