ROLLING BEARING HAVING A COATING

Abstract

Rolling bearings and methods of making the same are disclosed. The rolling bearing may include an inner ring, an outer ring and rolling elements arranged radially or axially between the inner ring and the outer ring. A coating may be formed at least partially on the inner ring, and/or on the outer ring, and/or on the rolling elements, wherein the coating is formed predominantly from tungsten and is configured to prevent white etching cracks. The rolling bearing may be used in a wind turbine.

Claims

1. A rolling bearing comprising: an inner ring, an outer ring and rolling elements arranged radially or axially between the inner ring and the outer ring; and a coating formed at least partially on the inner ring, and/or on the outer ring, and/or on the rolling elements, wherein the coating is formed predominantly from tungsten and is configured to prevent white etching cracks.

2. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a layer thickness of the coating is in a range of from 0.5 m to 30 m.

3. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tungsten content of the coating is in a range of from 50% by mass to 100% by mass.

4. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner ring and/or the outer ring and/or the rolling elements have been heat-treated.

5. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating is impermeable to gas.

6. Use of a rolling bearing as claimed in claim 1 in a wind turbine.

7. A method for the at least partial coating of an inner ring and/or of an outer ring and/or of rolling elements of the rolling bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner ring and/or the outer ring and/or the rolling elements are initially heat-treated and then at least partially coated to prevent white etching cracks, wherein the coating is formed predominantly from tungsten.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the coating is formed at least partially by an ionic liquid.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the coating is formed at least partially by a plasma coating method.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the coating is formed at least partially by a PVD or CVD method.

11. A rolling bearing, comprising: an inner ring, an outer ring and rolling elements arranged radially or axially between the inner ring and the outer ring; and a coating formed only partially on the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the coating is formed predominantly from tungsten and is configured to prevent white etching cracks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further measures that improve the disclosure are explained in greater detail below together with the description of an example embodiment of the disclosure with reference to the two figures, of which

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a rolling bearing according to the disclosure, and

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a schematic section through the rolling bearing according to the disclosure in accordance with FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] According to FIG. 1, a rolling bearing 1 according to the disclosure, e.g., for a wind turbine (not shown here), has an inner ring 2, an outer ring 3 and rolling elements 4 arranged radially between the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3. The rolling elements 4 are guided by a cage 6. By way of example here, the rolling bearing 1 is designed as a deep groove ball bearing. Thus, the rolling elements 4 are designed as balls. However, in very general terms, it can be a ball bearing, cylinder roller bearing, needle bearing, spherical or self-aligning roller bearing, toroidal roller bearing etc. here.

[0027] According to FIG. 2, a respective coating 5 to prevent white etching cracks is formed partially on the inner ring 2 and partially on the outer ring 3, wherein the coating 5 is formed predominantly from tungsten. A layer thickness of the coating 5 may be 5 m. Furthermore, a tungsten content of the coating 5 is 90% to 100% in this example. In this embodiment, the coating 5 is formed only on an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 3 and on an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 2. Furthermore, the inner ring 2, the outer ring 3 and the rolling elements 4 have been subjected to a heat treatment, which has been carried out before the application of the coating 5.

[0028] The disclosure is not restricted to the illustrative embodiment described above. Further illustrative embodiments or possible further developments of the disclosure will become apparent especially from the claims and the description. For example, the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3 can have a full coating 5 composed predominantly of tungsten. It is furthermore also conceivable to coat the rolling elements 4 with the coating 5 composed predominantly of tungsten. Furthermore, the coating 5 can also have a different layer thickness or a tungsten content in a range of from 50% by mass to less than 100% by mass.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0029] 1 rolling bearing

[0030] 2 inner ring

[0031] 3 outer ring

[0032] 4 rolling elements

[0033] 5 coating

[0034] 6 cage