Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Masamune Tabata

Takahiro Gunji

Kenji Dosaka

Yoshikazu Fujisawa

Kazuhisa Okamoto

Yusuke Toyoda

Kenji Hirose

Hiroshi Koinuma

A slide surface construction is formed of a large number of truncated hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals in a slide surface, with the area rate A of said truncated hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals being in a range of 40%&lE;A&lE;100%. A top face of each of the truncated hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals has a plurality of flat face portions, with a step provided between adjacent ones of the flat face portions. Each of the truncated hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals is a (hhh) oriented metal crystal which has a body-centered cubic structure and whose (hhh) plane (by Miller indices) is oriented toward the slide surface.

Slide surface construction and process for producing the same

A Cu skin film is formed of an aggregate of Cu crystals. Pyramid-shaped Cu crystals and/or conical Cu crystals exist in the surface of the Cu skin film. The area rate A of the pyramid-shaped Cu crystals, the area rate A of the conical Cu crystals or the sum A of the area rates of these Cu crystals in the skin film surface are set in a range of A.gtoreq.40%. The skin film surface takes on an intricate aspect due to the existence of the infinite number of pyramid-shaped Cu crystals and/or conical Cu crystals. If such a Cu skin film is formed, for example, on a surface opposite from that surface of a backing of a slide bearing which is opposed to a rotary shaft, the Cu skin film exhibits a good oil retention and therefore seizure due to a fretting can be avoided.

Functional copper skin film

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of metal crystals. The area rate A of hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals in a slide surface of the slide surface construction is in a range of A.gtoreq.40%, and the Co (cobalt) content in the aggregate is in a range of Co.gtoreq.13% by weight. The metal crystals are preferably Fe (ferrous) crystals. The slide surface takes on an intricate aspect due to the existing of a large number of hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals and hence, has a good oil retention. In addition, the wearing of the hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals is inhibited due to an increase in hardness resulting from the incorporation of Co and therefore, the oil retention is maintained. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance.

Slide surface construction

A slide surface construction of a slide bearing is formed of an aggregate of two different metal crystals. The sliding condition of a first region of the slide bearing is more severe than that of a second region. The (2hhh) oriented metal crystals having a body-centered cubic structure with their (2hhh) planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface exist in the first region. The content S.sub.2hhh of the (2hhh) oriented metal crystals is set in a range of S.sub.2hhh .gtoreq.20%. These crystals have a high hardness and are in the form of fish-like metal crystals in the slide surface and hence, an aggregate of these metal crystals has a good oil retention. The (hhh) oriented metal crystals having a body-centered cubic structure with their (hhh) planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface exist in the second region. The content S.sub.hhh of the (hhh) oriented metal crystals is set in a range of S.sub.hhh .gtoreq.40%. These crystals are in the form of hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals and hence, an aggregate of these metal crystals has a good oil retention. Thus, it is possible for the two regions with different sliding conditions to exhibit an excellent sliding characteristic.

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of metal crystals on a surface of a slide member. The area rate A of pyramid-shaped metal crystals in the slide surface is in the range of A.gtoreq.40%, and the oxygen (O) content and/or the phosphorous (P) content in the aggregate is in a range of 0.gtoreq.0.2% by weight and P.gtoreq.0.04% by weight. The slide surface takes on an intricate aspect due to the presence of the large number of hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals and hence, has a good oil retention. In addition, the wearing of the hexagonal pyramid-shaped metal crystals is inhibited by an increase in hardness caused by the oxygen contained, and therefore, the oil retention is maintained. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance. In addition to oxygen (O) and/or phosphorous (P), the elements that may be added to the aggregate include hydrogen (H), carbon (C) and boron (B).

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals on a surface of a slide member such as a piston, cylinder, piston ring of the like. The area rate A of hexagonal pyramid-shaped Fe crystals in the slide surface is in the range of 40%.ltoreq.A.ltoreq.100%, and the content of Ni in the aggregate is in a range of 1% by weight.ltoreq.Ni.ltoreq.40% by weight. The slide surface takes on an intricate aspect due to the presence of a large number of hexagonal pyramid-shaped Fe crystals and hence, has a good oil retention. The slide surface construction exhibits an excellent corrosion resistance, because it contains nickel (Ni) or chromium (Cr) or both. Thus, the corrosion of the pyramid-shaped Fe crystals is inhibited in a corrosive sliding environment and hence, the oil retention is maintained.

A slide surface construction which is an inorganic skin film formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals having a body-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes a large number of {222} oriented Fe crystals with their {222} planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface. At least some of these {222} oriented Fe crystals are hexangular pyramid-shaped Fe crystals having six ridge lines. These Fe crystals having six ridge lines ensure that the oil retention of the slide surface construction can be improved, and a slide load acting on the slide surface can be finely divided. The inorganic skin film may be formed by a plating process such as electrolytic plating, chemical vapor deposition, or sputtering. During plating the output of a plating energy source is controlled to produce a pulsed waveform.

Process for forming inorganic skin film

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Ni crystals having a face-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes {220} oriented Ni crystals with their {220} planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface and having a content S in a range represented by S&lt;25%. If the content of the {220 } oriented Ni crystals is set in such a range, a large number of quadrangular Ni crystals are precipitated in the slide surface, so that the oil retention and the initial conformability are improved by the Ni crystals. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance.

A high-hardness metal skin film is formed of an aggregate of metal crystals. The area rate A of pyramid-shaped metal crystals in a surface of the skin film is in a range of A.gtoreq.40%. The aggregate contains at least one element selected from boron (B), carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) as an added element, wherein the B content is in a range of B.gtoreq.0.01% by weight, the C content is in a range of C.gtoreq.0.03% by weight, and the H content is in a range of H.gtoreq.0.01% by weight. The skin surface takes on an intricate aspect due to the presence of a large number pyramid-shaped metal crystals and hence, has a good oil retention. In addition, the wear of each pyramid-shaped metal crystal is inhibited by an increase in hardness produced with the containment of boron and/or carbon and/or hydrogen and therefore, the oil retention is maintained.

High-hardness metal skin film

A slide surface construction which is an inorganic skin film formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals having a body-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes a large number of {222} oriented Fe crystals with their {222} planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface. At least some of these {222} oriented Fe crystals are hexangular pyramid-shaped Fe crystals having six ridge lines. These Fe crystals having six ridge lines ensure that the oil retention of the slide surface construction can be improved, and a slide load acting on the slide surface can be finely divided.

Inorganic skin film

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals having a body-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes {222} oriented Fe crystals with their {222} planes by Miller indices oriented toward a slide surface. The content S of the {222} oriented Fe crystals is in a range represented by S.gtoreq.20%, preferably in a range represented by S.gtoreq.40%. The {222} oriented Fe crystals form a trigonal pyramid shape on the slide surface, which provides good oil retention for the slide surface construction. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance.

Slide surface construction having orientation specific B.C.C. metal layer

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals having a body-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes at least one of two types of metal crystals selected from the group consisting of (1) (h00) oriented metal crystals with their (h00) planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface and having a content S in a range represented by S&lt;25%, and (2) (3hh0) oriented metal crystals with their (3hh0) planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward the slide surface and having a content S in a range represented by S&lt;25%. If both the types of the oriented Fe crystals are present, a large number of trigonal pyramid-shaped Fe crystals are precipitated in the slide surface, thereby providing improved oil retention and initial conformability. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance.

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals having a body-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes (3hh0) oriented metal crystals with their (3hh0) planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface. The content S of said (3hh0) oriented metal crystals is set in a range represented by S.gtoreq.40%. This makes it possible to provide a slide surface construction which has a predetermined hardness and an excellent wear resistance and ensures that the wearing of a mating member having a lower hardness can be suppressed.

A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Ni crystals having a face-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes {311} oriented Ni crystals with their {311} planes (by Miller indices) oriented toward a slide surface. The content S of the {311} oriented Ni crystals is set in a range represented by S.gtoreq.40%. The {311} oriented Ni crystals are of a quadrangular pyramid shape on the slide surface, and provide good oil retention for the slide surface construction. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance.

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Saitama, Japan

Masamune Tabata