Split bearings, assemblies, and methods for manufacturing and using them.

Abstract

To provide bearings, particularly bearings with a split in their circumferential sidewall, and methods of production and assembly thereof.SOLUTION: A bearing 31 includes a bearing sidewall 308 including a first circumferential end 340 including an apex region and a second circumferential end 342 including a nadir region. The first and second circumferential ends are adapted to contact each other to form an interface 344. At least one of the apex and nadir regions includes a void to prevent contact between the apex region of the first circumferential end and the nadir region of the second circumferential end. The bearing sidewall includes a substrate and a low friction material. At least one of the first and second circumferential ends comprises an end face that is free of the low friction material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A

Claims

1. It is a bearing, The bearing sidewall includes a first circumferential end including a topmost region and a second circumferential end including a bottommost region, wherein the first and second circumferential ends are fitted to contact each other to form an interface, and at least one of the topmost or bottommost region includes a gap to prevent contact between the topmost region of the first circumferential end and the bottommost region of the second circumferential end, the bearing sidewall includes a substrate and a low-friction material, at least one of the first or second circumferential end includes an end face that does not include the low-friction material, the end face of at least one of the first or second circumferential end includes a deformation zone, a cutting zone and a crushing zone, and the topmost region of the first circumferential end has a radius of curvature R １ The lowermost point region of the second circumferential end has a radius of curvature R ２ It has R １ > R ２ A bearing wherein the lowest point region of the second circumferential end has a V-shaped interface.

2. It is an assembly, Internal components and External components and, A bearing disposed between the inner component and the outer component, Includes, The bearing includes a bearing sidewall comprising a first circumferential end including a topmost region and a second circumferential end including a bottommost region, wherein the first and second circumferential ends are fitted to contact each other to form an interface, and at least one of the topmost or bottommost region includes a gap to prevent contact between the topmost region of the first circumferential end and the bottommost region of the second circumferential end, the bearing sidewall comprises a substrate and a low-friction material, at least one of the first or second circumferential end includes an end face that does not include the low-friction material, the end face of at least one of the first or second circumferential end includes a deformation zone, a cutting zone and a crushing zone, and the topmost region of the first circumferential end has a radius of curvature R １ The lowermost point region of the second circumferential end has a radius of curvature R ２ It has R １ > R ２ The assembly wherein the lowest point region of the second circumferential end has a V-shaped interface.

3. It is a method, A step of forming a strip of material including a substrate and a low-friction material, wherein the strip has a first end and a second end, and the forming step comprises forming the first end to form an uppermost region, forming the second end to form a lowermost region, and at least one of the uppermost region or the lowermost region includes a void, The step of roll forming the strip to form an annular bearing, wherein the first end and the second end respectively form complementary first and second circumferential ends, at least one of the first circumferential end or the second circumferential end has an end face, the end face of at least one of the first circumferential end or the second circumferential end includes a deformation zone, a cutting zone, and a crushing zone, and the uppermost point region of the first circumferential end has a radius of curvature R １ and the lowermost point region of the second circumferential end has a radius of curvature R ２ where R １ > R ２ and the lowermost point region of the second circumferential end has a V-shaped interface, the step; A method that includes this.

4. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the bearing side wall includes a first axial end and a second axial end, and at least one of the first axial end or the second axial end does not contain a low-friction material.

5. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the bearing sidewall includes an outer surface and an inner surface, and the low-friction material essentially covers the entirety of at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface.

6. The bearing according to claim 5, wherein the low-friction material extends to at least one of the end faces of the first and second circumferential ends.

7. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first circumferential end has a radial thickness, the second circumferential end has a radial thickness, and the first circumferential end and the second circumferential end are in contact with each other along the entire length of their respective radial thicknesses.

8. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the air gap creates a gap between the first circumferential end and the second circumferential end.

9. The interface has an interface length L, and the gap has a gap length L Ｇ It has L Ｇ The bearing according to claim 8, wherein the L is <0.25L.

10. The uppermost region of the first circumferential end has a radius of curvature R. １ The lowermost point region of the second circumferential end has a radius of curvature R ２ It has a radius of curvature R １ , R ２ The bearing according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the poles is negative at a point along the first or second circumferential end.

11. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first circumferential end includes a first axial leg and a second axial leg, and the second circumferential end includes a first axial leg and a second axial leg.

12. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first circumferential end includes a first axial leg and a second axial leg, the uppermost region is defined as an angle ≤ 180°, and forms a general angle α between the first axial leg and the second axial leg, where α is at least 30° and 180° or less.

13. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the bearing side wall includes a substantially cylindrical body and a radial flange.

Images