DK177846B1

DK177846B1 - Sliding member, semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the same, and method of manufacturing the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing

Info

Publication number: DK177846B1
Application number: DK201370533A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Akira Nogami; Kazuaki Toda; Tadatoshi Nagasaki; Naohisa Kawakami
Original assignee: Daido Metal Co
Priority date: 2012-08-10
Filing date: 2013-09-25
Publication date: 2014-09-15
Also published as: CH708455B1; AT514906B1; KR101355142B1; WO2014024507A1; JP5314181B1; DE112013003034B4; CN103732932A; CH708455B8; AT514906A1; JP2014035055A; DE112013003034T5; CN103732932B; DK201370533A

Abstract

A sliding member which is easy to work and whose accuracy can be easily secured even after upsizing, a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the same, and a method of manufacturing the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing are provided. The sliding member is a plate-shaped sliding member 10 used for a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing. The sliding member 10 is provided with wide regions 11, 12 and 13, and narrow regions 21 and 22. The narrow regions 21 and 22 are sandwiched between the wide regions 11, 12 and 13, an overall length in a width direction of which is smaller than that of the wide regions 11, 12 and 13 and hardness of which is higher than that of the wide regions 11, 12 and 13. When one end in the thickness direction is assumed to be one end portion and the other end in the thickness direction is assumed to be the other end portion, the narrow regions 21 and 22 include one-side end faces 211 and 221 exposed to the one end portion and other end side end faces 212 and 222. The other end side end faces 212 and 222 are exposed to the other end portion and have smaller exposed areas than the one-side end faces 211 and 221.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

SLIDING MEMBER, SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SLIDING BEARING USING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SLIDING BEARING

[Technical Field]

[0001]

The present invention relates to a sliding member, a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the same, and a method of manufacturing the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing.

5 [Background Art]

[0002]

Conventionally, large-sized crosshead type engines for example, marine engines, are provided with a crosshead bearing that supports a crosshead. As engine output improves, the crosshead bearing is required to grow in size and required to improve reliability and further 10 improve accuracy. Semi-cylindrical bearings having a semi-cylindrical shape used for a crosshead bearing or the like are generally manufactured by bending a plate member into a cylindrical shape. The plate member includes a back metal layer which serves as a base material and a bearing alloy layer formed on a shaft side of the back metal layer.

[0003] 15 However, as the semi-cylindrical bearing grows in size as described above, the plate member as a material thereof also grows in size. Thus, it is becoming difficult to achieve uniform lamination of the back metal layer and the bearing alloy layer into the plate member. Moreover, there is a problem that the greater the size of the plate member to be worked becomes, the more difficult it becomes to bend the plate member into the semi-cylindrical bearing.

20 [Citation List] [Patent Literature]

[0004] [Patent Literature 1] JP-A-2010-32055 [Summary of Invention] 25 [Technical Problem] DK 1 2

[0005]

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sliding member which is easy to work and whose accuracy can be easily secured even after upsizing, a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the same, and a method of manufacturing the semi-cylindrical 5 sliding bearing.

[Solution to Problem]

[0006]

The sliding member of the present embodiment is a flat sliding member used for a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing. This sliding member is provided with at least two or more 10 wide regions and narrow region sandwiched between the wide regions, an overall length in a width direction of which is smaller than that of the wide regions, and which have higher hardness, that is, are harder than the wide regions. When one end in a thickness direction is assumed to be one end portion and the other end in the thickness direction is assumed to be the other end portion, the narrow region includes a one-side end face which is exposed to the one 15 end portion and an other-side end face which is exposed to the other end portion and has a smaller exposed area than the one-side end face. In the present embodiment, the width direction refers to a direction advancing from one wide region to the narrow region, another wide region, and so on. When there are a plurality of narrow regions, the overall length of the respective narrow regions in the width direction is smaller than the wide region having the 20 smallest overall length in the width direction. In the present embodiment, the hardness of the narrow region is higher than the wide region.

[0007]

In this way, the sliding member of the present embodiment has a flat shape and is provided with the narrow region between the wide regions. The narrow region is set to have 25 higher hardness than the wide regions. Thus, the sliding member provided with the wide regions and the narrow region includes a boundary between the narrow region and the wide regions having different levels of hardness, that is, portions having discontinuous hardness formed at both ends of the narrow region in the width direction. For this reason, when the sliding member is bent, the sliding member is deformed with the portions having discontinuous 30 hardness acting as fulcra. In each narrow region, the exposed area of the other-side end face is smaller than the exposed area of the one-side end face in the thickness direction. In each narrow region, the overall length of the other-side end face in the width direction is preferably smaller than the overall length of the one-side end face in the width direction throughout the 3 longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the sliding member is bent such that the other end portion becomes the inside, the sliding member is deformed with both ends of the narrow region of the other-side end face having the smaller exposed area as fulcra. As a result, the sliding member is easily deformed and when the sliding member is bent into a cylindrical shape, it is 5 possible to easily make a fine adjustment of the radius of curvature. Therefore, even when the sliding member is upsized, it is possible to easily work the sliding member into a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing and easily secure accuracy. Furthermore, adopting a structure in which the narrow region is sandwiched between the wide regions, a large flat shaped sliding member may be realized using a plurality of small-sized plate members as the material of the 10 sliding member. Therefore, as described above, a sliding member for a large-sized semi-cylindrical sliding bearing can also be formed easily.

[0008]

Furthermore, the sliding member of the present embodiment further includes a back metal layer including the wide regions and the narrow region made of an identical metal 15 component, the one-side end face being formed on the one end portion side, and a bearing alloy layer located closer to the other end portion side than the back metal layer.

When the sliding member provided with the bearing alloy layer on the other end portion side of the back metal layer is worked into a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing having a semi-cylindrical shape, the sliding member is bent such that the bearing alloy layer is on the 20 inner circumferential side of the cylindrical shape. As described above, a fine adjustment can be easily made to the radius of curvature of the sliding member and shape accuracy can be secured easily. Therefore, when the worked semi-cylindrical sliding bearing is attached to an external housing, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing comes into close contact with the housing. As a result, deformation of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing when attached to the housing can 25 be reduced. This reduces local protrusion toward the shaft member side against which the bearing alloy layer slides or deformation of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing attached to the housing. Thus, it is possible to reduce local contact with the shaft member and reduce wear or damage of the bearing alloy layer. Furthermore, the reduction of deformation of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing leads to a reduction of minute vibration between the semi-cylindrical 30 sliding bearing and the housing. Therefore, damage by fretting associated with minute vibration can also be reduced. An intermediate layer may be provided between the back metal layer and the bearing alloy layer.

[0009]

In the sliding member of the present embodiment, the narrow region is provided 4 on the back metal layer and the bearing alloy layer is divided on the other end side of the narrow region.

Thus, in the bearing alloy layer divided on the other end portion side of the narrow region, when the sliding member is bent into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing, 5 deformation caused by the bending is relieved at the divided portion. As a result, even when the sliding member is bent, deformation of the bearing alloy layer is reduced. Therefore, local contact with the shaft member is reduced and wear or damage of the bearing alloy layer can be reduced.

[0010] 10 In the sliding member of the present embodiment, the shortest distance of the space between the divided neighboring bearing alloy layers, that is, the distance in the width direction is preferably 0.5 to 1.8 times the longest portion of the narrow region in the width direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

Furthermore, in the sliding member of the present embodiment, the shortest 15 distance of the space between the divided neighboring bearing alloy layers, that is, the distance in the width direction is preferably 1.0 to 1.8 times the longest portion.

Moreover, in the sliding member of the present embodiment, average hardness of the narrow region is 1.1 to 1.7 times average hardness of the wide regions and maximum hardness of the narrow region is preferably 1.3 to 1.9 times average hardness of the wide regions. 20 [0011]

In the sliding member of the present embodiment, the sum total of the areas of the one-side end faces in the narrow region is preferably 1.3 to 9.0 times the sum total of the areas of the other-side end faces in the narrow region.

In the sliding member of the present embodiment, the overall length of the narrow 25 region in the thickness direction is preferably 0.60 to 0.95 times the thickness of the sliding member. Here, the overall length of the narrow region in the thickness direction refers to the shortest distance between the one-side end face and the other-side end face in the narrow region.

In the sliding member of the present embodiment, the maximum hardness in the narrow region is 320 to 400 HV, and the hardest portion is preferably located within a range of 30 0.50 to 0.95 times the thickness of the sliding member from the one-side end face in the thickness direction.

The narrow region of the present embodiment has a trapezial shape on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of this narrow region or an hourglass shape with trapezia symmetrically arranged so as to overlap in the thickness direction.

5

This makes it possible to easily secure a difference in the area between the one-side end face and the other-side end face.

[0012]

The semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment is provided with 5 the above-described sliding member. The sliding member is formed from a flat shape into a semi-cylindrical shape so that the longitudinal direction of the narrow region preferably falls within 10° of the axial line direction, and the narrow region extending in the axial line direction is provided between the wide regions arranged in a circumferential direction, and the one end portion forms an outer circumferential surface outside the diameter direction and the other end 10 portion forms an inner circumferential surface inside the diameter direction.

Thus, in semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment, one-side end face results in the outer circumferential surface side and the other-side end face results in the inner circumferential surface side. The wide regions are arranged in the circumferential direction of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing, and the narrow region is sandwiched between 15 these wide regions. Therefore, the narrow region extends in the axial line direction of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing. Therefore, the sliding member is bent into a semi-cylindrical shape with both ends in the circumferential direction of the narrow region extending in the axial line direction as fulcra and high accuracy is thereby secured for the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing.

The semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment has the wide 20 regions and the narrow region made up of the same metal component, and can be provided with a back metal layer in which one-side end face is formed on the one end portion side which is the outer circumferential surface side, and a bearing alloy layer located on the other end portion side which is closer to the inner circumferential surface side than the back metal layer.

[0013] 25 The semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment is provided with the two or more narrow regions in the circumferential direction.

In this way, when the sliding members are bent into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing, the sliding member is deformed with both ends in the circumferential direction of the two or more narrow regions as fulcra. Therefore, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing can be 30 easily bent and accuracy thereof can be easily secured.

[0014]

The semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment is provided with a groove extending in the axial line direction inside the diameter direction of the narrow region.

The groove extending in the axial line direction can be used as a passage for a 6 c lubricant such as lubricating oil that lubricates the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing and the shaft member. Furthermore, the bearing alloy layer can be divided inside the narrow region by forming the groove inside the narrow region in the diameter direction. In such a case, when bending is performed, the bearing alloy layer does not exist inside the diameter direction at both 5 ends of the narrow regions in the circumferential direction which serve as fulcra. Therefore, it is possible to reduce unnecessary deformation of the bearing alloy layer associated with the bending and easily secure accuracy. Influences on the bearing alloy layer due to the manufacturing of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing can be minimized.

[0015] 10 The method of manufacturing a flat sliding member of the present embodiment includes a step of arranging two or more plate members, and a step of applying quick heating and quick cooling to the portion where the plate members arranged contact with each other, linearly in a direction perpendicular to the plate thickness, and forming narrow region to which quick heating and quick cooling is applied and wide regions that sandwich the narrow region.

15 This makes it possible to manufacture a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing which can be easily worked and whose accuracy can be easily secured even when the size thereof is increased.

[0016]

The method of manufacturing a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present 20 embodiment includes a step of bending the plate members subjected to the quick heating and quick cooling into a semi-cylindrical shape in which the narrow region extend in the axial line direction and the quick heating and quick cooling is applied to the side which becomes an outer circumferential surface when the plate members are bent into the semi-cylindrical shape.

Thus, the quick heating and quick cooling is applied only from the one-side end 25 face which becomes the outer circumferential surface. It is thereby possible to apply quick heating and quick cooling only from one side in the thickness direction, make the work easier and reduce man-hours.

[0017]

In the method of manufacturing a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present 30 embodiment, the plate members include a back metal layer and a bearing alloy layer, and when the plate members are bent into a semi-cylindrical shape, the back metal layer is located on the outer circumferential side and the bearing alloy layer is located on the inner circumferential side.

Thus, quick heating and quick cooling is applied from the back metal layer side. Therefore, it is possible to reduce deformation or damage of the bearing alloy layer caused by DK 17------ 7 quick heating and quick cooling.

When the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing is manufactured, it is preferable to ensure that the bearing alloy layer does not exist in the vicinity of the location where quick heating and quick cooling is applied before executing the quick heating and quick cooling.

5 This makes it possible to easily reduce deformation or damage of the bearing alloy layer associated with quick heating and quick cooling or bending.

An intermediate layer may also be provided between the back metal layer and the bearing alloy layer. A surface coating layer made of metal or resin may be provided on the surface after manufacturing the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment.

10 In the method of manufacturing a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing of the present embodiment, the quick heating and quick cooling is welding work of welding the two or more plate members. This makes it possible to easily form the wide regions and each narrow region sandwiched between the wide regions. The welding work is preferably performed by means of electron beam welding from the standpoint of control of the welding width and depth.

15 [Brief Description of Drawings]

[0018] [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a cross section of a sliding member according to an embodiment.

[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the sliding member of the 20 embodiment.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of III in Fig. 1.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the sliding member of the embodiment.

[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a manufacturing procedure of the sliding member 25 according to the embodiment.

[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating roundness of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing according to the embodiment.

[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating roundness of a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing according to a comparative example.

30 [Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a diagram of a sliding member according to another embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3.

[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a diagram of a sliding member according to a further embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3.

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[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a diagram of a sliding member according to a still further embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3.

[Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a diagram of a sliding member according to a still further embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3.

5 [Fig. 12] Fig. 12 is a diagram of a sliding member according to a still further embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3.

[Fig. 13] Fig. 13 is a diagram of a sliding member according to a still further embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3.

[Fig. 14] Fig. 14 is a diagram of a sliding member according to a still further embodiment 10 corresponding to Fig. 3.

[Description of Embodiments]

[0019]

Hereinafter, embodiments of a sliding member and a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the same will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

15 As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a sliding member 10 is provided with wide regions 11,12 and 13, and narrow regions 21 and 22. In the case of an example shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the sliding member 10 is provided with three wide regions 11,12 and 13. The sliding member 10 is provided with the narrow region 21 between the wide region 11 and the wide region 12, and the narrow region 22 between the wide region 12 and the wide region 13. Thus, 20 the sliding member 10 is provided with the narrow regions 21 and 22 between the neighboring wide regions 11, 12 and 13. The neighboring wide regions 11,12 and 13 are joined together via the narrow regions 21 and 22 to which quick heating and quick cooling is applied. In the case of the present embodiment, quick heating and quick cooling is welding work. That is, the neighboring wide regions 11, 12 and 13 are joined together via the narrow regions 21 and 22 25 through welding work.

[0020]

When a width direction of the sliding member 10 is defined as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, widths of the narrow regions 21 and 22 are set so as to be sufficiently smaller in the width direction than the wide regions 11,12 and 13. Furthermore, the narrow regions 21 and 30 22 are set so as to have higher hardness than the wide regions 11,12 and 13. In this case, average hardness of each of the narrow regions 21 and 22 is preferably set to 1.1 to 1.7 times an average of average hardness of each of the wide regions 11,12 and 13. Maximum hardness of each of the narrow regions 21 and 22 is preferably set to 1.3 to 1.9 times an average of average 9

Dl hardness of each of the wide regions 11,12 and 13.

[0021]

In the sliding member 10, as shown in Fig. 1, one end in a thickness direction is defined as one end portion and the other end is defined as the other end portion. In this case, 5 the narrow region 21 has a one-side end face 211 exposed to the one end portion of the sliding member 10 and an other-side end face 212 exposed to the other end portion as shown in Fig. 1. Likewise, the narrow region 22 has a one-side end face 221 and an other-side end face 222.

The other-side end faces 212 and 222 of the narrow regions 21 and 22 are set so as to have smaller exposed areas than those of the one-side end faces 211 and 221. That is, in the narrow 10 regions 21 and 22, the areas of the one-side end faces 211 and 221 are different from the areas of the other-side end faces 212 and 222. More specifically, a sum total of the areas of the one-side end faces 211 and 221 of the narrow regions 21 and 22 is preferably set to be 1.3 to 9.0 times a sum total of the areas of the other-side end faces 212 and 222. In the case of the present embodiment, the neighboring wide regions 11, 12 and 13 are joined together via the narrow 15 regions 21 and 22 by welding work. In this case, the welding work is applied from the one end side in the thickness direction, or more specifically, from the one end portion side. Therefore, the narrow regions 21 and 22 are formed into a trapezial shape in which the width shrinks from one end portion to the other end portion in a cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 1.

[0022] 20 The sliding member 10 includes a back metal layer 31 and a bearing alloy layer 32 laminated together in the thickness direction as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The back metal layer 31 is made of, for example, steel, and the wide regions 11, 12 and 13 and the narrow regions 21 and 22 are formed of the same metal component. This back metal layer 31 forms an end face 41 on the one end portion. This end face 41 forms an end face which constitutes the 25 same surface as that of the one-side end faces 211 and 221 of the narrow regions 21 and 22.

The bearing alloy layer 32 is laminated on the other end portion side of the back metal layer 31. The bearing alloy layer 32 is formed of metal such as Al, Cu, Sn, Ag or an alloy with various elements added to these metals. In the case of the present embodiment, the bearing alloy layer 32 is divided on the other end portion side of the narrow regions 21 and 22. That is, the bearing 30 alloy layer 32 is not laminated on the other end portions of the narrow regions 21 and 22.

[0023]

The shortest distance of a space between the divided neighboring bearing alloy layers 32 is set with reference to the longest portion of the narrow regions 21 and 22 in the width direction. The narrow region 21 will be described by way of example using Fig. 3. The DK 17 ίο narrow region 22 will not be described with reference to drawings, but the same applies to the narrow region 21.

[0024]

As described above, the exposed area of the narrow region 21 differs between the 5 one-side end face 211 and the other-side end face 212. More specifically, the area of the one-side end face 211 of the narrow region 21 is greater than the area of the other-side end face 212. For this reason, the width of the narrow region 21 differs in the width direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. That is, in the present embodiment, the width of the narrow region 21 tends to increase toward the one-side end face 211 and tends to decrease toward the other-side 10 end face 212. A maximum width of the narrow region 21 is defined as a longest portion Wm.

The longest portion Wm is preferably 0.1 to 5.0% of an overall length of the sliding member 10 in the width direction from the standpoint of manufacturing of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing, and more preferably 0.5 to 2.0%. Since the bearing alloy layer 32 is divided on the other end portion side of the narrow region 21, a space D is formed in the width direction on the 15 other end portion side. In this case, the shortest distance of the space of the divided neighboring bearing alloy layer 32, that is, the space D is set to 0.5 to 1.8 times the longest portion Wm. In particular, the space D of the bearing alloy layer 32 is preferably set to 1.0 to 1.8 times the longest portion Wm. Since the bearing alloy layer 32 is divided on the other end portion side of the narrow region 21 in this way, an overall length Ts of the narrow region 21 in 20 the thickness direction is smaller than a thickness T of the entire sliding member 10. In this case, the overall length Ts of the narrow region 21 in the thickness direction is set to 0.60 to 0.95 times the thickness T of the sliding member 10.

[0025]

The hardness of the narrow regions 21 and 22 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 may 25 differ from one place to another. Particularly when the narrow regions 21 and 22 are formed by applying welding work from one end portion as with the present embodiment, the hardness of the narrow regions 21 and 22 may have a distribution in the thickness direction. In the case of the present embodiment, the maximum hardness of the narrow regions 21 and 22 is set to Hv 320 to 400. A portion of the narrow regions 21 and 22 where the maximum hardness is obtained is 30 the hardest portion. This hardest portion is located within a range of 0.50 to 0.95 times the thickness T from the one-side end faces 211 and 221 in the thickness direction.

[0026]

Next, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing using the above-described sliding member 10 will be described.

DK 1 11

As described above, the sliding member 10 is formed into a flat shape provided with the plurality of wide regions 11,12 and 13 and the narrow regions 21 and 22 sandwiched between the wide regions 11,12 and 13. The flat sliding member 10 is transformed into a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 by working it into a semi-cylindrical shape as shown in Fig. 4.

5 The semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 is applied as a crosshead bearing of a large-sized engine for vessels or the like. The semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 for such an application is designed to have, for example, an outer diameter of approximately 500 mm, an overall length in the axial line direction of approximately 500 mm, and a thickness of approximately 15 mm. In the case of the present embodiment, the narrow regions 21 and 22 extend parallel to a central 10 axis of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 having a semi-cylindrical shape. Thus, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 of the present embodiment is provided with the narrow regions 21 and 22 extending in the axial line direction between the wide regions 11, 12 and 13 arranged in the circumferential direction. In this case, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 is bent into a semi-cylindrical shape so that the bearing alloy layer 32 of the sliding member 10 is on the inner 15 circumferential side. Therefore, the end face 41 on the one end portion side of the sliding member 10 forms the outer circumferential surface of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50.

On the other hand, the surface of the bearing alloy layer 32 of the sliding member 10 forms the inner circumferential surface of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50.

[0027] 20 As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, in the case of the sliding member 10 provided with the two narrow regions 21 and 22 between the three wide regions 11,12 and 13, the two narrow regions 21 and 22 are provided in the circumferential direction as shown in Fig. 4 when the sliding member 10 is worked into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50. Thus, two or more narrow regions 21 and 22 are preferably provided in the circumferential direction. When the 25 bearing alloy layer 32 is divided on the other end portion side of the narrow regions 21 and 22, if the sliding member 10 is worked into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 is provided with grooves 51 and 52 extending in the axial line direction inside in the diameter direction of the narrow regions 21 and 22. When the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and a shaft member which becomes a mating member (not shown) 30 slide against each other, these grooves 51 and 52 can be used as passages of a lubricant that lubricates these sliding parts.

[0028]

Next, a method of manufacturing the above-described sliding member 10 and semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 will be described based on Fig. 5.

DK 17 12

When the sliding member 10 is manufactured, two or more rectangular plate members 60 are provided first as shown in step (A). These plate members 60 are a so-called bimetal composed of a back metal layer 61 and a bearing alloy layer 62 laminated together. In the case of the present embodiment, the back metal layer 61 is steel and the bearing alloy layer 5 62 is an aluminum alloy. The plate members 60 are then shaped beforehand in accordance with desired sizes of the sliding member 10 and the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 as shown in step (B). In this case, part of the bearing alloy layer 62 can be removed. Removing part of the bearing alloy layer 62 causes the bearing alloy layer 62 to be divided on the other end portion side of the narrow regions 21 and 22 when the sliding member 10 is formed.

10 [0029]

The shaped plate members 60 are arranged side by side as shown in step (C).

The portions where the plate members 60 are neighboring each other are welded using an electron beam, for example. Welding work is performed linearly so as to join the neighboring plate members 60. Welding work is performed from a side corresponding to the one end 15 portion of the plate members 60, that is, in one direction from the back metal layer 61 side. In this case, the electron beam radiated from the one end portion side penetrates the back metal layer 61 up to the other end portion side thereof. The three plate members 60 are thereby joined into one piece to form the sliding member 10. The welded portions of the sliding member 10 become the narrow regions 21 and 22, and the rest become the wide regions 11,12 and 13. As 20 described above, the bearing alloy layer 62 of the plate members 60 are divided at positions corresponding to the other end portion side of the narrow regions 21 and 22. For this reason, when welding work is applied by radiating the electron beam from the one end portion side, there is no thermal influence on the bearing alloy layer 62 during welding. As a result, it is possible to reduce characteristic changes such as transformation of the bearing alloy layer 62.

25 [0030]

The formed sliding member 10 is bent into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 having a semi-cylindrical shape. More specifically, the sliding member 10 is bent so that the narrow regions 21 and 22 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are oriented parallel to the axis of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50. In this case, the sliding member 10 is bent so that the bearing 30 alloy layer 32 is on the inner circumferential side. As a result, as shown in Fig. 4, in the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50, the back metal layer 31 on which the one-side end face 211 is formed faces an outer circumferential side and the bearing alloy layer 32 laminated on the back metal layer 31 faces the inner circumferential side. The bent sliding member 10 is transformed into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing as shown in Fig. 4 by applying necessary work to the

DK I

13 outer circumferential side and the inner circumferential side.

[0031]

The narrow regions 21 and 22 are provided between the neighboring wide regions 11, 12 and 13 as with the present embodiment. Therefore, when the joined sliding member 10 5 is worked into a cylindrical shape so that the narrow regions 21 and 22 become parallel to the axis, both ends of the narrow regions 21 and 22 become fulcra in the circumferential direction.

More specifically, in the case of the example shown in Fig. 3, the narrow region 21 sandwiched between the wide region 11 and the wide region 12 is joined to the wide region 11 and the wide region 12 at a boundary portion 71 and a boundary portion 72 located at both ends of the narrow 10 region in the circumferential direction respectively. As described above, the narrow region 21 differs in hardness from the wide regions 11 and 12. That is, a portion having discontinuous hardness is formed between the wide regions 11 and 12, and the narrow region 21. For this reason, the sliding member 10 is bent at the boundary portions 71 and 72 between the wide regions 11 and 12, and the narrow region 21 having discontinuous hardness as fulcra. In this 15 case, the other end portion side of the narrow region 21 which is on the inner circumferential side has a smaller width than the one end portion side. As a result, since the sliding member 10 can be easily bent around the portion having a shorter distance in the width direction of the two boundary portions 71 and 72 as the center of bending, this makes easier fine control of the radius of curvature. Thus, the sliding member 10 of the present embodiment makes easier fine control 20 of the radius of curvature, and it is thereby possible to work the sliding member 10 into the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 having a semi-cylindrical shape with high accuracy.

[0032]

As shown in Fig. 6, the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 worked from the sliding member 10 of the present embodiment has a roundness of 0.21 mm on the outer 25 circumferential surface. The roundness was measured using the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 having an outside diameter of 450 mm. The roundness indicates an error relative to a perfect circle, and the smaller the numerical value, the higher the roundness. As a comparative example, a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing having a conventional simplex type member had a roundness of 0.27 mm. It is clear from this that the sliding member 10 of the 30 present embodiment and the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 using this sliding member 10 have improved shape accuracy, roundness in particular, compared to prior arts. When the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 having high shape accuracy is assembled into a housing of a crosshead bearing, unsymmetrical contact with the housing or backlash on the outer circumferential side can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of

DK

14 fretting between the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and the housing.

[0033]

Furthermore, the narrow regions 21 and 22 are formed through welding work in the sliding member 10 of the present embodiment. This allows the narrow regions 21 and 22 to 5 be easily made harder than the wide regions 11,12 and 13. It is thereby possible to easily make hardness discontinuous on the boundary between the narrow regions 21 and 22, and the wide regions 11,12 and 13, whereby the sliding member 10 is bent at the boundary portions as fulcra and can be accurately bent into a semi-cylindrical shape. When the sliding member 10 is bent at the boundary portions between the narrow regions 21 and 22, and the wide regions 11,12 and 10 13 as fulcra, the greater the difference in hardness between the narrow regions 21 and 22, and the wide regions 11, 12 and 13, the easier the bending tends to become. On the other hand, when the difference in hardness between the narrow regions 21 and 22, and the wide regions 11,12 and 13 becomes excessive, a machining tool may need to be changed in accordance with hardness to apply final finish to the outside shape of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50, 15 which may reduce the versatility or shorten the life of the machining tool. Thus, the present embodiment sets the hardness of the narrow regions 21 and 22 to 1.1 to 1.9 times that of the wide regions 11,12 and 13, allows cutting using the same machining tool while securing the function as fulcra for bending based on the difference in hardness. Therefore, it is possible to extend the life of, for example, a cutting tool while increasing the versatility thereof.

20 [0034]

In the present embodiment, the space D of the divided bearing alloy layer 32 is set to 0.5 to 1.8 times the longest portion Wm of the narrow regions 21 and 22. Furthermore, regarding the areas of the narrow regions 21 and 22, the sum total of the areas of the one-side end faces 211 and 221 is set to 1.3 to 9.0 times the sum total of the areas of the other-side end 25 faces 212 and 222. Furthermore, average hardness of each of the narrow regions 21 and 22 is set to 1.1 to 1.7 times an average of the average hardness of each of the wide regions 11, 12 and 13, and maximum hardness of each region is set to 1.3 to 1.9 times an average of the average hardness of each of the wide regions 11,12 and 13. Setting the space D of the divided bearing alloy layer 32, the area ratio of the narrow regions 21 and 22 and the hardness ratio of the narrow 30 regions 21 and 22 or the like makes it possible to maintain not only the shape accuracy of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 but also the shape accuracy in the grooves 51 and 52 formed on the inner circumferential side of the narrow regions 21 and 22. That is, controlling the space D of the bearing alloy layer 32, the area ratio of the narrow regions 21 and 22 and the hardness ratio of the narrow regions 21 and 22 so as to fall within a set range can further improve the

DK

15 roundness of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 which is the sliding member 10 worked into a semi-cylindrical shape. Controlling irregular deformation in the narrow region 21 reduces local contact between the worked semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and the housing on the outer circumferential side. Local contact between the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and 5 the housing may be projected as unevenness of the inner circumferential surface formed by the bearing alloy layer 32. As a result, when local contact between the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and the housing occurs, sliding between the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and the crosshead pin which is the mating member may cause local fatigue or damage to the bearing alloy layer 32 of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50. The present embodiment defines the 10 elements of the respective sections as described above, and can thereby reduce local contact between the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 and the housing, accompanying damage by fretting on backside of the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50, local fatigue or damage of the bearing alloy layer.

[0035] 15 In the present embodiment, the overall length Ts of the narrow regions 21 and 22 is set to 0.60 to 0.95 times the thickness T of the sliding member 10 and the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50. Furthermore, the narrow regions 21 and 22 formed by welding has a maximum hardness of Hv 320 to 400 and the hardest portion is located within a range of 0.50 to 0.95 times the thickness T from the one-side end face 211 in the thickness direction. Cyclic 20 deformation is produced in the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 in an environment with an operating dynamic load. The present embodiment sets the overall length of the narrow regions 21 and 22, hardness and the position of the hardest portion or the like as described above, and thereby maintains the strength even when cyclic deformation occurs. Therefore, durability can be maintained even in an environment with a high load.

25 [0036] (Other embodiments)

The present invention described so far is not limited to the above embodiments, but is applicable to various embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

In the sliding member 10, the bearing alloy layer 32 need not be divided as shown 30 in Fig. 8. In this case, the narrow region 21 penetrates from the end face of the back metal layer 31 to the end face of the bearing alloy layer 32 in the thickness direction of the sliding member 10. Furthermore, the shape of the groove 51 of the sliding member 10 formed of the divided bearing alloy layer 32 can be arbitrarily set such as grooves 511, 512 and 513 as shown in Fig. 9 to Fig. 11. Furthermore, not only the bearing alloy layer 32 but also part of the back metal layer DK 17: 16 31 of the sliding member 10 may be deleted. That is, in the case of the sliding member 10 shown in Fig. 9 to Fig. 11, the groove 51 is formed not only in the bearing alloy layer 32 but also in part of the back metal layer 31.

[0037] 5 In the sliding member 10 as shown in Fig. 12, the center of the groove 51 may not match the center of the narrow region 21 in the width direction. Alternatively, in the sliding member 10 as shown in Fig. 13, the narrow region 21 may also be tilted or bent in the thickness direction. As described above, the relationship of the narrow region 21 with the groove 51 or with the thickness direction may be arbitrarily set.

10 [0038]

In the sliding member 10 as shown in Fig. 14, a narrow region 81 may be formed into an hourglass shape. In this case, the narrow region 81 is formed into an hourglass shape by applying welding work from both ends in the thickness direction. The hourglass shape is a shape in which trapezia symmetrically overlap in the thickness direction. That is, the narrow 15 region 81 is constricted between a one-side end face 811 and an other-side end face 812 in the thickness direction. When the narrow region 81 is formed into an hourglass shape in this way, the one-side end face 811 is set so as to have a greater exposed area, that is, a greater projection area in the thickness direction than the other-side end face 812. However, from the standpoints of improving accuracy of bending and reducing remaining welding voids, welding work is 20 preferably applied only from the side which is on the outer circumferential side and the narrow region preferably has a trapezial surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the narrow region. Furthermore, the center of the groove 51 preferably matches the center of the narrow region in the width direction.

[0039] 25 An example of the sliding member 10 and the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50 has been described in the above embodiments where the three wide regions 11,12 and 13, and the two narrow regions 21 and 22 are provided. However, in the sliding member 10 and the semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 50, the number of the wide regions and narrow regions can be arbitrarily set. Moreover, when a plurality of sliding members 10 and semi-cylindrical sliding 30 bearings 50 are provided with a plurality of narrow regions, all of the plurality of narrow regions may be configured to satisfy the above condition or at least one of the plurality of narrow regions may be configured to satisfy the above condition.

[Reference Signs List]

DK

17

[0040] 10 S liding member 11,12,13 Wide region 21,22 Narrow region 5 31,61 Back metal layer 32, 62 Bearing alloy layer 50 Semi-cylindrical sliding bearing 51,511,512,513 Groove 60 Plate member 10 211,221,811 One-side end face 212, 222, 812 Other-side end face

Claims

Sliding element according to claim 4, wherein the shortest distance of the gap between the shared neighboring bearing alloy layers is 1.0 to 1.8 times the longest part. [Claim 6] Sliding element according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the average hardness of the narrow area is 1.1 to 1.7 times the average hardness of the wide area and the maximum hardness of the narrow area is 1.3 to 1.9 times. the average hardness of the wide areas. [Claim 7] Sliding element according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the total sum of the one-side end surfaces in the narrow region is 1.3 to 9.0 times the total sum of the areas of the second-side end faces 45 in the narrow region. [Claim 8] Sliding element according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the total length of the narrow region in the thickness direction is 0.60 to 0.95 times the thickness of the sliding element. [Claim 9]

A sliding element according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the maximum hardness in the narrow range is 320 to 400 HV and the hardest part is located in a range of from 0.50 to 0.95 times the thickness of the sliding element from the one-side end surface of thickness direction. [Claim 10] Sliding element according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the narrow region has a trapezoidal shape of 55 a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the narrow region. [Claim 11] Sliding element according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the narrow region has an hourglass shape with trapezoidal symmetrically arranged to overlap in the thickness direction on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the narrow region. [Claim 12] Semi-cylindrical sliding bearing, comprising the sliding element according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the narrow region extending in the axial line direction is provided between the wide regions disposed in a circumferential direction and one end portion forming an outer circumferential surface outside the diameter direction, and the other end portion forms an internal circumferential surface within the diameter direction. [Claim 13] Semi-cylindrical slide bearing according to claim 12, wherein the two or more narrow regions are provided in the circumferential direction. [Claim 14]

A semi-cylindrical block bearing according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising a groove extending in the axial line direction within the diameter direction of the narrow region. [Claim 15] A method of manufacturing a flat sliding element to be formed into a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing via a step of bending to a semi-cylindrical shape, comprising: a step of disposing two or more plate elements; and a step of applying rapid heating and rapid cooling to the portion where the plate elements are in contact with each other, linearly in a direction perpendicular to the plate thickness, and forming one or more narrow regions upon which rapid heating and rapid cooling are applied. and wide regions surrounding the narrow region, where, in the narrow region, the total length of the one-side end face in the width direction is less than the total length of the one-side end face in the longitudinal direction, the maximum length of which narrow range is 0.1 to 5.0% of a total length of the sliding element, including the wide and narrow widthwise directions. [Claim 16] A method of manufacturing a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing according to claim 15, further comprising a step of bending the plate elements which have been subjected to rapid heating and rapid cooling to a semi-cylindrical shape in which the narrow region extends within the axial line direction, wherein the rapid heating and rapid cooling are applied to the side which becomes an outer circumferential surface when the plate elements are bent to the semi-cylindrical shape. [Claim 17] A method of producing a semi-cylindrical sliding bearing according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the plate elements comprise a metal backing layer and a bearing alloy layer and, when the plate elements are bent into a semi-cylindrical shape, the metal backing layer is placed on the outer perimeter side, and the bearing alloy layer is placed on the inner perimeter side. [Claim 18] A method of manufacturing a semi-cylindrical slide bearing according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the rapid heating and rapid cooling are welding of the two or more plate members.