Bearing element manufacturing method, bearing manufacturing method, machine manufacturing method, vehicle manufacturing method, bearing element, bearing, machine, and vehicle

A bearing element manufacturing method comprising:

• a first step of preparing a first piece having a predetermined shape, the predetermined shape including a first ring portion and a second ring portion arranged along an axial direction, an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the first ring portion being respectively larger than an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the second ring portion;
• a second step of obtaining a second piece by processing the first piece, the second piece including a third ring portion corresponding to the first ring portion and a fourth ring portion corresponding to the second ring portion;
• and
• a third step of obtaining a first ring element and a second ring element separated from each other, the first ring element corresponding to the third ring portion, the second ring element corresponding to the fourth ring portion,
• wherein the second step includes:
• preparing a first set including a first member and a second member disposed inside the first member;
• preparing a second set including a third member and a fourth member disposed inside the third member;
• disposing the first member and the second member within a die and at a first side of the die in the axial direction;
• disposing the third member and the fourth member within the die and at a second side of the die in the axial direction;
• and
• deforming the first piece by relatively moving the first set in the axial direction with respect to the second set and by bringing the first piece into contact with (i) a surface of the first member facing the second side, (ii) a surface of the second member facing the second side, (iii) a surface of the third member facing the first side, and (iv) a surface of the fourth member facing the first side, while the first piece is disposed between the first set and the second set in the axial direction, and
• wherein, during the deforming of the first piece, the surface of the second member facing the second side is disposed between the surface of the third member facing the first side and the surface of the fourth member facing the first side in the axial direction.

A bearing element comprising:

• a body having a ring shape,
• wherein the body includes a first axial surface, a second axial surface, an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first chamfered portion and a second chamfered portion, the first axial surface being one axial end surface of the body, the second axial surface being another axial end surface of the body, the first chamfered portion being formed between the outer peripheral surface and the first axial surface, and the second chamfered portion being formed between the outer peripheral surface and the second axial surface,
• wherein a metal flow of the body includes a first pattern which is continuous along the first chamfered portion in the vicinity of a surface of the first chamfered portion, a second pattern which is continuous along the second chamfered portion in the vicinity of a surface of the second chamfered portion, a third pattern which is continuous along the outer peripheral surface in the vicinity of the outer peripheral surface, a fourth pattern which is continuous along the first axial surface in the vicinity of the first axial surface, and a fifth pattern which is continuous along the second axial surface in the vicinity of the second axial surface,
• wherein the third pattern is asymmetric with respect to a line passing through an axial center of the body and extending along a radial direction,
• wherein a distance between a plurality of line elements in the third pattern gradually narrows from the first axial surface toward the second axial surface,
• wherein a distance between a plurality of line elements in the fourth pattern is greater than a distance between a plurality of line elements in the fifth pattern, and
• wherein the metal flow of the body has line elements that are continuous throughout the first pattern, the second pattern, the third pattern, the fourth pattern, and the fifth pattern.