Title of Invention	CALIBRATABLE PLAIN BEARING MATERIAL
Abstract	The invention relates to a calibratable plain bearing material comprising a metallic substrate material (1) having a surface and a sliding layer (3) covering the surface of the substrate material (1). The plain bearing material according to the invention is characterized in that the metallic substrate material (1) has a yield point of < 100 N/mm2, thereby resulting in a high calibratability. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plain bearing bush and an advantageous use of a plain bearing material. For the abstract, the single figure is designated.

Title of Invention

CALIBRATABLE PLAIN BEARING MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention relates to a calibratable plain bearing material comprising a metallic substrate material (1) having a surface and a sliding layer (3) covering the surface of the substrate material (1). The plain bearing material according to the invention is characterized in that the metallic substrate material (1) has a yield point of < 100 N/mm2, thereby resulting in a high calibratability. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plain bearing bush and an advantageous use of a plain bearing material. For the abstract, the single figure is designated.

Full Text	Calibratable plain bearing material The invention relates to a calibratable plain bearing material comprising a metallic substrate material having a surface and a sliding layer covering the surface of the substrate material. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plain bearing bush and to advantageous use of a plain bearing material. Plain bearing materials of the type mentioned at the beginning, which are usually made up of a system of layers comprising a metallic substrate material and a sliding layer, usually in the form of a plastic, are used for a wide variety of applications in which parts that are movable in relation to one another are to be connected to one another in a pivotably or translatorily sliding manner. They are suitable inter alia for the production of plain bearing bushes. These in turn are used variously in hinges and bearings of extremely different types, in particular in the automobile sector. Door hinges, seat adjusting systems, pedals, luggage compartment hinges, steering column adjustment mechanisms or shock absorbers may be mentioned here purely by way of example. The plain bearing material that is always used in these cases, which, depending on the application, is in the form of a plain bearing surface or a plain bearing bush, is maintenance-free, i.e. lubrication of the bearings is not required. A plain bearing material of the type mentioned at the beginning that is referred to as a self-lubricating bearing is known from EP 0 998 637 B1. This plain bearing material comprises a metallic substrate material and a sliding layer arranged over the latter. The plain bearing material is designed for high connpressive loads in the range of 200 MPa. To prevent such compressive loads from causing creep of the sliding layer, which with preference comprises a fluoropolymer, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), it is provided in the case of this plain bearing material that the surface of the substrate material is pronouncedly structured, whereby the sliding layer laminated onto the substrate material is firmly anchored in it. With preference, this plain bearing material has a bronze plating as an intermediate layer, in which the structuring is engraved. The substrate material itself may consist of various metallic materials, in particular steel or aluminum. 2 As already mentioned, this sliding materia! known from the prior art is distinguished by a veiy high compressive load-bearing capacity, the tendency of the sliding material to creep during operation being counteracted by a very pronounced structuring of the substrate surface or by the strength of the substrate. These properties make it suitable for use for example in vehicle door hinges or the especially loaded front shock absorbers of a motor vehicle. The disadvantage of this plain bearing material is that it requires very high production accuracy for the bearing housings to be lined with the plain bearing material, in order to ensure an exact fit of the plain bearing material in the bearing housing. Against the background of this prior art, the invention is therefore based on the object of providing a plain bearing material of the type mentioned at the beginning which is easy to produce and allows greater production tolerances for the bearing housings. The object is achieved according to the invention by a plain beahng matehal according to the preamble of patent claim 1, by the metallic substrate material having a yield point of The advantage of the plain bearing material according to the invention is that the metallic substrate material can plastically deform relatively easily. This makes particularly easy calibration of the plain bearing material possible. For example, it is thus possible to use the plain bearing material according to the invention to produce a plain beahng bush which can subsequently be used in a beahng housing of a form that is dictated by the respective application. The plain beahng material can subsequently be plastically expanded in the beahng housing by a suitable forming tool, usually a calibrating mandrel, setting the desired inside diameter. The good plastic deformability also allows beahng housings with greater tolerances to be used, which correspondingly reduces the reject rate in the production of bearing housings, and consequently lowers the overall costs for the plain bearing. Since, in spite of excellent calibratability, the plain beahng material according to the invention manages without metal-mesh or expanded-metal inserts, it is outstandingly suitable for low-cost mass production. According to a first advantageous refinement of the invention, the metallic substrate material consists of an aluminum alloy, preferably of AA3005. The latter alloy is an aluminum alloy that can be plastically deformed particularly easily, with a yield point of about 55 N/mm^, the use of which increases further the calibratability of the plain bearing material according to the invention. As investigations carried out by the applicant have shown, an overall deformability of the plain bearing layer of about 5% can be achieved by using an AA3005 aluminum alloy. If the plain bearing material is subsequently formed into a cylindrical bearing bush, a deformability of altogether 10% with respect to the bush diameter is consequently obtained. This allows effective compensation for production tolerances to occur in the course of the calibration of the plain bearing. In the case of the plain bearing material being incorporated in aluminum bearing housings, a further advantage is that, because of the material being identical or simiilar (in the case of different aluminum alloys), the risk of contact corrosion between the substrate material and the material of the bearing housing is minimized or eliminated. Finally, aluminum is a substrate material with particularly good heat conduction, and so the frictional heat produced during operation can be dissipated very quickly, which increases the service life of the plain bearing. On account of the high deformability of the substrate material, the plain bearing material according to the invention is suitable in particular for applications with low compressive loading, for example in the range of 10 -20 MPa. Mention can be made here of the use of plain bearings in spring forks for bicycles or motorcycles, and similarly use in less loaded shock absorbers (rear shock absorbers in a motor vehicle), in steering systems or in various engine components, for example a toothed belt tensioner. As a result of the high calibratability, a bearing geometry that is always very precisely formed is ensured by the plain bearing material according to the invention in the case of these applications. The substrate material may be provided in different thicknesses. A thickness of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm is preferred. In order to achieve better adherence of the sliding layer on the substrate material, it is provided according to a further advantageous refinement of the invention that the surface of the substrate material is structured. Since the structuring is merely intended to achieve an increase in the surface area, but not a suppression of the tendency for the plain bearing material to creep, it is adequate that the depth of the structuring perpendicular to the surface of the substrate material is 30 pm to 70 pm, preferably about 35 pm. The structuring of the surface may take place in a wide variety of geometries. The decisive concern is always that the surface of the substrate material is sufficiently increased or roughened to make better adherence of the sliding layer on the substrate material possible. Particulariy preferred in this respect is a honeycomb structure with wall-like elevations and depressions, which are introduced into the surface of the substrate material for example by calendering. A honeycomb structure is understood here in the customary sense as meaning a pattern of two-dimensionally arranged hexagonal cells, the cells being peripherally bounded as depressions by the wall-like elevations. It is adequate here that the width of the cells, measured as the distance between parallel running walls of a cell, is 100 pm to 1000 pm, preferably about 400 pm. In keeping with the comparatively moderate depth of the structuring, the sliding layer lying thereover can be made comparatively thick. Suitable thicknesses of the sliding layer lie in the range between 100 pm and 320 pm, preferably 220 pm and 280 pm, in particular about 250 pm. The sliding layer itself consists with preference of a plastic, in particular a polymer compound. Suitable in particular as the polymer compound is a fluoropolymer, preferably polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which has already been successfully used as a plain bearing material for years. In order to increase the wear resistance of the sliding layer, it is provided according to a further advantageous refinement of the invention that the sliding layer contains corresponding fillers With preference, these are graphite and/or an aromatic polyester, the proportion of which in the filler is with preference approximately 15%. According to a further advantageous teaching of the invention, the sliding layer is bonded to the substrate material by means of an adhesive layer. With preference, the adhesive layer contains a fluoropolymer, in particular an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE). During the application of the adhesive layer and subsequent lamination of the sliding layer, the adhesive layer completely fills the depressions of the surface structuring of the substrate material, the elevations of the surface structuring remaining completely covered. The thickness of this covering is with preference 5 pm to 20 pm, preferably 10 pm to 15 pm. The plain bearing material according to the invention is suitable in particular for producing a plain bearing bush. These plain bearing bushes are usually a strip of plain bearing material formed into a cylindrical shape, the mutually facing ends not being joined to one another hut bounding a longitudinal slit. Here it is provided according to an advantageous refinement of the invention that the width of this longitudinal slit is less than the thickness of the plain bearing material of the plain bearing bush. This can be achieved without any problem by the high plastic deformability of the plain bearing material according to the invention. Plain bearing bushes that meet this condition are also referred to as closed bushes and have the advantage that, when they are supplied as bulk material, the risk of the plain bearing bushes becoming hooked in one another (chain formation) is eliminated. A substrate material with a higher yield point would prevent "closing" of the slit on account of its higher elasticity. The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing representing an exemplary embodiment. In the single drawing, a plain bearing material according to the invention is represented in cross section. It comprises a metallic substrate material 1 having a surface and a sliding layer 3 covering the surface of the substrate material 1. According to the invention, the substrate material 1 consists of a metallic material with a yield point of The sliding layer 3 consists with preference of a polymer compound, in the present case PTFE. To improve the wear resistance of the sliding layer 3, the sliding layer 3 also contains corresponding fillers, in the present case graphite and an aromatic polyester, the proportion of which in the filler is 15%. The total filler content is approximately 20%. Secure adherence of the sliding layer 3 on the substrate material 1 is ensured in the present case by an adhesive layer 2 provided between the sliding layer 3 and the substrate material 1. The adhesive layer 2 is in the present case a fluoropolymer, to be specific an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE). With regard to the dimensioning of the layer, the substrate material 1 has in the present case a layer thickness of about 14 mm, while the thickness of the sliding layer 3 is in the present case about 250 (jm. As represented in the drawing, the surface of the substrate material 1 is structured, in order to achieve better adherence of the sliding layer 3 on the substrate material 1 brought about by way of the adhesive layer 2. In this case, the surface may in principle be structured in all geometrical forms that ensure a significant increase in the surface area. In the present case, a honeycomb structure is chosen, with regular wall-like elevations 1a and depressions (cells) 1b enclosed by the elevations. The height of the wall¬like elevations 1a in the present case is about 35 pro and the width of the depressions 1b, defined as the distance bet^A/een parallel running walls la of a cell, is on average about 400 pm. As a result, an adequate increase in the surface area is achieved, which, as mentioned, leads to an improvement in the adherence of the sliding layer 3. .As also revealed by the drawing, the adhesive layer 2 is applied to the structured surface of the substrate material 1 in such a way that it completely fills the depressions 1b of the surface structuring of the substrate material 1 and completely covers the elevations 1a of the surface structuring. The thickness of the adhesive layer 2 covering the elevations la is in the present case 10 pm to 15 pm. Not shown is a longitudinally slit plain bearing bush formed from the plain bearing material according to the invention described above. On account of the high plastic deformability of the substrate material used according to the invention, it is possible here to form the bush in such a way that the width of the longitudinal slit is less than the thickness of the plain bearing material layer. This prevents the plain bearing bushes that are supplied as bulk material from becoming hooked in one another. Such a plain bearing bush is suitable for many applications of comparatively low compressive loads, for example in spring forks for two-wheeled vehicles and similarly in less loaded shock absorbers (rear shock absorbers in a motor vehicle), steering systems or various engine components, for example in a toothed-belt tensioner, 1. A plain bearing material comprising a metallic substrate material (1) having a surface and a sliding layer (3) covering the surface of the substrate material (1), the thickness of the sliding layer (3) being 100 m to 320 pm, characterized in that the metallic substrate material (1) is formed over the full surface area and has a yield point of 2. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the metallic substrate material (1) consists of an aluminum alloy, preferably AA3005. 3. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the substrate material (1) is 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm. 4. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the surface of the substrate material (1) is structured. 5. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the depth of the structuring perpendicular to the surface of the substrate material (1) is 30 to 70, preferably about 35 6. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the surface of the substrate material (1) has a honeycomb structure with wall-like elevations (1a) and depressions (1b). 7. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the width of the cells, measured as the distance between parallel running walls (lib) of a cell, is 100 pm to 1000 pm, preferably about 400 pm. 8. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the structuring is introduced into the substrate material (1) by calendering. 9. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the thickness of the sliding layer (3) is 220 pm to 280 pm, in particular about 250 pm. 10. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, cliaracterized in that the sliding layer (3) consists of a polymer compound. 11. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the polymer compound contains a fluoropolymer, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). 12. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the sliding layer (3) contains fillers increasing wear resistance. 13. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the total filler content is 10 to 30 percent, with preference approximately 20%. 14. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that graphite and/or an aromatic polyester are used as fillers. 15. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the filler content of the aromatic polyester in the polymer compound is 0 to 30%, with preference 10 to 25%, in particular about 15%. 16. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the sliding layer (3) is bonded to the substrate material (1) by means of an adhesive layer (2). 17. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the adhesive layer (2) contains a fluoropolymer, in particular an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE). 18. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 16 or 17 and claim 4, characterized in that the adhesive layer (2) completely fills the depressions (1b) of the surface structuring of the substrate material (1) and completely covers the wall-like elevations (la) of the surface structuring. 19. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the wall-like elevations (1a) of the surface structuring are covered with a layer thickness of the adhesive of 5 to 20 preferably 10 pm to 15 pm. 20. A plain bearing bush with a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19, 21. The plain bearing bush as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the plain bearing bush is longitudinally slit, the width of the longitudinal slit being less than the thickness of the plain bearing material of the plain bearing bush. 22. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 in a plain bearing. 23. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 for lining containers for keeping and/or preparing food. 24. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 for coating the inside of baking tins. 25. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 for coating the inside of baking ovens.

Full Text

Calibratable plain bearing material
The invention relates to a calibratable plain bearing material comprising a metallic substrate material having a surface and a sliding layer covering the surface of the substrate material. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plain bearing bush and to advantageous use of a plain bearing material.
Plain bearing materials of the type mentioned at the beginning, which are usually made up of a system of layers comprising a metallic substrate material and a sliding layer, usually in the form of a plastic, are used for a wide variety of applications in which parts that are movable in relation to one another are to be connected to one another in a pivotably or translatorily sliding manner. They are suitable inter alia for the production of plain bearing bushes. These in turn are used variously in hinges and bearings of extremely different types, in particular in the automobile sector. Door hinges, seat adjusting systems, pedals, luggage compartment hinges, steering column adjustment mechanisms or shock absorbers may be mentioned here purely by way of example.
The plain bearing material that is always used in these cases, which, depending on the application, is in the form of a plain bearing surface or a plain bearing bush, is maintenance-free, i.e. lubrication of the bearings is not required.
A plain bearing material of the type mentioned at the beginning that is referred to as a self-lubricating bearing is known from EP 0 998 637 B1. This plain bearing material comprises a metallic substrate material and a sliding layer arranged over the latter. The plain bearing material is designed for high connpressive loads in the range of 200 MPa. To prevent such compressive loads from causing creep of the sliding layer, which with preference comprises a fluoropolymer, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), it is provided in the case of this plain bearing material that the surface of the substrate material is pronouncedly structured, whereby the sliding layer laminated onto the substrate material is firmly anchored in it.
With preference, this plain bearing material has a bronze plating as an intermediate layer, in which the structuring is engraved. The substrate material itself may consist of various metallic materials, in particular steel or aluminum.
2

As already mentioned, this sliding materia! known from the prior art is distinguished by a veiy high compressive load-bearing capacity, the tendency of the sliding material to creep during operation being counteracted by a very pronounced structuring of the substrate surface or by the strength of the substrate. These properties make it suitable for use for example in vehicle door hinges or the especially loaded front shock absorbers of a motor vehicle.
The disadvantage of this plain bearing material is that it requires very high production accuracy for the bearing housings to be lined with the plain bearing material, in order to ensure an exact fit of the plain bearing material in the bearing housing.
Against the background of this prior art, the invention is therefore based on the object of providing a plain bearing material of the type mentioned at the beginning which is easy to produce and allows greater production tolerances for the bearing housings.
The object is achieved according to the invention by a plain beahng matehal according to the preamble of patent claim 1, by the metallic substrate material having a yield point of The advantage of the plain bearing material according to the invention is that the metallic substrate material can plastically deform relatively easily. This makes particularly easy calibration of the plain bearing material possible. For example, it is thus possible to use the plain bearing material according to the invention to produce a plain beahng bush which can subsequently be used in a beahng housing of a form that is dictated by the respective application. The plain beahng material can subsequently be plastically expanded in the beahng housing by a suitable forming tool, usually a calibrating mandrel, setting the desired inside diameter. The good plastic deformability also allows beahng housings with greater tolerances to be used, which correspondingly reduces the reject rate in the production of bearing housings, and consequently lowers the overall costs for the plain bearing. Since, in spite of excellent calibratability, the plain beahng material according to the invention manages without metal-mesh or expanded-metal inserts, it is outstandingly suitable for low-cost mass production.

According to a first advantageous refinement of the invention, the metallic substrate material consists of an aluminum alloy, preferably of AA3005. The latter alloy is an aluminum alloy that can be plastically deformed particularly easily, with a yield point of about 55 N/mm^, the use of which increases further the calibratability of the plain bearing material according to the invention. As investigations carried out by the applicant have shown, an overall deformability of the plain bearing layer of about 5% can be achieved by using an AA3005 aluminum alloy. If the plain bearing material is subsequently formed into a cylindrical bearing bush, a deformability of altogether 10% with respect to the bush diameter is consequently obtained. This allows effective compensation for production tolerances to occur in the course of the calibration of the plain bearing.
In the case of the plain bearing material being incorporated in aluminum bearing housings, a further advantage is that, because of the material being identical or simiilar (in the case of different aluminum alloys), the risk of contact corrosion between the substrate material and the material of the bearing housing is minimized or eliminated. Finally, aluminum is a substrate material with particularly good heat conduction, and so the frictional heat produced during operation can be dissipated very quickly, which increases the service life of the plain bearing.
On account of the high deformability of the substrate material, the plain bearing material according to the invention is suitable in particular for applications with low compressive loading, for example in the range of 10 -20 MPa. Mention can be made here of the use of plain bearings in spring forks for bicycles or motorcycles, and similarly use in less loaded shock absorbers (rear shock absorbers in a motor vehicle), in steering systems or in various engine components, for example a toothed belt tensioner. As a result of the high calibratability, a bearing geometry that is always very precisely formed is ensured by the plain bearing material according to the invention in the case of these applications.
The substrate material may be provided in different thicknesses. A thickness of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm is preferred.
In order to achieve better adherence of the sliding layer on the substrate material, it is provided according to a further advantageous refinement of

the invention that the surface of the substrate material is structured. Since the structuring is merely intended to achieve an increase in the surface area, but not a suppression of the tendency for the plain bearing material to creep, it is adequate that the depth of the structuring perpendicular to the surface of the substrate material is 30 pm to 70 pm, preferably about 35 pm.
The structuring of the surface may take place in a wide variety of geometries. The decisive concern is always that the surface of the substrate material is sufficiently increased or roughened to make better adherence of the sliding layer on the substrate material possible. Particulariy preferred in this respect is a honeycomb structure with wall-like elevations and depressions, which are introduced into the surface of the substrate material for example by calendering. A honeycomb structure is understood here in the customary sense as meaning a pattern of two-dimensionally arranged hexagonal cells, the cells being peripherally bounded as depressions by the wall-like elevations. It is adequate here that the width of the cells, measured as the distance between parallel running walls of a cell, is 100 pm to 1000 pm, preferably about 400 pm. In keeping with the comparatively moderate depth of the structuring, the sliding layer lying thereover can be made comparatively thick. Suitable thicknesses of the sliding layer lie in the range between 100 pm and 320 pm, preferably 220 pm and 280 pm, in particular about 250 pm.
The sliding layer itself consists with preference of a plastic, in particular a polymer compound. Suitable in particular as the polymer compound is a fluoropolymer, preferably polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which has already been successfully used as a plain bearing material for years. In order to increase the wear resistance of the sliding layer, it is provided according to a further advantageous refinement of the invention that the sliding layer contains corresponding fillers With preference, these are graphite and/or an aromatic polyester, the proportion of which in the filler is with preference approximately 15%.
According to a further advantageous teaching of the invention, the sliding layer is bonded to the substrate material by means of an adhesive layer. With preference, the adhesive layer contains a fluoropolymer, in particular an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE). During the application of the adhesive layer and subsequent lamination of the sliding layer, the

adhesive layer completely fills the depressions of the surface structuring of the substrate material, the elevations of the surface structuring remaining completely covered. The thickness of this covering is with preference 5 pm to 20 pm, preferably 10 pm to 15 pm.
The plain bearing material according to the invention is suitable in particular for producing a plain bearing bush. These plain bearing bushes are usually a strip of plain bearing material formed into a cylindrical shape, the mutually facing ends not being joined to one another hut bounding a longitudinal slit.
Here it is provided according to an advantageous refinement of the invention that the width of this longitudinal slit is less than the thickness of the plain bearing material of the plain bearing bush. This can be achieved without any problem by the high plastic deformability of the plain bearing material according to the invention. Plain bearing bushes that meet this condition are also referred to as closed bushes and have the advantage that, when they are supplied as bulk material, the risk of the plain bearing bushes becoming hooked in one another (chain formation) is eliminated. A substrate material with a higher yield point would prevent "closing" of the slit on account of its higher elasticity.
The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing representing an exemplary embodiment.
In the single drawing, a plain bearing material according to the invention is represented in cross section. It comprises a metallic substrate material 1 having a surface and a sliding layer 3 covering the surface of the substrate material 1. According to the invention, the substrate material 1 consists of a metallic material with a yield point of The sliding layer 3 consists with preference of a polymer compound, in the present case PTFE. To improve the wear resistance of the sliding layer 3, the sliding layer 3 also contains corresponding fillers, in the present case graphite and an aromatic polyester, the proportion of which in the filler is 15%. The total filler content is approximately 20%.

Secure adherence of the sliding layer 3 on the substrate material 1 is ensured in the present case by an adhesive layer 2 provided between the sliding layer 3 and the substrate material 1. The adhesive layer 2 is in the present case a fluoropolymer, to be specific an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE).
With regard to the dimensioning of the layer, the substrate material 1 has in the present case a layer thickness of about 14 mm, while the thickness of the sliding layer 3 is in the present case about 250 (jm.
As represented in the drawing, the surface of the substrate material 1 is structured, in order to achieve better adherence of the sliding layer 3 on the substrate material 1 brought about by way of the adhesive layer 2. In this case, the surface may in principle be structured in all geometrical forms that ensure a significant increase in the surface area. In the present case, a honeycomb structure is chosen, with regular wall-like elevations 1a and depressions (cells) 1b enclosed by the elevations. The height of the wall¬like elevations 1a in the present case is about 35 pro and the width of the depressions 1b, defined as the distance bet^A/een parallel running walls la of a cell, is on average about 400 pm. As a result, an adequate increase in the surface area is achieved, which, as mentioned, leads to an improvement in the adherence of the sliding layer 3.
.As also revealed by the drawing, the adhesive layer 2 is applied to the structured surface of the substrate material 1 in such a way that it completely fills the depressions 1b of the surface structuring of the substrate material 1 and completely covers the elevations 1a of the surface structuring. The thickness of the adhesive layer 2 covering the elevations la is in the present case 10 pm to 15 pm.
Not shown is a longitudinally slit plain bearing bush formed from the plain bearing material according to the invention described above. On account of the high plastic deformability of the substrate material used according to the invention, it is possible here to form the bush in such a way that the width of the longitudinal slit is less than the thickness of the plain bearing material layer. This prevents the plain bearing bushes that are supplied as bulk material from becoming hooked in one another.

Such a plain bearing bush is suitable for many applications of comparatively low compressive loads, for example in spring forks for two-wheeled vehicles and similarly in less loaded shock absorbers (rear shock absorbers in a motor vehicle), steering systems or various engine components, for example in a toothed-belt tensioner,

1. A plain bearing material comprising a metallic substrate material (1) having a surface and a sliding layer (3) covering the surface of the substrate material (1), the thickness of the sliding layer (3) being 100 m to 320 pm, characterized in that the metallic substrate material (1) is formed over the full surface area and has a yield point of 2. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the metallic substrate material (1) consists of an aluminum alloy, preferably AA3005.
3. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the substrate material (1) is 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm.
4. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the surface of the substrate material (1) is structured.
5. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the depth of the structuring perpendicular to the surface of the substrate material (1) is 30 to 70, preferably about 35
6. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the surface of the substrate material (1) has a honeycomb structure with wall-like elevations (1a) and depressions (1b).
7. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the width of the cells, measured as the distance between parallel running walls (lib) of a cell, is 100 pm to 1000 pm, preferably about 400 pm.
8. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the structuring is introduced into the substrate material (1) by calendering.
9. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the thickness of the sliding layer (3) is 220 pm to 280 pm, in particular about 250 pm.

10. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, cliaracterized in that the sliding layer (3) consists of a polymer compound.
11. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the polymer compound contains a fluoropolymer, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
12. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the sliding layer (3) contains fillers increasing wear resistance.
13. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the total filler content is 10 to 30 percent, with preference approximately 20%.
14. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that graphite and/or an aromatic polyester are used as fillers.
15. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the filler content of the aromatic polyester in the polymer compound is 0 to 30%, with preference 10 to 25%, in particular about 15%.
16. The plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the sliding layer (3) is bonded to the substrate material (1) by means of an adhesive layer (2).
17. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the adhesive layer (2) contains a fluoropolymer, in particular an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE).
18. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 16 or 17 and claim 4, characterized in that the adhesive layer (2) completely fills the depressions (1b) of the surface structuring of the substrate material (1) and completely covers the wall-like elevations (la) of the surface structuring.

19. The plain bearing material as claimed in claim 17, characterized in
that the wall-like elevations (1a) of the surface structuring are covered
with a layer thickness of the adhesive of 5 to 20 preferably 10
pm to 15 pm.
20. A plain bearing bush with a plain bearing material as claimed in one of
claims 1 to 19,
21. The plain bearing bush as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the plain bearing bush is longitudinally slit, the width of the longitudinal slit being less than the thickness of the plain bearing material of the plain bearing bush.
22. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 in a plain bearing.

23. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 for lining containers for keeping and/or preparing food.
24. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19 for coating the inside of baking tins.
25. The use of a plain bearing material as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19
for coating the inside of baking ovens.

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Patent Number

272508

Indian Patent Application Number

5867/CHENP/2009

PG Journal Number

15/2016

Publication Date

08-Apr-2016

Grant Date

05-Apr-2016

Date of Filing

06-Oct-2009

Name of Patentee

SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS PAMPUS GmbH

Applicant Address

AM NORDKANAL 37, 47877 WILLICH

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	JAGER, HANS-JURGEN	AM SCHANZJESKRIEMER 23, 50354 HURTH
2	HELDMANN, JORG	AM FINGERHUTSMUHLENWEG 20, 52080 AACHEN
3	PAVSEK, VOJKO	JADEWEG 6, 47877 WILLICH

PCT International Classification Number

F16C17/02

PCT International Application Number

PCT/EP08/53739

PCT International Filing date

2008-03-28

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	07105250.0	2007-03-29	EUROPEAN UNION