Bearings – Rotary bearing – Plain bearing
Patent
1995-11-13
1997-05-27
Hannon, Thomas R.
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Plain bearing
384276, F16C 3324
Patent
active
056325592
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a sliding bearing, and more particularly, to a sliding bearing including a bearing alloy layer, an intermediate layer and an overlay layer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A sliding bearing is known in the art which comprises a bearing alloy layer having a multitude of circumferentially extending and axially spaced annular grooves formed around the inner peripheral surface thereof to define a circumferentially extending peak between a pair of axially adjacent annular grooves, an intermediate layer provided on the surface of the bearing alloy layer, and an overlay layer provided on the surface of the intermediate layer, the arrangement bearing such that when the overlay layer and the intermediate layer are partly abraded, beginning from the surface of the overlay layer, the overlay layer and the intermediate layer which remain in the recess of the annular groove, as well as the peak of the bearing alloy layer, are exposed (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 205,014/198.5).
With a sliding bearing thus constructed, when the overlay layer and the intermediate layer are partly abraded beginning from the surface of the overlay layer, the overlay layer and the intermediate layer which remain in the recess of the annular groove, as well as the peak of the bearing alloy layer, are exposed, thus preventing the intermediate layer from being extensively exposed immediately, as experienced in a sliding bearing of the the kind which is not provided with such annular grooves, which would cause a substantial reduction in seizure resistance as a result of the extensive exposure of the intermediate layer.
However, in the cited Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application, it is described that the intended effect is achieved only when the depth of the annular groove or the height of the peak is equal to or greater than one and one-half the thickness of the intermediate layer and equal to or greater than 5 .mu.m.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
However, as a result of various experiments conducted with varying thicknesses of the intermediate layer or varying heights of the peak, has been found that a bearing, which has an excellent affinity and seizure resistance, is obtained, even with a peak height which is less than 5 .mu.m.
Accordingly, the invention basically provides a sliding bearing having a peak height which is less than 5 .mu.m and which exhibits an excellent bearing performance with respect to affinity and seizure resistance.
Specifically, according to a basic aspect of the invention, a sliding bearing constructed in the manner mentioned above has a height h of the peak, taken on the abscissa, and a thickness t of the intermediate layer, taken on the ordinate, which graphically satisfy the following three requirements:
According to another aspect of the invention, the thickness t and the height h satisfy the following requirements:
According to this aspect of the invention; an affinity and a seizure resistance which are superior to those exhibited by conventional sliding bearings are achieved, as will be demonstrated by test results to be described later. When these additional requirements are not satisfied, the invention itself provides good affinity and seizure resistance, which are stabilized, even though the superiority of performance is reduced as compared with that obtained with the second aspect.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross section of a sliding bearing according to the invention;
FIG. 2 graphically shows the range in which the requirements of the invention are satisfied; and
FIG. 3 is a chart of test results indicating the abrasion resistance at the beginning of use of the invention, the seizure resistance and the affinity after the overlay layer is abraded.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, the invention will be described with respect to an embodiment thereof.
FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross section of a sliding bearing 1 which is formed in semi-cylindrical or cylindrical configuration. The sliding bearing
REFERENCES:
patent: 4400099 (1983-08-01), Ehrentraut
patent: 4538929 (1985-09-01), Ehrentraut et al.
patent: 4561787 (1985-12-01), Ehrentraut et al.
patent: 4606653 (1986-08-01), Ehrentraut et al.
patent: 5071263 (1991-12-01), Kamiya et al.
patent: 5116144 (1992-05-01), Kamiya et al.
patent: 5238311 (1993-08-01), Katou et al.
Hashizume Katsuyuki
Kamiya Soji
Kumada Yoshio
Hannon Thomas R.
Taiho Kogyo Co. Ltd.
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