Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-layered Al-base bearing consisting of a steel back layer, an intermediate Al alloy layer and an Al-base bearing alloy layer which contains one or more elements selected from the group of Cu, Zn, Mg and Si, and which is bonded to the steel back layer via the intermediate Al alloy layer. The bearing is subjected to solution treatment at a temperature of not lower than 400° C. The intermediate Al alloy layer has a sub-layer being in direct contact with the steel back layer, and at least one sub-layer positioned closer than the former sub-layer to the Al-base bearing alloy layer. The former sub-layer consists of an Al alloy contains 2 to 8 mass % Si, and has a thickness proportion of 5 to 25% to the entire thickness of the intermediate Al alloy layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plain bearing for internal combustion engines, in which a back metal layer is lined with a bearing alloy layer made of an aluminum-base bearing alloy which has a Vickers hardness (Hv) of from not less than 40 to not more than 160. The bearing alloy layer includes a lubricative surface layer which has a thickness of not more than 10 ?m and contains a solid lubricant. The maximum concentration of an element contained in the solid lubricant is not less than 5 mass %.

Abstract: A bearing device for internal combustion engines, comprising a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and bearings supporting the crankshaft, and wherein the crankshaft is made of steel having not been subjected to surface hardening and having a structure, which is mainly composed of pearlite having the pro-eutectoid ferrite fraction of at most 3%, and is processed to have the surface roughness Rz of at most 0.8 ?m, and wherein the bearings have an aluminum bearing alloy bonded to a back plate thereof and contain, as an alloy component thereof, at least Si particles of less than 4 mass %, whereby early abrasion and scratches of the crankshaft are suppressed to be equivalent to or less than abrasion loss and scratches of conventional DCI shafts.

Abstract: An aluminum bearing-alloy containing 1.5 to 8 mass % of Si is provided, in which there can be observed Si grains on the sliding surface of the aluminum bearing-alloy. A fractional area of the observed Si grains having a grain size of less than 4 ?m is 20 to 60% of a total area of all the observed Si grains. Another fractional area of the observed Si grains having a grain size of from 4 to 20 ?m is not less than 40% of the total area of all the observed Si grains.

Abstract: A multilayer aluminum-base alloy bearing formed by bonding a bearing alloy layer made of an aluminum-base alloy to a steel back metal through an intermediate layer made of an aluminum-base alloy, the intermediate layer being composed of two layers, that is, a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer in contact with the steel back metal being lower in hardness than the upper layer. Since the lower layer is soft, it is excellent in bonding property for the back metal, and since the upper layer is hard, it withstands a load exerted on the bearing alloy layer.

Abstract: A bearing device for internal combustion engines, comprising a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and bearings supporting the crankshaft, and wherein the crankshaft is made of steel having not been subjected to surface hardening and having a structure, which is mainly composed of pearlite having the pro-eutectoid ferrite fraction of at most 3%, and is processed to have the surface roughness Rz of at most 0.8 &mgr;m, and wherein the bearings have an aluminum bearing alloy bonded to a back plate thereof and contain, as an alloy component thereof, at least Si particles of less than 4 mass %, whereby early abrasion and scratches of the crankshaft are suppressed to be equivalent to or less than abrasion loss and scratches of conventional DCI shafts.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-layered Al-base bearing consisting of a steel back layer, an intermediate Al alloy layer and an Al-base bearing alloy layer which contains one or more elements selected from the group of Cu, Zn, Mg and Si, and which is bonded to the steel back layer via the intermediate Al alloy layer. The bearing is subjected to solution treatment at a temperature of not lower than 400° C. The intermediate Al alloy layer has a sub-layer being in direct contact with the steel back layer, and at least one sub-layer positioned closer than the former sub-layer to the Al-base bearing alloy layer. The former sub-layer consists of an Al alloy contains 2 to 8 mass % Si, and has a thickness proportion of 5 to 25% to the entire thickness of the intermediate Al alloy layer.

Abstract: An aluminum bearing alloy includes, by mass, 3 to 40% Sn, 0.5 to 7% Si, 0.05 to 2% Fe, balance of Al, and unavoidable impurities. In the alloy, a ternary-element intermetallic compound of Al—Si—Fe and Si particles are contained as hard particles.

Abstract: An aluminum bearing-alloy containing 1.5 to 8 mass % of Si is provided, in which there can be observed Si grains on the sliding surface of the aluminum bearing-alloy. A fractional area of the observed Si grains having a grain size of less than 4 &mgr;m is 20 to 60% of a total area of all the observed Si grains. Another fractional area of the observed Si grains having a grain size of from 4 to 20 &mgr;m is not less than 40% of the total area of all the observed Si grains.

Abstract: In a continuous casting of a molten aluminum bearing alloy, a casting space is defined between substantially parallel opposed portions of a pair of traveling endless belts and the molten aluminum bearing alloy is supplied into the casting space to be continuously cast into the shape of a plate. A cooling rate AT during solidification of the aluminum bearing alloy is controlled so that the cooling rate &Dgr;T ranges between 3 and 6° C./sec. where &Dgr;T=(T−500) /t, T is a temperature when the casting of the aluminum bearing alloy starts, and t is a cooling time in sec. between start of casting and the time when the temperature of the aluminum bearing alloy decreases to 500° C.

Abstract: A method of making an aluminum alloy plate for bearing which is made by cladding a bonding layer comprising a pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy excluding Sn onto a bearing alloy layer comprising an aluminum alloy containing Sn. The method includes the steps of fitting a concave portion of a first roll in a convex portion of a second roll, the first roll having both axial ends with large diameter portions respectively, the second roll having both axial ends with small diameter portions respectively, and passing superposed plates formed into the bearing alloy layer and the bonding layer respectively through a roll gap defined between the concave and convex portions and closed by the large diameter portions of the first roll so that the plates are rolled down at a reduction ratio not less than 50% while both widthwise ends of each plate is restricted by the large diameter portions of the first roll respectively such that the bonding layer is cladded onto the bearing alloy layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-layered plain bearing which comprises a steel back, an intermediate layer made of an aluminum alloy and an aluminum-base bearing alloy layer comprising one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, Zn, Mg and Si. The aluminum-base bearing alloy layer is bonded to the steel back via the intermediate layer and subsequently subjected to a solid solution treatment at a temperature of not lower than 400° C. The adjacent region of the intermediate layer to the steel back consists of, by mass, 2% to 8% of Si, and the balance of Al and incidental impurities.

Abstract: A method of making an aluminum alloy plate for bearing which is made by cladding a bonding layer comprising a pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy excluding Sn onto a bearing alloy layer comprising an aluminum alloy containing Sn. The method includes the steps of fitting a concave portion of a first roll in a convex portion of a second roll, the first roll having both axial ends with large diameter portions respectively, the second roll having both axial ends with small diameter portions respectively, and passing superposed plates formed into the bearing alloy layer and the bonding layer respectively through a roll gap defined between the concave and convex portions and closed by the large diameter portions of the first roll so that the plates are rolled down at a reduction ratio not less than 50% while both widthwise ends of each plate is restricted by the large diameter portions of the first roll respectively such that the bonding layer is cladded onto the bearing alloy layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-layered plain bearing which comprises a steel back, an intermediate layer made of an aluminum alloy and an aluminum-base bearing alloy layer comprising one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, Zn, Mg and Si. The aluminum-base bearing alloy layer is bonded to the steel back via the intermediate layer and subsequently subjected to a solid solution treatment at a temperature of not lower than 400° C. The adjacent region of the intermediate layer to the steel back consists of, by mass, 2% to 8% of Si, and the balance of Al and incidental impurities.

Abstract: An aluminum bearing alloy includes, by mass, 3 to 40% Sn, 0.5 to 7% Si, 0.05 to 2% Fe, balance of Al, and unavoidable impurities. In the alloy, a ternary-element intermetallic compound of Al—Si—Fe and Si particles are contained as hard particles.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sliding bearing provided with a sliding bearing layer and a back metal layer bonded to the outer face of the sliding bearing layer, the back face of which back metal layer being coated with a phosphate coating at a portion where fretting wear is apt to occur while coated with a coating of a thermally good conductor at another portion where no phosphate coating is provided, whereby seizure resistance as well as fretting resistance is improved because the dispersing of heat can be improved by the coating of the thermally good conductor.

Abstract: A sliding bearing assembly excellent in fretting resistance which comprises a sliding bearing and a housing, the sliding bearing having a bearing alloy layer in the internal surface of its backing metal layer and the internal surface of the housing being fitted with the sliding bearing, wherein a phosphate film is formed on the back of the backing metal layer of the sliding bearing, the phosphate film being composed of needle crystals or columnar crystals which have a particle size of not more than 30 .mu.m when observed from the back of the backing metal layer.