Patents Examined by Alan B Waits
  • Patent number: 11536316
    Abstract: An externally pressurized porous gas bearing for operating within a refrigerant environment is disclosed. The gas bearing utilizes shear heating from rotation of a rotor, thereby increasing the pressure and load capacity of the externally pressurized porous gas bearing. The gas bearing is capable of operating when the refrigerant is in a liquid phase and when the refrigerant is in a gaseous phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: New Way Machine Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Devitt
  • Patent number: 11536313
    Abstract: A wheel bearing assembly includes a wheel hub, at least one inner ring, an outer ring, and one or more rolling elements. An accommodation space may be formed inward of a vehicle-body-side end portion of the wheel hub to accommodate a constant velocity joint, and a plurality of recesses for accommodating rotating elements of the constant velocity joint are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the accommodation space to be spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction. A first heat-treated hardened portion may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the accommodation space, and may be formed to have portions with which the rotating elements of the constant velocity joint is brought into contact. A second heat-treated hardened portion may formed on an outer peripheral surface of the wheel hub. The first and second heat-treated hardened portions may not overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ILJIN GLOBAL Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jung Yang Park, Jong Keun Lim, Yun Ho Jung, Bo Young Jang
  • Patent number: 11530722
    Abstract: Detection device for a wheel hub assembly provided with a rolling bearing, the detection device having a phonic wheel made of magnetized material and mounted on a rotating ring of the bearing, a shaped support element angularly constrained to the rotating ring of the bearing arranged directly between the phonic wheel and the rotating ring so as to angularly lock together the phonic ring and the rotating ring, and a sensor facing the phonic wheel; a protection device being integral with the rotating ring of the bearing so as to protect simultaneously both the phonic wheel and the sensor from external contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventors: Daniele Duch, Marco Gemello, Aurelien Mesnager
  • Patent number: 11525480
    Abstract: A split bearing protector with a flexible design that adds improved moisture protection to a bearing and can be installed without removing the bearing from the machine in which it is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Evapco, Inc.
    Inventor: Davey Joe Vadder
  • Patent number: 11525478
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a rotor shaft. The rotor shaft is mounted via a bearing assembly having a first bearing ring and a second bearing ring mounted to rotate in relation to the first bearing ring. A hydrostatically supported first friction bearing segment is disposed on the first bearing ring and interacts with a first friction face that is disposed on the second bearing ring. The first friction bearing segment is received in a receptacle pocket of the first bearing ring such that a first compression chamber is formed between the first bearing ring and the first friction bearing segment. The first friction bearing segment is configured such that a second compression chamber is formed between the first friction bearing segment and the second bearing ring, wherein the first compression chamber and the second compression chamber are connected by a duct that runs through the first friction bearing segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP ROTHE ERDE GMBH, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Bernd Lüneburg, Jörg Rollmann, Gunther Elfert
  • Patent number: 11519457
    Abstract: An air foil bearing and a compressor including the same, may include a beam plate provided in a lower portion thereof; a shim sheet stacked on the beam plate, and partially covering a top surface of the beam plate; and a top foil stacked on the shim sheet, wherein one side of the beam plate is fixed, and the other side of the beam plate is movable in a vertical direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Tae Young Kim, Byung Hwa Oh, Jong Myeong Kim
  • Patent number: 11519460
    Abstract: A hub bearing module for a lightweight suspension upright or knuckle of a vehicle, the hub bearing module including a wheel bearing and a bearing connection interface to the suspension upright or knuckle, the bearing connection interface being arranged coaxial with the rolling bearing and including a first sleeve element and a second sleeve element arranged radially outside the first sleeve element and including a composite, preferably BMC (Bulk Molding Compound) annular body having a radially inner lateral surface mechanically coupled to the first sleeve element and a radially outer lateral surface configured to mechanically and chemically couple with the suspension upright or knuckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventors: Marco Falossi, Valentin Fleury, Alessandro Garrone, Remi Sarlin, Edo Schramm
  • Patent number: 11493085
    Abstract: A hybrid bearing assembly includes a bushing. A sleeve is rotationally disposed within the bushing and a support layer is disposed around an outer perimeter of the bushing. A protective sleeve is disposed abutting the sleeve. A protective bushing is disposed abutting the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Abhay R. Patil, Robert B. Hure, Adolfo Delgado Marquez, Burak C. Ayyildiz, Wenjie Yin
  • Patent number: 11493088
    Abstract: A rolling bearing unit provided with a radially outer ring having an assembly groove, two radially inner rings, two series of rolling elements interposed between the radially outer ring and the radially inner rings and defining between them a first internal grease reservoir. The groove is arranged in an axially intermediate position with respect to the two radially inner rings and a grease dispensing device is housed inside the groove of the radially outer ring and is in turn provided with a second grease reservoir formed inside the radially outer ring and communicating with the first reservoir via the groove. A permeable retaining wall housed is inside the groove so as to retain the grease inside the second reservoir and allow it to flow out towards the first reservoir during operation of the bearing unit, dispensing it in a controlled manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Giuseppe Guala, Luca Morero, Massimiliano Ribet
  • Patent number: 11486444
    Abstract: A bearing providing a first ring assembly and a second ring assembly, the first ring assembly including at least a first ring and an outer cap reversibly fixed to first ring. The bearing further providing at least one sealing element mounted radially into a cylindrical surface of the first ring assembly and provided with a sealing lip in sliding frictional contact with the second ring assembly. The bearing including at least one adjusting shim mounted radially between the first and second ring assemblies, the adjusting shim being axially located between the outer cap of the first ring assembly and the sealing element; or between the first ring of the first ring assembly and the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Bruno Capoldi, Juliette Delaby, Herve Dondaine
  • Patent number: 11486446
    Abstract: A sliding bearing includes:—an inner ring element;—an outer ring element;—at least one sliding bearing element, which is arranged between the inner ring element and the outer ring element. The sliding bearing element has multiple sliding bearing pads, wherein the individual sliding bearing pads each have a radial bearing surface and a fastening profile located opposite the radial bearing surface. The inner ring element has at least one receiving profile on its radial outside, which receiving profile serves for the positive locking connection between the sliding bearing pads and the inner ring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Miba Gleitlager Austria GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Hoelzl, Klaus Herbst, Marek Ciklamini, Albert Waldl, Martin Holzinger
  • Patent number: 11473623
    Abstract: A bearing assembly includes at least two bearings each having an inner ring and outer ring, the inner rings being mounted on a shaft, and a balancing piston being disposed between the two bearings. The balancing piston includes a first part and a second part, the first and second parts each contacting the outer rings of the two bearings in an axial direction. The balancing piston further includes an inlet for directing a pressure fluid between the first and second parts to provide pressure to the first and second parts such that the balancing piston adjusts or exerts axial force on at least one of the two bearings. The balancing piston includes an outlet for directing the pressure fluid to lubricate at least one of the two bearings. Also, the outer diameter of the balancing piston is greater than the outer diameter of the outer rings of the two bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Xia Benkui, Hans Wallin
  • Patent number: 11473625
    Abstract: The present application relates to a liquid injection ring and a refrigerant lubricated bearing assembly, the liquid injection ring includes a ring body; the ring body is provided with a liquid storage chamber and a plurality of liquid guide holes; the liquid storage chamber is arranged in a circle around the axis of the ring body; the inlets of the liquid guide holes communicate with the liquid storage chamber; the outlets of the liquid guide holes face the end surface of a to-be-lubricated bearing; and the plurality of liquid guide holes are uniformly distributed in a spaced manner along the circumferential direction of the ring body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Hua Liu, Zhiping Zhang, Hongbo Li, Nan Jiang
  • Patent number: 11460070
    Abstract: Disclosed herein a bearing that comprises a base, made of a metallic base material. The base comprises a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical inner surface that is opposite the cylindrical outer surface, and a central channel defined by the cylindrical inner surface and extending through the base. The bearing also comprises a selective transfer material embedded in the base. The selective transfer material is different than the metallic base material and is configured to release from the base in response to frictionally-induced pressure acting on the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven G. Lemery
  • Patent number: 11460073
    Abstract: Oil grooves (40) formed in at least one of surfaces of a ring-shaped member (30) each have a longitudinal direction that forms an angle falling within a range of from 40 degrees to 75 degrees with respect to a radial direction of the ring-shaped member, and are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the ring-shaped member (30). The oil grooves (40) include communicating oil grooves (40A) and non-communicating oil grooves (40B) formed to extend to the vicinity of an outer peripheral end (34), and are arranged with periodic regularity in the circumferential direction of the ring-shaped member (30). In addition, a communicating oil groove area ratio expressed by Expression: “S1/(S1+S2)” falls within a range of from 0.15 to 0.85, where S1 represents a sum of plane areas of the communicating oil grooves (40A), S2 represents a sum of the non-communicating oil grooves (40B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TPR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyoshi Noguchi, Yasuyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11458764
    Abstract: A wheel bearing includes a rotating element to which the wheel of the vehicle is mounted and configured to rotate together with the wheel of the vehicle; a non-rotating element fixed to the vehicle body; and one or more rolling elements provided between the rotating element and the non-rotating element and configured to rotatably support the rotating element relative to the non-rotating element. The rotating element includes a wheel mounting flange, and a sensor target used to measure a rotational speed of the wheel is provided on an axial end surface of the wheel mounting flange. The sensor target includes an annular plate portion configured to be mounted to the axial end surface of the wheel mounting flange, and the annular plate portion includes a target portion used for measuring the rotational speed of the wheel and at least one bolt insertion hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: ILJIN GLOBAL Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jong Keun Lim, Il Hwan Lee, In Jae Kim, In Woo Baek
  • Patent number: 11460074
    Abstract: Sealing device for a wheel hub assembly provided with a rolling bearing, the sealing device being provided with a shield mounted on an outer ring of the bearing and with an annular cylindrical wall having an inner lateral surface mounted on an outer lateral surface of a collar of the outer ring; and with a sealing material fixed to the shield; an annular snap catch being positioned radially inside the cylindrical wall and extending radially from the inner lateral surface through a specified radial thickness so as to be snap-fitted into a circular groove formed on the outer lateral surface of the collar, and the sealing material being positioned behind the catch before the shield is mounted on the outer ring, with a radial overall dimension smaller than the thickness of the catch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventors: Giorgio Missiaggia, Antonia Nastasi
  • Patent number: 11454285
    Abstract: A combined electrical insulator and conductor assembly for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing. An annular insulator is disposeable about the bearing and configured to prevent electric current flow between an outer ring and the housing. An electrical conductor has retainer(s) releasably engaged with the insulator so as to couple the conductor with the bearing, an outer radial end and an inner radial end. The conductor outer radial end, or/and a portion of the conductor between the outer and inner ends, is conductively engageable with the housing and the conductor inner radial end is conductively engageable with the shaft so as to provide an electrically conductive path between the shaft and the housing. Preferably, the conductor includes a conductive disk having arcuate retainer clips engageable with an insulator groove of the insulator and a brush subassembly including conductive fibers engaged with the shaft outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Nicolas Berruet, Paul Feliciano, Mathieu Hubert, Tommy Jullien, Gene A Kovacs, Thomas Perrotin, Dave Christopher Rybski, Anthony Simonin, Collin Snyder
  • Patent number: 11454284
    Abstract: A combined insulator and conductor assembly for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing includes an annular insulator disposeable about the bearing outer ring and having inner and outer circumferential surfaces and formed of an electrically insulative material or having one or more insulative layers to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing. A conductive carrier includes a cylindrical portion having an inner surface disposed about the insulator outer surface and an outer surface disposeable against the housing inner surface and a disk portion extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical portion having an inner radial end spaced outwardly from the shaft. An annular conductive brush subassembly is coupled with the carrier disk portion and includes a plurality of electrically conductive fibers contactable with the shaft outer surface to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the carrier, and thereafter to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Nicolas Berruet, Paul Feliciano, Mathieu Hubert, Tommy Jullien, Gene Kovacs, Thomas Perrotin, David Christopher Rybski, Anthony Simonin, Collin Snyder
  • Patent number: 11453239
    Abstract: In a vehicle suspension assembly a sensorized system applied to a wheel hub unit, in which radially outer cylindrical surface of an outer ring of the wheel hub unit configured for coupling to a suspension upright or knuckle has four circumferential flats formed to be angularly spaced from each other on the radially outer lateral cylindrical surface, each flat delimiting a plane surface which extends axially over a pair of annular tracks for rolling bodies of the outer ring; each flat carries integrally a sensor module including a pair of extensometers positioned parallel to each other and each at the position of a respective annular track, orientated in a circumferential direction so as to extend along a circumferential development of the annular track; an electrical circuit picks up a signal from each sensor module and sends it to a data socket carried by the suspension upright or knuckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventors: Maurizio Bertola, Marco Cambiano, Igor Dorrestijn, Alessandro Galeazzi, Carmelo Gulli