Abstract: Disclosed is a shim or a valve lifter for an automotive engine valve driving system that slides against a cam lobe of a camshaft to drive an intake/exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine. The shim or lifter has the top of a sliding surface thereof opposing the cam lobe and being coated with a hard carbon film. The hard carbon film has a surface hardness of 1500 to 4500 kg/mm2 in terms of Knoop hardness, a thickness of 0.3 to 2.

Abstract: In a lash adjuster of a valve gear which employs a serration-shaped thread mechanism, the formation of tribochemical reactive film is suppressed by using as the materials for its adjuster screw and nut member or the materials for their thread surfaces such materials that even if FM oil is used, the friction coefficient will not extremely fall. The nut member is provided on the underside of an end plate of a lifter body. The adjuster screw is threadedly engaged in a threaded hole of the nut member. The adjuster screw is biased by a return spring. The female threads of the threaded hole and the male threads of the adjuster screw are serration shaped. One or both of the nut member and the adjuster screw, or the pressured thread surfaces of one or both of them are formed of a material that will not react with oil additives of FM oil to suppress the formation of tribochemical reactive film, thereby stabilizing the operation of the lash adjuster.

Abstract: A roller bearing is provided which comprises a pair of bearing rings at least one of which has an annular rib, and a plurality of rollers interposed between the bearing rings. Each of the rollers has a roller end face in sliding contact with the rib. A residual austenite structure in at least one of the rib and the roller end face is 20 to 60 vol. %. A method of producing a roller bearing and a toroidal CVT using such a bearing are also provided.

Abstract: A roller bearing is provided which comprises a pair of rings at least one of which has a rib with a rib face, and a plurality of rollers interposed between the rings and each having a roller end face in sliding contact with the rib face, wherein at least one of the rib face and the roller end face has a surface hardness HV of 750 or more.

Abstract: A sliding structure for a reciprocating internal combustion engine, including sliding elements relatively slidable via lubricating oil therebetween, the sliding elements including sliding surfaces opposed to each other and lubricated with a laminar flow of the lubricating oil. The sliding surfaces each have base surfaces and microscopic dimples or grooves which are so constructed as to prevent reduction of flow resistance to the lubricating oil passing through a clearance between the sliding surfaces and assure a lubricating oil film thickness required for reducing friction loss between the sliding elements.

Abstract: A low friction sliding element for reciprocating engine parts, including a sliding contact surface that is in sliding contact with a counterpart during relative sliding motion of the sliding element and the counterpart. The sliding contact surface has microscopic recesses and plateaus interrupted by the recesses. The recesses have depths regularly varying in a sliding direction of the sliding element.

Abstract: A low-friction sliding mechanism includes first and second sliding members having respective sliding surfaces slidable relative to each other and a lubricant applied to the sliding surfaces of the first and second sliding members. At least the sliding surface of the first sliding member is made of a diamond-like carbon material, and at least the sliding surface of the second sliding member is made of either an aluminum-based alloy material, a magnesium-based alloy material or a diamond-like carbon material. The lubricant contains a base oil and at least one of an ashless fatty-ester friction modifier and an ashless aliphatic-amine friction modifier.

Abstract: A sliding structure for an automotive engine includes a sliding member with a sliding portion and a lubricant applied to the sliding portion so that the sliding portion can make sliding contact with a counterpart member via the lubricant. The sliding member is either of a piston ring, a piston pin, a cam lobe, a cam journal, a plain bearing, a rotary vane and a timing chain. The sliding portion has a base made of a steel or aluminum material and a hard carbon film formed on the base to coat the sliding portion. The hard carbon film has a thickness of 0.3 to 2.0 &mgr;m, a Knoop hardness of 1500 to 4500 kg/mm2, a surface roughness Ry (&mgr;m) satisfying the following equation: Ry<{(0.75−Hk/8000)×h+0.07/0.8}, where h is the thickness (&mgr;m) of the film; and Hk is the Knoop hardness (kg/mm2) of the film.

Abstract: A traction drive rotary assembly including a plurality of rolling elements having traction contact surfaces associating with each other to transmit power between the rolling elements. At least one of the traction contact surfaces has a surface microstructure including grooves and protrusions alternately arranged. The surface microstructure is represented by an unfiltered primary profile curve including recesses and projections corresponding to the grooves and the protrusions. Each projection includes a portion located higher than a center line of the unfiltered primary profile curve and having a shape selected from a generally trapezoidal shape with rounded corners, a generally crowning shape, a generally elliptic arc shape, a generally sinusoidal shape and a generally triangular shape with a rounded apex. A ratio &lgr;/AMP of a wavelength &lgr; of the unfiltered primary profile curve to a half depth AMP of the recess is in a range of 50-400.

Abstract: A low-friction sliding mechanism of the present invention comprises first and second sliding members slidable relative to each other at sliding surfaces thereof and a lubricant being applied to the sliding surfaces of the first and second sliding members. The first and second members are made of a diamond-like carbon material and an iron-based material, respectively, and the lubricant comprises a base oil and at least one of an ashless fatty-ester friction modifier and an ashless aliphatic-amine friction modifier.

Abstract: A sliding structure including first and second sliding elements made of metal and including first and second sliding surfaces relatively slidable via a lubricating oil film therebetween, in which at least one of the first and second sliding surfaces having a microscopic surface structure including a base portion, dimples inward recessed from the base portion and separated from one another, and a peripheral portion defining the opening area of each of the dimples and extending along a periphery of each of the dimples. A ratio of a sum of opening areas of the dimples to an area of the at least one of the first and second surfaces is in a range of 5% to 60%. The peripheral portion has a height smaller than a thickness of the lubricating oil film.

Abstract: A traction drive rotary assembly including a plurality of rolling elements having traction contact surfaces associating with each other to transmit power between the rolling elements. At least one of the traction contact surfaces has a surface microstructure including grooves and protrusions alternately arranged. The surface microstructure is represented by an unfiltered primary profile curve including recesses and projections corresponding to the grooves and the protrusions. Each projection includes a portion located higher than a center line of the unfiltered primary profile curve and having a shape selected from a generally trapezoidal shape with rounded corners, a generally crowning shape, a generally elliptic arc shape, a generally sinusoidal shape and a generally triangular shape with a rounded apex. A ratio &lgr;/AMP of a wavelength &lgr; of the unfiltered primary profile curve to a half depth AMP of the recess is in a range of 50-400.

Abstract: A low friction sliding element for reciprocating engine parts, including a sliding contact surface that is in sliding contact with a counterpart during relative sliding motion of the sliding element and the counterpart. The sliding contact surface has microscopic recesses and plateaus interrupted by the recesses. The recesses have depths regularly varying in a sliding direction of the sliding element.

Abstract: A sliding structure for a reciprocating internal combustion engine, including sliding elements relatively slidable via lubricating oil therebetween, the sliding elements including sliding surfaces opposed to each other and lubricated with a laminar flow of the lubricating oil. The sliding surfaces each have base surfaces and microscopic dimples or grooves which are so constructed as to prevent reduction of flow resistance to the lubricating oil passing through a clearance between the sliding surfaces and assure a lubricating oil film thickness required for reducing friction loss between the sliding elements.

Abstract: A toroidal continuously variable transmission is provided with a power roller 8 which is gripped between input/output disks 5, 6 arranged on the same axis, a cam flange 2 which is disposed on the same axis as the input disk 5 and is connected to an input shaft 1, and cam rollers 3 which are gripped between the cam flange 2 and the rear face of the input disk 5. Bearings 41, 44, 45 are interposed in the contact position on the long radius end face 3b of the cam roller 3 and the inner circumference of the retainer 4. These bearings allow the reduction of frictional resistance on the contact point of the cam roller 3 and the retainer 4 and improve the torque transmission capacity and component lifespan of the toroidal continuously variable transmission.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing for supporting a moving member having a surface of a first arithmetical mean roughness. This bearing is made of an abrasion-resistant aluminum alloy containing 14.0-17.5 wt% of Si, 2.0-5.0 wt% of Cu, 0.1-1.0 wt% of Mg, 0.3-0.8 wt% of Mn, 0.1-0.3 wt% of Cr, 0.05-0.20 wt% of Ti, 0.003-0.05 wt% of P, not greater than 1.5 wt% of Fe, less than 0.005 wt% of Ca, and aluminum as a remainder. The aluminum alloy contains silicon primary crystals, and first and second intermetallic compounds. Each of the silicon primary crystals and these intermetallic compounds has an average particle diameter from 8 to 30 .mu.m. The silicon primary crystals and the first and second intermetallic compounds respectively have first, second and third fractions each ranging from 5 to 40 .mu.m in particle diameter. The total area of the first, second and third fractions on a two-dimensional section of the alloy is from 5 to 10% by area, based on the total area of the section.

Abstract: To provide a lubricating material suitable for use in space or vacuum, light in weight, low in friction coefficient and long in life time, oxidation treatment is effected on the surface of titanium or titanium alloy substrate before a solid lubricating film is applied to the substrate. The formed oxide (Ti.sub.2 O) can strengthen bonding force between the substrate (Ti) and the solid lubricating film (e.g. MoS.sub.2).

Abstract: A sintered ferro alloy comprises 5 to 25 wt % of one or two elements selected from Mo and W, 2 to 10 wt % of Cr, 0.1 to 0.9 wt % of Si, less than or equal to 0.7 wt % of Mn, less than or equal to 0.05 wt % of P, 0.5 to 2.0 wt % of C, 0.5 to 2.0 wt % of B, 0.1 to 7.0 wt % of at least one element selected from borides of La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Yb, Y or Sc, residual Fe, and contaminants. Also the alloy may comprise less than or equal to 20 wt % of at least one element selected from V, Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr, Hf, Co or Ni, if necessary. The alloy is produced by mixing the above mentioned components and pressurizing them in an Fe matrix, then sintering the pressurized mixture at 1150.degree. C. to 1260.degree. C. for 60 min. and reheating after sintering. This alloy has wear and heat resistance and can be utilized as valve seats for internal combustion engines in automotive vehicles.

Abstract: A heat resistant and wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy for use as the material of an engine component part which is subjected to severe temperature and wear conditions. The iron-based sintered alloy is comprised of a matrix formed of metal powder having the composition of alloy steel or high speed tool steel. An additional metal component formed of hard alloy powder is dispersed in the matrix in an amount ranging from 3 to 50% by weight of the matrix. The hard alloy powder contains as major components iron, molybdenum and silicon which improve the wetting property of the hard alloy powder with the matrix and form intermetallic compounds which are high in hardness and excellent in heat and oxidation resistances.

Abstract: A heat resistant and wear resistant iron-base sintered alloy to be used as the material of a valve seat and a valve face of an engine valve and a waste gate valve of a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine. The iron-base sintered alloy consists essentially of at least one of molybdenum and tungsten, ranging from 3 to 25% by weight, chromium ranging from 1 to 10% by weight, silicon ranging from 0.1 to 0.9% by weight, manganese ranging not more than 0.7% by weight, phosphorus ranging not more than 0.05% by weight, carbon ranging from 0.1 to 2.5% by weight, boron ranging from 0.5 to 2.0% by weight, intermetallic compound of TiAl ranging from 0.3 to 20% by weight, and balance including iron and impurities. In the sintered alloy, carbide, boride and/or carbide boride and TiAl are uniformly dispersed in the matrix, thereby strengthening grain boundary.