US 12,071,980 B2
Plain bearing having coated outer and inner rings
Xiaobo Zhou, PV Houten (NL); Camille Dayot, Valence (FR); and Arnaud Turmeau, Chabeuil (FR)
Assigned to Aktiebolaget SKF, Gothenburg (SE); and SKF AEROSPACE FRANCE S.A.S, Montigny-Lebretonneux (FR)
Filed by Aktiebolaget SKF, Gothenburg (SE); and SKF Aerospace France S.A.S, Montigny-le-Bretonneux (FR)
Filed on May 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/745,015.
Claims priority of application No. 2105466 (FR), filed on May 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0381291 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. F16C 33/12 (2006.01); F16C 23/04 (2006.01); F16C 33/04 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 33/125 (2013.01) [F16C 23/045 (2013.01); F16C 33/043 (2013.01); F16C 33/124 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plain bearing configured for use within a ball joint having an axle, comprising:
an outer ring and an inner ring, the outer ring and the inner ring comprising respectively an inner surface and an outer surface intended to cooperate with each other for the relative movement of the outer and inner rings, the inner surface of the outer ring and the outer surface of the inner ring each comprising a coating including at least one layer, the inner ring having a radially inner surface,
the axle located radially inside the inner ring,
a sleeve formed along the radially inner surface of the inner ring, the sleeve configured to slidingly contact the axle, wherein the sleeve comprises a sleeve coating,
wherein the sleeve coating comprises a Copper based layer or a Tin based layer, and wherein
the hardness of the coating on the inner surface of the outer ring is less than the hardness of the outer ring, and the hardness of the coating on the outer surface of the inner ring is greater than to the hardness of the inner ring.
 
9. A method of manufacture of a plain bearing configured for use within a ball joint, comprising:
providing an outer ring and an inner ring, the outer ring and the inner ring comprising respectively an inner surface and an outer surface intended to cooperate with each other for the relative movement of the outer and inner rings, the inner ring having a radially inner surface,
providing an axle located radially inside the inner ring, the axle forming part of the ball joint,
providing a sleeve formed on the radially inner surface of the inner ring, the sleeve being configured to slidingly contact the axle, wherein the sleeve comprises a sleeve coating,
applying a coating including at least one layer on the inner surface of the outer ring and applying a coating including at least one layer on the outer surface of the inner ring,
wherein the sleeve coating comprises a Copper based layer or a Tin based layer, and wherein
the hardness of the applied coating on the inner surface of the outer ring is less than the hardness of the outer ring, the hardness of the applied coating on the outer surface of the inner ring being greater than the hardness of the inner ring, and the coating of the inner surface of the outer ring being applied by a method selected from: laser cladding, thermal spraying, and electrolytic plating.