Aeroslide bearing cylinder

Abstract

A composite bearing cylinder includes an inner bearing surface having a resin matrix with fumed silica therein and having a filament material helically embedded in the resin matrix, a layer of the resin matrix being located at the inner bearing surface, the fumed silica in the resin matrix thereby contributing to the wear resistance of the inner bearing surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A composite bearing cylinder having an inner bearing surface, said composite bearing cylinder comprising: 
 a resin matrix composed of a resin material having fumed silica therein, an inner bearing layer of said resin material being located at said inner bearing surface; and    a substantially continuous filament material circumferentially embedded within said resin matrix.    
     
     
         2 . The composite bearing cylinder of  claim 1 , wherein said resin material includes between about 2% (by weight) to about 10% of said fumed silica.  
     
     
         3 . The composite bearing cylinder of  claim 1 , wherein said resin matrix further contains a plurality of particulate additives, said particulate additives being at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, glass beads and fine ground silica therein.  
     
     
         4 . A method of producing a bearing cylinder having an inner bearing surface, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mandrel;    providing a source of a resin material, said resin material having fumed silica therewithin;    applying said resin material on said mandrel thereby resulting in a resin-covered mandrel;    providing a source of continuous filament material;    winding an amount of said continuous filament material on said resin-covered mandrel to form a circumferential filament layer on said mandrel, a first portion of said resin material forming a bearing layer between said mandrel and said circumferential filament layer, a second portion of said resin material squeezing around said continuous filament material, said bearing layer having a wear resistance imparted thereto due to said fumed silica within said resin material;    curing said resin material after said winding step to thereby form a filament-wound bearing cylinder around said mandrel; and    removing said mandrel from within said filament-wound bearing cylinder.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said mandrel is highly polished.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said mandrel has an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of no more than about 10 μin.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said mandrel is chrome plated.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said resin material contains between about 2% (by weight) and about 10% of fumed silica.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said resin material contains about 8% (by weight) fumed silica.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said resin material further contains at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, glass beads and fine ground silica.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said resin material is applied in a form of a paste upon said mandrel.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said paste is troweled substantially evenly over the entire said mandrel.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said paste is applied so as to be about ⅛ inch thick.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said continuous filament material is fiberglass.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said continuous filament material is round, thereby forming a series of rounded surfaces one of at and near said bearing layer, said bearing layer and said a series of rounded surfaces one of at and near said bearing layer together defining an inner bearing surface of said filament-wound bearing cylinder.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inner bearing surface can have an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of at least about 25 μin.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a coloring agent is used in at least one of said resin material and said continuous filament material, said filament-wound bearing cylinder thereby being colored.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said resin material and said continuous filament material are each at least partially translucent materials, said filament-wound bearing cylinder thereby being at least partially translucent.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of applying a release agent to said mandrel prior to applying said resin material thereto.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said release agent includes an additive capable of reducing a coefficient of friction of said bearing layer.