Patents by Inventor Richard Best

Richard Best has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220133583
    Abstract: A skin treatment device includes a roller disposed about a rotational axis, with a plurality of flexible, compressive skin contact elements distributed circumferentially about the roller. Compressive elements include a first longitudinal section coupled to the roller, a second longitudinal section with a radially outer skin contact surface extending opposite the first longitudinal section, and a transverse section with one or more web members connecting the first and second longitudinal sections at an angle. The angles of the web members are adapted to generate lateral displacement of the contact surfaces in response to a compressive load. The lateral displacements of adjacent pairs of contact surfaces are defined in opposite directions, parallel and antiparallel to the rotational axis, in order to provide an elastic stretching treatment to the skin. Electrodes can be disposed adjacent the roller, on the housing or between adjacent contact surfaces, in order to provide a current treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Best, Mukul Bokil
  • Patent number: 7992532
    Abstract: The switchable hydraulic lash adjuster uses balls that move radially in order to lock and unlock the switchable elements in the hydraulic lash adjuster. An axially movable piston acts on the ball to force it to engage and to allow it to disengage the inner housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Florin Bugescu, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7926455
    Abstract: The finger follower has an inner and outer body and a torsional lost motion spring positioned at its lash adjuster end of the outer body. The torsional lost motion springs have a short leg that abuts the outer body and a long leg that contacts the inner body. The torsional spring is located above the pivot point of the finger follower so as to provide a low mass moment of inertia and to reduce the weight over the valve stem end of the follower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Yunshan Liu, Anna Strehlau, Richard Best, Xiaopo Ma
  • Patent number: 7909007
    Abstract: The finger follower has an inner and outer body and a torsional lost motion spring positioned at its lash adjuster end of the outer body. The torsional lost motion spring has two helical parts each with a short leg that abuts the outer body and a long leg that contacts the inner body. The torsional spring is located above the pivot point of the finger follower so as to provide a low mass moment of inertia and to reduce the weight over the valve stem end of the follower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Yunshan Liu, Anna Strehlau, Richard Best, Xiaopo Ma
  • Patent number: 7882815
    Abstract: A hydraulic cam follower for simultaneous actuation of several equal-acting gas-exchange valves, especially for a tappet pushrod valve train of an engine, includes an outer part, whose base forms a cam contacting surface, and from whose head hollow-cylindrical guides extend in the same number as the valves in a direction towards the base. A housing of a hydraulic play compensation element is provided in each guide and sits with its bottom side on an inside of the bottom of the outer part. A concentric pressure piston is guided in a borehole starting from a head end of each housing so it can move axially. A non-return valve is located at a bottom-side base of the piston and a high-pressure space is formed axially between the base and the bottom side of the housing. A reservoir for hydraulic medium is formed between the base and a head end of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Florin Bugescu, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7861681
    Abstract: A switchable valve train for gas-exchange valves of internal combustion engines with a rocker arm device (1), in which a rocking motion about a rocker arm axis (3) can be introduced by at least one cam (2a, 2b), one tappet, or the like, wherein this rocking motion can be transmitted to at least one valve (4). The rocker arm device (1) is formed from at least one cam lever part (5) in working connection with the cam (2) and a valve lever part (6) in working connection with the valve (4), which are supported so that they can rock about the rocker arm axis (3). A coupling device is constructed between the cam lever part (5) and the valve lever part (6), in order to selectively engage and disengage the transmission of the rocking motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Debra Manther, Lucian Botez, Florin Bugescu, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7823555
    Abstract: The low profile valve lifter assembly has flats inside the bore of the outer housing and walls are formed and extended down from the plate of the guide such that the walls align with the flats of the bore to prevent rotation of the lifter with the guide. A groove and protuberance are provided in the flats and on the side wall of the guide in order to properly orient the lifter with the guide. The flats can be connected to form a pocket and the walls of the guide can be connected to form a sleeve that mates with the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Florin Bugescu, James Westbrook, Lutz Kirbach, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7793626
    Abstract: A hydraulic cam follower (1), such as a roller tappet, is provided. This is used for the actuation of two identically operating gas-exchange valves and should be installed inclined to the direction of the force of gravity. The cam follower (1) comprises a pot-shaped housing (2), whose bottom (3) is provided with a roller as a cam contacting element (4). In the housing (2), two guides (5) extending parallel to the direction of the internal combustion engine are provided, in each of which a pressure piston (6) is arranged so that it can move axially, whose end (7) away from the housing is constructed as a support for contact with a respective tappet pushrod. Each pressure piston (6) encloses a reservoir (11) for hydraulic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Florin Bugescu, Jemel Jones, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7721696
    Abstract: Proposed is a cam follower (1) for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, having a roller (3), which is rotatably mounted on a journal (2), as a cam thrust face, which journal (2) runs with its outer casing (4) in a respective bore (5, 6) of a first and second guide wall (7, 8) of the cam follower (1), between which guide walls (7, 8) the roller (3) is held, which outer casing (4) is composed of a first and a second section (9, 10), which first section (9) intrinsically has a greater diameter than the second section (10), wherein the journal (2) has an axial travel limitation in one direction by means of its collar (11) which is situated between the sections (9, 10), and in the other direction by means of a radially projecting element such as a securing ring (12), which collar (11) and which securing ring (12) abut against one of the guide walls (7, 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Matthew Evans, Debora Manther, Donald Haefner, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7707979
    Abstract: Proposed is a switchable valvetrain (1) for an internal combustion engine, having a row of rocker arms (2) which extend in the longitudinal direction of a cylinder head, which rocker arms (2) run via a recess (7) on an upper side (6) on a head (8) of a bearing journal (9), which bearing journal (9) is axially moveably arranged in a bore (10) of a carrier (11) which runs above, with piston-like coupling means (12) being provided for selectively coupling the bearing journal (9) to the carrier (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7568459
    Abstract: Proposed is a switchable valvetrain (1) for an internal combustion engine, having a row of rocker arms (2) which extend in the longitudinal direction of a cylinder head, which rocker arms (2) run via a recess (7) on their upper side (6) on a head (8) of a bearing journal (9), which bearing journal (9) is axially moveably arranged in a bore (10) of a carrier (11)/insert part (11a) which runs above, with piston-like coupling means (12) being provided for selectively coupling the bearing journal (9) to the carrier (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Richard Best
  • Publication number: 20090159030
    Abstract: The switchable hydraulic lash adjuster uses balls that move radially in order to lock and unlock the switchable elements in the hydraulic lash adjuster. An axially movable piston acts on the ball to force it to engage and to allow it to disengage the inner housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Florin BUGESCU, Richard BEST
  • Publication number: 20090114177
    Abstract: The finger follower has an inner and outer body and a torsional lost motion spring positioned at its lash adjuster end of the outer body. The torsional lost motion spring has two helical parts each with a short leg that abuts the outer body and a long leg that contacts the inner body. The torsional spring is located above the pivot point of the finger follower so as to provide a low mass moment of inertia and to reduce the weight over the valve stem end of the follower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Debora MANTHER, Yunshan LIU, Anna STREHLAU, Richard BEST, Xiaopo Ma
  • Publication number: 20090031977
    Abstract: The low profile valve lifter assembly has flats inside the bore of the outer housing and walls are formed and extended down from the plate of the guide such that the walls align with the flats of the bore to prevent rotation of the lifter with the guide. A groove and protuberance are provided in the flats and on the side wall of the guide in order to properly orient the lifter with the guide. The flats can be connected to form a pocket and the walls of the guide can be connected to form a sleeve that mates with the pocket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Florin BUGESCU, James WESTBROOK, Lutz KIRBACH, Richard BEST
  • Publication number: 20080295789
    Abstract: The finger follower has an inner and outer body and a torsional lost motion spring positioned at its lash adjuster end of the outer body The torsional lost motion springs have a short leg that abuts the outer body and a long leg that contacts the inner body. The torsional spring is located above the pivot point of the finger follower so as to provide a low mass moment of inertia and to reduce the weight over the valve stem end of the follower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Debora MANTHER, Yunshan LIU, Anna STREHLAU, Richard BEST, Xiaopo MA
  • Publication number: 20080289593
    Abstract: A switchable valve train for gas-exchange valves of internal combustion engines with a rocker arm device (1), in which a rocking motion about a rocker arm axis (3) can be introduced by at least one cam (2a, 2b), one tappet, or the like, wherein this rocking motion can be transmitted to at least one valve (4). The rocker arm device (1) is formed from at least one cam lever part (5) in working connection with the cam (2) and a valve lever part (6) in working connection with the valve (4), which are supported so that they can rock about the rocker arm axis (3). A coupling device is constructed between the cam lever part (5) and the valve lever part (6), in order to selectively engage and disengage the transmission of the rocking motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Lucian Botez, Florin Bugescu, Richard Best
  • Publication number: 20080149054
    Abstract: A hydraulic cam follower (1), such as a roller tappet, is provided. This is used for the actuation of two identically operating gas-exchange valves and should be installed inclined to the direction of the force of gravity. The cam follower (1) comprises a pot-shaped housing (2), whose bottom (3) is provided with a roller as a cam contacting element (4). In the housing (2), two guides (5) extending parallel to the direction of the internal combustion engine are provided, in each of which a pressure piston (6) is arranged so that it can move axially, whose end (7) away from the housing is constructed as a support for contact with a respective tappet pushrod. Each pressure piston (6) encloses a reservoir (11) for hydraulic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Florin Bugescu, Jermel Jones, Richard Best
  • Publication number: 20080141965
    Abstract: A hydraulic cam follower (1) for the simultaneous actuation of several equal-acting gas-exchange valves is provided, especially for a tappet pushrod valve train of an internal combustion engine, and includes an outer part (2), whose base (3) forms or is at least indirectly connected to a cam contacting surface (4) and from whose head (5) hollow-cylindrical guides (6) extend in the same number as the equal-acting gas-exchange valves in a direction towards the base (3). Each guide (6) is formed by a cutting process, such as internal round reaming or internal round broaching, and a housing (7) of a hydraulic play compensation element (8) is provided in each guide with its outer casing (9) fine-machined by grinding, which housing (7) sits with its bottom side (10) on an inner side (11) of the bottom (3) of the outer part (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Florin Bugescu, Richard Best
  • Patent number: 7363899
    Abstract: A valve drive (1) for an internal combustion engine with a lever-type cam follower (7) is provided, which is used for the variable adjustable transmission of a raised section (2) of a cam (3) to a gas-exchange valve (5), in that the cam follower (7) is supported with an end section (13) away from the cam on a pivot bearing (14), which can be positioned variably on a circular arc-shaped displacement path (15), and an end section (6) close to the cam includes a transmission surface (10) in connection with the gas-exchange valve (5), and also with a support (8), wherein a contact surface (9) for the cam (3) is mounted rotatably on this support (8). Here, the center of the displacement path (15) should be essentially identical to the rotational center (17) of the support (8) when the contact surface (9) interacts with a raised section-free base circle (21) of the cam (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Richard Best, Debora Manther
  • Publication number: 20080022954
    Abstract: Proposed is a cam follower (1) for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, having a roller (3), which is rotatably mounted on a journal (2), as a cam thrust face, which journal (2) runs with its outer casing (4) in a respective bore (5, 6) of a first and second guide wall (7, 8) of the cam follower (1), between which guide walls (7, 8) the roller (3) is held, which outer casing (4) is composed of a first and a second section (9, 10), which first section (9) intrinsically has a greater diameter than the second section (10), wherein the journal (2) has an axial travel limitation in one direction by means of its collar (11) which is situated between the sections (9, 10), and in the other direction by means of a radially projecting element such as a securing ring (12), which collar (11) and which securing ring (12) abut against one of the guide walls (7, 8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Matthew Evans, Debora Manther, Donald Haefner, Richard Best