The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 16, 1999
Osamu Sugiyama, Hanno, JP;
Yukio Miya, Kawagoe, JP;
Ryota Koike, Tokorozawa, JP;
Takashi Toida, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiichi Sekine, Kamifukuoka, JP;
Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of forming an intermediate film and a hard cabon film over the inner surface of a cylindrical member having a bore, such as a bushing or a cylinder, with the hard carbon film being formed on the intermediate film with a uniform thickness, greatly enhancing of abrasion resistance of the inner surface. The cylindrical member is placed in a vacuum vessel, an auxiliary electrode of an intermediate film forming material, such as a titanium-silicon alloy or the like, is inserted in the bore of the cylindrical member, a sputtering gas is supplied into the vacuum vessel, a voltage is applied to the auxiliary electrode to produce a plasma around the auxiliary electrode in order that the intermediate film forming material is sputtered from the auxiliary electrode and an intermediate film is formed over the inner surface of the cylindrical member. Subsequently, a gas containing carbon, such as methane gas or the like, is supplied into the vacuum vessel, and a voltage is applied to the cylindrical member to produce a plasma in the vacuum vessel in order that a hard carbon film (DLC film) is formed on the previously formed intermediate film over the inner surface of the cylindrical member.