US 12,247,618 B2
Electrically conductive bearing with rib and method of making and using the same
Vincent Dimartino, Clifton, NJ (US); Baltasar R. Garcia, Mahwah, NJ (US); and Florian Foerster, Duisburg (DE)
Assigned to SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS CORPORATION, Solon, OH (US)
Filed by SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS CORPORATION, Solon, OH (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/068,626.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/265,801, filed on Dec. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0193952 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. F16C 33/12 (2006.01); F16C 17/02 (2006.01); F16C 27/02 (2006.01); F16C 41/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 33/124 (2013.01) [F16C 17/02 (2013.01); F16C 27/02 (2013.01); F16C 41/002 (2013.01); F16C 2202/32 (2013.01); F16C 2204/60 (2013.01); F16C 2208/58 (2013.01); F16C 2240/60 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bearing comprising:
a sidewall comprising an electrically conductive substrate, and
an electrically non-conductive or low-conductive sliding layer coupled to the substrate, wherein the sidewall comprises at least one circumferential rib feature protruding radially inward or radially outward from a bore defining a central axis, wherein the at least one circumferential rib feature has an aspect ratio between a circumferential length and an axial width of at least 2:1, wherein the circumferential rib feature is adapted to contact an opposing component such that at a point of contact the bearing has a void area free of sliding layer so as to provide electrical conductivity between the bearing and the opposing component, wherein the void area extends in a circumferential direction along at least a majority of a circumferential length of the circumferential rib feature.
 
19. An assembly comprising:
an outer component;
an inner component; and
a bearing disposed between component and second component, wherein the bearing comprises a sidewall comprising an electrically conductive substrate, and an electrically non-conductive or low-conductive sliding layer coupled to the substrate, wherein the sidewall comprises at least one circumferential rib feature protruding radially inward or radially outward from a bore defining a central axis, wherein the at least one circumferential rib feature has an aspect ratio between a circumferential length and an axial width of at least 2:1, wherein the circumferential rib feature is adapted to contact the outer component or the inner component at a point of contact, wherein at the point of contact, the bearing has a void area free of sliding layer so as to provide electrical conductivity between the outer component and the inner component, wherein the void area extends in a circumferential direction along at least a majority of a circumferential length of the circumferential rib feature.
 
20. An assembly comprising:
an outer component having a bore defining a central axis;
an inner component disposed in the bore of the outer component; and
a bearing disposed between inner component and outer component, wherein the bearing comprises a sidewall comprising an electrically conductive substrate, and an electrically non-conductive or low-conductive sliding layer coupled to the substrate, wherein the sidewall comprises at least one circumferential rib feature protruding radially inward or radially outward from the central axis, wherein the at least one circumferential rib feature has an aspect ratio between a circumferential length and an axial width of at least 2:1, wherein the bearing has an uninstalled configuration wherein the bearing is electrically non-conductive, and an installed configuration wherein the bearing is electrically conductive, wherein electrically low-conductive is defined as having an electrical resistivity value of greater than 10 Ω·m measured from a radially outward side of the bearing to a radially inward side of the bearing along a radially extending line from the central axis that intersects the bearing perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the bearing has a void area free of a sliding layer so as to provide electrical conductivity between the outer component and the inner component, wherein the void area extends in a circumferential direction along at least a majority of a circumferential length of the circumferential rib feature.