# US 5,700,546 A · Seal or bearing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,700,546 A - Document ID: US5700546A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/453,004 - Filed: 1995-05-30 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1994-05-30 - Assignees: Ebara Corporation; Agency of Industrial Science and Technology - Inventors: Kanenaga Fujii; Masato Kiuchi; Hiroshi Nagasaka; Yoshikazu Kimura; Naoki Tsuchiya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5700546A ## CPC - C04B 41/009: {characterised by the material treated} - C04B 41/5068: {Titanium nitride} - C04B 41/87: Ceramics - C23C 14/0641: {Nitrides (C23C14/0617 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/22: characterised by the process of coating - F16C 33/043: {Sliding surface consisting mainly of ceramics, cermets or hard carbon, e.g. diamond like carbon [DLC]} - F16J 15/3496: {use of special materials} - C04B 2111/00353: {Sliding parts} - Y10S 384/907: Bearing material or solid lubricant - Y10S 384/913: Metallic compounds - Y10T 428/24355: Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.] - Y10T 428/24479: including variation in thickness - Y10T 428/265: 1 mil or less - Y10T 428/30: Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer - Y10T 428/31678: Of metal - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A seal or bearing comprising a combination of a movable member and a stationary member, either one of the movable and stationary members being made of a low thermal expansion coefficient material, and the other being made of a carbon containing material, wherein a sliding surface of the movable or stationary member which is made of the low thermal expansion coefficient material is irradiated with an ion beam consisting essentially of nitrogen ions at the same time as titanium is vacuum-deposited on the sliding surface, thereby forming a thin titanium nitride film on the sliding surface, which provide a seal or bearing which has a reduced coefficient of friction, and which is improved in wear resistance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A seal or bearing comprising a combination of a movable member and a stationary member, either one of said movable and stationary members being made of a low thermal expansion coefficient material, and the other being made of a carbon containing material, wherein a thin titanium nitride film is formed on a sliding surface of said movable or stationary member which is made of said low thermal expansion coefficient material, said titanium nitride film having a Vickers hardness of 2500 or more. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A seal or bearing claimed in claim 1, wherein said carbon containing material comprises a material consisting essentially of carbon or a material impregnated with carbon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A seal or bearing claimed in claim 1, wherein said carbon containing material comprises a carbon containing composite material, a carbon steel, a cast iron, a carbide or a carbon coated material or polymer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A seal or bearing claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said thin titanium nitride film is formed by irradiating said sliding surface of said movable or stationary member which is made of said low thermal expansion coefficient material with an ion beam consisting essentially of nitrogen ions at the same time as titanium is vacuum-deposited on said sliding surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A seal or bearing claimed in claim 4, wherein a dose energy of said nitrogen ion beam is in a range of from 0.1 W/cm.sup.2 to 6 W/cm.sup.2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A seal or bearing claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of said low thermal expansion coefficient material is lower than 10.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A seal or bearing claimed in claim 6, wherein said low thermal expansion coefficient material comprises a heat resistance Invar alloy, a hard metal, a stainless steel or a ceramic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A seal or bearing claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thickness of said thin titanium nitride film is 2 .mu.m or more. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A seal or bearing claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adhesion between said thin titanium nitride film and said low thermal expansion coefficient material is 2.8 GPa or more. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A seal or bearing claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the surface roughness Rmax of said sliding surface of said thin titanium nitride film is 0.5 .mu.m or less.