Patents by Inventor Richard Knepper
Richard Knepper 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).
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Patent number: 8536750Abstract: A mechanical structure (16) for enabling a rotor (28) in a permanent magnet electric motor A to be moved axially relative to a stator (14) under an actuating force, without experiencing frictional sliding during such a movement. As the rotor (28) is moved away from the stator (14), the motor magnetic field is weakened, enabling the motor A to operate efficiently at elevated speeds, extending speed coverage under constant power.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2007Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: The Timken CompanyInventors: Xiaolan Ai, Richard Knepper, Don Remboski, Chris Van Dress, Brad Mularcik
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Patent number: 8152677Abstract: A traction drive transmission has an outer ring 40, a sun roller 10, support rollers 30, and one or more loading rollers 20. The outer ring 40 includes a raceway 42 presented inwardly. The sun roller 10 includes a raceway 12 presented outwardly toward the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40. The sun roller 10 is offset eccentrically with respect to the outer ring 40 so that a wedge gap 112 exists between the raceways 42, 12 of the outer ring 40 and sun roller 10. The support rollers 30 are located between the outer ring 40 and sun roller 10. Each support roller 30 has first and second raceways 36, 38 that have different diameters and contacts the raceway 12 of the sun roller 10 along its first raceway 36 and the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40 along its second raceway 38. Each loading roller 20 is located at the wedge gap 112 between the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40 and the raceway 12 of the sun roller 10.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: The Timken CompanyInventors: Richard Knepper, Xiaolan Al
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Patent number: 7960888Abstract: An electric motor comprising a rotor, a stator and a field weakening device. The rotor has a plurality of magnets mounted thereto, and the stator is located adjacent to the rotor and has a plurality of slots defined therein. The slots define raised teeth and are wound with electrical wiring to generate a magnetic field when the wiring is energized with current. The field weakening device is made from a highly magnetically permeable material and a comparatively lower magnetically permeable material. The field weakening device is disposed between the rotor and the stator and is selectively movable between a first position to align the highly magnetically permeable material between the teeth of the stator and the magnets of the rotor and a second position to align the comparatively lower magnetically permeable material between the teeth of the stator and the magnets of the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2007Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: The Timken CompanyInventors: Xiaolan Ai, Bradley Mularcik, Richard Knepper
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Publication number: 20110074238Abstract: A mechanical structure (16) for enabling a rotor (28) in a permanent magnet electric motor A to be moved axially relative to a stator (14) under an actuating force, without experiencing frictional sliding during such a movement. As the rotor (28) is moved away from the stator (14), the motor magnetic field is weakened, enabling the motor A to operate efficiently at elevated speeds, extending speed coverage under constant power.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2007Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: The Timken CompanyInventors: Xiaolan Ai, Richard Knepper, Don Remboski, Chris Van Dress, Brad Mularcik
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Publication number: 20090127963Abstract: An electric motor comprising a rotor, a stator and a field weakening device. The rotor has a plurality of magnets mounted thereto, and the stator is located adjacent to the rotor and has a plurality of slots defined therein. The slots define raised teeth and are wound with electrical wiring to generate a magnetic field when the wiring is energized with current. The field weakening device is made from a highly magnetically permeable material and a comparatively lower magnetically permeable material. The field weakening device is disposed between the rotor and the stator and is selectively movable between a first position to align the highly magnetically permeable material between the teeth of the stator and the magnets of the rotor and a second position to align the comparatively lower magnetically permeable material between the teeth of the stator and the magnets of the rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2007Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: THE TIMKEN COMPANYInventors: Xiaolan Ai, Bradley Mularcik, Richard Knepper
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Publication number: 20090048052Abstract: A traction drive transmission has an outer ring 40, a sun roller 10, support rollers 30, and one or more loading rollers 20. The outer ring 40 includes a raceway 42 presented inwardly. The sun roller 10 includes a raceway 12 presented outwardly toward the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40. The sun roller 10 is offset eccentrically with respect to the outer ring 40 so that a wedge gap 112 exists between the raceways 42, 12 of the outer ring 40 and sun roller 10. The support rollers 30 are located between the outer ring 40 and sun roller 10. Each support roller 30 has first and second raceways 36, 38 that have different diameters and contacts the raceway 12 of the sun roller 10 along its first raceway 36 and the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40 along its second raceway 38. Each loading roller 20 is located at the wedge gap 112 between the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40 and the raceway 12 of the sun roller 10.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: THE TIMKEN COMPANYInventors: Richard Knepper, Xiaolan Ai
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Publication number: 20080088094Abstract: A seal assembly (100) between an elastomeric seal component (110) and a surface (102) of a rotating component (104) which incorporates at least one micro-channel (106) having discrete branching elements (108, 108A) or micro-recesses (114). The micro-channels (106) are formed on either the surface of the rotating component (104) or the elastomeric seal component (110), and are configured to provide a uniform and unidirectional wear surface. The micro-channels (106) permit a controlled amount of lubricant to flow to the elastomeric seal region (R) area while creating a barrier to prevent lubricant axial migration beyond the elastomeric seal region (R). The controlled lubrication reduces seal wear, extends the seal life, and results in a reduced chance of leakage if the elastomeric seal component (110) is misaligned relative to the rotating component surface (102).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2005Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: THE TIMKEN COMPANYInventors: Richard Borowski, Richard Knepper
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Patent number: 6502991Abstract: A protective coating is applied to an inner or an outer member of a rotary fluid bearing by sputtering to minimize scuffing, wear and premature failure of the members during starts and stops of the bearing. The coating may include titanium, tungsten, chromium, amorphous carbon with or without metallic impurities, and hydrogenated amorphous carbon with or without metallic impurities. One of the members is formed in two sections to accommodate assembly of the bearing and these sections abut at end faces. Features on each end face are imparted to the other end face in a compression coining process to facilitate rapid and repeatable alignment of the two sections when separated and rejoined during subsequent manufacturing steps.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2001Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: The Timken CompanyInventors: Richard A. Knepper, Gary L. Doll, Thomas Underwood
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Publication number: 20020131656Abstract: A protective coating is applied to an inner or an outer member of a rotary fluid bearing by sputtering to minimize scuffing, wear and premature failure of the members during starts and stops of the bearing. The coating may include titanium, tungsten, chromium, amorphous carbon with or without metallic impurities, and hydrogenated amorphous carbon with or without metallic impurities. One of the members is formed in two sections to accommodate assembly of the bearing and these sections abut at end faces. Features on each end face are imparted to the other end face in a compression coining process to facilitate rapid and repeatable alignment of the two sections when separated and rejoined during subsequent manufacturing steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2001Publication date: September 19, 2002Applicant: The Timken CompanyInventors: Richard A. Knepper, Gary L. Doll, Thomas Underwood
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Patent number: 6443624Abstract: An angular contact ball bearing has races formed from a case-carburized or carbonitrided steel, preferably a stainless steel, that withstands high forces and high temperatures. The bearing has relatively low osculation ratios to reduce the generation of heat, yet can withstand applied radial loads and the centrifugal forces generated in high speed operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2000Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: The Timken CompanyInventors: Richard A. Knepper, Tadao Tsuneyoshi, William E. Harbottle, Neal C. McBain
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Patent number: 6439774Abstract: A rotary air bearing (A) as shown in the Figure has a journal (2) provided with a pair of outwardly presented tapered surfaces located opposite the tapered surfaces on the journal, and a low friction liner (6) bonded to the tapered surfaces on the hub and having tapered surfaces which are separated from the tapered surfaces of the journal by small air gaps (g).Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1999Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: The Timken CompanyInventors: Richard A. Knepper, Keith M. Gordon, Jay M. Landry, William E. Harbottle
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Publication number: 20020094142Abstract: A bearing, which may be used to mount a swing arm on the frame of a computer disk drive, has an outer race provided with two raceways of arcuate cross section. Each raceway has a row of raceway balls located along it. The raceway balls of each row, in turn, surround and bear against a separate pivot ball. The two pivot balls are greater in diameter than the circles described by the innermost areas of the rows of raceway balls, so that the pivot balls when urged together bear against the raceway balls of the two rows and urge them against their raceways. The force which urges the two pivot balls together may derive from spring-loaded arm engaged with one of the balls.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Applicant: The Timken CompanyInventors: Richard A. Knepper, Keith M. Gordon