The present invention provides a sliding member which enables further reduction of friction and improvement of seizure resistance without deteriorating wear resistance of a sliding surface. The sliding member includes a porous metal base material, and a resin material with which the porous metal base material is impregnated. The sliding member includes an exposed sliding surface. The sliding surface includes a top surface made of the resin material, and a bottom surface made of the porous metal base material. A height from the bottom surface to the top surface is 10 to 30 μm, and the resin material includes fluorine resin.

A cage segment is for a rolling-element bearing cage, particularly for large rolling-element bearings. The cage segment includes a first side element and a second side element that are connected by a first bridge and a second bridge. At least one pocket is formed between the first and second bridges which is suitable for receiving at least one rolling element. The cage segment is manufactured from sheet metal.

Small cross-section bearing unit having a flanged outer ring, an inner ring coaxial with the outer ring and an axis of rotation, a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring so as to allow the relative rotation thereof about the axis, and a sealing device for preventing the entry of contaminants and, at the same, time, for preventing the leakage of a lubricating grease from the inside of the bearing unit; the sealing device being provided, on each side of the bearing unit, with a shaped sealing screen that is supported rotatably about the axis by the outer ring, and a labyrinth seal extending along a respective complex winding path defined by an associated sealing screen and by the inner ring.

A sheet metal bearing cage segment includes a first sheet metal ring section, at least one second sheet metal ring section, and a plurality of bridges connecting the first ring section and the at least one second ring section to each other, adjacent pairs of the bridges forming pockets configured to receive at least one rolling element. At least one edge of the first ring section and/or at least one edge of the at least one second ring section and/or of one of the bridges is at least partially formed by laser cutting. Also a method of forming a sheet metal bearing cage at least partially by laser cutting.

A method for manufacturing a bearing ring of a rolling bearing includes a series of steps of cutting out an annular member from a material, forming a surface-hardened layer on the annular member, quenching and tempering the annular member, and polishing inner and outer diameter surfaces of the annular member. The method includes, after the quenching, rapidly cooling the ring member such that the ring member has a surface temperature of 50° C. or lower to form a bearing ring intermediate member, and after the tempering, polishing inner and outer diameter surfaces of the bearing ring intermediate member.

A cage segment is for a rolling-element bearing cage, particularly for large rolling-element bearings. The cage segment includes a first side element and a second side element that are connected by a first bridge and a second bridge. At least one pocket is formed between the first and second bridges which is suitable for receiving at least one rolling element. The cage segment is manufactured from sheet metal.

An induction-hardened crankshaft is provided that offers an excellent balance of fatigue strength, machinability and quench-cracking resistance. An induction-hardened crankshaft has a chemical composition of, in mass %: 0.30 to 0.60% C; 0.01 to 1.50% Si; 0.4 to 2.0% Mn; 0.01 to 0.50% Cr; 0.001 to 0.06% Al; 0.001 to 0.02% N; up to 0.03% P; 0.005 to 0.20% S; 0.005 to 0.060% Nb; and balance Fe and impurities, the non-induction-hardened portion having a microstructure mainly composed of ferrite-pearlite and having a fraction of ferrite Fα satisfying the expression (1) provided below, the induction-hardened portion having a microstructure mainly composed of martensite or tempered martensite, and having a prior austenite grain diameter not larger than 30 μm,

Fα≥150×[C %]+84   (1), where the C content in mass % in the induction-hardened crankshaft is substituted for [C %].

Provided is a sliding member capable of realizing the wear resistance effect by Si particles. The sliding member includes an aluminum alloy layer containing 7.0% by mass or more and 13.0% by mass or less of Sn, 6.5% by mass or more and 12.0% by mass or less of Si, 0.5% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less of Cu, unavoidable impurities, and a balance Al. Si particles are dispersed in the aluminum alloy layer. A Vickers hardness of a matrix of the aluminum alloy layer is 40 HV or more and 60 HV or less. A load resistance value, which is a product of a volume concentration and average area of the Si particles and the Vickers hardness of the matrix, is 0.00001 N or more and 0.00029 N or less.

Small cross-section bearing unit having a flanged outer ring, an inner ring coaxial with the outer ring and an axis of rotation, a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring so as to allow the relative rotation thereof about the axis, and a sealing device for preventing the entry of contaminants and, at the same, time, for preventing the leakage of a lubricating grease from the inside of the bearing unit; the sealing device being provided, on each side of the bearing unit, with a shaped sealing screen that is supported rotatably about the axis by the outer ring, and a labyrinth seal extending along a respective complex winding path defined by an associated sealing screen and by the inner ring.

The sliding member includes an aluminum alloy layer containing 7.0% by mass or more and 13.0% by mass or less of Sn, 6.5% by mass or more and 12.0% by mass or less of Si, 0.5% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less of Cu, unavoidable impurities, and a balance Al. Si particles are dispersed in the aluminum alloy layer. A Vickers hardness of a matrix of the aluminum alloy layer is 40 HV or more and 60 HV or less. A load resistance value, which is a product of a volume concentration and average area of the Si particles and the Vickers hardness of the matrix, is 0.00001 N or more and 0.00029 N or less.