Member having sliding contact surface, compressor and rotary compressor

• US 6,071,103 A
• Filed: 07/17/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Diamond Coating Technologies, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirano, Hitoshi, Kuramoto, Keiichi, Domoto, Yoichi, Tojo, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Vrablik, John J.
• Application Number:
  US08/895,999
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 418/152, 418/178, 418/63, 428/408
• US Class Current: 418/63
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/0809 Construction of vanes or vane holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12458 having composition, density, or hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12625 Free carbon containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

A member is disclosed which includes a hard carbon film provided through an interlayer or directly on a main body such as a vane. A mixed layer is formed within the main body or interlayer adjacent to an outer surface of the main body or interlayer. The mixed layer contains carbon and a constituent element of either the main body or the interlayer. The mixed layer has a carbon content gradient in its thickness direction so that a carbon content in a thickness portion thereof closer to an outer surface of the mixed layer is higher than in a thickness portion thereof remoter from the outer surface of the mixed layer.

Claims

1. A member comprising:

a main body having a sliding contact surface;

a hard carbon film provided on said sliding contact surface of the main body, wherein said hard carbon film comprises a diamond thin film, a film having a mixed diamond and amorphous structure or an amorphous carbon thin film;

a mixed layer formed within a thickness region of said main body adjacent to said sliding contact surface thereof and containing carbon and a constituent element of said thickness region of the main body; and

said mixed layer having a carbon content gradient in its thickness direction so that a carbon content in a thickness portion thereof closer to an outer surface of the mixed layer is higher than in a thickness portion thereof remoter from the outer surface of the mixed layer, wherein said mixed layer is formed by introducing the carbon into said thickness region of the main body adjacent to the sliding contact surface thereof.

2. The member of claim 1, wherein a thickness of said mixed layer is at least 5 Å

.

3. The member of claim 1, wherein said hard carbon film has a hydrogen content gradient in its thickness direction so that a hydrogen content in a thickness portion thereof remoter from an outer surface of the hard carbon film is higher than in a thickness portion thereof closer to the outer surface of the hard carbon film.

4. The member of claim 1, wherein said mixed layer includes a concentrated portion having a maximum carbon content of at least 20 atomic percent.

5. The member of claim 4, wherein said concentrated portion is present within a thickness region which covers 50% or less of a whole thickness of the mixed layer from the outer surface of mixed layer.

6. The member of claim 1, wherein said hard carbon film contains at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of Si, N, Ta, Cr, F and B.

7. The member of claim 6, wherein said hard carbon film has a content gradient of said additive element in its thickness direction so that an additive element content in a thickness portion thereof closer to the outer surface of the hard carbon film is higher than in a thickness portion thereof remoter from the outer surface of the hard carbon film.

8. A compressor incorporating the member of claim 1.

9. A rotary compressor comprising:

a roller mounted eccentric to a rotatable crank shaft and having an outer periphery;

a hollow cylinder for accommodating said roller therein, said hollow cylinder having an inner surface in sliding contact with said outer periphery of the roller; and

a vane received in a channel provided on said inner surface of the cylinder and having a leading end in sliding contact with said outer periphery of the roller,

wherein said vane is said main body of the member of claim 1 and at least said leading end or a side portion of the vane constitutes said sliding contact surface.

10. A rotary compressor comprising:

a roller mounted eccentric to a rotatable crank shaft and having an outer periphery;

a hollow cylinder for accommodating said roller therein, said hollow cylinder having an inner surface in sliding contact with said outer periphery of the roller; and

a vane received in a channel provided on said inner surface of the cylinder and having a leading end in sliding contact with said outer periphery of the roller,

wherein said roller is said main body of the member of claim 1 and said outer periphery of the roller constitutes said sliding contact surface.

11. A rotary compressor comprising:

a roller mounted eccentric to a rotatable crank shaft and having an outer periphery;

a hollow cylinder for accommodating said roller therein, said hollow cylinder having an inner surface in sliding contact with said outer periphery of the roller; and

a vane received in a channel provided on said inner surface of the cylinder and having a leading end in sliding contact with said outer periphery of the roller,

wherein said hollow cylinder is said main body of the member of claim 1 and said inner surface of the hollow cylinder constitutes said sliding contact surface.