Skf Engineering and Research Centre B.v.

John Howard Tripp

Pieter Martin Lugt

Antonio Gabelli

Alexander Jan Carel De Vries

Eusthatios Ioannides

Marie-Laure Dumont

Benoit Clement Jacod

Armin Herbert Emil August Olschewski

Ingrid Victoria Wikström

Arimin Herbert Emil August Olschewski

A rolling element bearing comprises an inner ring and an outer ring which are each provided with a raceway, and a series of rolling elements which are in contact with the raceways of each ring. A lubricant film is provided in the contacts between the rolling elements and the raceways, which film forms a lubricant meniscus at the inlet side of each contact. In the bearing starved lubrication conditions prevail. The surface of each rolling element has minute recesses filled with a lubricant quantity, said recesses being flattened in the contact area defined by the contact between the rolling elements and the rings and thereby releasing lubricant at the inlet side of each contact resulting in a displacement of the meniscus further away from said contact. This meniscus displacement results in an increased lubricant film thickness in each contact area, thus improving the lubricating conditions in the bearing.

Rolling element bearing having starved lubrication conditions

A method of manufacturing a roller element bearing comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, and a series of rolling elements. A rolling surface of each rolling element is in contact with a raceway surface formed in each of the inner and the outer rings. At least one of the raceway surfaces of the inner and outer rings and the rolling surfaces of the rolling elements is provided with a topography comprising recesses which are generally isolated by lands. The recesses are formed by shot peening at least one of the surfaces. In addition, the recesses are provided with lubricant.

Method of manufacturing a rolling element bearing with improved rolling contact surfaces

A rolling element bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and a series of rolling elements the rolling surface of which is in contact with the raceway surfaces of both rings, and possibly at least one flange the surface of which is in slidable contact with the end surface of a roller element, at least one of these surfaces ( ) being provided with a topography comprising recesses ( ) which are generally isolated from each other by lands ( ) and which may contain a lubricant. The recesses have a maximum size of 100 micrometer in a direction parallel to the surface in question.

Rolling element bearing with improved rolling contact surfaces

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Bilthoven, Netherlands

John Howard Tripp