A bearing, such as a plain bearing or a rolling bearing, including at least one coating on at least one surface of at least one element of the bearing, the at least one coating including at least one sensor that is integrated into the coating, the sensor being a nanosensor that includes at least one nanoparticle.

A bearing component of a rolling element bearing, such as a rolling element, a bearing ring, and/or a cage for retaining rolling elements of a rolling element bearing, has an outer surface with a plating layer providing at least 97 wt. % tin. The tin of the plating layer provides alpha and beta phases of tin in an alpha/beta phase ratio of less than 10%.

A coating mask for bearing and covering a portion of a to-be-plated component includes at least one bearing unit. Each bearing unit includes a first bearing portion, a second bearing portion, and at least two ribbed plates. An annular groove is defined between the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion. The at least two ribbed plates are formed in the annular groove. Each of the at least two ribbed plates includes a first ribbed portion and a second ribbed portion connected to the first ribbed portion. The first ribbed portion is connected to the second bearing portion; the second ribbed portion is connected to the first bearing portion. An included angle .sub.1 is defined by the first ribbed portion and the second ribbed portion, and .sub.1 is an obtuse angle. The disclosure also relates to a coating device.

To provide a deep groove ball bearing used under a lean lubrication condition or a non-lubrication condition, the deep groove ball bearing being capable of achieving a long lifetime without generating break of a retainer due to delay and progress of balls. The deep groove ball bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of balls interposed between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a riveted corrugate steel plate retainer that retains the balls, the deep groove ball bearing being used under a lean lubrication condition or a non-lubrication condition. The retainer includes a fluroresin coating film having a thickness of 15 m or more formed on at least a raceway surface of the inner ring or the outer ring, or an inner portion of the retainer slid on the balls. The fluororesin coating film is preferably formed of a baked polytetrafluoroethylene resin or the like.

The invention relates to a process for producing a rolling bearing cage, in particular for large rolling bearings, wherein a steel strip with openings for in each case one rolling body is provided and bent to form a ring, wherein, for thermal coating with a thermoplastic powder, the ring is then heated to a temperature above a minimum coating temperature, wherein the ring is then dipped into a fluidized bed comprising the thermoplastic powder, wherein, during the residence time of the ring in the fluidized bed, plastic powder adheres to the ring, melts and forms a continuous coating, and wherein the ring is removed from the fluidized bed after the coating. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the process.

An electric motor is provided which is designed to minimize a risk of corrosion or stress corrosion cracking of parts thereof and reduce mechanical vibration or noise. The electric motor includes an output shaft, a bearing which retains the output shaft, a frame, and a biasing member. The biasing member is made of austenite stainless steel and disposed between the bearing and a bottom wall of a bearing housing to elastically press the output shaft in a lengthwise direction thereof for eliminating mechanical noise arising from vibration of a rotor. The frame has a coating formed on an outer surface thereof for avoiding erosion thereof. The coating is not formed at least on a portion of the frame which faces the biasing member in order to induce sacrificial corrosion of the frame, which decelerates the corrosion of the biasing member to eliminate a risk of the stress corrosion cracking thereof.

A method is provided that forms a solid film on a bearing component of a rolling bearing. A solution containing a fluorine compound and a lubricant having no functional group is allowed to adhere to the bearing component as a first liquid film (adhesion step). The adhering first liquid film is hardened to form the solid film on the bearing component. The rolling bearing including the bearing component with the solid film formed thereon is rotated. The rolling bearing is washed in a washer fluid containing the same lubricant as that used in the adhesion step, and the washer fluid is allowed to adhere to the bearing component as a second liquid film. Then, the adhering second liquid film is dried.

To provide a rolling bearing retainer formed as a metal retainer and being capable of suppressing wear of a guide surface of a pocket that retains a ball served as a rolling element even in a case in which a lubrication function by a lubricant is deteriorated. A rolling bearing 1 is provided with an inner ring 2, an outer ring 3, a ball 4 interposed between the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3, and a retainer 5 that retains the ball 4. The retainer 5 is formed as a metal retainer including pockets 6, each of which retains the ball 4, formed at positions in a circumferential direction and including a resin coating film formed on at least an inner surface of each of the pockets 6 served as a rolling element guide surface. The resin coating film 7 is formed of a resin composition including an aromatic polyether ketone based resin as a matrix resin and including a solid lubricant.

A cage for a rolling element bearing is intended to ensure the circumferential spacing of at least one row of rolling elements and includes a plurality of pockets to accommodate the rolling elements of the row. The cage is made of a fiber-reinforced synthetic material having a glass transition temperature equal to or greater than 120? Celsius.

A bearing component of a rolling element bearing, such as a rolling element, a bearing ring, and/or a cage for retaining rolling elements of a rolling element bearing. An outer surface of the bearing component is provided with a plating layer providing at least 97 wt. % tin. According to the invention, tin of the plating layer provides alpha and beta phases of tin in an alpha/beta phase ratio of less than 10%.