Vapor deposition bearing coating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539178-B2
Application number	US-201715599016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2017
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A method of providing electrical discharge machining protection for a bearing is provided. The method includes (a) providing a bearing ring, (b) ionizing pure aluminum and depositing a pure aluminum layer on at least a portion of the bearing ring, (c) immersing the bearing ring in acid to convert the pure aluminum layer to an aluminum oxide layer, and (d) immersing the bearing ring in deionized water to seal the aluminum oxide layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing electrical discharge machining protection for a bearing, the method comprising:
(a) providing a bearing ring;
(b) ionizing pure aluminum and depositing a pure aluminum layer on at least a portion of the bearing ring;
(c) immersing the bearing ring in acid to convert the pure aluminum layer to an aluminum oxide layer; and
(d) immersing the bearing ring in deionized water to seal the aluminum oxide layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising masking a raceway of the bearing ring during steps (b) and (c).

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the bearing ring such that a raceway of the bearing ring is shielded during steps (b) and (c).

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the aluminum layer and the aluminum oxide layer from a raceway of the bearing ring.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the removing step includes turning or grinding the raceway.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising machining the raceway after forming the aluminum oxide layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pure aluminum has an aluminum content of at least 99.9% weight.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deionized water in step (d) is at least 85° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bearing ring is immersed during step (d) for at least 10 minutes.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum oxide layer is at least 125 microns thick.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid of step (c) is a sulfuric acid or an oxalic acid.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum layer is between 100 to 250 microns thick.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the aluminum oxide layer is at least 50% of a thickness of the aluminum layer.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• White Michael

Classifications

• C23C14/22

  characterised by the process of coating · CPC title

• F16C19/52 Primary

  with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions · CPC title

• F16C2206/44

  based on aluminium oxide (Al2O3) · CPC title

• F16C2240/60

  Thickness, e.g. thickness of coatings · CPC title

• B32B15/20

  comprising aluminium or copper {(B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence)} · CPC title