A liquid metal or spiral groove bearing structure for an x-ray tube and associated process for manufacturing the bearing structure is provided in which journal bearing sleeve is formed with a number of structures thereon that function to dissipate heat transmitted to the sleeve during operation of the bearing assembly within the x-ray tube to minimize thermal deformation of the sleeve, thereby minimizing gap size alteration within the bearing assembly. The structures formed within the sleeve are slots disposed within the section of the sleeve in which the highest temperature gradients develop. The slots enable an increase in thermal conductance away from the sleeve while minimizing the stresses created from the deformation of the portion(s) of the sleeve between the slots.

A bearing assembly comprising a first component and a second component, the first and second components being slidably disposed with respect to each other, wherein the first component slides relative to the second component in a first direction, wherein the first component comprises a plurality of first recesses formed in a first surface facing the second component, wherein the first recesses are distributed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with neighboring first recesses being spaced apart in the second direction with a first spacing, wherein the second component comprises a plurality of second recesses formed in a second surface facing the first surface of the first component, wherein the second recesses are distributed in the second direction with neighboring second recesses being spaced apart in the second direction with a second spacing, wherein the first recesses are sized to fit within the second spacings and the second recesses are sized to fit within the first spacings, and wherein the first and second components are urged into a relative position in the second direction in which the first and second recesses do not overlap one another.

A method of determining an amount of wear in a spherical working surface of a bearing ring of a spherical plain bearing, the method including providing a reference groove of predetermined depth in an unworn working surface, using the reference groove and axial end faces of the bearing ring as reference surfaces for centering and aligning a measuring tool. The tool having a first surface, and a protrusion that extends from the first surface in radial direction and is adapted to fit into the reference groove and two or more radial openings that extend from a second surface of the tool. Determining the amount of wear by measuring the radial distance to the spherical working surface through each of the radial openings and comparing the measured value with a reference value measured using the tool for an unworn working surface comprising a reference groove of the same predetermined depth.

The invention relates to a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing (1) with an exhaust-gas-side and an air-side turbine blade (2), a shaft (3) connecting the turbine blades, and at least one radially acting rotary bearing for mounting the shaft (3), wherein the rotary bearing is designed as a hydrodynamic floating bearing, wherein a lubricant flows in a completely surrounding bearing gap (8) of the rotary bearing in the direction of rotation and has a local lubricant pressure, the bearing gap (8) has a contouring (10, 11, 10a, 11a, 12, 13, 14, 15) due to which the at least two local maxima (PM1, PM2) of the lubricant pressure are formed at two defined angular positions (W1, W2) in the direction of rotation.

The invention relates to a ball joint (5) including a ball stud (10) which has a spherical portion (12), two bearing shells (20) that are arranged on the spherical portion (12) such that there is a small gap (30) between them, and a housing (40) that is made from plastic in one piece and encloses the two bearing shells (20) such that they are urged against the spherical portion (12) by the housing (40).

A semi-cylindrical half bearing for a sliding bearing includes at least one axial groove formed on its inner circumferential surface that includes a smooth groove surface formed back away from the inner circumferential surface toward a radially outer side. The half bearing further includes a plurality of axial narrow grooves and a plurality of circumferential narrow grooves that are formed further back away from the groove surface toward the radially outer side, and extend in circumferential and axial directions, respectively, so as to cross each other. A depth of the axial narrow groove from the groove surface is greater than a depth of the circumferential narrow groove from the groove surface, and a width of the axial narrow groove on the groove surface is greater than a width of the circumferential narrow groove on the groove surface.

A semi-cylindrical half bearing for a sliding bearing includes at least one axial groove formed on its inner circumferential surface that includes a smooth groove surface formed back away from the inner circumferential surface toward a radially outer side of the half bearing. The groove surface forms a convex curve toward the radially outer side in a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the half bearing, and forms a straight line extending in the axial direction in a cross-section parallel to the axial direction. The half bearing further includes a plurality of axial narrow grooves formed on the groove surface so as to be back away from the groove surface toward the radially outer side, that extend in the axial direction of the half bearing.

A bearing device includes a plurality of bearing pads tiltably supporting a rotation shaft which rotates about an axial line, from the outer circumferential side of the rotation shaft, the bearing pads being spaced apart along the circumferential direction; and an oil supply part that supplies oil between the outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft and pad surfaces of the bearing pads which face the rotation shaft. The plurality of bearing pads include a first bearing pad that supports the rotation shaft directly below the axial line, and a pair of second bearing pads which sandwich the first bearing pad from the rotation direction. Among the first bearing pad and the second bearing pads, a groove is formed only on the pad surfaces of the second bearing pads so as to extend in the rotation direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, a sliding component includes a pair of sliding parts sliding relatively to each other. One sliding part is a stationary-side seal ring 7, and the other sliding part is a rotating-side seal ring 4, wherein the seal rings have sliding faces S formed radially for sealing a liquid or a misty fluid as a sealed fluid against leakage. At least one of the sliding faces S is provided with: spiral grooves 11 which have upstream ends 11a connected to a leakage side, and downstream ends 11b not connected to a circumferential edge on a sealed-fluid side, and are disposed at an angle from upstream to downstream; and discharge grooves 10 disposed at an angle such that their upstream ends 10a are located on the leakage side and their downstream ends 10b are located on the sealed-fluid side.

A pair of sliding components having sliding faces (S) that slide with respect to each other includes: fluid introduction portions (22) having opening portions (22a) at a predetermined circumferential interval (Y) on a peripheral surface on a high pressure fluid side of the sliding face (S), the fluid introduction portions extending in a radial direction; and Rayleigh step mechanisms including extremely shallow grooves (11) that communicate with the fluid introduction portions (22) and extend in a circumferential direction, wherein circumferential width (X) of the opening portions (22a) is larger than radial width (Z) of the fluid introduction portions (22). In the sliding components, a temperature can be lowered by reducing a friction loss of the sliding faces and improving a cooling performance even when the sliding components are used at high speed.