Abstract: A sliding member in which a sliding layer is capable of exhibiting excellent sliding characteristics in terms of seizure resistance, wear resistance and heat resistance. A method for manufacturing the sliding member of the present teachings is a method for manufacturing a sliding member to manufacture a sliding member sliding with a mating material. The manufacturing method includes irradiating particulate ultra high molecular weight polyethylene with radiation rays in a sealed state, and crosslinking the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, preparing a composition for a sliding layer containing a solid lubricant and a binder resin, and forming a sliding layer sliding with the mating material by providing the composition for a sliding layer on a base material, and obtaining the sliding member. The solid lubricant includes the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene crosslinked during the irradiating and the crosslinking.

Abstract: A swash plate compressor according to the present invention includes a first slide layer formed between a swash plate and shoes; and a second slide layer formed between cylinder bores and pistons. The first slide layer and the second slide layer each contain binder resin and solid lubricant. The first slide layer has a smaller contact angle of lubricating oil than the second slide layer.

Abstract: A sliding member for a compressor includes a base metal, a first layer and a second layer. The base metal is made of an aluminum-based metal. The first layer is formed on or over the base metal and made of a nickel-based plating layer containing at least one material of nitrogen (N), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr) and aluminum (Al) as an additive. The second layer is formed on the surface of the first layer and made of a diamond-like carbon layer containing the same additive as the additive contained in the first layer.

Abstract: The variable displacement swash plate compressor includes a housing, a drive shaft, a swash plate, a piston, a bleed passage, a supply passage and a low-melting member. The housing has a cylinder bore, a suction chamber, a discharge chamber and a crank chamber. The swash plate is supported in the crank chamber by the drive shaft and inclination angle of the swash plate is adjustable. The piston is reciprocally movably received in the cylinder bore. The bleed passage is formed in the housing in communication with the crank chamber and the suction chamber. The supply passage is formed in the housing in communication with the discharge chamber and the crank chamber. The low-melting member is disposed in the bleed passage so as to restrict fluid flow therethrough and has a lower melting point than the housing. When the low-melting member is melted, an opening of the bleed passage is increased.

Abstract: A sliding member for a compressor includes a base metal, a first layer and a second layer. The base metal is made of an aluminum-based metal. The first layer is formed on or over the base metal and made of a nickel-based plating layer containing at least one material of nitrogen (N), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr) and aluminum (Al) as an additive. The second layer is formed on the surface of the first layer and made of a diamond-like carbon layer containing the same additive as the additive contained in the first layer.

Abstract: Lubricating films are formed on end surfaces of a swash plate, respectively. The lubricating films make slide contact with shoes, respectively. The lubricating films are composed of a copper based material containing no lead, and solid lubricant other than lead is contained the copper based material. A good slide contact characteristic may be obtained while using no lead.

Abstract: A compressor includes pistons, each of which is coupled to a swash plate through a pair of shoes. The swash plate rotates integrally with a drive shaft. The shoes convert the rotation of the swash plate to the reciprocation of the piston. A lubricating coating made of copper-based material is formed on parts of the swash plate along which the shoes slide. The copper-based material includes silicon. The shoes smoothly slide on the swash plate, which is coated by the lubricating coating that uses minimum amount of lead.

Abstract: A swash plate type variable displacement compressor has a housing, a drive shaft, a swash plate and a piston. The housing includes a cylinder block, a front housing, and a rear housing. The drive shaft is rotatably supported by the housing. The swash plate is connected to the drive shaft, and is integrally rotatable with the drive shaft and tiltable relative to the drive shaft. The piston engages with the swash plate through a pair of shoes. Rotation of the drive shaft is converted to reciprocation of the piston through the swash plate and the shoes, and the displacement of the compressor is adjusted by varying the inclination angle of the swash plate with respect to the axis of the drive shaft. The swash plate includes a base member made of copper series and a sliding layer coating a sliding surface of the base member with respect to the shoes.

Abstract: A shoe for use in a swash plate type compressor, interposed between a swash plate and a piston, has a base member and metal plating layer. The base member is made of aluminum alloy. The metal plating layer coats at least a part of surface of the base member. The thickness of the metal plating layer ranges from 20 &mgr;m to 150 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A shoe for use in a swash plate type compressor, interposed between a swash plate and a piston, has a plane sliding surface, a spherical sliding surface and a side surface. The plane sliding surface, which is substantially a plane, slides with respect to the swash plate. The spherical sliding surface, which is substantially a part of sphere surface, slides with respect to the piston. The side surface is provided between the plane sliding surface and the spherical sliding surface. The side surface includes a chamfered surface adjacent to the plane sliding surface. An angle between the chamfered surface and the extended plane sliding surface ranges from 20° to 80°.

Abstract: A swash plate (15) of a swash plate type compressor includes a slide-contact film (32, 33) having a metal layer, which is formed on a slide-contact surface (152, 153), which slide-contacts shoes (18), through sintering, and a resin layer (322, 332), which is formed on the metal layer. By using the metal layer, which is formed through sintering, the bonding of the resin layer and the metal layer is guaranteed, deficiencies such as cracking of a slide film and seizure are prevented, and the slide-contact characteristic relative to the shoes is improved.

Abstract: A shoe for use in a swash plate type compressor, interposed between a swash plate and a piston, has a base member and metal plating layer. The base member is made of aluminum alloy. The metal plating layer coats at least a part of surface of the base member. The thickness of the metal plating layer ranges from 20 &mgr;m to 150 &mgr;m.

Abstract: Lubricating films are formed on end surfaces of a swash plate, respectively. The lubricating films make slide contact with shoes, respectively. The lubricating films are made of a copper based material which contains bismuth but does not contain lead. A good slide contact characteristic may be obtained while restricting the amount of lead to be used.

Abstract: A swash plate type variable displacement compressor has a housing, a drive shaft, a swash plate and a piston. The housing includes a cylinder block, a front housing, and a rear housing. The drive shaft is rotatably supported by the housing. The swash plate is connected to the drive shaft, and is integrally rotatable with the drive shaft and tiltable relative to the drive shaft. The piston engages with the swash plate through a pair of shoes. Rotation of the drive shaft is converted to reciprocation of the piston through the swash plate and the shoes, and the displacement of the compressor is adjusted by varying the inclination angle of the swash plate with respect to the axis of the drive shaft. The swash plate includes a base member made of copper series and a sliding layer coating a sliding surface of the base member with respect to the shoes.

Abstract: Lubricating films are formed on end surfaces of a swash plate, respectively. The lubricating films make slide contact with shoes, respectively. The lubricating films are composed of a copper based material containing no lead, and solid lubricant other than lead is contained the copper based material. A good slide contact characteristic may be obtained while using no lead.

Abstract: A compressor includes pistons, each of which is coupled to a swash plate through a pair of shoes. The swash plate rotates integrally with a drive shaft. The shoes convert the rotation of the swash plate to the reciprocation of the piston. A lubricating coating made of copper-based material is formed on parts of the swash plate along which the shoes slide. The copper-based material includes silicon. The shoes smoothly slide on the swash plate, which is coated by the lubricating coating that uses minimum amount of lead.

Abstract: Compressors may preferably include a swash plate coupled to a drive shaft, so that the swash plate will rotate in response to rotation of the drive shaft. A piston is preferably disposed within a cylinder bore. A shoe preferably couples the piston to the swash plate, so the piston will reciprocate within the cylinder bore in order to compress a refrigerant in response to rotation of the swash plate. The shoe preferably comprises a main body, a metallic hard layer at least partially disposed on the main body and an anti-friction layer at least partially disposed on the metallic hard layer. The main body preferably comprises a spherical surface portion and a substantially flat surface portion and comprises aluminum. The metallic hard layer preferably has a hardness of at least HV 300 based upon the Vickers hardness scale and is disposed on at least one of the spherical surface portion and the substantially flat surface portion. The anti-friction layer preferably comprises a metal and a solid lubricating agent.

Abstract: Compressor may preferably include a swash plate coupled to a drive shaft, so that the swash plate will rotates in response to rotation of the drive shaft. A piston is preferably disposed within a cylinder bore. A shoe preferably couples the piston to the swash plate, so the piston will reciprocate within the cylinder bore in order to compress a refrigerant in response to rotation of the swash plate. The shoe preferably comprises a main body, a metallic hard layer at least partially disposed on the main body and an anti-friction layer at least partially disposed on the metallic hard layer. The main body preferably comprises a spherical surface portion and a substantially flat surface portion and comprises aluminum. The metallic hard layer preferably has a hardness of at least HV 300 based upon the Vickers hardness scale and is disposed on at least one of the spherical surface portion and the substantially flat surface portion.