Patent ID: 8297603

Claim:
A spring retainer comprising: a retainer body having a support hole to be supported with a shaft, the support hole passing through the retainer body so that the support hole extends between opposite first and second ends of the retainer body in an axial direction of the shaft; and a flange-like spring seat circumferentially formed on a periphery at an axial one side of the retainer body proximal to said first end to receive and support a coil spring; wherein the retainer body and spring seat are integrally formed from an iron-based material, and grain flows are continuous from the second end of the retainer body to the spring seat at said periphery; the retainer body and spring seat have an inner hardness of Hv450 to 700 and a surface hardness that exceeds the hardness of the coil spring; and surfaces of the retainer body and spring seat have a compressive residual stress of −200 to −2000 MPa.