US 11,674,550 B2
Bearing cage treated with plasma-nitriding
Roland Plum, Stratford (CA); Peter Glöckner, Schweinfurt (DE); and Johannes Bedenk, Theres (DE)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Oct. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/506,374.
Prior Publication US 2023/0118547 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. F16C 33/44 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 33/44 (2013.01) [F16C 2223/14 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a bearing cage, the method comprising:
(i) forming a bearing cage from Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al;
(ii) applying a plasma-nitriding treatment to at least one surface of the bearing cage to form a compound layer of titanium nitride including TiN and Ti2N on an outer region of the at least one surface, wherein a surface hardness at the outer region of the at least one surface is at least 1300 HV.
 
9. A bearing cage comprising:
a cage structure defining a plurality of rolling element pockets configured to support rolling elements,
wherein the bearing cage is formed from Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, and at least one surface of the bearing cage is plasma-nitrided to form a compound layer of titanium nitride including TiN and Ti2N on an outer region of the at least one surface, and
wherein the bearing cage is used in a turbofan, turboprop, or turboshaft engine, or in a helicopter gearbox.
 
16. A method of forming a bearing cage, the method comprising:
(i) forming a bearing cage from Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al; and
(ii) applying a plasma-nitriding treatment to at least one surface of the bearing cage to form:
a compound layer of titanium nitride including TiN and Ti2N on an outer region of the at least one surface, and
a diffusion zone adjacent to the outer region;
wherein the compound layer has a depth of at least 0.0015 mm and the diffusion zone has a depth of at least 0.03 mm.