Abstract: A sliding member has a coating layer deposited on a base material through an intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a lead-free metal, and the coating layer is formed of Bi or a lead-free Bi alloy; and wherein a grain in the intermediate layer becomes gradually large toward a coating layer side from a base material side, and a grain in the coating layer forms a columnar grain of which the major axis directs toward the surface of the coating layer from the intermediate layer side. Thus formed configuration improves a bonding strength between the base material and the coating layer owing to the intermediate layer, and has the grain of the coating layer formed into a desirable shape for bearing a load from an opposite material to improve fatigue resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sliding member including an overlay layer made of a Bi based alloy comprising Cu as an essential element and at least one element selected from the group of Sn and In, wherein the Bi based alloy comprises 0.1 to 10 mass % of Cu and 0.5 to 10 mass % in total of the at least one element selected from the group of Sn and In.

Abstract: A sliding member has a coating layer deposited on a base material through an intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a lead-free metal, and the coating layer is formed of Bi or a lead-free Bi alloy; and wherein a grain in the intermediate layer becomes gradually large toward a coating layer side from a base material side, and a grain in the coating layer forms a columnar grain of which the major axis directs toward the surface of the coating layer from the intermediate layer side. Thus formed configuration improves a bonding strength between the base material and the coating layer owing to the intermediate layer, and has the grain of the coating layer formed into a desirable shape for bearing a load from an opposite material to improve fatigue resistance.

Abstract: A Bi base material of which a Miller index (202) face has the index of orientation of not less than 30% and in which the (202) face has the index of orientation assuming a maximum value as compared with those of other faces forms a minute structure and has a surface which is not a mirror finished surface but a fine, irregular surface on which minute and uniform projections in the form of a triangular pyramid or a quadrangular pyramid congregate. Therefore, the surface easily retains oil thereon to be improved thereby in oil wettability, as a result of which an improvement in anti-seizure is achieved.

Abstract: An overlay layer is formed on a bearing alloy layer via an intermediate layer. The overlay layer consists of Bi or a Bi alloy, and 0.05 to 25 vol % of hard particles. While the overlay layer is made of Bi or a Bi alloy, wear resistance thereof can be improved by adding the hard particles.

Abstract: There is provided a sliding member comprising a bearing alloy layer and an overlay layer bonded to the bearing alloy layer which overlay layer is made of Bi having a crystal grain density of 50 to 300 pieces/100 ?m2. The overlay layer may be made of a Bi-base alloy containing Cu or Ag. The sliding member further comprises a conforming layer provided on the overlay layer in a case where the overlay layer is made of the Bi-based alloy.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sliding member including an overlay layer made of a Bi based alloy comprising Cu as an essential element and at least one element selected from the group of Sn and In, wherein the Bi based alloy comprises 0.1 to 10 mass % of Cu and 0.5 to 10 mass % in total of the at least one element selected from the group of Sn and In.

Abstract: A Bi base material of which a Miller index (202) face has the index of orientation of not less than 30% and in which the (202) face has the index of orientation assuming a maximum value as compared with those of other faces forms a minute structure and has a surface which is not a mirror finished surface but a fine, irregular surface on which minute and uniform projections in the form of a triangular pyramid or a quadrangular pyramid congregate. Therefore, the surface easily retains oil thereon to be improved thereby in oil wettability, as a result of which an improvement in anti-seizure is achieved.

Abstract: In a slide member comprising a base member and a slide layer including a first surface fixed to the base member and a second surface being opposite to the first surface in a thickness direction of the slide layer and capable of contacting another member in such a manner that the another member is movable on the second surface, the slide layer includes silver as a main component of the slide layer and a solid lubricant.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sliding member having a bearing alloy layer and a composite plating film provided on the bearing alloy layer. The composite plating film is made of a lead alloy containing 0.1 to 10 mass percent in total of copper and 0.3 to 25 volume percent in total of co-deposited inorganic particles. The outermost surface layer of the composite plating film, which has a thickness proportion of 10 to 40% to the entire thickness of the composite plating film, does not contain inorganic particles and copper. The lower layer of the composite plating film contains Cu and inorganic particles, such as Si3N4, dispersed therein.

Abstract: In a slide member comprising a base member and a slide layer including a first surface fixed to the base member and a second surface being opposite to the first surface in a thickness direction of the slide layer and capable of contacting another member in such a manner that the another member is movable on the second surface, the slide layer includes silver as a main component of the slide layer and a solid lubricant.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sliding member having a bearing alloy layer and a composite plating film provided on the bearing alloy layer. The composite plating film is made of a lead alloy containing 0.1 to 10 mass percent in total of copper and 0.3 to 25 volume percent in total of co-deposited inorganic particles. The outermost surface layer of the composite plating film, which has a thickness proportion of 10 to 40% to the entire thickness of the composite plating film, does not contain inorganic particles and copper. The lower layer of the composite plating film contains Cu and inorganic particles, such as Si3N4, dispersed therein.

Abstract: An overlay layer is formed on a bearing alloy layer via an intermediate layer. The overlay layer consists of Bi or a Bi alloy, and 0.05 to 25 vol % of hard particles. While the overlay layer is made of Bi or a Bi alloy, wear resistance thereof can be improved by adding the hard particles.

Abstract: In order to enhance the fatigue resistance and the anti-seizure property while maintaining the embeddability, there is provided a plain bearing comprising a bearing alloy layer, an intermediate layer and an overlay layer sequentially formed on the inner surface of a back metal. The inner surface of the bearing alloy layer is provided with a recess “a” and protrusions “b”, thereby being made into a textured uneven surface. The protrusion has the shape of a oblique square at 45° relating to the circumferential direction, so that when a foreign particle X introduced between sliding surfaces of a shaft and the plain bearing is moved in the circumferential direction in accordance with the rotation of the shaft, the foreign particle X runs against a side edge of the protrusion “b” and moves along the side edge, thereby the embedding of the foreign particle X is promoted. If the foreign particle fails to be adequately embedded, the foreign particle leaves the side edge again.

Abstract: There is provided a sliding member comprising a bearing alloy layer and an overlay layer bonded to the bearing alloy layer which overlay layer is made of Bi having a crystal grain density of 50 to 300 pieces/100 &mgr;m2. The overlay layer may be made of a Bi-base alloy containing Cu or Ag. The sliding member further comprises a conforming layer provided on the overlay layer in a case where the overlay layer is made of the Bi-based alloy.

Abstract: In order to provide a plain bearing excellent in the anti-seizure property, a bearing metal layer is provided with a plurality of recesses different in depth on the inner surface thereof so as to form an uneven textured portion thereon, the recesses being filled with a soft overlay layer. At the beginning of the use, the overlay layer develops the conformability. When the wear proceeds to the wear level I so that the shallow recesses disappear, an intermediate layer or the bearing metal layer forming protrusions is exposed and form a condition in which the overlay is mixed. Furthermore, when the wear proceeds to the wear level II, the shallow recesses disappear while the deep recesses remain, so that the condition hardly to cause the seizure is maintained.

Abstract: In order to enhance the fatigue resistance and the anti-seizure property while maintaining the. embeddability, there is provided a plain bearing comprising a bearing alloy layer, an intermediate layer and an overlay layer which are formed on the inner surface of a back metal in this order. The inner surface of the bearing alloy layer is provided with a recess groove “a” extending in the circumferential direction, so that the inner surface is made into a textured uneven condition. The recess groove “a” has a bent portion which is bent relative to the circumferential direction, so that a foreign substance X entering between a mating shaft and the plain bearing is moved in the circumferential direction owing to the rotation of the shaft, the foreign substance X runs against a side edge of the recess groove “a” and moves along the side edge, thereby the embedding of the foreign substance into the overlay layer is promoted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plain bearing comprising a back metal, a bearing alloy layer provided on the inner surface of the back metal, an intermediate layer provided on the bearing alloy layer and an overlay provided on the intermediate layer. The bearing alloy layer has a textured uneven inner surface, comprising a number of protrusions, which has been formed by etching of the inner surface provided with a mask. A feature and a pattern of the uneven surface can be optionally and accurately formed by designing appropriately the mask. For example, the protrusions may be a form of square, circle or lozenge cross-section, or a ridge extending in an optional direction, e.g. circumferentially, perpendicularly or obliquely to the circumference. After the overlay considerably wears, there will appear a surface state in which the bearing alloy layer, the intermediate layer and the residual soft overlay in the etched recess coexist.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plain bearing having a back metal, a bearing alloy layer and an overlay layer, in which the bearing alloy layer and the overlay layer are formed on the inner surface of the metal in this order. The inner surface of the bearing alloy is provided with circumferential broad width recesses and narrow recesses in which the overlay material is filled. The fatigue resistance and were resistance are ensured by the zone of the narrow width recesses. The plain bearing exhibits high embeddability for a foreign substance by presence of the zone of the broad width recesses.

Abstract: A plain bearing comprising a back metal layer, a bearing alloy layer and an overlay which coats the bearing alloy layer. The overlay is made of a lead-free tin-base alloy which comprises from more than 2 wt % to 10 wt % Ag. The lead-free tin-base alloy may further comprise 0.1 wt % to 25 wt % of one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Cu, Sb, Zn and Ni.