Abstract: An electric wire protection structure has a structure in which a branch portion of an electric wire bundle is protected. In the electric wire protection structure, a protection portion covers the branch portion of the electric wire bundle, the protection portion being formed by heating and compressing a thermoplastic material in a state of covering at least the branch portion of the electric wire bundle.

Abstract: A wire harness has an exterior component (11a) that covers a certain part of at least one wires (12). The exterior component (11a) has parts having different hardness, including a relatively hard first part (111a), a relatively soft second part (112a), and a third part (113a) having an intermediate hardness between that of the first parts (111a, 112a). The first part is formed on a surface of the exterior component and functions as a shape keeping member and a protector. The second and third parts (112a, 113a) surround the certain part of the at least one wire 12 and each functions as a cushioning material and a muffler/soundproofing material. The first part (111a), the second part (112a), and the third part (113a) are formed integrally from a non-woven fabric (2) with thermo plasticity.

Abstract: First and second sliding parts of a sliding mechanism slide relative to each other. The first sliding part is held in a recess of a metal holding member, which is bounded by an inner wall that meets an open end of the recess along an edge. The first sliding part has a first side surface portion that contacts the inner wall in the recess away from the edge, and a second side surface portion displaced inwardly away from the inner wall so as not to contact the holding member at the edge. By this structure, generation of stress concentration on the sliding part can be avoided.

Abstract: A silicon nitride ceramic sliding member which includes Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 grains as a main component and is shaped or controlled in dimensions through hot plastic working wherein the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 particles mainly includes .beta.-type columnar crystal grains. The ceramic sliding member is produced by the step (I) of preparing a preform made of silicon nitride ceramic sintered body including Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 grains as a main component wherein the average grain size (average grain size in minor axis in the case of .beta.-type columnar crystal grains) of the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 grains is at most 0.5 .mu.m, and the hot plastic working step (II) of placing the preform in a mold and effecting hot plastic deformation of the preform for shaping or dimensional control thereof while simultaneously increasing the average aspect ratio of the .beta.-type columnar crystal grains.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a sliding member that can prevent abnormal wear and partial wear of the mating metal sliding component even when an oil contaminated with exhaust gas components is used.A ceramic sliding component is manufactured as followed. A silicon nitride-based material for the sliding face member is joined to a metal body having a higher thermal expansion coefficient than the sliding face member. A crowned portion is formed on the sliding face of the sliding face member in such a way that the difference between the amounts of crowning (da, db) at two arbitrary points axially symmetric with respect to the center line of the crowned portion is 10% or more and 50% or less of the average of the crowning amounts at the two points.

Abstract: This invention aims at providing a sliding component having a crowning shape formed by applying surface quenching treatment to a portion made of a steel, and a production method thereof. The shape and the quantity of crowning can be controlled by heat-treatment or machining after the surface quenching. The sliding component may be made of a steel alone, or may be formed in such a manner that at least one portion of members forming the crowning-shaped sliding face by the surface quenching is joined or fitted to a sliding component main body made of the steel, and its material is a ceramic.

Abstract: To provide sliding components each comprising a base metal and, joined thereto, a sliding face member having a sliding face of crowning profile, in particular, sliding components such as valve train parts, a cam follower and a rocker arm of an automobile engine. A sliding component having a structure comprising (1) a ceramic forming a sliding face and (2) a base metal joined together, in which the extent of crowning of the sliding face is at least 0.1 to 0.4% of the maximum length of the junction face of the ceramic. The ceramic has a four-point flexural strength of at least 50 Kg/mm as measured in accordance with the Japanese Industrial Standard R1601. The base metal is mainly steel at least the surface of which has preferably a martensite texture and has a hardness of higher than 45 in terms of H.sub.RC. The structure may have an intermediate layer of a metal or cermet.