Bearing component providing unaffected material that has a surface, which has been subjected to a hard machining process during where the temperature of the surface did not exceed the austenitizing temperature of the unaffected material. The surface of the bearing component includes a white layer formed during the hard machining process. The white layer has a nano-crystalline microstructure that includes grains having a maximum grain size up to 500 nm. The white layer is located directly adjacent to the unaffected material of the bearing component, where no dark layer is formed during the hard machining process.

An inner ring cooperates with an outer ring to form a roller bearing assembly. The inner ring comprises an outer circumferential surface receiving a plurality of roller bearing elements engageable with the outer ring upon forming of the roller bearing assembly. An inner circumferential surface of the inner ring is slideably mountable to a shaft upon forming of the roller bearing assembly and includes a base portion slideably engageable with a surface of the shaft upon mounting and at least one cutout portion opening to an outer edge of the inner circumferential surface. A clearance forms between a surface of the at least one cutout portion and the surface of the shaft upon mounting. Upon forming of the roller bearing assembly, the base portion of the circumferential surface is engageable with the shaft subsequently to the plurality of roller bearing elements engaging with the outer ring.

A self-lubricating roller bearing is provided. The roller bearing includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of rollers between the inner and outer races. Each of the inner race and the outer race includes a bearing surface for contact with the rollers. The bearing surface of one or more of the inner race, the outer race, and the rollers has one or more laser hardened areas and one or more non-laser hardened areas arranged in a predetermined pattern. The one or more non-laser hardened areas create dry lubricant for the roller bearing upon wear thereof.

A self-lubricating roller bearing is provided. The roller bearing includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of rollers between the inner and outer races. Each of the inner race and the outer race includes a bearing surface for contact with the rollers. The bearing surface of one or more of the inner race, the outer race, and the rollers has one or more laser hardened areas and one or more non-laser hardened areas arranged in a predetermined pattern. The one or more non-laser hardened areas create dry lubricant for the roller bearing upon wear thereof.

A roller bearing includes an outer raceway, an inner raceway, and a roller positioned between the outer and inner raceways. The roller bearing also includes a relief contour between the roller and at least one of the outer and inner raceways. The relief contour defines a slope along its length. The slope of the relief contour defines at least one inflection region.

A roller bearing includes an outer raceway, an inner raceway, and a roller positioned between the outer and inner raceways. The roller bearing also includes a relief contour between the roller and at least one of the outer and inner raceways. The relief contour defines a slope along its length. The slope of the relief contour defines at least one inflection region.

A constant velocity joint includes: an outer joint member having a raceway groove; an inner joint member having a leg shaft; a roller that is able to roll on the raceway groove; and a needle bearing that supports an inner periphery of the roller such that the inner periphery of the roller is able to rotate with respect to the leg shaft. The leg shaft includes: a roll portion that supports the needle bearing; a contact portion that is able to contact an end face of the needle bearing, the end face facing a first side in the direction of a central axis of the needle bearing; and a recess portion formed between the roll portion and the contact portion, in a position where the recess portion is recessed from a space in which the needle bearing is disposed.

A component of a rolling-element bearing, such as a bearing inner ring having an inner ring flange, a bearing outer ring having an outer ring flange or a rolling element having an end surface, includes a solid slide layer having a lower coefficient of friction than a material to which the slide layer is attached which slide layer reduces frictional contact between the component and another component against which the slide layer slides during bearing operation.

A component of a rolling-element bearing, such as a bearing inner ring having an inner ring flange, a bearing outer ring having an outer ring flange or a rolling element having an end surface, includes a solid slide layer having a lower coefficient of friction than a material to which the slide layer is attached which slide layer reduces frictional contact between the component and another component against which the slide layer slides during bearing operation.

A bearing steel composition contains 0.1 to 0.2 wt % C, 3.25 to 4.25 wt % Cr, 9.5 to 11.5 wt % Mo, 5.75 to 6.75 wt % W, 1.5 to 2.5 wt % V, and 2.5 to 3.5 wt % Ni. A bearing component, such as a rolling element, an inner race or outer race, is formed from the bearing steel composition, for example, by a powder metallurgical technique and then is subjected to a case hardening treatment. The bearing component may have a microstructure composed of martensite, retained austenite and at least one of carbides and/or carbonitrides. The carbon level at the surface of the bearing component may be 0.5 to 1.1 wt %.