The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 14, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1999
Werner Hartl, Plainsboro, NJ (US);
Bogdan T Mania, Lawrenceville, NJ (US);
Roller Bearing Company of America, West Trenton, NJ (US);
Abstract
The improved spherical plain bearing of the present invention is formed using a unique method of manufacture which includes surface hardening of the outer ring and the inner ring wherein the outer ring includes a fracture zone having a reduced cross-sectional area which allows the case hardening diffusion technique to penetrate much deeper into the ring fracture zone than in the other areas thereof. In this manner the reduced cross-section area of the outer ring provides a more brittle area with less of the more ductile interior steel which is more difficult to fracture. Such fracturing is necessary with such plain spherical bearings in order to allow placement of the inner ring within the outer ring. The spherical plain bearing produced by this method can include a single fracture or double fracture. Thus this bearing provides significant structural strength due to the inner core of softer more ductile steel while at the same time providing enhanced wear characteristics due to the case hardened outer layer on both the inner and outer races.