US4981071A — Machine element with coating

Claim 1

Independent Claim 166 words

A machine assembly comprising: first and second machine elements slidingly engaging one another; said first machine element comprising: a substrate of a metallic material; and a hard-material coating deposited on said substrate and slidingly engaging the second machine element; the hard-material coating including a base coat deposited directly onto the metallic substrate, said coat being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula: Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x, wherein x has a value greater than 0 and less than 1; and the hard-material coating including at least one additional coating deposited over the base coating; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of an amorphous mixture of carbon and silicon having a proportion of carbon to silicon different from that of the base coating; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of an amorphous mixture of carbon and silicon having a proportion of carbon to silicon different from that of the base coating.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 166 words

A machine assembly comprising: first and second machine elements slidingly engaging one another; said first machine element comprising: a substrate of a metallic material; and a hard-material coating deposited on said substrate and slidingly engaging the second machine element; the hard-material coating including a base coat deposited directly onto the metallic substrate, said coat being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula: Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x, wherein x has a value greater than 0 and less than 1; and the hard-material coating including at least one additional coating deposited over the base coating; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of an amorphous mixture of carbon and silicon having a proportion of carbon to silicon different from that of the base coating; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of an amorphous mixture of carbon and silicon having a proportion of carbon to silicon different from that of the base coating.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 44 words

The invention according to claim 1 wherein the coatings are deposited on the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains both carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 129 words

A machine assembly comprising: first and second machine elements slidingly engaging one another; said first machine element comprising: a substrate of a metallic material; and a hard-material coating deposited on said substrate and slidingly engaging the second machine element; the hard-material coating including a base coat deposited directly onto the metallic substrate, said coat being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula: Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x, wherein x has a value greater than 0 and less than 1; and the hard-material coating including at least one additional coating deposited over the base coating; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of an amorphous carbon; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of amorphous carbon.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 129 words

A machine assembly comprising: first and second machine elements slidingly engaging one another; said first machine element comprising: a substrate of a metallic material; and a hard-material coating deposited on said substrate and slidingly engaging the second machine element; the hard-material coating including a base coat deposited directly onto the metallic substrate, said coat being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula: Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x, wherein x has a value greater than 0 and less than 1; and the hard-material coating including at least one additional coating deposited over the base coating; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of an amorphous carbon; wherein the additional coating deposited over the base coating is formed essentially of amorphous carbon.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 64 words

The invention according to claim 3 wherein the base coating is deposited on the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains both carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon and the additional coating is deposited by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 107 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the plasma is produced with inductive excitation.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 107 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the plasma is produced with inductive excitation.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The invention according to claim 5, wherein said gas or mixture of gases contains hydrogen and at least one halogen, the ratio of hydrogen to halogen being high enough to prevent etching of the substrate.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 124 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the pressure of the gas or gas mixture in the deposition chamber of the plasma CVD unit ranges from 10 -4 to 20 millibars.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 124 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the pressure of the gas or gas mixture in the deposition chamber of the plasma CVD unit ranges from 10 -4 to 20 millibars.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 132 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and further comprising a step of bombarding the machine element before the step of depositing the coating, said step of bombarding being accomplished using insert gas ions which are not incorporated into the coating.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 132 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and further comprising a step of bombarding the machine element before the step of depositing the coating, said step of bombarding being accomplished using insert gas ions which are not incorporated into the coating.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 23 words

A process as defined in claim 8, wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 132 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the step of depositing the coating on the machine element includes supporting the machine element on a workpiece holder in the plasma CVD unit and applying a radio-frequency to said workpiece holder.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 132 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the step of depositing the coating on the machine element includes supporting the machine element on a workpiece holder in the plasma CVD unit and applying a radio-frequency to said workpiece holder.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

A process as defined in claim 10, wherein the first machine element is supported on a grounded workpiece holder during the depositing of the first coating.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 116 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the potential difference between the plasma and the first machine element is at least 100 volts.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 116 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein the potential difference between the plasma and the first machine element is at least 100 volts.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 106 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein plasma is produced with capacitive excitation.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 106 words

A process for making a machine assembly, said process comprising: depositing a hard-material coating on a metallic-material substrate of a first machine element, said depositing including connecting the first machine element to the cathode or to the anode of a plasma CVD unit and applying a first coating to the first machine element by plasma CVD using plasma derived from a monomer gas which contains carbon and silicon or from a mixture of monomer gases which contains carbon and silicon; assembling the first machine element with the hard-material coating thereof in sliding engagement with a second machine element; and wherein plasma is produced with capacitive excitation.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 132 words

A machine assembly comprising: first and second machine elements slidingly engaging one another; said first machine element comprising: a substrate of a metallic material; and a hard-material coating deposited on said substrate and slidingly engaging the second machine element; the hard-material coating including a base coating deposited directly onto the metallic substrate, said coating being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula: Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x, wherein x has a value greater than 0 and less than 1; and said hard-material coating further including an outer coating applied over the base coating, said outer coating being formed essentially of another amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula Si y C 1-y where the value of y is not equal to the value of x.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 132 words

A machine assembly comprising: first and second machine elements slidingly engaging one another; said first machine element comprising: a substrate of a metallic material; and a hard-material coating deposited on said substrate and slidingly engaging the second machine element; the hard-material coating including a base coating deposited directly onto the metallic substrate, said coating being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula: Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x, wherein x has a value greater than 0 and less than 1; and said hard-material coating further including an outer coating applied over the base coating, said outer coating being formed essentially of another amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon according to the formula Si y C 1-y where the value of y is not equal to the value of x.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 103 words

A machine assembly comprising: a machine element of a metallic material and; a hard-material coating deposited on the machine element and comprising a plurality of layered coatings, including: an inward coating deposited on the machine element and being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon; and at least one outward coating deposited over the inward coating, said outward coating being essentially formed of another amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon of a different composition from that of the inward coating or of amorphous carbon; and said hand-material coating being in sliding engagement with a second machine element of the assembly.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 103 words

A machine assembly comprising: a machine element of a metallic material and; a hard-material coating deposited on the machine element and comprising a plurality of layered coatings, including: an inward coating deposited on the machine element and being essentially formed of an amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon; and at least one outward coating deposited over the inward coating, said outward coating being essentially formed of another amorphous mixture of silicon and carbon of a different composition from that of the inward coating or of amorphous carbon; and said hand-material coating being in sliding engagement with a second machine element of the assembly.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 14 words

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said coatings is applied by plasma CVD.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-12-31	1994-07-02	1995-01-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-12-31	1998-07-02	1999-01-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-12-31	2002-07-02	2003-01-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Machine element with coating

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